Action Implied

In this worksheet, students write a short descriptive scene in which the main action is not explicitly stated. Instead, they must rely on sensory details-what is seen, heard, smelled, felt, or tasted-to imply what is happening. Learners choose one scenario from a list, such as a storm approaching, a visitor arriving, or a disagreement beginning, and communicate the event through clues like movement, temperature, texture, or subtle physical reactions. This activity teaches students how to “show, not tell” by using atmosphere and detail to convey meaning. It also encourages inference-based storytelling, allowing readers to determine the implied action on their own. Students strengthen their descriptive writing skills and deepen their understanding of indirect narrative techniques.

Curriculum Matched Skills

English Language Arts – Show, Not Tell Techniques

English Language Arts – Sensory Detail Integration

English Language Arts – Narrative Inference and Subtext

English Language Arts – Descriptive Scene Construction

This worksheet is part of our Descriptive Writing Prompts collection.