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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 829 · 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 Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Ananya stamped her foot and slammed the door. (c) Ananya was cold.
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) Tears filled Sahil’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) cold (c) hungry
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) angry
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Aisha was cold. (c) Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran was sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) scared
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is cold? (a) Zoya was cold. (b) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek. (c) Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) angry (b) bored (c) cold
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) tired
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is angry? (a) Arjun was angry. (b) Arjun froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) hungry
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) tired (b) happy (c) angry
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) happy
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is cold? (a) Aisha was cold. (b) Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aisha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Aarav was hungry.
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya felt very happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is cold? (a) Saanvi counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Saanvi was cold.
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Zoya was really angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil was happy. (b) Sahil kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Aarav was cold.
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha was sad. (b) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Pooja is happy? (a) Pooja was happy. (b) Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) happy
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is cold? (a) Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Fatima was cold. (c) Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is cold? (a) Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Aryan was cold.
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara was scared. (b) Tara counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) angry

Answer key

  1. Ananya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  2. Sahil’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  3. tired
  4. cold
  5. Aisha rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  6. telling
  7. happy
  8. tired
  9. telling
  10. Zoya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  11. cold
  12. scared
  13. Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  14. telling
  15. scared
  16. telling
  17. scared
  18. showing
  19. angry
  20. happy
  21. Aisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
  22. Aarav kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  23. showing
  24. telling
  25. Saanvi rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  26. telling
  27. showing
  28. Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  29. showing
  30. Aarav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  31. Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  32. Pooja beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  33. hungry
  34. Fatima’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.
  35. angry
  36. showing
  37. Aryan shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.
  38. Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  39. sad
  40. happy

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