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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 734 · 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.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) hungry (b) happy (c) cold
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aisha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) angry (b) bored (c) sad
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was really bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is scared? (a) Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Rohan was scared. (c) Rohan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Dev was scared. (c) Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) tired
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan was angry. (b) Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is happy? (a) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Manav was happy.
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya was hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) angry (b) bored (c) hungry
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is angry? (a) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Kabir was angry.
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya felt very angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is cold? (a) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Simran was cold. (c) Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aryan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Aryan was angry.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan felt very angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) hungry (b) scared (c) tired
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Meera was scared. (c) Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev felt very tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Sneha’s cheek.”     (a) cold (b) sad (c) tired
  36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) scared (b) sad (c) tired
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera was bored. (b) Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Meera dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) telling (b) showing

Answer key

  1. showing
  2. hungry
  3. sad
  4. hungry
  5. showing
  6. scared
  7. telling
  8. Rohan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  9. hungry
  10. Dev’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  11. Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  12. happy
  13. showing
  14. tired
  15. scared
  16. Ishaan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  17. Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  18. telling
  19. angry
  20. hungry
  21. Kabir stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  22. Arjun grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  23. telling
  24. telling
  25. Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  26. angry
  27. showing
  28. Aryan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  29. telling
  30. Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  31. telling
  32. scared
  33. Meera froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  34. telling
  35. sad
  36. sad
  37. Meera counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  38. telling
  39. telling
  40. showing

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