Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 810 · 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 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) A baby bird falls out of its nest (c) A bicycle chain slips off halfway up a hill
2. 2.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) A baby yak wanders away from the herd (b) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree (c) Hoofprints lead to the lost baby yak
3. 3.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) The wrong name is written on a cake (b) the front step (c) one windy afternoon
4. 4.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   One cloudy evening, Omkar heard a mew on his rooftop. A little kitten was stuck behind a water tank. Omkar spoke softly and put a saucer of milk nearby. The kitten tiptoed out to drink the milk. Omkar named her Pixie and gave her a cosy box. (a) A little kitten was stuck behind a water tank. (b) Omkar named her Pixie and gave her a cosy box. (c) One cloudy evening, Omkar heard a mew on his rooftop.
5. 5.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
   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) Grandpa chuckled and gave Saanvi a big hug. (b) One quiet Sunday, Saanvi was visiting her grandpa’s flat. (c) Grandpa could not find his reading glasses anywhere.
6. 6.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one bright morning (b) the back yard (c) Homework is left at home
7. 7.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) Homework is left at home (c) Wind blows away the rangoli powder
8. 8.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   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) Nobody buys anything from the stall (b) They put on the spare tyre together (c) A car tyre goes flat on a long trip
9. 9.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on Pongal morning (b) the hill road (c) The cricket ball splashes into a pond
10. 10.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) a lane in Kochi (b) one spring afternoon (c) A hard word makes her mind go blank
11. 11.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 snake is curled up in a shed (b) A snake rescuer carries it away safely (c) A new girl has no friends at lunch
12. 12.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) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (b) A boat starts to leak (c) A rubber slipper plugs the crack
13. 13.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) In the dry season, Lakshmi walked to the village square. (b) When the rains came, Lakshmi’s pond filled to the brim. (c) The old well had dried up, and people had no water.
14. 14.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) A bicycle chain slips off halfway up a hill (c) A hard word makes her mind go blank
15. 15.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 new girl has no friends at lunch (b) Posters help the owner find the puppy (c) A puppy cannot find its owner
16. 16.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 boy gets lost in a big crowd (b) A bean seed does not sprout (c) The pot is moved into the sunshine
17. 17.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) Advik watched the butterfly flutter away into the sky. (b) After the lunch bell, Advik walked into the music room. (c) A butterfly was beating its wings against the window.
18. 18.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) Fresh baking soda makes it fizz (b) The microphone stops working before her song (c) Her model volcano will not fizz
19. 19.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time (b) one breezy evening (c) the railway station
20. 20.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the science fair (b) A marble rolls into a deep drain (c) one Monday morning
21. 21.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) On a Wednesday evening, Meher went to the music school. (b) She was too shy to sing in front of the others. (c) Meher sang the whole song and felt brave.
22. 22.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) On Craft Day, Rahul was painting a poster in the art room. (b) Rahul’s poster with the lake won first prize. (c) He bumped a jar, and blue paint spilled everywhere.
23. 23.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) On a festive night, Zoya danced in the wedding hall. (b) Zoya gave it back, and Aunt Lata thanked her warmly. (c) Aunt Lata cried out that she had lost a gold earring.
24. 24.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) during a dry summer (b) A baby yak wanders away from the herd (c) the city fair
25. 25.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 plumber fixes the dripping tap (c) The microphone stops working before her song
26. 26.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.
27. 27.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) An aunt loses a gold earring (b) one cloudy evening (c) her grandpa’s flat
28. 28.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) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses (b) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (c) A biscuit and kind words coax the puppy out
29. 29.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) His running shoes are the wrong size (b) The shoes are swapped back (c) Her model volcano will not fizz
30. 30.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 marble rolls into a deep drain (b) Clay on a stick lifts the marble out (c) A kitten is stuck behind a water tank
31. 31.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) In five minutes, Vihaan’s dad came running to him. (c) On a crowded evening, Vihaan went to the city fair.
32. 32.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A puppy has torn a page of a library book (b) on Science Day (c) his hill village
33. 33.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) On bake sale day, Kiara set up a stall at the school gate. (b) By noon, nobody had bought a single cookie. (c) Soon Kiara had sold every cookie for the library fund.
34. 34.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) A lift stops between two floors (b) Shadow animals on the wall make him laugh (c) The lights go out and her little brother cries
35. 35.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.
36. 36.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 wrong name is written on a cake
37. 37.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) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain (c) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees
38. 38.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one cloudy evening (b) a tall building (c) Grandpa cannot find his reading glasses
39. 39.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one bright morning (b) the music room (c) She is too shy to sing in front of others
40. 40.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) One warm evening, Imran opened the garden shed. (b) A long snake was curled up near the door. (c) Imran learnt that snakes should be left to experts.

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