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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 473 · 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’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha was happy. (b) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Riya was angry. (c) Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Pooja was cold. (c) Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is hungry? (a) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Maria was hungry.
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) hungry
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.”     (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) sad
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is tired? (a) Kabir was tired. (b) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is cold? (a) Maria was cold. (b) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is angry? (a) Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Zoya was angry. (c) Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Meera was bored. (c) Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Sahil was angry.
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is tired? (a) Vihaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Vihaan was tired. (c) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) happy

Answer key

  1. hungry
  2. Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  3. Sahil hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  4. Riya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  5. telling
  6. tired
  7. Pooja’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  8. bored
  9. Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  10. cold
  11. sad
  12. bored
  13. telling
  14. showing
  15. scared
  16. showing
  17. sad
  18. Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  19. happy
  20. Joseph’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  21. angry
  22. showing
  23. Kabir could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  24. angry
  25. Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  26. Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  27. telling
  28. Zoya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  29. showing
  30. Meera kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  31. angry
  32. showing
  33. Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  34. telling
  35. telling
  36. showing
  37. tired
  38. Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  39. Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  40. angry

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