Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 715 · 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 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 biscuit and kind words coax the puppy out (b) A tap keeps dripping and wasting water (c) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain
2. 2.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one quiet Sunday (b) his hill village (c) Wind blows away the rangoli powder
3. 3.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   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 cake said “Happy Birthday, Rita” instead of Riya! (b) Riya carried home a cake with her name spelt right. (c) On her birthday morning, Riya hurried to the bakery.
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 hard word makes her mind go blank (b) A snake is curled up in a shed (c) A snake rescuer carries it away safely
5. 5.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) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (c) The lights go out and her little brother cries
6. 6.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the hill road (b) on Science Day (c) A boat starts to leak
7. 7.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!
8. 8.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) her balcony (b) on bake sale day (c) A train is three hours late
9. 9.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   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) Lakshmi gave Manav a bunch of carrots as thanks. (b) A goat broke its rope and began eating the spinach! (c) One busy morning, Manav walked to the vegetable market.
10. 10.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) The microphone stops working before her song (b) A puppy cannot find its owner (c) Posters help the owner find the puppy
11. 11.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) The seat of the park swing has cracked (b) a tall building (c) one hot afternoon
12. 12.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) The train came, and Fatima had made a new friend. (b) One foggy morning, Fatima waited at the railway station. (c) Her train was three hours late.
13. 13.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (b) on a Wednesday evening (c) her flat in Pune
14. 14.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 car tyre goes flat on a long trip (b) A bright sign and a bell bring buyers (c) Nobody buys anything from the stall
15. 15.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) On the first day of school, Isha walked into a new school. (b) She knew nobody and sat all alone at lunch. (c) By evening, Isha and Maria were best friends.
16. 16.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 kite gets stuck high up in a tree (b) A marble rolls into a deep drain (c) Clay on a stick lifts the marble out
17. 17.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) Each time she built a castle, the waves washed it away. (b) This time Maria’s castle stood tall until sunset. (c) During the Christmas holidays, Maria went to the beach.
18. 18.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) One summer holiday, Priya stayed at Nani’s orchard. (c) Priya and Nani laughed at the clever plan.
19. 19.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) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (c) Homework is left at home
20. 20.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) She makes a friend by sharing her lunch (b) A new girl has no friends at lunch (c) A bicycle chain slips off halfway up a hill
21. 21.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (b) The box is found under the last seat (c) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time
22. 22.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the playground (b) in the dry season (c) The wrong name is written on a cake
23. 23.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one Monday morning (b) Her model volcano will not fizz (c) her building
24. 24.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one windy afternoon (b) His running shoes are the wrong size (c) a lane in Kochi
25. 25.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a long car trip (b) his classroom (c) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain
26. 26.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 tap keeps dripping and wasting water (c) A boat starts to leak
27. 27.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) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away (b) Everyone sings along with her (c) She is too shy to sing in front of others
28. 28.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) Soon the doors opened, and Sahil stepped out safely. (c) The lift jerked and stopped between two floors.
29. 29.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) He stopped to watch a juggler and lost his dad. (b) On a crowded evening, Vihaan went to the city fair. (c) In five minutes, Vihaan’s dad came running to him.
30. 30.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) She is too shy to sing in front of others (b) one Sunday evening (c) the school bus
31. 31.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) Ayaan reached school just as the bell rang. (b) A passing scooter sprayed mud all over his white uniform. (c) One rainy morning, Ayaan walked down the muddy lane.
32. 32.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A bean seed does not sprout (b) on her birthday morning (c) the washroom
33. 33.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 bean seed does not sprout (b) The pot is moved into the sunshine (c) A train is three hours late
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) The village well has dried up (b) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (c) A bamboo pole pokes the kite free
35. 35.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) He bumped a jar, and blue paint spilled everywhere. (b) Rahul’s poster with the lake won first prize. (c) On Craft Day, Rahul was painting a poster in the art room.
36. 36.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) a lane in Kochi (b) on Sports Day (c) A puppy cannot find its owner
37. 37.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.
38. 38.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) A puppy has torn a page of a library book (b) The torn page is mended with tape (c) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees
39. 39.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) Her model volcano will not fizz (b) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach (c) A carrot leads the goat back to its owner
40. 40.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) The old well had dried up, and people had no water. (b) In the dry season, Lakshmi walked to the village square. (c) When the rains came, Lakshmi’s pond filled to the brim.

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