1st grade problem and solution worksheets

Tap to see another sample sheet.

First grade problem and solution worksheets are short stories of about 100 words with one clear problem, like a ball stuck under the couch or a jam jar lid that won't turn. Most stories have a first try that doesn't work. Your child names the problem, the try that failed and the fix that worked, with three choices for each question.

Free printable PDF worksheet.

Each click picks one of the 13 passages written for this grade. Every sheet comes with its answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of passages you'll get

Read the passage. Then circle the letter of the best answer for each question.

A Star by the Bed

Jojo did not like the dark. When Dad turned off the light, the coat on the door looked like a giant. Jojo called for Dad again and again. So Dad left the big light on. But Jojo's big sister Rae shared the room. She could…

  1. What is the problem? Jojo is scared of the dark · Jojo is too hot · Rae is scared of the dark

    Answer: Jojo is scared of the dark

  2. Why does leaving the big light on not work? it is too bright for Rae · the big light breaks · Dad needs the light for reading

Each print picks one of the 13 passages written for this grade, and its questions come with it. With 13 to pick from, a second print can land on one you've used, so check the title before you hand it out.

What's on a 1st grade sheet

1st grade sheets draw from 13 passages, 87 to 112 words long. None of these passages are on 2nd grade sheets. On 2nd grade sheets they run 110 to 150 words.

Some of the titles: Under the Couch, One Chair Short, The Droopy Plant, The Stuck Lid, Paint on Her Sleeves, Hot Paws.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Ask two questions after reading: what went wrong, and what fixed it? Have your child point to the sentence for each. If they pick the first thing a character tried, ask whether it worked. Reading on to the fix that worked is the habit to build at this age.

Watch for: The first fix a passage mentions is often the one that FAILED. Kids grab it because it comes first; the real solution is the one after which the problem stops. The problem is not the same as the topic. The topic might be a bird feeder; the problem is what kept going wrong at it.

Common questions about 1st grade problem and solution

Is problem and solution a 1st grade skill?
The Common Core doesn't name it at first grade, but most first grade stories are built around a problem, and RL.1.3 asks children to describe a story's major events. What went wrong and how it got fixed is the plainest way to talk about those events.
Why do some stories have a fix that doesn't work?
So your child reads to the end. A child who picks the first fix they see gets that question wrong and learns that the solution is the one after which the problem stops.
Are all the passages stories?
Most are. A few are short true texts, like how a fox keeps warm in the snow or how glasses help kids who can't see well. They have a problem and a solution too.

Related worksheets

Ready to print one?

Want a different passage? Print again. Each print picks one of the 13.

Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated October 2026.

Spot a mistake on this sheet? Tell us. · About these worksheets