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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 903 · 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 Dev is bored? (a) Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock. (b) Dev’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Dev was bored.
  2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is scared? (a) Diya was scared. (b) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (c) Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (b) Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor. (c) Joseph was sad.
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) hungry
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is happy? (a) Neel was happy. (b) Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Neel stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) tired
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.”     (a) sad (b) hungry (c) angry
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) scared
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
  13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was angry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aarav stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya was happy. (b) Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Zoya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Vihaan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is angry? (a) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Diya was angry.
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha rubbed her eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) tired
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya was happy. (b) Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is angry? (a) Aarav was angry. (b) Aarav beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Dev rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Dev was happy.
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is hungry? (a) Aarav was hungry. (b) Aarav’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) tired
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is sad? (a) Imran rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (c) Imran was sad.
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is scared? (a) Aarav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Aarav was scared. (c) Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) bored
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is bored? (a) Zoya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked. (b) Zoya was bored. (c) Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is happy? (a) Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Saanvi’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists. (c) Saanvi was happy.
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.”     (a) scared (b) angry (c) sad
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) scared (b) cold (c) angry
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) telling (b) showing
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) happy (b) tired (c) sad
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) angry (b) scared (c) happy
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is sad? (a) Kavya was sad. (b) Kavya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (c) Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.

Answer key

  1. Dev drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  2. telling
  3. Diya froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.
  4. showing
  5. Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
  6. angry
  7. Neel hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  8. telling
  9. bored
  10. sad
  11. scared
  12. scared
  13. telling
  14. showing
  15. Zoya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  16. telling
  17. happy
  18. Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  19. tired
  20. Diya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  21. Aarav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  22. Dev hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  23. Aarav’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  24. showing
  25. tired
  26. Imran’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  27. telling
  28. Aarav froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.
  29. bored
  30. Zoya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  31. showing
  32. Saanvi beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  33. sad
  34. scared
  35. showing
  36. cold
  37. showing
  38. sad
  39. happy
  40. Kavya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.

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