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 8 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
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 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 clever animal tricks a stronger one.
C.A journey ends where it began.
2.In an ancient story from Mesopotamia and in a Hindu story, a god warns one good man to build a boat before a great flood. What pattern do they share?
A.A small creature tricks a bigger one.
B.A lost shoe leads to a wedding.
C.One warned person survives a flood that destroys others.
3.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.Kindness to a stranger is rewarded.
B.A promise is broken and then kept.
C.A trick goes wrong for the trickster.
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 great person goes unrecognized in disguise.
B.A greedy person loses everything.
C.The hero must pass three tests.
5.In a Scottish tale, a boy must finish three impossible tasks to free his sister. In an Indian tale, a prince must answer three riddles to win the throne. What pattern do they share?
A.The hero must pass three tests.
B.Boasting leads to a fall.
C.An animal is really an enchanted person.
6.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.The youngest child wins the race.
C.A promise to a king is broken.
7.In a Greek myth, Pandora opens a jar she was told to leave shut. In a Japanese tale, Urashima opens a box he was told never to open and grows old at once. What pattern do they share?
A.The hero must pass three tests.
B.Ignoring a warning brings trouble.
C.Wishes are wasted through greed.
8.In a Greek myth, Arachne boasts she weaves better than a goddess and is turned into a spider. In a fable, a hare boasts of his speed and loses the race. What pattern do they share?
A.Boasting leads to a fall.
B.A small creature outwits a bigger one.
C.Kindness to a stranger is rewarded.
LessonPrint · RL.4.9 · Set 8 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Patterns of Events
Set 8. Prints on its own sheet.
1.The youngest of three succeeds where the others fail.
2.One warned person survives a flood that destroys others.
3.Kindness to a stranger is rewarded.
4.A great person goes unrecognized in disguise.
5.The hero must pass three tests.
6.An animal is really an enchanted person.
7.Ignoring a warning brings trouble.
8.Boasting leads to a fall.
Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RL.4.9 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.