Grade: Grade 1 Subject: English Language Arts Unit: Sentence Structure & Punctuation Lesson: 3 of 6 SAT: StandardEnglishConventions ACT: English

Text Practice

Learn

In this lesson, you will practice reading short texts and finding complete sentences. You will also look for the correct punctuation at the end of each sentence.

What is a Text?

A text is a group of sentences that go together. When you read a story or a note, you are reading a text. Each sentence in the text should:

  • Start with a capital letter
  • Have a subject (who or what)
  • Have a predicate (what happens)
  • End with the right punctuation mark

Finding Sentences in a Text

When you read a text, look for the periods, question marks, and exclamation points. These marks show you where each sentence ends. The next sentence begins right after with a capital letter.

Example Text:

"The dog runs fast. He likes to play in the park. Do you have a dog? Dogs are fun!"

How many sentences? There are 4 sentences in this text.

Examples

Let's look at some short texts and find the sentences.

Example 1

"I like apples. They are red and sweet. Mom buys them at the store."

Sentences found:

  1. I like apples.
  2. They are red and sweet.
  3. Mom buys them at the store.

Each sentence has a subject and tells us something. Each ends with a period.

Example 2

"Where is my cat? She is hiding under the bed. Come out, Fluffy!"

Sentences found:

  1. Where is my cat? (question)
  2. She is hiding under the bed. (statement)
  3. Come out, Fluffy! (exclamation)

This text has three different types of sentences!

Example 3

"The sun is bright today. It is warm outside. Can we go to the park? That would be so fun!"

Count: 4 sentences (2 statements, 1 question, 1 exclamation)

Practice

Read each text below. Answer the questions about the sentences you find.

1. Read this text: "My brother likes to draw. He uses crayons. His pictures are pretty."

How many sentences are in this text?

_______________

2. Read this text: "Do you like pizza? I love pizza! It is my favorite food."

What type of sentence is the first one?

_______________

3. Read this text: "The bird sings a song. It sits in the tree. What a pretty bird!"

Which sentence shows excitement?

_______________

4. Read this text: "We go to school. We learn to read. We play at recess. School is fun!"

How many sentences are in this text?

_______________

5. Read this text: "Is it raining outside? Yes, I see the rain. Get your umbrella!"

What punctuation mark ends the last sentence?

_______________

6. Read this text: "Dad makes breakfast. He cooks eggs. Do you want toast?"

Which sentence asks a question?

_______________

7. Read this text: "The frog jumps into the pond. Splash! The water is cold."

What word stands alone as an exclamation?

_______________

8. Read this text: "I have a new book. It has many pictures. Will you read it with me? Please say yes!"

How many sentences end with a period?

_______________

9. Find the sentence that is NOT complete: "The cat sleeps on the couch. Running fast. The dog barks loudly."

Which group of words is NOT a complete sentence?

_______________

10. Read this text: "Look at the stars! They are so bright. Can you count them? I see ten stars."

How many different types of sentences are in this text?

_______________

Check Your Understanding

Think about what you learned. Can you answer these questions?

  1. What is a text?
  2. How do you know where one sentence ends and another begins?
  3. What are the three punctuation marks that can end a sentence?
  4. What makes a sentence complete?

I can:

  • Count sentences in a short text
  • Find where sentences begin and end
  • Tell the difference between statements, questions, and exclamations
  • Spot sentences that are not complete

Next Steps

  • Practice reading short texts and counting sentences
  • Look for different types of sentences when you read books
  • Move on to the next lesson when ready