Instructions
Welcome, writer! This worksheet will help you explore some of the powerful tools authors use to make their stories come alive. Read each section carefully and complete the tasks. Focus on being creative and descriptive. Let's begin!
Part 1: Match the Technique
Draw a line to match the narrative technique on the left with its correct definition on the right.
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A. Giving human qualities or actions to an object or idea (e.g., "The wind whispered secrets through the trees.") B. Describing a character's emotions or the mood of a scene through actions and sensory details, instead of stating it directly. C. A hint or clue about something that will happen later in the story. D. A comparison between two different things using the words "like" or "as" (e.g., "The sun was like a giant orange.") E. A scene that interrupts the present story to describe an event that happened in the past. |
Part 2: Identify the Technique
Read the short passages below. On the line, write which narrative technique is being used. Some may have more than one!
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As he packed his bags for the camping trip, he didn't notice the old compass in the corner of his closet glowing with a faint, green light. He would certainly notice it later.
Technique: __________________________________________________
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The principal cleared her throat to speak. Suddenly, Maya wasn't in the noisy auditorium anymore. She was seven years old, standing on this very stage, forgetting the lines to her song as hundreds of eyes stared at her. Her hands began to sweat.
Technique: __________________________________________________
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The rusty gate screamed in protest as I pushed it open. Inside, the garden was a jungle, with weeds as tall as I was, strangling the forgotten rose bushes.
Technique: __________________________________________________
Part 3: Show, Don't Tell
The following sentences "tell" the reader something. Your job is to rewrite them to "show" the same idea using descriptive details, actions, or dialogue.
Example:
Telling: The boy was happy.
Showing: A huge grin spread across the boy's face, and he jumped up and down, unable to contain his excitement.
1. Telling: The room was messy.
Your Showing Sentence:
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2. Telling: Amir was nervous about his presentation.
Your Showing Sentence:
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Part 4: Create a Scene
Imagine you have just discovered a hidden door in the back of an old library. Write a short paragraph (4-6 sentences) describing the moment you open the door and look inside for the first time. Your goal is to make your reader feel like they are there with you.
Your paragraph must include:
- At least three of the five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste).
- An example of a simile or personification.
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Answer Key
Part 1: Match the Technique
- Foreshadowing → C
- Flashback → E
- Simile → D
- Personification → A
- Show, Don't Tell → B
Part 2: Identify the Technique
- Foreshadowing
- Flashback
- Personification ("gate screamed") and Simile ("weeds as tall as I was")
Part 3: Show, Don't Tell
(Answers will vary. Below are example answers.)
- The room was messy.
Example: Clothes were thrown over every chair, dusty books were piled precariously on the floor, and an empty pizza box sat open on the unmade bed. - Amir was nervous about his presentation.
Example: Amir's palms were sweating as he tightly gripped his note cards. He took a deep, shaky breath, and his heart pounded against his ribs like a drum.
Part 4: Create a Scene
(Answers will vary. Below is an example paragraph.)
The heavy wooden door groaned as I pulled it open, revealing a spiral staircase descending into darkness. A gust of chilly, musty air, smelling of damp stone and old paper, rushed out to greet me. The only sound was the soft drip, drip, drip of water somewhere far below. The stone railing felt like ice under my trembling fingertips. The shadows in the stairwell danced, inviting me into their secret.