Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 122 · 40 questions

Writer's tip (No problem, no story): Find the moment where something goes wrong — usually just after the beginning. Say it in a few words: a kite gets stuck in a tree. A place, a time or the way it gets fixed is not the problem.

1. 1.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   One summer holiday, Priya stayed at Nani’s orchard. Every morning, ripe mangoes were missing from the trees. Priya hid behind a bush and saw a monkey, Bholu, take one. She left bananas for Bholu, and he left the mangoes alone. Priya and Nani laughed at the clever plan. (a) Every morning, ripe mangoes were missing from the trees. (b) Priya and Nani laughed at the clever plan. (c) One summer holiday, Priya stayed at Nani’s orchard.
2. 2.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the playground (b) A baby yak wanders away from the herd (c) one bright morning
3. 3.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on Craft Day (b) the playground (c) A bean seed does not sprout
4. 4.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   One warm evening, Imran opened the garden shed. A long snake was curled up near the door. Imran stepped back slowly and did not touch it. Mr Reddy, a snake rescuer, carried it away safely. Imran learnt that snakes should be left to experts. (a) A snake rescuer carries it away safely (b) A snake is curled up in a shed (c) An aunt loses a gold earring
5. 5.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (b) the sports ground (c) after the lunch bell
6. 6.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   One spring morning, Tara potted a bean in the school garden. Two weeks later, nothing had come up at all. Tara asked Mr Nair, the gardener, what was wrong. He helped her move the pot into the sunshine. Soon a green shoot peeped out, and Tara danced. (a) Two weeks later, nothing had come up at all. (b) One spring morning, Tara potted a bean in the school garden. (c) Soon a green shoot peeped out, and Tara danced.
7. 7.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   One Sunday evening, Sahil took the lift in a tall building. The lift jerked and stopped between two floors. Sahil stayed calm and pressed the red alarm button. Mrs Bose, the guard, called the lift mechanic at once. Soon the doors opened, and Sahil stepped out safely. (a) One Sunday evening, Sahil took the lift in a tall building. (b) The lift jerked and stopped between two floors. (c) Soon the doors opened, and Sahil stepped out safely.
8. 8.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   One breezy evening, Tanmay played marbles in the back yard. His lucky blue marble rolled into a deep drain. Tanmay could not reach it with his arm or a stick. His sister Gita stuck clay on a stick and lifted it out. Tanmay thanked Gita and kept his marble safe. (a) One breezy evening, Tanmay played marbles in the back yard. (b) His lucky blue marble rolled into a deep drain. (c) Tanmay thanked Gita and kept his marble safe.
9. 9.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   After the lunch bell, Advik walked into the music room. A butterfly was beating its wings against the window. Advik opened the window wide and stepped back. Tanvi waved her notebook to guide it outside. Advik watched the butterfly flutter away into the sky. (a) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (b) A butterfly is trapped at a window (c) The window is opened to let it out
10. 10.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the garden shed (b) one cloudy evening (c) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree
11. 11.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A puppy has torn a page of a library book (b) one spring morning (c) the vegetable market
12. 12.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A puppy cannot find its owner (b) the art room (c) in the dry season
13. 13.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On a Tuesday evening, Pooja found a puppy in her building. The puppy had a collar, but no owner was nearby. Pooja drew posters and stuck them on every gate. A boy saw a poster and came running for Rocky, his puppy. Pooja waved goodbye as Rocky wagged his tail. (a) Posters help the owner find the puppy (b) A puppy cannot find its owner (c) A puppy has torn a page of a library book
14. 14.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One foggy morning, Fatima waited at the railway station. Her train was three hours late. Fatima opened her bag and found a book of puzzles. She and an old man, Mr Iyer, solved puzzles together. The train came, and Fatima had made a new friend. (a) Solving puzzles together passes the time (b) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time (c) A train is three hours late
15. 15.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (b) the art room (c) one busy morning
16. 16.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) during the Christmas holidays (b) The microphone stops working before her song (c) the school gate
17. 17.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the muddy lane (b) The seat of the park swing has cracked (c) on a Tuesday evening
18. 18.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) in the dry season (b) She is too shy to sing in front of others (c) the hill road
19. 19.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) her building (b) A train is three hours late (c) one hot afternoon
20. 20.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One rainy morning, Ayaan walked down the muddy lane. A passing scooter sprayed mud all over his white uniform. Ayaan ran home and told Maa what had happened. Maa quickly gave him a clean spare uniform. Ayaan reached school just as the bell rang. (a) Mud splashes all over a white uniform (b) He changes into a clean spare uniform (c) A puppy has torn a page of a library book
21. 21.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One quiet Sunday, Saanvi was visiting her grandpa’s flat. Grandpa could not find his reading glasses anywhere. Saanvi looked under the sofa and behind every cushion. At last she laughed, for the glasses were on his head! Grandpa chuckled and gave Saanvi a big hug. (a) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (b) The glasses are found on top of his head (c) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses
22. 22.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One warm evening, Imran opened the garden shed. A long snake was curled up near the door. Imran stepped back slowly and did not touch it. Mr Reddy, a snake rescuer, carried it away safely. Imran learnt that snakes should be left to experts. (a) Imran learnt that snakes should be left to experts. (b) One warm evening, Imran opened the garden shed. (c) A long snake was curled up near the door.
23. 23.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One stormy night, Diya heard a whimper in a lane in Kochi. A tiny puppy was shivering under a broken cart. Diya held out a biscuit and spoke softly to it. The puppy crept out and licked her hand. Diya named him Moti and made him a warm bed. (a) Diya named him Moti and made him a warm bed. (b) One stormy night, Diya heard a whimper in a lane in Kochi. (c) A tiny puppy was shivering under a broken cart.
24. 24.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    Early one Saturday, Ishaan ran to the colony park. The seat of the old swing had cracked in two. Ishaan asked the other children to help him mend it. Mrs Rao gave them a strong plank and some rope. By noon, Ishaan was swinging high on the new seat. (a) By noon, Ishaan was swinging high on the new seat. (b) Early one Saturday, Ishaan ran to the colony park. (c) The seat of the old swing had cracked in two.
25. 25.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One summer holiday, Priya stayed at Nani’s orchard. Every morning, ripe mangoes were missing from the trees. Priya hid behind a bush and saw a monkey, Bholu, take one. She left bananas for Bholu, and he left the mangoes alone. Priya and Nani laughed at the clever plan. (a) Bananas are left out for the monkey instead (b) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (c) A baby bird falls out of its nest
26. 26.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One sunny morning, Rohan cycled up the hill road. Halfway up, the chain of his bicycle slipped off. Rohan sat down and studied the chain slowly. Mr Das, a kind farmer, showed him how to fix it. Rohan rode on, proud that he could fix a chain now. (a) Rohan rode on, proud that he could fix a chain now. (b) One sunny morning, Rohan cycled up the hill road. (c) Halfway up, the chain of his bicycle slipped off.
27. 27.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A kitten is stuck behind a water tank (b) on a festive night (c) a lane in Kochi
28. 28.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the music room (b) on Science Day (c) The lights go out and her little brother cries
29. 29.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) her building (b) one foggy morning (c) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses
30. 30.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the garden shed (b) Blue paint spills over a poster (c) on her birthday morning
31. 31.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    Early one Saturday, Ishaan ran to the colony park. The seat of the old swing had cracked in two. Ishaan asked the other children to help him mend it. Mrs Rao gave them a strong plank and some rope. By noon, Ishaan was swinging high on the new seat. (a) An aunt loses a gold earring (b) The seat of the park swing has cracked (c) A strong plank and rope make a new seat
32. 32.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the vegetable market (b) one summer holiday (c) Mud splashes all over a white uniform
33. 33.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On a hot summer night, Sneha read in her flat in Pune. Suddenly the lights went out, and her little brother cried. Sneha found a torch and made shadow animals on the wall. Her brother Arjun giggled at a shadow rabbit. Sneha told stories until the lights came back on. (a) Shadow animals on the wall make him laugh (b) The lights go out and her little brother cries (c) A kitten is stuck behind a water tank
34. 34.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On her birthday morning, Riya hurried to the bakery. The cake said “Happy Birthday, Rita” instead of Riya! Riya laughed and asked politely if it could be fixed. Uncle Jacob, the baker, added a neat y in icing. Riya carried home a cake with her name spelt right. (a) A marble rolls into a deep drain (b) The baker fixes one letter in icing (c) The wrong name is written on a cake
35. 35.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) An aunt loses a gold earring (b) the highway (c) one quiet Sunday
36. 36.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) The wrong name is written on a cake (b) the school library (c) after the lunch bell
37. 37.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One breezy evening, Tanmay played marbles in the back yard. His lucky blue marble rolled into a deep drain. Tanmay could not reach it with his arm or a stick. His sister Gita stuck clay on a stick and lifted it out. Tanmay thanked Gita and kept his marble safe. (a) A marble rolls into a deep drain (b) Clay on a stick lifts the marble out (c) The seat of the park swing has cracked
38. 38.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On a busy Monday, Meera rode the school bus to class. At lunch, Meera saw that her tiffin box was missing. Meera and her friend Tenzin searched seat by seat. The red box was hiding under the very last seat. Meera shared her parathas with Tenzin to say thank you. (a) At lunch, Meera saw that her tiffin box was missing. (b) Meera shared her parathas with Tenzin to say thank you. (c) On a busy Monday, Meera rode the school bus to class.
39. 39.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On Craft Day, Rahul was painting a poster in the art room. He bumped a jar, and blue paint spilled everywhere. Rahul was upset, but his friend Simran had an idea. They turned the big blue splash into a lake. Rahul’s poster with the lake won first prize. (a) The blue splash is turned into a lake (b) The village well has dried up (c) Blue paint spills over a poster
40. 40.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) after the lunch bell (b) a tall building (c) A snake is curled up in a shed

Free creative writing lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/creative-writing-for-kids