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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 427 · 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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima was hungry. (b) Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek. (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tenzin was happy.
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara was scared. (b) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Meera was scared.
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera was cold. (b) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) hungry
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya was happy. (b) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) angry (b) scared (c) cold
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash was angry. (b) Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is sad? (a) Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Maria was sad. (c) Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Aryan was cold.
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Nisha was hungry. (c) Nisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Ishaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Sneha was hungry.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel felt very angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is cold? (a) Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Yash was cold.
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is cold? (a) Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kavya was cold.

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  3. A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.
  4. showing
  5. Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  6. Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  7. happy
  8. Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  9. telling
  10. telling
  11. Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  12. happy
  13. showing
  14. Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  15. angry
  16. Yash folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  17. showing
  18. telling
  19. showing
  20. Maria sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  21. tired
  22. showing
  23. telling
  24. telling
  25. showing
  26. sad
  27. Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  28. Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  29. telling
  30. showing
  31. Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  32. Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  33. telling
  34. showing
  35. Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  36. telling
  37. telling
  38. telling
  39. Yash’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  40. Kavya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.

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