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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 952 · 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?
    “Vihaan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) bored (b) hungry (c) cold
  2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin was hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  3. 3.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) bored (b) scared (c) cold
  4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) cold (b) happy (c) bored
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Riya was scared. (c) Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was happy.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir was hungry.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  8. 8.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) happy
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara was really cold.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  11. 11.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.”     (a) angry (b) happy (c) tired
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) angry
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is happy? (a) Kabir’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (b) Kabir was happy. (c) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  14. 14.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera was really sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  15. 15.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Yash is hungry? (a) Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Yash was hungry.
  16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kabir is cold? (a) Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (b) Kabir was cold. (c) Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  17. 17.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Arjun’s cheek.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  18. 18.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is happy? (a) Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Arjun was happy. (c) Arjun kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sneha felt very angry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  22. 22.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) bored (b) tired (c) cold
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is sad? (a) Ishaan was sad. (b) Ishaan rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa. (c) Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Diya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Diya was happy.
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is angry? (a) Dev could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Dev was angry. (c) Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Maria’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) angry (b) cold (c) scared
  28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is tired? (a) Manav was tired. (b) Manav licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aisha was really sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) happy
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is scared? (a) Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (c) Nisha was scared.
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was really tired.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Ishaan is happy? (a) Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again. (c) Ishaan was happy.
  34. 34.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is angry? (a) Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother. (b) Fatima was angry. (c) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  35. 35.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) scared (b) angry (c) cold
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is happy? (a) Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Sahil was happy. (c) Sahil’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel froze and held his breath as the floor creaked.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  38. 38.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) cold (b) hungry (c) happy
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is angry? (a) Rohan was angry. (b) Rohan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Simran’s cheek.”     (a) angry (b) happy (c) sad

Answer key

  1. hungry
  2. telling
  3. cold
  4. happy
  5. Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  6. telling
  7. telling
  8. happy
  9. telling
  10. telling
  11. happy
  12. scared
  13. Kabir grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road.
  14. telling
  15. Yash gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  16. Kabir rubbed his hands and blew on his fingers.
  17. showing
  18. showing
  19. Arjun beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  20. showing
  21. telling
  22. cold
  23. Ishaan sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing.
  24. Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  25. telling
  26. Dev stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  27. cold
  28. Manav could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  29. telling
  30. tired
  31. Nisha’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  32. telling
  33. Ishaan hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  34. Fatima folded her arms and glared at her brother.
  35. cold
  36. Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  37. showing
  38. happy
  39. Rohan stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  40. sad

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