Basic Punctuation Worksheets KS1 - Primary Resources - Free Printable

Let’s go step by step to solve this worksheet.

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Part 1: “I can spot sentences that need an exclamation mark”

We are told to find each sentence and add either a full stop (.) or an exclamation mark (!) at the end, depending on how it should be read.

Look at each sentence:

1. Dave has lost her shoes _
→ This is just stating a fact. No strong emotion. So we use a full stop.
✔ Answer: Dave has lost her shoes.

2. Stop it now _
→ This sounds like someone is shouting or being urgent. It’s a command with feeling! So we use an exclamation mark.
✔ Answer: Stop it now!

3. Your work is amazing _
→ “Amazing” shows excitement or praise. That needs an exclamation mark.
✔ Answer: Your work is amazing!

4. It is raining outside _
→ Just telling a fact. Not excited or upset. Use a full stop.
✔ Answer: It is raining outside.

5. Don’t be cheeky _
→ This is a warning or scolding — it has emotion behind it. Use an exclamation mark.
✔ Answer: Don’t be cheeky!

Now, write your own sentence using an exclamation mark.
Example: I won the game!
(You can make up your own — just make sure it shows excitement, surprise, or strong feeling.)

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Part 2: “Jack and Ben at the Zoo” story

We need to read the short story and add full stops or exclamation marks where needed.

Let’s go line by line:

> Jack this was so great and we had such fun he said and dad did too baby sister Emma cried but not really called her Mum to look everywhere

This part is messy — let’s break it into proper sentences.

Actually, looking at the numbered lines in the story:

1. Jack this was so great and we had such fun he said and dad did too baby sister Emma cried but not really called her Mum to look everywhere

Wait — actually, the worksheet gives us 6 numbered sentences already broken down. Let’s fix those:

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Sentence 1:
*One day Jack's mum said they were going on a trip to the zoo*
→ This is just telling what happened. Calm statement.
✔ Add full stop: One day Jack's mum said they were going on a trip to the zoo.

Sentence 2:
*Cool Dad said*
→ “Cool!” is something you say when you’re happy or excited.
✔ Add exclamation mark: Cool! Dad said.

But wait — maybe it’s better as:
“Cool!” Dad said. ← That makes more sense.

Actually, looking again — the original says:
“Cool Dad said” — probably meant to be:
“Cool!” Dad said. → So yes, exclamation mark after “Cool”.

Sentence 3:
*Dad made a packed lunch and they got on the bus many people just about to set off some just remembered to hail the bus behind*

This is two ideas. Let’s split:

- Dad made a packed lunch and they got on the bus. → Full stop
- Many people just about to set off — some just remembered to hail the bus behind. → Also a statement → Full stop

But since it’s written as one sentence, maybe it’s okay to leave as one with a full stop? Actually, no — it’s run-on. But for this level, perhaps we just punctuate the end.

Looking at the blank: it’s at the end of the whole thing.

So:
*Dad made a packed lunch and they got on the bus many people just about to set off some just remembered to hail the bus behind.*
→ Still feels like it needs breaking, but if we must choose one punctuation at the end… it’s a statement → full stop.

BUT — wait, the next sentence starts with “Oh no”, which suggests this sentence ends before that.

Actually, let’s look at the actual text from the image (as best as we can read):

From the image transcription:

> 3. Dad made a packed lunch and they got on the bus many people just about to set off some just remembered to hail the bus behind

Then next line:

> 4. Oh no Jack said Don't worry I'll get you

Ah — so sentence 3 ends before “Oh no”.

So sentence 3 is:
*Dad made a packed lunch and they got on the bus many people just about to set off some just remembered to hail the bus behind*

Still long — but perhaps it’s meant to be one sentence ending with a full stop.

But “many people just about to set off” — maybe it’s describing the scene. Let’s assume it’s all one sentence → full stop.

Sentence 4:
*Oh no Jack said Don't worry I'll get you*

Break it down:

“Oh no!” Jack said. → Exclamation because he’s worried.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you.” → Reassuring, but still could be calm → full stop? Or exclamation?

Actually, “Don’t worry!” is often said with emphasis → exclamation.

But let’s see context: Jack is reassuring his sister → might be gentle → full stop.

However, in children’s stories, even reassurance can have energy.

Looking at standard usage:

- “Oh no!” → definitely exclamation
- “Don’t worry, I’ll get you.” → can be either, but often full stop unless shouted.

But in the worksheet, there’s only ONE blank per sentence.

Wait — looking back at the image layout:

Each numbered item has ONE blank at the end.

So for sentence 4:
*Oh no Jack said Don't worry I'll get you_ *

That’s all one sentence? That doesn’t make sense.

Actually, re-examining the image description:

The story is written as:

1. One day Jack's mum said they were going on a trip to the zoo _
2. Cool Dad said _
3. Dad made a packed lunch and they got on the bus many people just about to set off some just remembered to hail the bus behind _
4. Oh no Jack said Don't worry I'll get you _
5. At the zoo they saw lots of animals including lions tigers monkeys The monkeys were Jack's favourite because they were so funny _
6. It was soon time to go Jack was tired he fell asleep in the car on the way home _

Okay — so each number is one sentence, even if poorly punctuated. We just add one punctuation at the end.

So:

1. Statement → full stop
2. “Cool Dad said” → likely “Cool!” Dad said → so exclamation mark
3. Long statement → full stop
4. “Oh no Jack said Don't worry I'll get you” → contains “Oh no” which is exclamatory → so overall, exclamation mark
5. Statement about animals → full stop
6. Statement about going home → full stop

But let’s double-check sentence 4:
If it’s “Oh no! Jack said. Don’t worry, I’ll get you.” — that would be two sentences. But since it’s given as one line with one blank, we treat it as one unit.

In that case, because it starts with “Oh no”, which is emotional, we use exclamation mark.

Similarly, sentence 2: “Cool Dad said” → “Cool!” is emotional → exclamation.

Final decisions:

1. One day Jack's mum said they were going on a trip to the zoo.
2. Cool! Dad said. → Wait, but the blank is at the end of the whole phrase. If it’s “Cool Dad said_”, then adding ! after “said”? That doesn’t work.

Problem: The way it’s written, the blank is at the very end of the entire quoted sentence.

For example, sentence 2 is:
"Cool Dad said_" — meaning the whole thing is one string.

But grammatically, it should be:
“Cool!” Dad said. → So the exclamation goes after “Cool”, not at the end.

But the worksheet puts the blank at the end of the entire line.

This is confusing.

Perhaps the intention is that we add punctuation at the end of the entire utterance, regardless of internal structure.

Alternative approach: Maybe the blanks are meant to be placed where the sentence naturally ends, even if it’s mid-line? But the worksheet shows the blank at the end of each numbered item.

Looking at the first part of the worksheet, the blanks are at the end of each sentence.

Same here.

So for consistency, we add one punctuation mark at the end of each numbered sentence.

Thus:

1. ...zoo. → full stop
2. ...said. → but “Cool Dad said” — if we put full stop, it’s flat. But “Cool” should have !. However, since the blank is at the end, and “said” is last word, we might need to rethink.

Wait — perhaps the sentence is:
"Cool!" Dad said. → So the exclamation is inside, and the sentence ends with “said.” → full stop.

But the blank is after “said”, so we’d put full stop.

But that ignores the emotion in “Cool”.

This is tricky.

Let me check common practice in such worksheets.

Usually, for dialogue like:

He said cool

We would write: He said, "Cool!" → but here it’s not formatted that way.

Given the constraints, I think the intended answers are:

1. full stop (statement)
2. exclamation mark (because “Cool” is excited) — even though it’s at the end of “said”, we’ll put ! to show the tone
3. full stop (narrative)
4. exclamation mark (because of “Oh no”)
5. full stop (statement)
6. full stop (statement)

Yes, that seems right for a child’s worksheet.

So:

1. .
2. !
3. .
4. !
5. .
6. .

And for the own sentence: e.g., "I love ice cream!"

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Now, compiling all answers.

First part:

1. Dave has lost her shoes.
2. Stop it now!
3. Your work is amazing!
4. It is raining outside.
5. Don’t be cheeky!
Own sentence: [student writes their own, e.g., "Wow, that’s huge!"]

Second part (story):

1. One day Jack's mum said they were going on a trip to the zoo.
2. Cool Dad said! ← but this is awkward. Better: Perhaps it's "Cool!" Dad said. → but since blank is at end, and to match emotion, we'll put !
Actually, let's look for clues in the image.

Upon closer inspection of the image (from user upload), in sentence 2, it's written as:

"Cool Dad said" with a blank at the end.

But in proper English, it should be punctuated as:

"Cool!" Dad said.

So the exclamation mark belongs after "Cool", not at the end.

However, since the worksheet has only one blank per sentence at the end, and this is for young students, they might expect:

For sentence 2: add ! at the end to indicate the excitement, even if it's not perfectly placed.

To avoid confusion, I'll follow the emotional cue:

- If the sentence expresses excitement, surprise, or strong feeling → !
- Otherwise → .

So:

1. Neutral → .
2. "Cool" is excited → !
3. Narrative → .
4. "Oh no" is alarmed → !
5. Factual → .
6. Factual → .

Yes.

Final Answer for story:

1. .
2. !
3. .
4. !
5. .
6. .

And for the own sentence in part 1, any sentence with ! is fine.

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Final Answer:

Part 1:
1. Dave has lost her shoes.
2. Stop it now!
3. Your work is amazing!
4. It is raining outside.
5. Don’t be cheeky!
Own sentence: (Example) I can’t believe it!

Part 2 (Jack and Ben at the Zoo):
1. One day Jack's mum said they were going on a trip to the zoo.
2. Cool Dad said!
3. Dad made a packed lunch and they got on the bus many people just about to set off some just remembered to hail the bus behind.
4. Oh no Jack said Don't worry I'll get you!
5. At the zoo they saw lots of animals including lions tigers monkeys The monkeys were Jack's favourite because they were so funny.
6. It was soon time to go Jack was tired he fell asleep in the car on the way home.

Note: In real writing, some of these sentences should be broken up, but for this worksheet, we're only adding one punctuation at the end of each numbered line based on the overall tone.