Show Not Tell - PowerPoint

The 'Show Not Tell' PowerPoint is a valuable English teaching resource for Year 5 and 6 students, focusing on enhancing their writing composition skills. The objective of the resource is to teach students how to vividly present characters and settings in a narrative by using 'show not tell' techniques. This method encourages writers to create descriptive images in their writing, allowing readers to infer the underlying connotations without being explicitly told what to think or feel. The resource guides students through examples that illustrate the difference between 'showing' - which provides a rich, evocative image - and 'telling', which simply informs the reader of the facts. By comparing sentences that 'show' with those that 'tell', students learn how to craft their writing to engage the reader's imagination and emotions more deeply.

The PowerPoint provides a series of activities designed to help students practice the 'show not tell' technique. Students are challenged to transform 'tell' sentences into 'show' sentences, with example answers provided for guidance. For instance, rather than stating 'Alfie was nervous', a 'show' sentence might describe how Alfie's feet tapped uncontrollably and a bead of sweat trickled down his face, allowing readers to deduce his nervousness. The resource emphasises the importance of 'showing' in writing, as it leaves room for the reader's imagination, making the narrative more engaging and immersive. The worksheets included offer a range of emotions and scenarios for students to convert into 'show' sentences, enhancing their ability to convey feelings and actions subtly and effectively in their writing.