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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 503 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Tears filled Kabir’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Kabir was bored.
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is cold? (a) Diya was cold. (b) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is cold? (a) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Riya was cold. (c) Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan felt very scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is hungry? (a) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Aisha was hungry.
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Sneha was sad. (c) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is angry? (a) Tenzin was angry. (b) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tenzin was cold. (c) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun was sad.
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Simran was angry. (c) Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Yash hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Yash was bored.
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is tired? (a) Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Maria was tired. (c) Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aryan was bored.
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Farhan was hungry.
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is angry? (a) Maria’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Maria was angry.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) bored
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek. (b) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Zoya was sad.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran was sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Saanvi was sad.
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is tired? (a) Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Saanvi was tired. (c) Saanvi grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) hungry (b) sad (c) bored
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Neel was bored.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. telling
  3. showing
  4. sad
  5. Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  6. Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  7. Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  8. telling
  9. Aisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  10. happy
  11. Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  12. Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  13. telling
  14. telling
  15. Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  16. Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  17. Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  18. Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  19. Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  20. telling
  21. Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  22. telling
  23. tired
  24. Maria dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  25. Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  26. showing
  27. Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  28. Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  29. showing
  30. angry
  31. A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
  32. telling
  33. telling
  34. telling
  35. Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  36. Saanvi’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  37. hungry
  38. telling
  39. Neel drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  40. cold

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