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How a Story Opens is a free printable Grade 2 English worksheet on what the beginning of a story sets up, aligned to Common Core standard RL.2.5. It prints 2 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 19 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

How a Story Opens

RL.2.5

NameDate

Read the story, then answer the questions.

1.Read the text, then answer the questions.

What the Tide Left

Every low tide, Grandad and Tess walked out to the rock pools. Tess wanted to take a starfish home. Grandad said no. "It would die in a bucket," he said. "Look at it here instead." Tess crouched for a long time. She saw the starfish move — slowly, on hundreds of tiny feet she had not known it had. She did not ask again. On the way back she said, "It's better in the pool anyway."

  1. 1. How does the ending conclude the action?
  2. 2. How does the beginning set up the story?
2.Read the text, then answer the questions.

Rain on the Roof

Rain on the roof, rain on the road, rain on the back of a slow brown toad. Rain on the window, rain on the pane, rain on the roses, rain, rain, rain. Rain in the gutter, rain in the drain, rain till the puddle is deep as a lane. Rain on the roof, rain on the road — and out comes the sun for the slow brown toad.

  1. 1. How does the last verse change from the first?
  2. 2. How many verses does this poem have?

LessonPrint · RL.2.5 · Set 19 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — How a Story Opens

Set 19. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. Tess says the starfish is better in the pool, so she has changed her own mind. 2. It establishes the regular walk to the rock pools, so the starfish moment stands out.
  2. 2.1. It repeats the first line, then the sun comes out instead of more rain. 2. Four verses.

More practice for RL.2.5

Describe how a story opens and how it closes.

Teaching this next? How a Story Begins and Ends is the 40-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Grade 2 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RL.2.5 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.