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Beowulf Reading Check #2 - Printable ELA Worksheets year 12 - Wayground

Beowulf Reading Check #2

Jonice Butts

Created by Jonice Butts

15 questions

12th Grade

ELA

Updated Oct 2026

Beowulf Reading Check #2 is a Grade 12 English worksheet focused on close reading and comprehension of pages 6–10 of Beowulf. Students identify epic hero characteristics such as noble birth, unmatched warrior status, and superhuman abilities by interpreting quotations, then apply their understanding to questions about Beowulf, Hrothgar, and Grendel. The 15-item check combines multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, multiple-select, dropdown, and open-ended questions. Students write five three-sentence summaries, explain how Beowulf learned about Hrothgar’s tragedy, interpret what his boasting reveals about the culture, and track the characters’ actions and perspectives during the battle at Herot. This free printable worksheet includes a complete answer key for checking reading comprehension and literary analysis.

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WaygroundWorksheets

Beowulf Reading Check #2

Total questions: 15

Name
Class
Date
1.

"My father Was a famous soldier, known far and wide As a leader of men. His name was Edgetho. His life lasted many winters; Wise men all over the earth surely Remember him still." This Quote is an example of

a)

The characteristics of an Epic Poem: The Ordinary World

b)

The characteristics of an Epic hero: Supernatural foes

c)

The Characteristsics of an Epic Poem: Call to adventure

d)

The Characteristics of an Epic Hero: Noble Birth

2.

"one greater Than has come with you; no commoner carries Such weapons, unless his appearance, and his beauty, Are both lies." This is an example of epic hero characteristic

(a)  

3.

"Higlac is my cousins and my king; the days Of my youth have been filled with glory." This is an example of epic hero characteristics

a)
Super Human Abilities
b)

Noble Birth

c)

Unmatched Warrior

d)

Battle Supernatural Foes

4.

Write a 3 sentence summary on page 6 of Beowulf.

4 lines
5.

Write a 3 sentence summary on page 7 of Beowulf.

4 lines
6.

Write a 3 sentence summary on page 8 of Beowulf.

4 lines
7.

Write a 3 sentence summary on page 9 of Beowulf.

4 lines
8.

Write a 3 sentence summary on page 10 of Beowulf.

4 lines
9.

When Beowulf and his men went before King Hrothgar for the first time, what did they carry with them?

a)

Mead and food as a gift for the king

b)

Their weapons and armor

c)

An old letter from Hrothgar's father

d)

The arm of Grendel

10.

How did Beowulf hear about the tragedy in Hrothgar's kingdom ?

4 lines
11.

Beowulf tells us a LOT with his bragging to the king, not only about himself but the values of the culture at the time. What do we find out?

4 lines
12.

Grendel's first impression of Beowulf is

a)

that Beowulf is much to weak to defeat him.

b)

that Beowulf was stronger than any man he had ever encountered, so he feared Beowulf.

c)

that Beowulf is a coward and he feel confident in his abilities to defeat Beowulf and his men.

d)

that Beowulf was the exact same size as him,which suprised Grendel.

13.

What was Beowulf's final boast?

4 lines
14.

Faced with Beowulf, Grendel's plan was

a)

to fight to the death

b)

to seek out Hrothgar for help

c)

to escape back to the marshes in fear

d)

to call for his men as back up.

15.

At the end of yestday's reading (p.10), who was winning the battle in Herot?​ (a)  

Choose from the below words
Grendel
Beowulf
Edgtheo
Higlac
WaygroundAnswer Key

Beowulf Reading Check #2

Total questions: 15

1.
d)

The Characteristics of an Epic Hero: Noble Birth

2.
Super Human Abilities
3.
b)

Noble Birth

, c)

Unmatched Warrior

4.
n/a
5.
n/a
6.
n/a
7.
n/a
8.
n/a
9.
b)

Their weapons and armor

10.
n/a
11.
n/a
12.
b)

that Beowulf was stronger than any man he had ever encountered, so he feared Beowulf.

13.
n/a
14.
c)

to escape back to the marshes in fear

15.
Beowulf

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FAQs

What does Beowulf Reading Check #2 cover?

This Grade 12 English worksheet checks close reading of pages 6–10 of Beowulf through 15 mixed-format questions. Students classify quotations as evidence of epic hero traits, write three-sentence summaries, explain cultural values revealed by Beowulf’s boasting, and identify key details about Beowulf, Hrothgar, and Grendel’s battle.

How can I use this worksheet to teach epic hero characteristics in Beowulf?

Introduce the epic hero traits before students read pages 6–10, then have them annotate quotations that show noble birth, unmatched warrior status, or superhuman abilities. After modeling one three-sentence summary, assign the remaining page summaries and use the open-ended questions about Beowulf’s boasts to discuss what the passage reveals about heroic reputation and cultural values.

What mistakes should I watch for when students complete this Beowulf worksheet?

Students may confuse noble birth, unmatched warrior status, and superhuman abilities when matching quotations to epic hero characteristics. On the multiple-select item, they must choose both supported traits rather than selecting only one; in the summary items, watch for retellings that exceed or fail to meet the requested three sentences. Students may also reverse who is winning at Herot or mistake Grendel’s fear and attempted escape for confidence.

How do I assign and grade Beowulf Reading Check #2?

Wayground provides this Beowulf reading check as a printable PDF and as a digital quiz, and it includes a complete answer key for the selected-response items and teacher review of the open-ended responses. Printable submissions can be graded by scanning student work with the Wayground for Teachers app.

How can I differentiate this Beowulf reading check for my students?

In the worksheet’s Advanced Settings, adjust font spacing or choose a larger font size to make the quotation-based questions and three-sentence summary prompts easier to read. You can also enable a dyslexia-friendly font or translate the worksheet into another language while keeping the same Beowulf comprehension and epic-hero analysis tasks.

Where can I find more worksheets like this on Wayground?

Wayground offers a comprehensive collection of free printable worksheets and practice problems across subjects, with downloadable PDFs and answer keys to help students master essential skills and concepts. Browse more resources at https://wayground.com/en-us/worksheets.

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