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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 465 · 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?
    “Ananya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan was scared. (b) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Rohan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kabir was tired. (c) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev was hungry. (b) Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Zoya was hungry. (c) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) scared
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha was hungry. (b) Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Sneha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya was angry. (b) Riya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) tired
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Yash was bored.
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera was tired. (b) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Fatima was sad. (c) Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha was hungry. (b) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Nisha’s cheek.
  24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) tired
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is angry? (a) Imran was angry. (b) Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Imran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is scared? (a) Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Sneha was scared.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Kavya was scared. (c) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Riya was angry. (c) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) showing (b) telling

Answer key

  1. scared
  2. Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  3. angry
  4. telling
  5. scared
  6. Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  7. Dev gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  8. telling
  9. hungry
  10. Zoya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  11. sad
  12. Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  13. sad
  14. Riya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  15. Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  16. cold
  17. scared
  18. Yash kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  19. showing
  20. Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  21. cold
  22. Fatima sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  23. Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  24. angry
  25. hungry
  26. happy
  27. Imran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  28. showing
  29. Rohan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  30. Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  31. showing
  32. telling
  33. Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  34. scared
  35. Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  36. telling
  37. showing
  38. angry
  39. happy
  40. showing

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