Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 216 · 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. 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) The lights go out and her little brother cries (b) Shadow animals on the wall make him laugh (c) The microphone stops working before her song
2. 2.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   One bright morning, Anjali went boating on the backwaters. Water began to seep in through a crack in the boat. Anjali pressed her rubber slipper hard over the crack. Appa rowed fast to the shore while she held it there. Back on land, Anjali and Appa laughed with relief. (a) A rubber slipper plugs the crack (b) A boat starts to leak (c) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees
3. 3.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Nani’s orchard (b) one rainy morning (c) A baby yak wanders away from the herd
4. 4.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) Soon the doors opened, and Sahil stepped out safely. (b) The lift jerked and stopped between two floors. (c) One Sunday evening, Sahil took the lift in a tall building.
5. 5.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   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) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (b) A biscuit and kind words coax the puppy out (c) A boy gets lost in a big crowd
6. 6.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) The cricket ball splashes into a pond (b) the muddy lane (c) on a Wednesday evening
7. 7.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) The wrong name is written on a cake (b) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water (c) The baker fixes one letter in icing
8. 8.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) A puppy cannot find its owner (b) Posters help the owner find the puppy (c) A train is three hours late
9. 9.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   During the Christmas holidays, Maria went to the beach. Each time she built a castle, the waves washed it away. Maria thought hard and moved further up the sand. Her friend Kunal dug a moat to keep the water out. This time Maria’s castle stood tall until sunset. (a) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away (b) It is built higher up with a moat (c) The lights go out and her little brother cries
10. 10.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the music school (b) Blue paint spills over a poster (c) on competition day
11. 11.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) On a busy Monday, Meera rode the school bus to class. (b) Meera shared her parathas with Tenzin to say thank you. (c) At lunch, Meera saw that her tiffin box was missing.
12. 12.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One Monday morning, Aryan sat down in his classroom. He found that he had left his homework at home. Aryan told Ms Gill the truth before she even asked. Ms Gill let him bring it the next day. Aryan made a checklist so he would never forget again. (a) Homework is left at home (b) A puppy has torn a page of a library book (c) He is allowed to bring it the next day
13. 13.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) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses (c) The glasses are found on top of his head
14. 14.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One busy morning, Manav walked to the vegetable market. A goat broke its rope and began eating the spinach! Manav ran after the goat and held out a carrot. The goat followed the carrot back to Lakshmi, its owner. Lakshmi gave Manav a bunch of carrots as thanks. (a) A new girl has no friends at lunch (b) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach (c) A carrot leads the goat back to its owner
15. 15.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) her flat in Pune (b) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach (c) one spring morning
16. 16.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On Annual Day, Kavya waited to sing in the school hall. Just before her turn, the microphone stopped working. Kavya took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage. She sang so loudly that everyone could hear her. Imran and the whole hall clapped for Kavya. (a) She sings loudly without a microphone (b) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses (c) The microphone stops working before her song
17. 17.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) A bicycle chain slips off halfway up a hill (b) A baby yak wanders away from the herd (c) A farmer shows how to put the chain back
18. 18.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On a long car trip, Yash rode along the highway. Bang! The back tyre of the car went flat. Yash held the torch while Uncle Ravi took out the spare. Together they changed the tyre in twenty minutes. Yash was proud he had helped, and the trip went on. (a) Yash was proud he had helped, and the trip went on. (b) Bang! The back tyre of the car went flat. (c) On a long car trip, Yash rode along the highway.
19. 19.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One misty dawn, Tenzin woke up in his hill village. A baby yak had wandered away from the herd. Tenzin followed its hoofprints down the muddy path. He found it by a stream and gently led it back. His sister Pema gave Tenzin the first cup of butter tea. (a) One misty dawn, Tenzin woke up in his hill village. (b) His sister Pema gave Tenzin the first cup of butter tea. (c) A baby yak had wandered away from the herd.
20. 20.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the front step (b) in the dry season (c) The wrong name is written on a cake
21. 21.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) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (b) Solving puzzles together passes the time (c) A train is three hours late
22. 22.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    During a dry summer, Aisha saw a problem in the washroom. A tap was dripping, and water was being wasted. Aisha wrote a note and took it to the principal. Mr Khan, the plumber, fixed the tap the next day. Aisha smiled, because every drop of water matters. (a) A tap was dripping, and water was being wasted. (b) During a dry summer, Aisha saw a problem in the washroom. (c) Aisha smiled, because every drop of water matters.
23. 23.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One Monday morning, Aryan sat down in his classroom. He found that he had left his homework at home. Aryan told Ms Gill the truth before she even asked. Ms Gill let him bring it the next day. Aryan made a checklist so he would never forget again. (a) One Monday morning, Aryan sat down in his classroom. (b) Aryan made a checklist so he would never forget again. (c) He found that he had left his homework at home.
24. 24.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On a festive night, Zoya danced in the wedding hall. Aunt Lata cried out that she had lost a gold earring. Zoya looked carefully under every chair and table. The earring was shining beside the flower stand. Zoya gave it back, and Aunt Lata thanked her warmly. (a) Zoya gave it back, and Aunt Lata thanked her warmly. (b) On a festive night, Zoya danced in the wedding hall. (c) Aunt Lata cried out that she had lost a gold earring.
25. 25.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    During the Christmas holidays, Maria went to the beach. Each time she built a castle, the waves washed it away. Maria thought hard and moved further up the sand. Her friend Kunal dug a moat to keep the water out. This time Maria’s castle stood tall until sunset. (a) During the Christmas holidays, Maria went to the beach. (b) This time Maria’s castle stood tall until sunset. (c) Each time she built a castle, the waves washed it away.
26. 26.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On Science Day, Ananya took her volcano to the science fair. She poured in the vinegar, but nothing happened. Ananya stayed calm and checked every jar again. Joseph brought her fresh baking soda from the lab. This time the volcano fizzed, and Ananya won a prize. (a) She poured in the vinegar, but nothing happened. (b) On Science Day, Ananya took her volcano to the science fair. (c) This time the volcano fizzed, and Ananya won a prize.
27. 27.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One hot afternoon, Kabir played cricket by the village pond. Farhan hit the ball so hard that it splashed into the water. Kabir tried to reach it, but his arms were too short. He tied a basket to a stick and scooped the ball out. Kabir and Farhan cheered and went on with the game. (a) A basket tied to a stick scoops it out (b) The microphone stops working before her song (c) The cricket ball splashes into a pond
28. 28.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On Pongal morning, Aditi drew a rangoli on the front step. A gust of wind blew the coloured powder everywhere. Aditi did not give up and started all over again. Her brother Sid held up a board to block the wind. By noon, Aditi’s rangoli was the brightest on the street. (a) A gust of wind blew the coloured powder everywhere. (b) By noon, Aditi’s rangoli was the brightest on the street. (c) On Pongal morning, Aditi drew a rangoli on the front step.
29. 29.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time (b) early one Saturday (c) his hill village
30. 30.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) After the lunch bell, Advik walked into the music room. (b) A butterfly was beating its wings against the window. (c) Advik watched the butterfly flutter away into the sky.
31. 31.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the art room (b) A marble rolls into a deep drain (c) one cloudy evening
32. 32.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    In the dry season, Lakshmi walked to the village square. The old well had dried up, and people had no water. Lakshmi asked everyone to dig a pond to catch the rain. Raju and the others dug every evening for a month. When the rains came, Lakshmi’s pond filled to the brim. (a) When the rains came, Lakshmi’s pond filled to the brim. (b) The old well had dried up, and people had no water. (c) In the dry season, Lakshmi walked to the village square.
33. 33.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.
34. 34.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A snake is curled up in a shed (b) a tall building (c) one breezy evening
35. 35.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one quiet Sunday (b) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (c) the front step
36. 36.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the back yard (b) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses (c) one windy afternoon
37. 37.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.
38. 38.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On Pongal morning, Aditi drew a rangoli on the front step. A gust of wind blew the coloured powder everywhere. Aditi did not give up and started all over again. Her brother Sid held up a board to block the wind. By noon, Aditi’s rangoli was the brightest on the street. (a) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (b) A board held up blocks the wind (c) Wind blows away the rangoli powder
39. 39.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.
40. 40.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A new girl has no friends at lunch (b) on a long car trip (c) her grandpa’s flat

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