Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 365 · 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?
   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) Wind blows away the rangoli powder (b) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses (c) The glasses are found on top of his head
2. 2.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school bus (b) A baby yak wanders away from the herd (c) on the first day of school
3. 3.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on her birthday morning (b) Nobody buys anything from the stall (c) her balcony
4. 4.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) his classroom (b) The cricket ball splashes into a pond (c) one breezy evening
5. 5.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 carrot leads the goat back to its owner (b) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach (c) The seat of the park swing has cracked
6. 6.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A snake is curled up in a shed (b) his hill village (c) on a busy Monday
7. 7.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 kitten is stuck behind a water tank
8. 8.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   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) On Annual Day, Kavya waited to sing in the school hall. (b) Imran and the whole hall clapped for Kavya. (c) Just before her turn, the microphone stopped working.
9. 9.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) his rooftop (b) on a Wednesday evening (c) A puppy cannot find its owner
10. 10.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    One spring afternoon, Simran found a nest on her balcony. A baby sparrow had fallen out and was chirping loudly. Simran put on gloves and lifted it very gently. Dadi held the stool while she put it back in the nest. Simran smiled as the mother sparrow flew home. (a) Simran smiled as the mother sparrow flew home. (b) One spring afternoon, Simran found a nest on her balcony. (c) A baby sparrow had fallen out and was chirping loudly.
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) 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.
12. 12.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) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (c) He changes into a clean spare uniform
13. 13.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time (b) An aunt loses a gold earring (c) The earring is found beside a flower stand
14. 14.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) A pond is dug to catch the rain (b) The village well has dried up (c) Homework is left at home
15. 15.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) after the lunch bell (b) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away (c) the village pond
16. 16.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one misty dawn (b) the garden shed (c) An aunt loses a gold earring
17. 17.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 boat starts to leak
18. 18.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) She is too shy to sing in front of others (b) The baker fixes one letter in icing (c) The wrong name is written on a cake
19. 19.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (b) one spring morning (c) the town hall
20. 20.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) The seat of the old swing had cracked in two. (c) Early one Saturday, Ishaan ran to the colony park.
21. 21.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On bake sale day, Kiara set up a stall at the school gate. By noon, nobody had bought a single cookie. Kiara made a bright sign that said “Fresh Cookies!” Her friend Zubin rang a bell to call people over. Soon Kiara had sold every cookie for the library fund. (a) A bright sign and a bell bring buyers (b) The village well has dried up (c) Nobody buys anything from the stall
22. 22.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On a Friday afternoon, Dev walked into the school library. His puppy had torn a page of the book he borrowed. Dev was scared, but he told the librarian the truth. Ms Fernandes smiled and showed him how to tape it. Dev mended the page neatly and felt proud of himself. (a) His puppy had torn a page of the book he borrowed. (b) Dev mended the page neatly and felt proud of himself. (c) On a Friday afternoon, Dev walked into the school library.
23. 23.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the playground (b) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water (c) one cloudy evening
24. 24.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) Clay on a stick lifts the marble out (b) A marble rolls into a deep drain (c) A snake is curled up in a shed
25. 25.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Her model volcano will not fizz (b) the sports ground (c) on the first day of school
26. 26.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Homework is left at home (b) her balcony (c) one cloudy evening
27. 27.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a Friday afternoon (b) his rooftop (c) The microphone stops working before her song
28. 28.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on bake sale day (b) She is too shy to sing in front of others (c) the muddy lane
29. 29.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school library (b) one bright morning (c) The wrong name is written on a cake
30. 30.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one hot afternoon (b) Mud splashes all over a white uniform (c) the backwaters
31. 31.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 kite gets stuck high up in a tree (b) The cricket ball splashes into a pond (c) A basket tied to a stick scoops it out
32. 32.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the back yard (b) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time (c) on Craft Day
33. 33.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A car tyre goes flat on a long trip (b) the front step (c) on a busy Monday
34. 34.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) One foggy morning, Fatima waited at the railway station. (b) The train came, and Fatima had made a new friend. (c) Her train was three hours late.
35. 35.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On a Wednesday evening, Meher went to the music school. She was too shy to sing in front of the others. Meher closed her eyes and pictured singing at home. Mr Bose, the teacher, asked everyone to sing with her. Meher sang the whole song and felt brave. (a) Everyone sings along with her (b) His running shoes are the wrong size (c) She is too shy to sing in front of others
36. 36.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) Wind blows away the rangoli powder (b) A baby yak wanders away from the herd (c) Hoofprints lead to the lost baby yak
37. 37.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On competition day, Nisha stood on stage in the town hall. Her mind went blank on the word “necessary”. Nisha recalled the rhyme Mrs Sen had taught her. She spelt it slowly, letter by letter, and got it right. Nisha won the silver cup and thanked Mrs Sen. (a) A rhyme from her teacher helps her spell it (b) She is too shy to sing in front of others (c) A hard word makes her mind go blank
38. 38.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) One rainy morning, Ayaan walked down the muddy lane. (b) Ayaan reached school just as the bell rang. (c) A passing scooter sprayed mud all over his white uniform.
39. 39.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school gate (b) A boy gets lost in a big crowd (c) early one Saturday
40. 40.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the muddy lane (b) during a dry summer (c) A puppy has torn a page of a library book

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