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Patterns of Events is a free printable Grade 4 English worksheet on recognizing the pattern of events tales from different cultures share, aligned to Common Core standard RL.4.9. 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 4 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.

Patterns of Events

RL.4.9

NameDate

Circle the right answer.

1.In a French tale, a girl who gives water to an old woman is rewarded with jewels. In a Japanese tale, an old man who feeds a sparrow is rewarded with treasure. What pattern do they share?
  • A.A promise is broken and then kept.
  • B.A trick goes wrong for the trickster.
  • C.Kindness to a stranger is rewarded.
2.An Aboriginal Australian story tells how the kangaroo got its pouch. An African story tells how the zebra got its stripes. What pattern do they share?
  • A.Each ends with three wishes.
  • B.Each explains how an animal came to look the way it does.
  • C.Each is about a hero in disguise.
3.In a tale from Norway, three brothers try to win a princess and only the youngest succeeds. In a tale from Russia, three sons go on a quest and only the youngest returns with the prize. What pattern do they share?
  • A.The youngest of three succeeds where the others fail.
  • B.A journey ends where it began.
  • C.A clever animal tricks a stronger one.
4.In a Greek myth, Odysseus comes home dressed as a beggar. In an English legend, King Alfred hides as a helper in a cowherd's hut. What pattern do they share?
  • A.A greedy person loses everything.
  • B.The hero must pass three tests.
  • C.A great person goes unrecognized in disguise.
5.In a Russian tale, a prince spares a wolf and the wolf later carries him to safety. In a fable, a lion spares a mouse and the mouse later frees him from a net. What pattern do they share?
  • A.A creature that is spared later returns the favor.
  • B.Boasting leads to a fall.
  • C.Ignoring a warning brings trouble.
6.In a West African story, Anansi the spider outwits a python. In a Native American story, Coyote fools a much bigger bear. What pattern do they share?
  • A.A wish is granted and then regretted.
  • B.The youngest of three succeeds.
  • C.A small, clever creature tricks a bigger one.
7.In a Chinese tale, Yeh-Shen is mistreated by her stepmother but a king finds her by her lost slipper. In a French tale, Cinderella's lost slipper leads a prince to her. What pattern do they share?
  • A.A flood destroys a village.
  • B.A lost shoe leads to a mistreated girl being found.
  • C.A trickster is tricked in return.
8.In a Chinese tale, a golden fish turns out to be an enchanted princess. In a German tale, a frog turns back into a prince. What pattern do they share?
  • A.An animal is really an enchanted person.
  • B.A promise to a king is broken.
  • C.The youngest child wins the race.

LessonPrint · RL.4.9 · Set 4 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Patterns of Events

Set 4. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Kindness to a stranger is rewarded.
  2. 2.Each explains how an animal came to look the way it does.
  3. 3.The youngest of three succeeds where the others fail.
  4. 4.A great person goes unrecognized in disguise.
  5. 5.A creature that is spared later returns the favor.
  6. 6.A small, clever creature tricks a bigger one.
  7. 7.A lost shoe leads to a mistreated girl being found.
  8. 8.An animal is really an enchanted person.

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RL.4.9 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.