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Language Arts Grade 6-8

Creative Writing Prompts: Show Don't Tell

Practice using sensory details, actions, and dialogue to reveal feelings and ideas

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Practice turning plain telling sentences into vivid writing that helps readers infer emotions, settings, and character traits.

Read each prompt carefully. Rewrite the telling sentence or complete the writing task by showing the idea through action, dialogue, sensory details, and specific description.

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Practice using sensory details, actions, and dialogue to reveal feelings and ideas

Language Arts - Grade 6-8

Instructions: Read each prompt carefully. Rewrite the telling sentence or complete the writing task by showing the idea through action, dialogue, sensory details, and specific description.
  1. 1
    A frightened student hesitates at the top of a dark basement staircase.

    Rewrite this telling sentence so it shows the character's fear: Maya was scared to enter the dark basement.

  2. 2
    A bedroom with clothes, papers, and objects scattered around.

    Rewrite this telling sentence so it shows that the room was messy: The bedroom was very messy.

  3. 3
    A student looks uneasy while preparing to give a speech in class.

    Write 3 to 5 sentences that show a student is nervous before giving a speech without using the words nervous, anxious, scared, or afraid.

  4. 4
    One brother looks angry while the other holds a broken object.

    Rewrite this telling sentence using dialogue and action: Jordan was angry at his brother.

  5. 5
    A snowy winter morning with frost, bundled clothing, and visible breath.

    Describe a cold winter morning in 3 to 5 sentences without saying it was cold.

  6. 6
    A student looks excited while getting ready for a field trip.

    Rewrite this telling sentence so it shows excitement: Lila was excited about the field trip.

  7. 7
    A student sits alone in a busy school cafeteria.

    Write 3 sentences that show a character is lonely in a school cafeteria without using the word lonely.

  8. 8
    A severe storm with heavy rain, wind, dark clouds, and lightning.

    Improve this sentence by adding sensory details: The storm was bad.

  9. 9
    A confident student runner stands ready at the starting line.

    Rewrite this telling sentence so it shows that the character is confident: Amir knew he would win the race.

  10. 10

    Choose one emotion: joy, embarrassment, frustration, or relief. Write a short paragraph that shows the emotion without naming it.

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