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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 924 · 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?
    “Fatima hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.”     (a) cold (b) scared (c) happy
  2. 2.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) angry (b) tired (c) happy
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sneha kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.”     (a) hungry (b) sad (c) angry
  4. 4.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Ananya was really sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (b) Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Rohan was sad.
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is hungry? (a) Manav was hungry. (b) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Manav sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) sad
  9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is hungry? (a) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers. (b) Kabir was hungry. (c) Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph felt very scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers. (c) Meera was cold.
  12. 12.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja froze and held her breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is angry? (a) Vihaan was angry. (b) Vihaan’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) tired (b) angry (c) cold
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.”     (a) happy (b) bored (c) tired
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Zoya is happy? (a) Zoya was happy. (b) Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is hungry? (a) Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Diya was hungry. (c) Diya rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home. (b) Manav was tired. (c) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  25. 25.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is sad? (a) Tara’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Tara was sad. (c) Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  26. 26.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Maria is happy? (a) Maria was happy. (b) Maria’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home. (c) Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  28. 28.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Ananya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is hungry? (a) Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Sneha threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (c) Sneha was hungry.
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tenzin sighed and flipped through the same comic again.”     (a) bored (b) tired (c) sad
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is cold? (a) Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Manav grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Manav was cold.
  32. 32.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) happy (b) hungry (c) scared
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.”     (a) cold (b) tired (c) hungry
  34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha was really bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  35. 35.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
  37. 37.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ananya is hungry? (a) Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (b) Ananya was hungry. (c) A tear rolled slowly down Ananya’s cheek.
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  39. 39.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan was really happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  40. 40.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was really cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling

Answer key

  1. happy
  2. tired
  3. hungry
  4. telling
  5. Rohan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  6. Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  7. showing
  8. sad
  9. Kabir kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  10. telling
  11. Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.
  12. showing
  13. cold
  14. telling
  15. Vihaan’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.
  16. angry
  17. bored
  18. Zoya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  19. Diya grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  20. Diya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  21. showing
  22. showing
  23. sad
  24. Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  25. Tara sat alone, hugging her knees and sniffing.
  26. showing
  27. Maria grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  28. showing
  29. Sneha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  30. bored
  31. Manav’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.
  32. hungry
  33. hungry
  34. telling
  35. telling
  36. tired
  37. Ananya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  38. showing
  39. telling
  40. telling

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