Inferences Worksheets - Free Printable

Let’s read the story carefully and answer each question step by step.

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Story Recap:

Ellen is at school, even though Dr. Starling said she must stay in the classroom. “I can’t leave without your word!” Ellen said. But it came out — “Oh, no!” With her mouth full of pudding and the big spoon sticking off her chin like a shark fin, Ellen gave him an extra sweet smile!

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Question 1: What does Dr. Starling decide to forget?

We need to think about what Dr. Starling was supposed to remember or enforce — but then lets go of because of Ellen’s funny look.

He told her she *must* stay in the classroom. But when he sees her with pudding all over her face and that silly spoon on her chin… he probably forgets his strict rule because he finds her too cute or funny to punish.

👉 So, Dr. Starling decides to forget that Ellen must stay in the classroom.

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Question 2: Where is Ellen?

The first sentence says: “Ellen is at school...”

So, she’s definitely at school.

But more specifically — since Dr. Starling told her to stay in the classroom, and she’s talking to him there (with pudding), we can say she’s in the classroom.

✔ Final answer for Q2: In the classroom

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Question 3: List at least three details from this passage that support your answers.

We need to pick parts of the text that help us know where Ellen is and why Dr. Starling forgot his rule.

Here are three good ones:

1. “Ellen is at school, even though Dr. Starling said she must stay in the classroom.” → Tells us location and the rule.
2. “With her mouth full of pudding and the big spoon sticking off her chin like a shark fin...” → Shows why Dr. Starling might have softened up — she looks silly and sweet.
3. “Ellen gave him an extra sweet smile!” → This likely made him forget being strict.

These details explain both where she is and why he changed his mind.

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Question 4: What is doing the hopping, and how does Ellen feel about it?

Wait — let’s reread the story again…

Actually… there is no mention of anything hopping in the story.

Hmm. That’s strange. Maybe it’s a trick? Or maybe we missed something?

Let me check again:

> Ellen is at school, even though Dr. Starling said she must stay in the classroom. “I can’t leave without your word!” Ellen said. But it came out — “Oh, no!” With her mouth full of pudding and the big spoon sticking off her chin like a shark fin, Ellen gave him an extra sweet smile!

Nope — nothing hops. No frog, no bunny, no jumping.

So… perhaps the question has a typo? Or maybe it’s testing if we notice that nothing is hopping?

But wait — could “hopping” be a metaphor? Like, is Ellen’s heart hopping? Is she excited?

She gives an “extra sweet smile” — so she’s probably happy or playful.

And maybe “doing the hopping” refers to her feelings? Like her heart is hopping with joy?

That makes sense! She’s not scared or sad — she’s smiling sweetly after making a mess. So she feels happy, playful, or not worried.

So:

- Nothing literal is hopping.
- But if we interpret “hopping” as her emotions — her heart might be hopping with happiness.
- And Ellen feels good — she’s smiling, not upset.

Alternatively — maybe the question meant to ask about the spoon? The spoon is “sticking off her chin like a shark fin” — but that’s not hopping either.

Best guess: It’s asking about her emotional state — her heart is “hopping” with excitement or joy.

✔ So:
What is doing the hopping? → Her heart (or her feelings)
How does Ellen feel? → Happy, playful, unbothered

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Now let’s write our final answers clearly.

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Final Answer:

1. Dr. Starling decides to forget that Ellen must stay in the classroom.
2. Ellen is in the classroom.
3. Three supporting details:
- “Ellen is at school, even though Dr. Starling said she must stay in the classroom.”
- “With her mouth full of pudding and the big spoon sticking off her chin like a shark fin…”
- “Ellen gave him an extra sweet smile!”
4. Nothing literal is hopping — but if we mean her feelings, her heart is hopping with joy. Ellen feels happy and playful.