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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 437 · 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?
    “Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) hungry (b) bored (c) happy
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is tired? (a) Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Fatima beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Fatima was tired.
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Vihaan was bored. (c) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) angry
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan was sad. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek. (c) Vihaan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is bored? (a) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Dev was bored.
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Simran was hungry.
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is hungry? (a) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Joseph was hungry. (c) Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) angry (b) happy (c) bored
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya was tired. (b) Priya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) angry (b) scared (c) sad
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Meera was bored. (c) Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Fatima was hungry. (c) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is happy? (a) Priya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Priya was happy.
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ananya was hungry. (c) Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Pooja was angry. (c) Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Zoya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is scared? (a) Ananya was scared. (b) Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha was bored. (b) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) angry (b) happy (c) hungry
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tara dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha felt very bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) bored (b) cold (c) tired
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy

Answer key

  1. happy
  2. Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  3. cold
  4. Vihaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  5. telling
  6. happy
  7. telling
  8. bored
  9. A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.
  10. telling
  11. Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  12. Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  13. Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  14. angry
  15. sad
  16. Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  17. hungry
  18. scared
  19. Meera drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  20. Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  21. Priya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  22. Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  23. showing
  24. Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  25. showing
  26. Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  27. showing
  28. hungry
  29. Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  30. hungry
  31. Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  32. telling
  33. tired
  34. showing
  35. telling
  36. Tara’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  37. telling
  38. telling
  39. cold
  40. happy

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