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Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 992 · 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 Priya is happy? (a) Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Priya folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Priya was happy.
  2. 2.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is hungry? (a) Tara was hungry. (b) Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  3. 3.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is scared? (a) Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut. (b) Saanvi was scared. (c) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  4. 4.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sahil is angry? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Sahil’s cheek. (b) Sahil was angry. (c) Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is hungry? (a) Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap. (c) Meera was hungry.
  6. 6.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is sad? (a) A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek. (b) Riya was sad. (c) Riya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan felt very hungry.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Simran felt very sad.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  9. 9.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin felt very happy.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Farhan threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!””     (a) tired (b) bored (c) angry
  11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Saanvi was really bored.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “A tear rolled slowly down Manav’s cheek.”     (a) tired (b) cold (c) sad
  13. 13.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Vihaan is scared? (a) Vihaan was scared. (b) Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door. (c) Vihaan dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is tired? (a) Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (c) Arjun was tired.
  15. 15.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Aryan’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  16. 16.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Rohan folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera’s teeth chattered, and she pulled her shawl tighter.”     (a) scared (b) sad (c) cold
  18. 18.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tara is scared? (a) Tara was scared. (b) Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (c) Tara drummed her fingers and stared at the clock.
  19. 19.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Zoya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) scared (b) happy (c) bored
  20. 20.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Tenzin is hungry? (a) Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in. (b) Tenzin was hungry. (c) Tenzin beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  21. 21.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Pooja shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kabir felt very cold.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  23. 23.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Riya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tara’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.”     (a) telling (b) showing
  25. 25.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Saanvi could barely keep her eyes open at dinner.”     (a) cold (b) hungry (c) tired
  26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Kavya is scared? (a) Kavya was scared. (b) Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet. (c) Kavya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  27. 27.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran beamed and hugged everyone in sight.”     (a) cold (b) tired (c) happy
  28. 28.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Ishaan’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.”     (a) tired (b) bored (c) cold
  29. 29.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Rohan licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) hungry
  30. 30.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Tenzin laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Saanvi is sad? (a) Saanvi dragged her feet upstairs and flopped on the bed. (b) Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (c) Saanvi was sad.
  32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Aryan is scared? (a) Aryan folded his arms and glared at his brother. (b) Aryan was scared. (c) Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  33. 33.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is happy? (a) Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling. (b) Riya was happy. (c) Riya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
  34. 34.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Diya stamped her foot and slammed the door.”     (a) bored (b) happy (c) angry
  35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Diya is happy? (a) Diya’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again. (b) Diya was happy. (c) Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  36. 36.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.”     (a) cold (b) angry (c) happy
  37. 37.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Aarav folded his arms and glared at his brother.”     (a) angry (b) scared (c) hungry
  38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Neel was scared.”     (a) showing (b) telling
  39. 39.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Neel gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.”     (a) bored (b) tired (c) hungry
  40. 40.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is bored? (a) Neel threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!” (b) Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard. (c) Neel was bored.

Answer key

  1. Priya laughed, clapped and twirled around the room.
  2. Tara kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
  3. Saanvi gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut.
  4. Sahil threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”
  5. Meera licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  6. A tear rolled slowly down Riya’s cheek.
  7. telling
  8. telling
  9. telling
  10. angry
  11. telling
  12. sad
  13. Vihaan’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
  14. Arjun dragged his feet upstairs and flopped on the bed.
  15. showing
  16. showing
  17. cold
  18. Tara’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door.
  19. happy
  20. Tenzin licked his lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.
  21. showing
  22. telling
  23. showing
  24. showing
  25. tired
  26. Kavya’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
  27. happy
  28. cold
  29. hungry
  30. showing
  31. Tears filled Saanvi’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.
  32. Aryan gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut.
  33. Riya hummed a tune and could not stop smiling.
  34. angry
  35. Diya beamed and hugged everyone in sight.
  36. happy
  37. angry
  38. telling
  39. hungry
  40. Neel kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.

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