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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 426 · 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?
    “Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) happy
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Kavya was happy.
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Yash was sad.
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi was cold. (b) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan was angry.
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash was bored. (b) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Yash’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Simran was scared. (c) Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Farhan was bored. (c) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Kavya was bored. (c) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) bored (b) angry (c) happy
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja was angry. (b) Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Manav was tired.
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria felt very happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) cold
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Kabir was scared. (c) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is tired? (a) Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Imran was tired.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) sad
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav was scared. (b) Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is sad? (a) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Aisha was sad. (c) Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was really hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) tired

Answer key

  1. showing
  2. Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  3. showing
  4. happy
  5. showing
  6. telling
  7. telling
  8. Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  9. Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  10. Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  11. cold
  12. Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  13. Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  14. telling
  15. hungry
  16. Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  17. showing
  18. Simran’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  19. showing
  20. Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  21. telling
  22. Kavya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  23. bored
  24. Pooja stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  25. sad
  26. showing
  27. Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  28. telling
  29. scared
  30. Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  31. Imran’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  32. showing
  33. sad
  34. sad
  35. Manav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  36. tired
  37. Aisha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  38. telling
  39. telling
  40. tired

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