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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 15 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.

Which Detail Set Up the Ending?

RL.4.1

NameDate

Read each story, then circle the right answer.

1.Read: "The lighthouse keeper wrote down the name of every ship that passed. Her cat slept on the stairs. She drank her tea without sugar. Years later, her notebooks helped a museum name a lost ship." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
  • A.She drank her tea without sugar.
  • B.The lighthouse keeper wrote down the name of every ship that passed.
  • C.Her cat slept on the stairs.
2.Read: "Before the camping trip, Dev packed an extra rain jacket. The tent was blue and orange. His sister brought her guitar. On the second night it poured, and Dev's sister borrowed the jacket." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
  • A.The tent was blue and orange.
  • B.Before the camping trip, Dev packed an extra rain jacket.
  • C.His sister brought her guitar.
3.Read: "Every morning June fed the stray cat behind the bakery. June's mother worked at the post office. June walked to school with her cousin. When winter came, the cat followed June home and slept by her door." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
  • A.Every morning June fed the stray cat behind the bakery.
  • B.June walked to school with her cousin.
  • C.June's mother worked at the post office.
4.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.Mr. Grant planted an acorn on the day his granddaughter was born.
  • C.His house had a red door.
5.Read: "Leo's grandmother taught him to whistle loudly with two fingers. They lived near the river. Leo's favorite color was green. When Leo got lost at the fair, he whistled, and his grandmother found him in minutes." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
  • A.Leo's grandmother taught him to whistle loudly with two fingers.
  • B.They lived near the river.
  • C.Leo's favorite color was green.
6.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.Grandpa wrote the spare-key hiding place on a card in Zoe's backpack.
  • C.Zoe played the trumpet.
7.Read: "Pia always counted the steps from her house to the corner: forty-two. Her backpack was purple. She liked rainy days. When fog hid the whole street one morning, Pia counted forty-two steps and found the corner." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
  • A.She liked rainy days.
  • B.Pia always counted the steps from her house to the corner: forty-two.
  • C.Her backpack was purple.
8.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.Her son was learning to drive.
  • B.The barn needed new paint.
  • C.The farmer saw the ants carrying their eggs up the hill.

LessonPrint · RL.4.1 · Set 15 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Which Detail Set Up the Ending?

Set 15. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.The lighthouse keeper wrote down the name of every ship that passed.
  2. 2.Before the camping trip, Dev packed an extra rain jacket.
  3. 3.Every morning June fed the stray cat behind the bakery.
  4. 4.Mr. Grant planted an acorn on the day his granddaughter was born.
  5. 5.Leo's grandmother taught him to whistle loudly with two fingers.
  6. 6.Grandpa wrote the spare-key hiding place on a card in Zoe's backpack.
  7. 7.Pia always counted the steps from her house to the corner: forty-two.
  8. 8.The farmer saw the ants carrying their eggs up the hill.

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RL.4.1 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.