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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 400 · 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.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) bored (b) hungry (c) tired
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) cold
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) sad
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) scared
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya was angry. (b) Zoya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) cold
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is cold? (a) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Sneha was cold. (c) Sneha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Kabir was bored. (c) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) bored (b) angry (c) sad
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Sneha was bored. (c) Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Imran was hungry.
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran was bored. (b) Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Simran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima was tired. (b) Fatima gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) bored
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya was hungry. (b) Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran was sad. (b) Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Simran folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Sneha was scared. (c) Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin was sad. (b) Tenzin’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Neel was sad.
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.

Answer key

  1. hungry
  2. sad
  3. hungry
  4. angry
  5. happy
  6. Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  7. cold
  8. Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  9. telling
  10. Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  11. bored
  12. showing
  13. hungry
  14. Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  15. bored
  16. Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  17. angry
  18. Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  19. showing
  20. showing
  21. telling
  22. Fatima dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  23. tired
  24. telling
  25. Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  26. showing
  27. telling
  28. Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  29. showing
  30. happy
  31. Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  32. Rohan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  33. Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  34. Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  35. telling
  36. Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  37. tired
  38. tired
  39. Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  40. Kavya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.

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