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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 918 · 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 feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) bored
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) happy (b) cold (c) angry
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran shivered and stamped his feet in the snow.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) cold
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (c) Kabir was happy.
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is angry? (a) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Riya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Riya was angry.
  6. 6.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) angry
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is tired? (a) Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Nisha counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Nisha was tired.
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) scared (b) hungry (c) angry
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Pooja’s face turned red, and she clenched her fists.”     (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.”     (a) bored (b) angry (c) tired
  12. 12.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is cold? (a) Joseph was cold. (b) Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Joseph drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek. (b) Dev was sad. (c) Dev’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) sad (b) bored (c) angry
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Arjun licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  20. 20.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) scared (b) tired (c) happy
  21. 21.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) bored (b) angry (c) scared
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) hungry
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) showing (b) telling
  27. 27.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph was really bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Dev’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) tired (b) happy (c) sad
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Nisha’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is hungry? (a) Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Aryan was hungry. (c) Aryan counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is angry? (a) Ishaan’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (b) Ishaan was angry. (c) Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is happy? (a) Kavya was happy. (b) Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Kavya stamped her foot and slammed the door.
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is hungry? (a) Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Saanvi was hungry. (c) Saanvi sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is scared? (a) Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (b) Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time. (c) Kabir was scared.
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir was cold. (b) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (c) Kabir sighed and flipped through the same comic again.
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.”     (a) cold (b) sad (c) happy
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir was happy. (b) Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Kabir rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Dev’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) hungry (b) tired (c) sad

Answer key

  1. hungry
  2. cold
  3. cold
  4. Kabir hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  5. Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  6. hungry
  7. Nisha could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.
  8. angry
  9. angry
  10. tired
  11. tired
  12. Joseph’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.
  13. sad
  14. A tear rolled slowly down Dev’s cheek.
  15. angry
  16. hungry
  17. showing
  18. showing
  19. showing
  20. tired
  21. Dev’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  22. angry
  23. tired
  24. showing
  25. showing
  26. showing
  27. telling
  28. sad
  29. showing
  30. showing
  31. telling
  32. Aryan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  33. Ishaan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  34. Kavya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  35. Saanvi kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  36. Kabir’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  37. Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  38. sad
  39. Kabir beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  40. sad

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