5th grade English Language Arts practice sheet
Arizona Academic Standards · from Gradelings · Name: ______________________
Question 1
Put the events of “The Missing Calf” in order, from the exposition to the resolution.
- They free the calf and lead it back to its mother.
- A calf goes missing, and dark clouds gather as they search the fields.
- Just as the rain starts, Priya hears a faint moo and finds the calf stuck behind a gate in the old barn.
- Their grandfather thanks them and lets them name the calf Thunder.
- Priya and her brother Jay are spending the summer at their grandparents' farm.
Priya and her brother Jay are spending the summer at their grandparents' farm. → A calf goes missing, and dark clouds gather as they search the fields. → Just as the rain starts, Priya hears a faint moo and finds the calf stuck behind a gate in the old barn. → They free the calf and lead it back to its mother. → Their grandfather thanks them and lets them name the calf Thunder.
Hint: Start with the event that introduces the characters. End with how things turn out.
Question 2
What does the idiom “on the fence” mean in this sentence?
Ravi is on the fence about joining the choir.
- very excited
- sitting outside
- unable to decide
- already a member
unable to decide
Hint: Picture sitting on top of a fence, not on either side. Which side will Ravi choose?
Question 3
Which signal words often appear in a sequence text?
- for example, such as, looks like
- first, next, then, finally
- because, so, as a result
- the problem is, to fix this, one solution
first, next, then, finally
Hint: Signal words like first, next, then and finally show steps or events in order.
Question 4
What does “nocturnal” mean in this sentence?
Owls are nocturnal animals; they sleep during the day and hunt at night.
- active at night
- living in water
- active in winter
- eating only plants
active at night
Hint: The part after the semicolon explains when owls are awake.
Question 5
Which word has a root that means “foot”?
- aquarium
- recycle
- structure
- pedestrian
pedestrian
Hint: The root “ped” means “foot.” Look for “ped” hiding inside one of the words.
Question 6
Which subordinating conjunction makes the most sense?
____ the movie was long, Kenji enjoyed every minute.
- Because
- Until
- Unless
- Although
Although
Hint: You might expect a long movie to be boring, but he enjoyed it. Which word shows a surprising contrast?
Question 7
Which is the correct contraction for “they are”?
- there
- their
- they're
- theyr'e
they're
Hint: The apostrophe replaces the missing a in “are”: they + are = they're.
Question 8
Which persuasive technique does this ad use?
The most delicious pizza in the entire universe!
- repetition
- exaggeration
- bandwagon
- emotional appeal
exaggeration
Hint: Exaggeration makes claims so big they can't possibly be true.
Question 9
Which text mixes several modes?
- a list of words
- a digital story with narration and pictures
- a ruler
a digital story with narration and pictures
Hint: It has audio and images.
Question 10
Which helps you take good research notes?
- writing nothing down
- drawing only the cover
- copying every sentence
- writing key facts in short phrases with the source
writing key facts in short phrases with the source
Hint: Notes should be short and show where facts came from.
Answer key
- 1. Priya and her brother Jay are spending the summer at their grandparents' farm. → A calf goes missing, and dark clouds gather as they search the fields. → Just as the rain starts, Priya hears a faint moo and finds the calf stuck behind a gate in the old barn. → They free the calf and lead it back to its mother. → Their grandfather thanks them and lets them name the calf Thunder. (Plot and Conflict)
- 2. unable to decide (Figurative Language)
- 3. first, next, then, finally (Purpose and Structure)
- 4. active at night (Context Clues)
- 5. pedestrian (Greek and Latin Roots)
- 6. Although (Complex Sentences)
- 7. they're (Punctuation Power)
- 8. exaggeration (Media Smarts)
- 9. a digital story with narration and pictures (Create With Words, Pictures and Sound)
- 10. writing key facts in short phrases with the source (Research Ready)
Want more than 10 questions?
In Gradelings the questions change every time and adjust to your child, with hints and kind feedback. See all English language arts units.