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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 423 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi was hungry. (b) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Kavya was happy.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is cold? (a) Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Nisha was cold.
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya was cold. (b) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav was happy. (b) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.”     (a) sad (b) cold (c) bored
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) hungry (b) sad (c) happy
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) hungry
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Rohan was hungry.
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Diya was cold. (c) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) bored (b) tired (c) angry
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Farhan was cold. (c) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) tired
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Sneha was happy.
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) sad
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Saanvi’s cheek.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is bored? (a) Diya was bored. (b) Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.

Answer key

  1. Saanvi’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  2. Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  3. Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  4. telling
  5. Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  6. showing
  7. Nisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  8. Kavya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  9. Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  10. sad
  11. hungry
  12. angry
  13. angry
  14. Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  15. telling
  16. Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  17. telling
  18. scared
  19. Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  20. Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  21. scared
  22. telling
  23. angry
  24. showing
  25. Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  26. tired
  27. bored
  28. Sneha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  29. happy
  30. telling
  31. Saanvi shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  32. showing
  33. sad
  34. Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  35. bored
  36. showing
  37. telling
  38. sad
  39. showing
  40. Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.

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