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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 574 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) angry (b) tired (c) bored
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan was happy. (b) Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Vihaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha was cold. (b) Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Aisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) scared (b) sad (c) happy
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is bored? (a) Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Pooja was bored. (c) Pooja hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Arjun’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) sad (b) cold (c) tired
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Tara was happy. (c) Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is sad? (a) Pooja kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Pooja was sad. (c) Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Diya was happy.
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is bored? (a) Aryan was bored. (b) Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan was hungry.
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is cold? (a) Sahil was cold. (b) Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin was happy. (b) Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan was tired. (b) Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tenzin could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is angry? (a) Meera was angry. (b) Meera shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Tara was scared. (c) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Sahil was bored. (c) Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) tired (b) hungry (c) angry

Answer key

  1. hungry
  2. tired
  3. Vihaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  4. Aisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  5. sad
  6. Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  7. showing
  8. Pooja kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  9. telling
  10. telling
  11. Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  12. showing
  13. sad
  14. telling
  15. telling
  16. Tara hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  17. Pooja’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  18. bored
  19. Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  20. Aryan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  21. telling
  22. telling
  23. showing
  24. Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  25. Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  26. cold
  27. scared
  28. Tenzin hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  29. Farhan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  30. Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  31. telling
  32. angry
  33. Meera’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  34. hungry
  35. Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  36. showing
  37. Sahil counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  38. showing
  39. showing
  40. hungry

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