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Grade 2 · Reading · Comprehension

2nd Grade Reading Comprehension worksheets

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Reading Comprehension

Grade 2 Reading Worksheet

NameDate

Read the story. Circle the best answer.

  1. Read this first

    The New Puppy

    Nina got a small puppy named Pip. After dinner each night, she practiced in the front yard. She held a treat up high and said, "Sit." Nina wanted a well-behaved pet, and soon Pip sat every time.

  2. Who is the story about?

    • Nina and her little sister
    • Nina and her small puppy
    • Pip and the neighbor next door
  3. What happened in the story?

    • A puppy ran away
    • A puppy learned to sit
    • A puppy learned to roll over
  4. Where did the story take place?

    • in the front yard
    • at the park
    • in the living room
  5. When did the story take place?

    • each morning
    • after dinner each night
    • on Saturday afternoons only
  6. Why did it happen?

    • Pip kept chewing the shoes
    • Nina wanted a well-behaved pet
    • Nina wanted to win a dog show
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2nd Grade Reading Comprehension worksheet 1 – printable PDF
Download PDF: 123456

About this worksheet

Good readers ask five questions about every story: who, what, where, when and why. Who tells the characters, what tells the main event, where tells the place, when tells the time, and why tells the reason that something happened. When a second grader can answer all five, they have found the main parts of the story and can retell it. This worksheet prints a short story and then asks one question for each of the five W words.

Each question has three choices, and only one of them is true of the story. Ask your child to read the story twice, the second time with a finger under the key words, and to point to the place in the story where each answer is found before circling it. That habit of going back to the text is the heart of the Common Core standard for this skill.

What your child will learn

  • Ask who, what, where, when and why about a story
  • Find each answer in the text
  • Tell the main parts of a story

Common Core standard: RL.2.1

Worked example

In The Lost Mitten, the story is about Ben and his friend Mia (who), it takes place on the school playground (where) and on a snowy Monday morning (when).

Common mistake

Choosing an answer that sounds right but is about a different story, without going back to the text.

Helpful hint

Find the answer in the story before you circle it.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with reading comprehension?

Choosing an answer that sounds right but is about a different story, without going back to the text.

How can I help my child with reading comprehension?

Find the answer in the story before you circle it.

Are these 2nd grade reading worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

Similar: Key Details · Sequence of Events

More 2nd grade comprehension

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