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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 959 · 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?
    “Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.”     (a) bored (b) cold (c) happy
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is angry? (a) Farhan was angry. (b) Farhan could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (c) Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aarav is tired? (a) Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Aarav was tired. (c) Aarav hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Rohan is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek. (b) Rohan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (c) Rohan was sad.
  5. 5.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Yash’s cheek.”     (a) sad (b) tired (c) angry
  6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tears filled Aryan’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  7. 7.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is happy? (a) Simran could barely keep her eyes open at dinner. (b) Simran was happy. (c) Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Aryan’s cheek.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  9. 9.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Nisha stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) sad (b) angry (c) bored
  10. 10.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  11. 11.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is happy? (a) Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Fatima’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class. (c) Fatima was happy.
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.”     (a) happy (b) angry (c) sad
  13. 13.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.”     (a) sad (b) happy (c) scared
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is sad? (a) Fatima was sad. (b) Fatima licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (c) Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Joseph rubbed his eyes and nodded off on the sofa.”     (a) tired (b) sad (c) happy
  16. 16.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Riya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.”     (a) hungry (b) cold (c) tired
  17. 17.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) Sahil was angry. (b) Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door. (c) Sahil’s shoulders drooped as he walked slowly home.
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is tired? (a) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (b) Priya was tired. (c) Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  19. 19.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan felt very sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is scared? (a) Manav’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap. (b) Manav was scared. (c) Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.”     (a) cold (b) bored (c) sad
  22. 22.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is tired? (a) Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner. (b) Joseph was tired. (c) Joseph’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aisha is bored? (a) Aisha was bored. (b) Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (c) Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  24. 24.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Fatima is scared? (a) Tears filled Fatima’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Fatima was scared. (c) Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan was bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  26. 26.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) angry (b) hungry (c) tired
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Fatima counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.”     (a) sad (b) bored (c) tired
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Sahil’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.”     (a) tired (b) scared (c) sad
  29. 29.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja was scared.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  30. 30.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin was hungry. (b) Tenzin’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists. (c) Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  31. 31.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Yash felt very bored.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  32. 32.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Diya was sad.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tara licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) happy (b) sad (c) hungry
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash stamped his foot and slammed the door.”     (a) angry (b) sad (c) hungry
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is happy? (a) Dev was happy. (b) Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (c) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
  36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Manav is angry? (a) Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Manav’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Manav was angry.
  37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria was tired.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  38. 38.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Priya is bored? (a) Priya was bored. (b) Priya’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter. (c) Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is bored? (a) Kavya beamed and hugged everyone in sight. (b) Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Kavya was bored.
  40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) happy (b) scared (c) bored

Answer key

  1. cold
  2. Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  3. Aarav dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  4. A tear rolled slowly down Rohan’s cheek.
  5. sad
  6. showing
  7. Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  8. showing
  9. angry
  10. showing
  11. Fatima laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  12. sad
  13. scared
  14. Fatima’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
  15. tired
  16. cold
  17. Sahil stamped his foot and slammed the door.
  18. Priya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
  19. telling
  20. Manav gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  21. cold
  22. Joseph could barely keep his eyes open at dinner.
  23. Aisha drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  24. Fatima’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  25. telling
  26. tired
  27. bored
  28. scared
  29. telling
  30. Tenzin gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.
  31. telling
  32. telling
  33. hungry
  34. angry
  35. Dev laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  36. Manav threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  37. telling
  38. Priya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  39. Kavya kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.
  40. happy

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