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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 810 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ananya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) happy
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha was hungry. (b) Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Nisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) scared
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is tired? (a) Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (b) Meera was tired. (c) Meera’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun felt very sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara was sad. (b) Tara froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) cold
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is sad? (a) Kabir was sad. (b) Kabir folded his arms and glared at his brother. (c) Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) cold
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) hungry
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is cold? (a) Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Pooja was cold. (c) Pooja dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is scared? (a) Sahil was scared. (b) Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Simran was sad. (c) Simran gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun was sad. (b) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Arjun rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) bored (b) cold (c) scared
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Nisha was hungry.
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door. (b) Imran was sad. (c) Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) sad
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is cold? (a) Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Tenzin threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Tenzin was cold.
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aryan was hungry.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Fatima was happy. (c) Fatima drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is scared? (a) Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Dev counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Dev was scared.
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) scared
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) hungry
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Neel was happy.
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Pooja’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) sad

Answer key

  1. angry
  2. cold
  3. happy
  4. Nisha licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  5. scared
  6. telling
  7. Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  8. scared
  9. telling
  10. Tears filled Tara’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  11. cold
  12. cold
  13. Kabir’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  14. showing
  15. cold
  16. sad
  17. telling
  18. Pooja’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  19. angry
  20. Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  21. happy
  22. Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  23. Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  24. telling
  25. scared
  26. Nisha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  27. Imran sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  28. scared
  29. Tenzin rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  30. Aryan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  31. showing
  32. Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  33. showing
  34. Dev froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  35. hungry
  36. telling
  37. scared
  38. Neel laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  39. telling
  40. sad

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