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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 781 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was really scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph was happy. (b) Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Sahil was angry.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is scared? (a) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Neel was scared. (c) Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Zoya was cold.
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Riya was sad.
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) tired (b) bored (c) sad
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) scared
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) hungry
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) cold
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) sad
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is hungry? (a) Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Fatima was hungry.
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) cold (b) scared (c) hungry
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is scared? (a) Pooja sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Pooja was scared.
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) scared (b) tired (c) sad
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is angry? (a) Yash was angry. (b) Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is sad? (a) Farhan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek. (c) Farhan was sad.
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) angry (b) happy (c) scared
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) hungry (b) angry (c) tired
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek. (b) Manav was cold. (c) Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is angry? (a) Joseph kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Joseph was angry.
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Tears filled Manav’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (b) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Manav was angry.
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) sad
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  3. Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  4. showing
  5. Neel’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  6. Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  7. Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  8. showing
  9. Tears filled Riya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  10. tired
  11. telling
  12. showing
  13. sad
  14. hungry
  15. sad
  16. tired
  17. sad
  18. cold
  19. Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  20. hungry
  21. Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  22. scared
  23. telling
  24. Yash threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  25. happy
  26. showing
  27. happy
  28. A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.
  29. scared
  30. telling
  31. angry
  32. Manav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  33. showing
  34. angry
  35. happy
  36. Joseph threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  37. Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  38. showing
  39. happy
  40. happy

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