Which Detail Set Up the Ending? is a free printable Grade 4 English worksheet on finding the earlier detail a story's ending depends on, aligned to Common Core standard RL.4.1. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
1.Read: "Mr. Grant planted an acorn on the day his granddaughter was born. He wore a straw hat in summer. His house had a red door. Forty years later, his granddaughter read books in the shade of the huge oak in his yard." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
A.He wore a straw hat in summer.
B.His house had a red door.
C.Mr. Grant planted an acorn on the day his granddaughter was born.
2.Read: "Marcus sat by the window in Room 9. He kept a flashlight in his desk. He liked math best. That afternoon the power went out, and Marcus lit the way to the door." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
A.He liked math best.
B.Marcus sat by the window in Room 9.
C.He kept a flashlight in his desk.
3.Read: "Grandpa wrote the spare-key hiding place on a card in Zoe's backpack. Zoe played the trumpet. Her school was three blocks away. The day Grandpa's bus was late, Zoe read the card and let herself in." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
A.Her school was three blocks away.
B.Zoe played the trumpet.
C.Grandpa wrote the spare-key hiding place on a card in Zoe's backpack.
4.Read: "Rae's family hid a big box in the hall closet. Rae was eleven. They lived on a quiet street. On her brother's birthday, he opened the box and found a new bike." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
A.They lived on a quiet street.
B.Rae was eleven.
C.Rae's family hid a big box in the hall closet.
5.Read: "The farmer saw the ants carrying their eggs up the hill. The barn needed new paint. Her son was learning to drive. That night the creek flooded the low field, but the ants were safe." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
A.The barn needed new paint.
B.The farmer saw the ants carrying their eggs up the hill.
C.Her son was learning to drive.
6.Read: "Ana crossed the old bridge every day on her way to school. She noticed that its railing was loose. The river below was full of fish. A week later, after Ana's letter to the mayor, workers fixed the railing." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
A.The river below was full of fish.
B.Ana crossed the old bridge every day on her way to school.
C.She noticed that its railing was loose.
7.Read: "Tess practiced free throws every evening until dark. Her team wore red. She had two younger brothers. In the final game, Tess made the winning shot from the free-throw line." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
A.Tess practiced free throws every evening until dark.
B.She had two younger brothers.
C.Her team wore red.
8.Read: "Jonah's uncle gave him an old compass for his birthday. Jonah liked pancakes. He had a loud laugh. On the hike, when the trail markers disappeared, Jonah's compass led the group back." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
A.Jonah liked pancakes.
B.Jonah's uncle gave him an old compass for his birthday.
C.He had a loud laugh.
LessonPrint · RL.4.1 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Which Detail Set Up the Ending?
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.Mr. Grant planted an acorn on the day his granddaughter was born.
2.He kept a flashlight in his desk.
3.Grandpa wrote the spare-key hiding place on a card in Zoe's backpack.
4.Rae's family hid a big box in the hall closet.
5.The farmer saw the ants carrying their eggs up the hill.
6.She noticed that its railing was loose.
7.Tess practiced free throws every evening until dark.
8.Jonah's uncle gave him an old compass for his birthday.
Questions about Which Detail Set Up the Ending?
What does the Which Detail Set Up the Ending? worksheet cover?
It practices finding the earlier detail a story's ending depends on — 8 questions for Grade 4, all on Common Core RL.4.1: Back up both what the text says and what it implies with details. The instruction to students is “Read each story, then circle the right answer”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which Common Core standard does Which Detail Set Up the Ending? practice?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1 — RL.4.1, under Reading: Literature for Grade 4. The published standard reads: “Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.” The worksheet assesses that standard rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
Which Detail Set Up the Ending? is written for Grade 4, typically ages 9-10. It is one of the sheets on RL.4.1, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does Which Detail Set Up the Ending? come with an answer key?
Yes. All 8 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of Which Detail Set Up the Ending? can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is Which Detail Set Up the Ending? free to print and photocopy?
Yes. Which Detail Set Up the Ending?, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
More practice for RL.4.1
Back up both what the text says and what it implies with details.