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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 842 · 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?
    “Nisha’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is bored? (a) Yash’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Yash was bored.
  3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) sad
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is tired? (a) Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (b) Tenzin was tired. (c) Tenzin froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is sad? (a) Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Arjun gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Arjun was sad.
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) cold (b) tired (c) sad
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) Aarav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Aarav was sad.
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel was cold. (b) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (c) Neel folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is bored? (a) Nisha was bored. (b) Nisha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) Dev was sad. (b) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  16. 16.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 tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) hungry
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is sad? (a) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Yash was sad. (c) Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is bored? (a) Tenzin’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Tenzin was bored. (c) Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (b) Aarav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Aarav was sad.
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was really tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Vihaan was angry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Vihaan’s cheek.
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil felt very sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (b) Priya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Priya was bored.
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) scared (b) bored (c) angry
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash was bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is happy? (a) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Farhan was happy. (c) Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is sad? (a) Ananya was sad. (b) Ananya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya was bored. (b) Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha was happy. (b) Sneha dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared

Answer key

  1. showing
  2. Yash counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  3. showing
  4. bored
  5. Tenzin’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  6. telling
  7. telling
  8. Arjun sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  9. sad
  10. showing
  11. Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  12. Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  13. Nisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  14. A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.
  15. showing
  16. Meera rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  17. telling
  18. cold
  19. angry
  20. Yash sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  21. Tenzin kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  22. A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek.
  23. telling
  24. telling
  25. Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  26. telling
  27. showing
  28. Priya counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  29. scared
  30. telling
  31. showing
  32. Farhan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  33. Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  34. showing
  35. Zoya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  36. showing
  37. telling
  38. telling
  39. Sneha grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  40. happy

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