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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 874 · 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.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan was happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya was really angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Sneha’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) angry
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is scared? (a) Zoya was scared. (b) Zoya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is angry? (a) Aryan was angry. (b) Aryan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is cold? (a) Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Neel was cold. (c) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  7. 7.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is scared? (a) Maria shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (c) Maria was scared.
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan was really scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  10. 10.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav was angry. (b) Manav gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (c) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Imran was hungry. (c) Imran sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Aarav’s cheek. (b) Aarav was angry. (c) Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is bored? (a) Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Farhan was bored. (c) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav was tired. (b) Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) sad
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) bored
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.”     (a) hungry (b) scared (c) sad
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Farhan was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is tired? (a) Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Riya was tired. (c) Riya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Diya was happy.
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran was happy. (b) Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Simran’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Vihaan was scared.
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) hungry
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is bored? (a) Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Saanvi’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Saanvi was bored.
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) cold
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) sad (b) scared (c) cold
  36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) tired (b) bored (c) scared
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Dev threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) showing (b) telling
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) tired (b) cold (c) bored
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Arjun was bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling

Answer key

  1. telling
  2. telling
  3. sad
  4. Zoya gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  5. Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother.
  6. Neel rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  7. bored
  8. Maria gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  9. telling
  10. Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  11. Imran licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  12. Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  13. showing
  14. Farhan sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  15. Aarav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  16. showing
  17. telling
  18. cold
  19. bored
  20. scared
  21. telling
  22. telling
  23. Riya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  24. telling
  25. Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  26. Simran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  27. telling
  28. Vihaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.
  29. hungry
  30. cold
  31. showing
  32. Saanvi drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  33. cold
  34. showing
  35. cold
  36. scared
  37. Tears filled Ishaan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  38. showing
  39. bored
  40. telling

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