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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 717 · 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 Diya is angry? (a) Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (b) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Diya was angry.
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Diya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Tenzin was sad. (c) Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) happy
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan was cold. (b) Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun was tired. (b) Arjun counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is scared? (a) Aisha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aisha was scared. (c) Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha felt very happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is angry? (a) Saanvi kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Saanvi was angry. (c) Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan was happy. (c) Ishaan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Ishaan was cold. (c) Ishaan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) sad
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Saanvi was hungry. (c) Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aryan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.”     (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is cold? (a) Ishaan was cold. (b) Ishaan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir was scared. (b) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav was cold. (b) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is bored? (a) Sahil was bored. (b) Sahil froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) cold (b) hungry (c) angry
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Manav was angry.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) tired
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Joseph was sad. (c) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Rohan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Aarav was tired.
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil was hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) hungry

Answer key

  1. Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  2. Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  3. Tenzin sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  4. Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  5. tired
  6. Rohan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  7. hungry
  8. Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  9. Aisha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  10. telling
  11. scared
  12. Saanvi stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  13. Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  14. Ishaan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  15. cold
  16. Saanvi licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  17. tired
  18. tired
  19. telling
  20. tired
  21. Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  22. showing
  23. Kabir froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  24. telling
  25. angry
  26. Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  27. showing
  28. Sahil kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  29. angry
  30. Manav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  31. telling
  32. sad
  33. Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  34. telling
  35. telling
  36. telling
  37. sad
  38. Aarav rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  39. telling
  40. scared

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