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Year 4 comprehension: A map for Grandad

Read this fiction passage, then answer six questions about details, word meanings, inferences and purpose.

Before you read

Read once for the main idea, then look back for details. You can use the passage while answering.

A map for Grandad

Grandad had never visited Nia’s allotment plot. “Turn left after the gate,” Nia told him on the phone. “Then right by the blue shed.”

“Which gate?” he asked. Nia paused. There were three entrances, and she always used the one beside the playground.

That evening, she drew a map. First she marked the playground gate. Then she added the blue shed, the water tap and the tall apple tree beside her plot. She drew arrows along the path and labelled each landmark.

On Saturday, Grandad arrived carrying a small fork. “Your map brought me straight here,” he said.

Nia showed him a blank patch of soil. Together they planted peas in two rows. Before he left, Grandad pointed at the map. “Could you add the bus stop? I’ll come by bus next time.”

Nia drew a new square at the edge of the page and connected it to the gate. The map had helped once, but one extra detail would make the next visit easier.

Print this passage

Download the original passage, six questions and a separate answer section. The PDF includes links back to this page and the free diagnostic.

Download A map for Grandad PDF

Practise reading

Check your understanding

6 questions. Keep the passage open above and look back for evidence. This practice score stays on this page until you leave or restart. It is not an exam grade or a saved assessment.

Read all questions and answers

  1. 1. Which entrance did Nia usually use?

    • A. The gate beside the bus stop
    • B. The gate beside the playground
    • C. The gate behind the apple tree
    • D. The gate inside the blue shed
    Show answer 1

    The gate beside the playground: The passage names the playground gate as her usual entrance.

  2. 2. What did Nia and Grandad plant?

    • A. Peas
    • B. Blue flowers
    • C. Apples
    • D. Potatoes
    Show answer 2

    Peas: They planted peas in two rows.

  3. 3. What is a “landmark” here?

    • A. A line of planted seeds
    • B. A mark left by a shoe
    • C. A tool for turning soil
    • D. A feature that helps someone recognise a place
    Show answer 3

    A feature that helps someone recognise a place: The shed, tap and tree are recognisable features used to guide Grandad.

  4. 4. Why did Nia decide to draw a map?

    • A. Her spoken directions had left something unclear
    • B. Grandad could not use a phone
    • C. She wanted to change the entrances
    • D. The blue shed had disappeared
    Show answer 4

    Her spoken directions had left something unclear: Grandad’s question shows that “the gate” was unclear because there were three entrances.

  5. 5. Why did Grandad ask her to add the bus stop?

    • A. He wanted to move the allotment
    • B. He planned to travel a different way next time
    • C. He had lost the fork there
    • D. He wanted to avoid the gate
    Show answer 5

    He planned to travel a different way next time: He says he will come by bus on his next visit.

  6. 6. What does the ending show about useful instructions?

    • A. They can be improved to meet a reader’s needs
    • B. They only work once
    • C. They must never include pictures
    • D. They should mention every object nearby
    Show answer 6

    They can be improved to meet a reader’s needs: Adding the bus stop makes the map more useful for Grandad’s next journey.

Explore comprehension skills

An original passage written for Trace Learn. Authored 2026-09-30. These are teaching questions, not a school entrance paper.

Questions parents ask

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Should I look back at the passage?

Yes. Find the words that support your answer. For an inference, explain how the details suggest your idea.

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