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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 716 · 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 Rohan is hungry? (a) Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Rohan was hungry.
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is happy? (a) Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Tenzin was happy. (c) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi was scared. (b) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Meera was sad. (c) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Fatima was happy. (c) Fatima kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is sad? (a) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (b) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Meera was sad.
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) bored
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Kabir’s cheek.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is hungry? (a) Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Ishaan was hungry. (c) Ishaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is hungry? (a) Sahil gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Sahil was hungry. (c) Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) bored
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is angry? (a) Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Simran was angry. (c) Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Maria’s cheek.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) happy
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) tired
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Maria was happy. (c) Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) angry (b) hungry (c) happy
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) telling (b) showing

Answer key

  1. Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  2. Tenzin grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  3. Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  4. sad
  5. showing
  6. Meera sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  7. Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  8. telling
  9. Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  10. bored
  11. sad
  12. telling
  13. Ishaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  14. cold
  15. Sahil gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  16. showing
  17. hungry
  18. bored
  19. happy
  20. hungry
  21. telling
  22. telling
  23. Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  24. sad
  25. hungry
  26. angry
  27. tired
  28. Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  29. telling
  30. showing
  31. happy
  32. tired
  33. Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  34. telling
  35. Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  36. showing
  37. hungry
  38. telling
  39. angry
  40. showing

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