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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 651 · 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 Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Aisha was bored. (c) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) scared (b) angry (c) tired
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Simran was scared.
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was really angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) bored
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) angry
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was really happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav felt very angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) bored (b) angry (c) cold
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Nisha was tired.
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Farhan was sad. (c) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Vihaan was hungry.
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.”     (a) sad (b) bored (c) scared
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is bored? (a) Aarav was bored. (b) Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Aarav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Yash was bored.
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) scared
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) angry
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was really scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is angry? (a) Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Pooja was angry. (c) Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is hungry? (a) Simran was hungry. (b) Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (c) Priya was bored.
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan was tired. (b) Farhan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav was sad. (b) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek. (b) Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Simran was sad.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) hungry (b) happy (c) bored

Answer key

  1. Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  2. angry
  3. Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  4. happy
  5. showing
  6. showing
  7. telling
  8. Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  9. angry
  10. angry
  11. tired
  12. telling
  13. telling
  14. telling
  15. cold
  16. Nisha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  17. telling
  18. telling
  19. showing
  20. Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  21. Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  22. sad
  23. Aarav sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  24. Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  25. telling
  26. cold
  27. happy
  28. telling
  29. Pooja threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  30. Aryan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  31. scared
  32. telling
  33. Simran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  34. scared
  35. Priya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  36. Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  37. A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.
  38. tired
  39. A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.
  40. happy

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