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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 644 · 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 bored? (a) Arjun was bored. (b) Arjun’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Kavya was bored.
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) cold
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera felt very happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) scared
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is bored? (a) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Ishaan was bored. (c) Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya was scared. (b) Zoya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Saanvi was scared.
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) cold
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) happy
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav was angry. (b) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav was scared. (b) Manav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Riya was angry.
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is happy? (a) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Nisha was happy. (c) Nisha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is happy? (a) Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Aryan was happy. (c) Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Neel was happy.
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) happy
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) showing (b) telling
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Sneha was sad. (c) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Joseph was cold.
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Saanvi’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Saanvi was bored.
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) bored

Answer key

  1. Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  2. Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  3. happy
  4. telling
  5. tired
  6. telling
  7. Ishaan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  8. telling
  9. Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  10. showing
  11. Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  12. cold
  13. tired
  14. showing
  15. happy
  16. Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  17. Manav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  18. Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  19. angry
  20. showing
  21. Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  22. tired
  23. angry
  24. Aryan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  25. Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  26. angry
  27. telling
  28. showing
  29. Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  30. sad
  31. Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  32. sad
  33. telling
  34. showing
  35. telling
  36. Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  37. telling
  38. showing
  39. showing
  40. cold

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