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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 895 · 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 Meera is sad? (a) Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Meera was sad.
  2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was really angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is bored? (a) Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Sneha was bored. (c) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  5. 5.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Vihaan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is sad? (a) Zoya was sad. (b) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
  8. 8.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is sad? (a) Sahil was sad. (b) Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Sahil grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is angry? (a) Tara was angry. (b) Tara could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (c) Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) angry
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Meera’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) angry (b) cold (c) sad
  14. 14.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) cold
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is happy? (a) Tara was happy. (b) Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Ishaan’s cheek.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) bored (b) sad (c) happy
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is hungry? (a) Arjun was hungry. (b) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is cold? (a) Ananya was cold. (b) Ananya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (c) Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Saanvi was scared. (c) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) showing (b) telling
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Farhan’s cheek.”     (a) cold (b) scared (c) sad
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun was happy. (b) Arjun’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is sad? (a) Tenzin shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Tenzin was sad.
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ishaan felt very scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is cold? (a) Aarav laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Aarav was cold.
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) sad (b) cold (c) happy
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera was hungry. (b) Meera laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  31. 31.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother.”     (a) hungry (b) happy (c) angry
  33. 33.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav was angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  36. 36.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is happy? (a) Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (b) Vihaan was happy. (c) Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Manav was hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) sad

Answer key

  1. Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  2. telling
  3. telling
  4. Sneha kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  5. telling
  6. showing
  7. A tear rolled slowly down Zoya’s cheek.
  8. Sahil sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  9. Tara folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  10. happy
  11. telling
  12. bored
  13. sad
  14. bored
  15. Tara beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  16. sad
  17. bored
  18. Arjun’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  19. Ananya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.
  20. Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  21. showing
  22. showing
  23. sad
  24. Arjun hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  25. Tears filled Tenzin’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  26. telling
  27. Aarav rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  28. cold
  29. showing
  30. Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  31. bored
  32. angry
  33. telling
  34. showing
  35. showing
  36. showing
  37. Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  38. showing
  39. telling
  40. cold

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