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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 341 · 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?
    “Aarav was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is scared? (a) Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Yash’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Yash was scared.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Meera was happy.
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) tired (b) bored (c) happy
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) scared (b) sad (c) bored
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria was sad. (b) Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Neel was tired.
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) tired
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash was cold. (b) Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Meera was scared.
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Nisha was tired. (c) Nisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Aarav was scared.
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Arjun was sad. (c) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Simran was scared.
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja was bored. (b) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Pooja’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (b) Nisha was angry. (c) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya was happy. (b) Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Tenzin drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) tired
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha was hungry. (b) Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Arjun was bored. (c) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Simran was cold.
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. Yash gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  3. Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  4. happy
  5. bored
  6. Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  7. telling
  8. Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  9. tired
  10. hungry
  11. happy
  12. telling
  13. Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  14. sad
  15. happy
  16. Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  17. telling
  18. Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  19. scared
  20. showing
  21. Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  22. Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  23. Simran froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  24. showing
  25. Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  26. Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  27. scared
  28. showing
  29. Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  30. Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  31. telling
  32. happy
  33. showing
  34. Aisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  35. telling
  36. Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  37. showing
  38. Simran rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  39. telling
  40. bored

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