Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 367 · 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 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) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water (b) She sings loudly without a microphone (c) The microphone stops working before her song
2. 2.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school hall (b) on Science Day (c) A bicycle chain slips off halfway up a hill
3. 3.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) One sunny morning, Rohan cycled up the hill road. (b) Rohan rode on, proud that he could fix a chain now. (c) Halfway up, the chain of his bicycle slipped off.
4. 4.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 bean seed does not sprout (b) A rubber slipper plugs the crack (c) A boat starts to leak
5. 5.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on Pongal morning (b) An aunt loses a gold earring (c) his hill village
6. 6.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) Her train was three hours late. (b) The train came, and Fatima had made a new friend. (c) One foggy morning, Fatima waited at the railway station.
7. 7.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) A puppy cannot find its owner (b) Bananas are left out for the monkey instead (c) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees
8. 8.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) Dev mended the page neatly and felt proud of himself. (b) On a Friday afternoon, Dev walked into the school library. (c) His puppy had torn a page of the book he borrowed.
9. 9.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one sunny morning (b) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away (c) his hill village
10. 10.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one hot afternoon (b) a lane in Kochi (c) His running shoes are the wrong size
11. 11.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A lift stops between two floors (b) on a long car trip (c) the science fair
12. 12.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) The torn page is mended with tape (b) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away (c) A puppy has torn a page of a library book
13. 13.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the city fair (b) one stormy night (c) Blue paint spills over a poster
14. 14.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 baker fixes one letter in icing (b) The wrong name is written on a cake (c) A bean seed does not sprout
15. 15.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one busy morning (b) the town hall (c) A butterfly is trapped at a window
16. 16.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the science fair (b) one foggy morning (c) A marble rolls into a deep drain
17. 17.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a Friday afternoon (b) the science fair (c) The cricket ball splashes into a pond
18. 18.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) The pot is moved into the sunshine (b) Mud splashes all over a white uniform (c) A bean seed does not sprout
19. 19.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 boy gets lost in a big crowd (b) A bright sign and a bell bring buyers (c) Nobody buys anything from the stall
20. 20.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) A tiny puppy was shivering under a broken cart. (b) One stormy night, Diya heard a whimper in a lane in Kochi. (c) Diya named him Moti and made him a warm bed.
21. 21.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) Bang! The back tyre of the car went flat. (b) On a long car trip, Yash rode along the highway. (c) Yash was proud he had helped, and the trip went on.
22. 22.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) her flat in Pune (b) in the dry season (c) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses
23. 23.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On the first day of school, Isha walked into a new school. She knew nobody and sat all alone at lunch. Then Isha saw another girl sitting alone too. Isha smiled and asked Maria to share her lunch. By evening, Isha and Maria were best friends. (a) By evening, Isha and Maria were best friends. (b) On the first day of school, Isha walked into a new school. (c) She knew nobody and sat all alone at lunch.
24. 24.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) The puppy had a collar, but no owner was nearby. (b) On a Tuesday evening, Pooja found a puppy in her building. (c) Pooja waved goodbye as Rocky wagged his tail.
25. 25.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) Hoofprints lead to the lost baby yak (b) A baby yak wanders away from the herd (c) Blue paint spills over a poster
26. 26.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Wind blows away the rangoli powder (b) on Sports Day (c) the school bus
27. 27.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a Friday afternoon (b) A new girl has no friends at lunch (c) a tall building
28. 28.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school garden (b) in the dry season (c) A snake is curled up in a shed
29. 29.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the front step (b) A boy gets lost in a big crowd (c) one misty dawn
30. 30.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) It is built higher up with a moat (b) A train is three hours late (c) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away
31. 31.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    On Sports Day, Neel lined up at the sports ground. His running shoes had been mixed up, and they were too big! Neel did not panic and looked at the names inside. Coach Iqbal swapped them back with a boy in the next lane. Neel ran in the right shoes and came second. (a) On Sports Day, Neel lined up at the sports ground. (b) Neel ran in the right shoes and came second. (c) His running shoes had been mixed up, and they were too big!
32. 32.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school library (b) A car tyre goes flat on a long trip (c) on the first day of school
33. 33.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) A baby yak had wandered away from the herd. (b) One misty dawn, Tenzin woke up in his hill village. (c) His sister Pema gave Tenzin the first cup of butter tea.
34. 34.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    One windy afternoon, Aarav flew his kite in the playground. A strong gust blew the kite into the top of a neem tree. Aarav jumped and jumped, but he could not reach it. His friend Kiran brought a bamboo pole to poke it free. Aarav thanked Kiran, and the kite flew high again. (a) A bamboo pole pokes the kite free (b) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (c) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree
35. 35.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) during a dry summer (b) the highway (c) A boat starts to leak
36. 36.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one rainy morning (b) his hill village (c) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach
37. 37.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) A puppy cannot find its owner (b) He is allowed to bring it the next day (c) Homework is left at home
38. 38.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
39. 39.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) She was too shy to sing in front of the others. (b) On a Wednesday evening, Meher went to the music school. (c) Meher sang the whole song and felt brave.
40. 40.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 car tyre goes flat on a long trip

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