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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 22 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: "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.
2.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.They lived near the river.
  • B.Leo's favorite color was green.
  • C.Leo's grandmother taught him to whistle loudly with two fingers.
3.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.Her cat slept on the stairs.
  • B.The lighthouse keeper wrote down the name of every ship that passed.
  • C.She drank her tea without sugar.
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.Rae was eleven.
  • B.Rae's family hid a big box in the hall closet.
  • C.They lived on a quiet street.
5.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.His sister brought her guitar.
  • B.Before the camping trip, Dev packed an extra rain jacket.
  • C.The tent was blue and orange.
6.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's uncle gave him an old compass for his birthday.
  • B.He had a loud laugh.
  • C.Jonah liked pancakes.
7.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.
8.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.Her backpack was purple.
  • B.She liked rainy days.
  • C.Pia always counted the steps from her house to the corner: forty-two.

LessonPrint · RL.4.1 · Set 22 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Which Detail Set Up the Ending?

Set 22. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.He kept a flashlight in his desk.
  2. 2.Leo's grandmother taught him to whistle loudly with two fingers.
  3. 3.The lighthouse keeper wrote down the name of every ship that passed.
  4. 4.Rae's family hid a big box in the hall closet.
  5. 5.Before the camping trip, Dev packed an extra rain jacket.
  6. 6.Jonah's uncle gave him an old compass for his birthday.
  7. 7.Grandpa wrote the spare-key hiding place on a card in Zoe's backpack.
  8. 8.Pia always counted the steps from her house to the corner: forty-two.

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