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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 9 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: "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.Before the camping trip, Dev packed an extra rain jacket.
  • B.The tent was blue and orange.
  • C.His sister brought her guitar.
2.Read: "Ana crossed the old bridge every day on her way to school. She noticed that its railing was loose. The river below was full of fish. A week later, after Ana's letter to the mayor, workers fixed the railing." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
  • A.The river below was full of fish.
  • B.Ana crossed the old bridge every day on her way to school.
  • C.She noticed that its railing was loose.
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.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.
4.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.Zoe played the trumpet.
  • B.Grandpa wrote the spare-key hiding place on a card in Zoe's backpack.
  • C.Her school was three blocks away.
5.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.Marcus sat by the window in Room 9.
  • B.He liked math best.
  • C.He kept a flashlight in his desk.
6.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.
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: "Tess practiced free throws every evening until dark. Her team wore red. She had two younger brothers. In the final game, Tess made the winning shot from the free-throw line." Which earlier detail set up the ending?
  • A.Tess practiced free throws every evening until dark.
  • B.She had two younger brothers.
  • C.Her team wore red.

LessonPrint · RL.4.1 · Set 9 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Which Detail Set Up the Ending?

Set 9. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Before the camping trip, Dev packed an extra rain jacket.
  2. 2.She noticed that its railing was loose.
  3. 3.The lighthouse keeper wrote down the name of every ship that passed.
  4. 4.Grandpa wrote the spare-key hiding place on a card in Zoe's backpack.
  5. 5.He kept a flashlight in his desk.
  6. 6.Leo's grandmother taught him to whistle loudly with two fingers.
  7. 7.Pia always counted the steps from her house to the corner: forty-two.
  8. 8.Tess practiced free throws every evening until dark.

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