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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 276 · 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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Priya’s cheek.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Priya was happy. (c) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Ananya was happy.
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir was angry. (b) Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ishaan was sad.
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir was hungry. (b) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) cold (b) happy (c) sad
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) cold
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aarav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan was hungry. (b) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) scared (b) tired (c) angry
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Arjun was tired. (c) Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is happy? (a) Aisha was happy. (b) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Pooja was angry.
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) bored
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is tired? (a) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tara was tired.
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is scared? (a) Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Ishaan was scared.
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Fatima’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Fatima was scared.
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev was bored. (b) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. sad
  3. scared
  4. Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  5. Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  6. bored
  7. Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  8. Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  9. angry
  10. Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  11. cold
  12. happy
  13. cold
  14. sad
  15. tired
  16. angry
  17. tired
  18. happy
  19. showing
  20. Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  21. scared
  22. showing
  23. showing
  24. showing
  25. Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  26. scared
  27. sad
  28. Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  29. Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  30. cold
  31. telling
  32. bored
  33. showing
  34. Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  35. tired
  36. Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  37. Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  38. happy
  39. Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  40. Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.

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