CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.2b

ELA1st GradeConventions of Standard English

The Standard

Use end punctuation for sentences.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students choose an end mark that matches what a sentence is doing. They use a period for a statement, a question mark for a question, and an exclamation point for strong feeling.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students correctly add periods, question marks, and exclamation points to unfinished sentences. They also use the right marks in their own writing and read each sentence with a matching voice.
Common Misconceptions: Some students put a period after every sentence or leave off the end mark. Others confuse question marks and exclamation points, or add several marks when one is enough.
How to Assess It: Give this exit ticket: Add the correct mark to each sentence: “The bus is late__” “Where is my coat__” “What a huge pumpkin__”

Lesson moves

Give pairs sentence strips and punctuation cards, then have them place a period, question mark, or exclamation point at each sentence’s end.
Write “The dog is here” with three different end marks, then discuss how each mark changes the voice or meaning.
Play punctuation corners: read a sentence aloud, and students move to the corner labeled with the matching end mark.
Search classroom signs and book pages for sentence endings, then record one example of each mark on a chart.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.2b, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Learning progression

If students are struggling here, check these first.

Mastery here sets students up for these next.

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