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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 262 · 40 questions
TalentJR

Writer's tip (Show the actions): A telling sentence names the feeling: was sad, felt tired. A showing sentence describes actions, faces and bodies: tears, yawns, shaking knees. Pick the showing sentence that fits the right feeling.

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  1. 1.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi was sad. (b) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Zoya was hungry. (c) Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) angry
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Farhan was bored.
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) bored
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Sahil was hungry. (c) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) hungry
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya was hungry. (b) Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) angry (b) bored (c) tired
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was really cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan was cold. (b) Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Simran was angry. (c) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek. (c) Diya was sad.
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Rohan was sad.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is hungry? (a) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Riya was hungry.
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) angry (b) hungry (c) cold
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Neel was tired.
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) angry
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) cold (b) happy (c) angry

Answer key

  1. showing
  2. scared
  3. Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  4. telling
  5. Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  6. showing
  7. Ananya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  8. angry
  9. hungry
  10. bored
  11. telling
  12. Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  13. cold
  14. Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  15. showing
  16. happy
  17. scared
  18. Imran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  19. Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  20. showing
  21. telling
  22. Diya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  23. tired
  24. telling
  25. Aryan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  26. Simran stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  27. bored
  28. showing
  29. telling
  30. A tear rolled slowly down Diya’s cheek.
  31. Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  32. telling
  33. Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  34. bored
  35. angry
  36. Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  37. showing
  38. scared
  39. angry
  40. angry

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