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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 707 · 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 Sahil is scared? (a) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Sahil was scared. (c) Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (b) Diya was scared. (c) Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) angry (b) cold (c) bored
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Pooja was happy. (c) Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is sad? (a) Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Nisha was sad. (c) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) angry
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi felt very tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is tired? (a) Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Neel was tired. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Neel’s cheek.
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Farhan was angry. (c) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Joseph was sad.
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is bored? (a) Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Simran was bored. (c) Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Aarav was scared.
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Aisha was cold.
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is tired? (a) Simran was tired. (b) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is bored? (a) Rohan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Rohan was bored. (c) Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan was hungry. (b) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) cold
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling

Answer key

  1. Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  2. Diya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  3. bored
  4. Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  5. showing
  6. telling
  7. Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  8. scared
  9. telling
  10. bored
  11. hungry
  12. telling
  13. Tears filled Nisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  14. happy
  15. showing
  16. telling
  17. showing
  18. happy
  19. Neel dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  20. Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  21. Joseph’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  22. hungry
  23. angry
  24. Simran kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  25. Dev sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  26. Aarav’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  27. Aisha’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  28. telling
  29. showing
  30. telling
  31. showing
  32. showing
  33. tired
  34. Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  35. Rohan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  36. Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  37. showing
  38. happy
  39. cold
  40. telling

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