Kinds of Sentences Worksheets

These free kinds of sentences worksheets help children in grades 1 and 2 decide whether a sentence is telling, asking or exclaiming, and add the right end mark: a period, a question mark or an exclamation mark. Each page has ten sentences from a bank of 60, with 4 questions, 3 exclamations and 3 statements, and the answer key shows every end mark. Print them in color or black and white.

Kinds of sentences worksheets to print (PDF)

The pages below show two kinds of sentences sheets, the answer key and a fix-the-sentence page. Use the maker at the top of this page to change the number of pages, the font, black and white ink or the paper size, then press New sentences for a fresh set. Every sheet has an answer key.

Kinds of sentences worksheets: telling, asking or exclaiming

There are four kinds of sentences in English, and these worksheets cover the three children meet first. Wikipedia’s sentence article describes how sentences are built.

What is in the sentence bank?

The bank has 60 sentences: 40 telling, 10 asking and 10 exclaiming. The statements average 6.2 words, the questions 5.3 words and the exclamations 5.6 words, so questions and exclamations are a little shorter. Each page picks 4 questions, 3 exclamations and 3 statements, which gives children more practice with the two kinds that need a special mark.

Telling and asking sentences: clues for questions

Question sentences in the bank begin with the words can, did, do, how, is, what, where, who, why, will. Words such as who, what, where, why and how start many questions, and so do helping verbs like do, is, can and will. Reading the sentence aloud helps: a question rises at the end, a statement falls.

Exclamations: strong feelings

Many of the exclamations start with a feeling word followed by a comma: hooray, oh, watch, wow, yuck, yum, as in “Wow, the volcano erupted!” The first word is an interjection, which shows a sudden feeling. A statement said with strong feeling can also end in an exclamation mark, as in “Watch out for the big wave!”, so the sheets include a tip: telling sentences can sometimes take a !.

Teaching kinds of sentences step by step

1. Read aloud with expression: say each sentence three ways and listen to the voice.
2. Name the kind: tell, ask or exclaim?
3. Choose the mark: period, question mark or exclamation mark.
4. Write your own: one of each kind about a picture or a favorite animal.

Statement question exclamation worksheet: the daily routine

A statement question exclamation worksheet works best as a daily warm-up. Read the first sentence aloud three times, once as a statement, once as a question and once as an exclamation, and let children vote on which one fits. Then they write the end mark and circle the kind. Ten sentences take about ten minutes, and the answer key makes checking quick.

Types of sentences 1st grade: a five-day plan

Declarative interrogative exclamatory worksheet: the grown-up words

The school words for the three kinds are declarative (telling), interrogative (asking) and exclamatory (exclaiming). Imperative sentences, or commands, make a fourth kind. A declarative interrogative exclamatory worksheet is the same task with the longer names, and children in grade 2 and 3 can use them to talk about sentences like a grammarian. Wikipedia’s article on declarative sentences gives more detail.

Sentence types worksheet and end punctuation worksheet

This page works both as a sentence types worksheet and as an end punctuation worksheet. The first job is to decide the kind, and the second is to add the right mark, and the two jobs support each other: a child who hears a question knows to add a question mark. Use the fix-the-sentence page for more work on capital letters and end marks.

Teaching sentence kinds grade by grade

See the Common Core grade 1 language standards for the full wording.

Kinds of sentences games and activities

• Sentence charades: say a sentence in a voice that shows its kind, and let others hold up a ., ? or ! card.
• Question time: turn each statement into a question: “The puppy chased a ball” becomes “Did the puppy chase a ball?”
• Feelings sentences: write five exclamations about the weekend.
• Punctuation cards: hold up the right card for each sentence your teacher reads.

Common mistakes with sentence kinds

• Using a question mark for every long sentence: a question must ask something, so check that it wants an answer.
• Adding an exclamation mark to everything: reserve it for strong feeling, such as surprise or excitement.
• Forgetting the period: a telling sentence still needs its mark, even when it is short.

Kinds of sentences worksheets: frequently asked questions

What grade learns kinds of sentences worksheets for grade 1?

Kindergarten names end punctuation, and grade 1 produces and uses telling, asking, commanding and exclaiming sentences.

Are commands a kind of sentence too?

Yes. Sentences like “Close the door.” are commands, also called imperative sentences. These sheets focus on the three kinds young children meet first.

How do I tell a question from a statement?

A question asks for an answer and usually starts with who, what, where, why, how or a helping verb. A statement tells.

Do the worksheets have answer keys?

Yes. The key lists every sentence with its end mark and kind.

More grammar practice

• capitalization and punctuation worksheets
• nouns worksheets
• verbs worksheets
• parts of speech worksheets
• The grammar worksheets hub