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Grade 9 English Language Arts — Continuing a story

Carry on a story that somebody else began, keeping its narrator, its tense and everything it has already established.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.A story begins: "I had never seen the river so high. My father would not let me cross." Which continuation keeps both the narrator and the tense?

    • a) He walks down to the bank and points.
    • b) I waited on the bank while he walked down to look.
    • c) I am waiting on the bank while he walks down to look.
    • d) She waited on the bank while he walked down to look.

  2. 2.The opening says: "The lamp had gone out an hour before, and I had no matches." Which continuation contradicts it?

    • a) I felt my way along the wall towards the door.
    • b) The room was completely dark.
    • c) I lit the lamp again and carried it to the window.
    • d) I waited for my eyes to get used to the darkness.

  3. 3.A story is written in the past tense. Rewrite "I walk to the window and open it" so that it fits, changing only the two verbs. Write the whole sentence.

  4. 4.A story opening reads: "I had never seen the river so high." Name the person the story is written in. Write one word.

  5. 5.Which continuation keeps both the narrator and the tense of this opening? "We had been walking since dawn, and none of us had spoken for an hour."

    • a) We stopped at the bend to look back at the valley.
    • b) We stop at the bend to look back at the valley.
    • c) They stopped at the bend to look back at the valley.
    • d) I am stopping at the bend to look back at the valley.

  6. 6.A story opening introduces a girl called Nita and a key she cannot find. Which continuation wanders off the point?

    • a) Nita remembered leaving the key on the shelf that morning.
    • b) Nita's school had been built in 1962 and had four hundred pupils.
    • c) Nita looked under the mat, and then under the pot beside it.
    • d) Nita went next door to ask whether anybody had a spare.

  7. 7.Match each opening to the only continuation that keeps everything it set up.

    • I was ten years old that summer, and the well was still full.
    • She was ten years old that summer, and the well was dry.
    • I am ten years old, and the well is full.
    • She is ten years old, and the well is dry.
    • She lowered the bucket and heard it strike stone.
    • I lower the bucket and hear it strike water.
    • I lowered the bucket and heard it strike water.
    • She lowers the bucket and hears it strike stone.

  8. 8.A story reads: "I found the envelope under the door mat. My name was on it in handwriting I did not know." Which continuation actually moves the story on?

    • a) The envelope was white and rather crumpled at one corner.
    • b) I stood there for a while, thinking about the envelope.
    • c) It had been a very strange week altogether.
    • d) I tore it open and read the first line twice.

Answer key — Grade 9 English Language Arts — Continuing a story

  1. 1. b) I waited on the bank while he walked down to look.
  2. 2. c) I lit the lamp again and carried it to the window.
  3. 3. I walked to the window and opened it
  4. 4. first
  5. 5. a) We stopped at the bend to look back at the valley.
  6. 6. b) Nita's school had been built in 1962 and had four hundred pupils.
  7. 7. I was ten years old that summer, and the well was still full. → I lowered the bucket and heard it strike water.; She was ten years old that summer, and the well was dry. → She lowered the bucket and heard it strike stone.; I am ten years old, and the well is full. → I lower the bucket and hear it strike water.; She is ten years old, and the well is dry. → She lowers the bucket and hears it strike stone.
  8. 8. d) I tore it open and read the first line twice.