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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 528 · 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 Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek. (c) Vihaan was sad.
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tenzin was tired.
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Aryan was angry.
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Rohan was cold.
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran was happy. (b) Simran rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) angry (b) happy (c) cold
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is bored? (a) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Kabir was bored.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Kavya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is cold? (a) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Imran was cold.
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is sad? (a) Vihaan was sad. (b) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) angry
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) tired
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Sahil was cold.
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Vihaan was cold.
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is scared? (a) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Joseph was scared.
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek. (b) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Kavya was sad.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy

Answer key

  1. Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  2. showing
  3. showing
  4. showing
  5. telling
  6. A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.
  7. Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  8. showing
  9. telling
  10. Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  11. Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  12. telling
  13. Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  14. Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  15. tired
  16. showing
  17. cold
  18. telling
  19. showing
  20. Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  21. happy
  22. Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  23. Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  24. telling
  25. Vihaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  26. telling
  27. angry
  28. Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  29. telling
  30. angry
  31. bored
  32. Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  33. Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  34. telling
  35. showing
  36. cold
  37. telling
  38. Joseph gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  39. A tear rolled slowly down Kavya’s cheek.
  40. angry

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