Problem in a Story Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 3: The problem in a story · Set 838 · 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.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A baby bird falls out of its nest (b) the beach (c) early one Saturday
2. 2.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the front step (b) one Sunday evening (c) A butterfly is trapped at a window
3. 3.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) Hoofprints lead to the lost baby yak (c) His running shoes are the wrong size
4. 4.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) A car tyre goes flat on a long trip (b) They put on the spare tyre together (c) The wrong name is written on a cake
5. 5.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.
6. 6.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one foggy morning (b) Waves keep washing the sandcastle away (c) her balcony
7. 7.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
   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) Wind blows away the rangoli powder (b) A board held up blocks the wind (c) An aunt loses a gold earring
8. 8.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) She is too shy to sing in front of others (c) A puppy has torn a page of a library book
9. 9.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) A goat runs loose and eats the spinach (b) his rooftop (c) during the Christmas holidays
10. 10.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.
11. 11.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one warm evening (b) the washroom (c) She is too shy to sing in front of others
12. 12.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) Homework is left at home (b) He is allowed to bring it the next day (c) A marble rolls into a deep drain
13. 13.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a Tuesday evening (b) a tall building (c) A boy gets lost in a big crowd
14. 14.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) The village well has dried up (b) her flat in Pune (c) on a Wednesday evening
15. 15.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) one summer holiday (b) the school bus (c) A kite gets stuck high up in a tree
16. 16.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) Mud splashes all over a white uniform (b) during a dry summer (c) the hill road
17. 17.Read the story. What is the problem in it?
    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) A new girl has no friends at lunch (b) Solving puzzles together passes the time (c) A train is three hours late
18. 18.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on Sports Day (b) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (c) the hill road
19. 19.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 baby yak wanders away from the herd (b) A biscuit and kind words coax the puppy out (c) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain
20. 20.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) Meera shared her parathas with Tenzin to say thank you. (b) On a busy Monday, Meera rode the school bus to class. (c) At lunch, Meera saw that her tiffin box was missing.
21. 21.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) Her train was three hours late. (c) The train came, and Fatima had made a new friend.
22. 22.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) On Science Day, Ananya took her volcano to the science fair. (b) She poured in the vinegar, but nothing happened. (c) This time the volcano fizzed, and Ananya won a prize.
23. 23.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 lift stops between two floors (c) The lights go out and her little brother cries
24. 24.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) The box is found under the last seat (b) A train is three hours late (c) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time
25. 25.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the village square (b) A car tyre goes flat on a long trip (c) on a festive night
26. 26.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) An aunt loses a gold earring (b) The earring is found beside a flower stand (c) A marble rolls into a deep drain
27. 27.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the colony park (b) one breezy evening (c) The wrong name is written on a cake
28. 28.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the art room (b) after the lunch bell (c) Her model volcano will not fizz
29. 29.Read the story. Which sentence shows the problem?
    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) One spring morning, Tara potted a bean in the school garden. (b) Soon a green shoot peeped out, and Tara danced. (c) Two weeks later, nothing had come up at all.
30. 30.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) On a long car trip, Yash rode along the highway. (b) Yash was proud he had helped, and the trip went on. (c) Bang! The back tyre of the car went flat.
31. 31.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) This time Maria’s castle stood tall until sunset. (b) During the Christmas holidays, Maria went to the beach. (c) Each time she built a castle, the waves washed it away.
32. 32.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the music school (b) on a crowded evening (c) A train is three hours late
33. 33.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school library (b) one cloudy evening (c) The microphone stops working before her song
34. 34.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 rescuer carries it away safely (b) A boat starts to leak (c) A snake is curled up in a shed
35. 35.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school garden (b) Blue paint spills over a poster (c) one sunny morning
36. 36.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) the school garden (b) one warm evening (c) A puppy is shivering in the cold rain
37. 37.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 boat starts to leak (c) A kitten is stuck behind a water tank
38. 38.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on a busy Monday (b) A boat starts to leak (c) her building
39. 39.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) Mangoes keep vanishing from the trees (b) Bananas are left out for the monkey instead (c) A new girl has no friends at lunch
40. 40.Every story needs a problem. Which of these is a problem? (a) on Pongal morning (b) A tiffin box goes missing at lunch time (c) a new school

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