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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 538 · 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 was angry. (b) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Neel’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) cold
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Joseph’s cheek.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya felt very scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) scared (b) tired (c) angry
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan was hungry. (b) Farhan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Saanvi was sad.
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan was hungry. (b) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is cold? (a) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Farhan was cold.
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) tired
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tara was happy.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) scared
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aarav was cold.
  24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is tired? (a) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Ishaan was tired. (c) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Kavya was sad. (c) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil was hungry. (b) Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Sahil folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Imran was sad. (c) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) sad (b) cold (c) angry
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara felt very cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Rohan was hungry.
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) hungry (b) scared (c) happy
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Tenzin dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Tenzin was hungry.
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja was scared. (b) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan was cold. (b) Aryan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) scared
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is hungry? (a) Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Zoya was hungry. (c) Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad

Answer key

  1. Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  2. hungry
  3. happy
  4. sad
  5. showing
  6. telling
  7. angry
  8. telling
  9. showing
  10. showing
  11. scared
  12. Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  13. Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  14. Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  15. Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  16. showing
  17. bored
  18. scared
  19. showing
  20. Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  21. tired
  22. telling
  23. Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  24. tired
  25. Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  26. Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  27. Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  28. Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  29. angry
  30. showing
  31. telling
  32. Rohan kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  33. happy
  34. Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  35. Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  36. showing
  37. Aryan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  38. scared
  39. Zoya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  40. scared

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