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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 485 · 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 sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is angry? (a) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Neel sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Neel was angry.
  2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is happy? (a) Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Ananya was happy. (c) Ananya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek. (c) Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is hungry? (a) Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Pooja folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Pooja was hungry.
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is hungry? (a) Kavya was hungry. (b) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Farhan was cold. (c) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) tired
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) hungry
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima was hungry. (b) Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) scared
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Yash was sad. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Saanvi was cold.
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) bored (b) hungry (c) angry
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was really angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is angry? (a) Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Priya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Priya was angry.
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran was hungry. (b) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) bored
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is bored? (a) Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Vihaan was bored. (c) Vihaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Imran was bored. (c) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Ishaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Ishaan was happy.
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) telling (b) showing

Answer key

  1. Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  2. telling
  3. telling
  4. showing
  5. Ananya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  6. Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  7. Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  8. Pooja licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  9. showing
  10. Kavya gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  11. Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  12. happy
  13. cold
  14. Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  15. telling
  16. Farhan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  17. telling
  18. telling
  19. tired
  20. A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.
  21. telling
  22. showing
  23. Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  24. telling
  25. angry
  26. hungry
  27. telling
  28. tired
  29. telling
  30. telling
  31. Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  32. Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  33. Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  34. bored
  35. Vihaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  36. telling
  37. Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  38. Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  39. tired
  40. showing

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