Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 378 · 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) Her model volcano will not fizz (b) The glasses are found on top of his head (c) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses
2. 2.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) An aunt loses a gold earring (b) Posters help the owner find the puppy (c) A puppy cannot find its owner
3. 3.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   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) The lights go out and her little brother cries (b) The baby bird is put back in the nest (c) A baby bird falls out of its nest
4. 4.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) He changes into a clean spare uniform (b) Mud splashes all over a white uniform (c) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree
5. 5.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) Blue paint spills over a poster (b) A puppy has torn a page of a library book (c) The torn page is mended with tape
6. 6.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the sports ground (b) one sunny morning (c) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain
7. 7.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on Annual Day (b) She is too shy to sing in front of others (c) the village pond
8. 8.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   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 keeps dripping and wasting water (b) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (c) A plumber fixes the dripping tap
9. 9.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) One foggy morning, Fatima waited at the railway station. (c) The train came, and Fatima had made a new friend.
10. 10.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) On Pongal morning, Aditi drew a rangoli on the front step. (b) A gust of wind blew the coloured powder everywhere. (c) By noon, Aditi’s rangoli was the brightest on the street.
11. 11.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.
12. 12.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a Tuesday evening (b) a lane in Kochi (c) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water
13. 13.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) The shoes are swapped back (b) His running shoes are the wrong size (c) A baby bird falls out of its nest
14. 14.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) Diya named him Moti and made him a warm bed. (c) One stormy night, Diya heard a whimper in a lane in Kochi.
15. 15.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) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (c) A boat starts to leak
16. 16.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) An aunt loses a gold earring (b) the school hall (c) one summer holiday
17. 17.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) The cricket ball splashes into a pond (b) his hill village (c) on a Wednesday evening
18. 18.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) One bright morning, Anjali went boating on the backwaters. (b) Back on land, Anjali and Appa laughed with relief. (c) Water began to seep in through a crack in the boat.
19. 19.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.
20. 20.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 cricket ball splashes into a pond (c) A marble rolls into a deep drain
21. 21.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.
22. 22.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on Annual Day (b) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (c) the school gate
23. 23.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 bicycle chain slips off halfway up a hill (c) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach
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) Pooja waved goodbye as Rocky wagged his tail. (b) On a Tuesday evening, Pooja found a puppy in her building. (c) The puppy had a collar, but no owner was nearby.
25. 25.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the vegetable market (b) one misty dawn (c) Her model volcano will not fizz
26. 26.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on the first day of school (b) a lane in Kochi (c) A puppy has torn a page of a library book
27. 27.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) A baby sparrow had fallen out and was chirping loudly. (c) One spring afternoon, Simran found a nest on her balcony.
28. 28.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 farmer shows how to put the chain back (b) His running shoes are the wrong size (c) A bicycle chain slips off halfway up a hill
29. 29.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) His running shoes had been mixed up, and they were too big! (b) On Sports Day, Neel lined up at the sports ground. (c) Neel ran in the right shoes and came second.
30. 30.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) A strong plank and rope make a new seat (b) A baby yak wanders away from the herd (c) The seat of the park swing has cracked
31. 31.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) He is allowed to bring it the next day (b) An aunt loses a gold earring (c) Homework is left at home
32. 32.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the science fair (b) during a dry summer (c) Wind blows away the rangoli powder
33. 33.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) A butterfly was beating its wings against the window. (b) After the lunch bell, Advik walked into the music room. (c) Advik watched the butterfly flutter away into the sky.
34. 34.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) Soon Kiara had sold every cookie for the library fund. (b) By noon, nobody had bought a single cookie. (c) On bake sale day, Kiara set up a stall at the school gate.
35. 35.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the highway (b) on a crowded evening (c) The microphone stops working before her song
36. 36.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A kitten is stuck behind a water tank (b) the highway (c) on a festive night
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?
    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) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach (b) A bean seed does not sprout (c) The pot is moved into the sunshine
39. 39.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) During a dry summer, Aisha saw a problem in the washroom. (b) A tap was dripping, and water was being wasted. (c) Aisha smiled, because every drop of water matters.
40. 40.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    On a crowded evening, Vihaan went to the city fair. He stopped to watch a juggler and lost his dad. Vihaan stayed calm and went to a lady in uniform. Officer Kaur called his name on the loudspeaker. In five minutes, Vihaan’s dad came running to him. (a) A boy gets lost in a big crowd (b) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (c) His name is called on the loudspeaker

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