Show Don't Tell

Name:

Date:

🎨 What is Show Don't Tell?

Instead of telling how a character feels, show it through actions or words!

Use descriptive words to paint a picture in your reader's mind.

Example:
❌ Telling: "She was sad."
✅ Showing: "Tears rolled down her cheeks."

1. Circle the sentence that SHOWS instead of tells:

The dog was happy.

The dog wagged its tail and jumped up and down.

2. Circle the sentence that SHOWS instead of tells:

Sam stomped his feet and crossed his arms.

Sam was angry.

3. Which sentence uses your five senses to describe?

The cake was yummy.

The warm chocolate cake smelled sweet and tasted rich.

4. Rewrite this telling sentence to make it show:

"The cat was scared."

5. Rewrite this telling sentence to make it show:

"It was a beautiful day."

🖐️ Use your five senses to describe what's happening

💪 Use strong verbs and adjectives to make your writing exciting

👀 Imagine the scene and describe it as if showing it to a friend

6. Write a sentence that SHOWS someone is excited (don't use the word "excited"):