Free worksheets · Grade 1
Addition and Subtraction Word Problems Worksheet
Read a short story, decide whether things are put together or taken away, and solve it.
Free printable
Addition and Subtraction Word Problems
8 questions, one page, US Letter. Print it and do it on paper.
On the sheet: Read the story. Are things put together or taken away? Write a number sentence. Solve it and write the answer.
We email you the link and start your 30 days of BrightPage free. No card. By continuing you agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.
About this worksheet
A word problem asks a child to turn a story into math. The key question is what happens in it: are things put together, or taken away?
Writing the number sentence before solving makes that decision visible, so a mistake in the story and a mistake in the sum are easy to tell apart.
A worked example
Mia has 5 shells. She finds 3 more. How many shells does she have now?
- Read the story.
- Are things put together or taken away? Put together.
- Write a number sentence: 5 + 3.
- Solve it: 8.
Answer: 5 + 3 = 8 shells
The common mistake
What it looks like: Adding in every problem, including ones where something is eaten, lost or given away.
Why it happens: Both numbers are on the page, and adding them is the habit a child falls back on.
How to fix it: Before any numbers, say what happened in the story with hands: push together for put together, pull away for taken away.
Ten minutes a day, on paper. We plan what comes next.
A printed page and a pencil. No screen, no login for your child. Snap a photo when they’re done: AI scores it, and what they missed comes back on the sheets that follow.
- Mon Addition and Subtraction Word Problems
- Tue What they missed, back again
- Wed The next step, when they’re ready
Not ready to start? A free grade 1 printable each week.
One sheet and one practice tip, about once a week. Unsubscribe in one click.