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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 754 · 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.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) bored (b) tired (c) happy
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) scared
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) scared
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) happy
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is hungry? (a) Vihaan was hungry. (b) Vihaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is cold? (a) Rohan drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Rohan was cold. (c) Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is sad? (a) Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Diya was sad. (c) Diya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Kavya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Riya was tired.
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is tired? (a) Farhan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Farhan was tired. (c) Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Aryan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Aryan was hungry.
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is scared? (a) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Meera was scared. (c) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) bored
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Dev was sad.
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) sad
  24. 24.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) scared
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is cold? (a) Vihaan was cold. (b) Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Vihaan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) scared
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is scared? (a) Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (b) Simran was scared. (c) Simran dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav felt very cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph was tired. (b) Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Joseph licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is bored? (a) Imran was bored. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Imran’s cheek. (c) Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha was really happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) hungry (b) bored (c) cold

Answer key

  1. bored
  2. sad
  3. scared
  4. happy
  5. Vihaan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  6. telling
  7. Dev beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  8. Rohan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  9. Tears filled Diya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  10. Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  11. telling
  12. telling
  13. telling
  14. showing
  15. Riya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  16. Farhan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  17. Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  18. showing
  19. hungry
  20. Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  21. bored
  22. Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  23. angry
  24. scared
  25. Vihaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  26. scared
  27. telling
  28. Simran’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  29. telling
  30. Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  31. Imran drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  32. telling
  33. showing
  34. telling
  35. sad
  36. telling
  37. cold
  38. angry
  39. showing
  40. cold

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