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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 393 · 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?
    “Imran was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Riya was bored. (c) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.”     (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Vihaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Vihaan was scared.
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya was happy. (b) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) cold (b) sad (c) bored
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) hungry
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) scared (b) angry (c) happy
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Priya was angry.
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) cold (b) sad (c) angry
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is hungry? (a) Priya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Priya was hungry.
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) angry (b) cold (c) happy
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is cold? (a) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Dev was cold.
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi was happy. (b) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Vihaan was sad. (c) Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aarav was scared.
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja was bored. (b) Pooja gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Joseph was tired. (c) Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. telling
  3. showing
  4. telling
  5. Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  6. happy
  7. showing
  8. scared
  9. Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  10. telling
  11. Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  12. showing
  13. Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  14. bored
  15. hungry
  16. tired
  17. scared
  18. angry
  19. Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  20. cold
  21. cold
  22. Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  23. Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  24. Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  25. showing
  26. sad
  27. angry
  28. showing
  29. Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  30. sad
  31. happy
  32. Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  33. tired
  34. bored
  35. Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  36. showing
  37. Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  38. Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  39. bored
  40. Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.

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