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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 524 · 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 Arjun is scared? (a) Arjun was scared. (b) Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) tired (b) cold (c) sad
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph was angry. (b) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is bored? (a) Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Riya was bored. (c) Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Yash’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Yash was angry.
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Fatima’s cheek.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Aarav was hungry.
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) scared
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is tired? (a) Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Pooja rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Pooja was tired.
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is bored? (a) Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Manav was bored.
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) bored
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is happy? (a) Meera was happy. (b) Meera folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) cold
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya was angry. (b) Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav was hungry. (b) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Zoya was scared. (c) Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is bored? (a) Maria was bored. (b) Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Imran was sad. (c) Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Aryan was hungry.
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
  36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tara was scared. (c) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Farhan was hungry. (c) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad

Answer key

  1. Arjun’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  2. tired
  3. Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  4. showing
  5. showing
  6. telling
  7. angry
  8. Riya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  9. sad
  10. Yash’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  11. sad
  12. angry
  13. Aarav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  14. sad
  15. telling
  16. Pooja’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  17. Manav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  18. telling
  19. tired
  20. showing
  21. Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  22. sad
  23. Simran’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  24. Diya folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  25. telling
  26. showing
  27. telling
  28. Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  29. Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  30. Maria drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  31. happy
  32. sad
  33. Tears filled Imran’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  34. Aryan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  35. bored
  36. sad
  37. Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  38. telling
  39. Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  40. sad

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