Year 1 English: Choosing the right end mark
Part of the Year 1 English questions and exclamations chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Choosing the right end mark
How do you know which mark to use? Ask yourself three questions.
1. Is it asking something? Use a question mark (?).
2. Is it showing a strong feeling? Use an exclamation mark (!).
3. Is it telling something? Use a full stop (.).
The same words can need a different mark. Look at these three sentences. The words are nearly the same, but each one does a different job.
Key ideas
- Ask: is it asking, showing a strong feeling, or telling?
- A question mark (?) is for asking.
- An exclamation mark (!) is for a strong feeling.
- A full stop (.) is for telling. It is the most common mark.
Key words. A question mark (?) ends a sentence that asks something.
Method. Read the sentence first, then decide what it does.
- Read the sentence, leaving out its end mark. Look at what the words say.Is the dog big ___
- Decide what it does. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.It is asking something.
- Name the mark. Each end mark has its own name.question mark (?)
Check. Add the mark to the end and read it aloud. It sounds like a question. ✓
Watch out. A question still needs a question mark, even when it is short.
Key words. An exclamation mark (!) ends a sentence that shows a strong feeling.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence aloud. Listen to what it is saying.Look at the big dog
- Decide what it does. It shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.It is showing a strong feeling.
- Add the end mark. The exclamation mark goes straight after the last word.Look at the big dog!
Check. Read it aloud. It sounds excited or strong. ✓
Watch out. Use an exclamation mark only for a strong feeling. Most sentences do not need one.
Key words. A full stop (.) ends a sentence that tells something.
Method. Look at the end of each sentence. Ask what each one does.
- Read both sentences. Look at the end of each one.A: The dog is big. B: The dog is big?
- Decide what the right one does. It tells us something, so it ends with a full stop.It is telling something.
- Pick the sentence with the right end mark. The other one has the wrong end mark for what it does.A: The dog is big.
Check. Read both out loud. It sounds finished. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the sentence, and ask what it does.
Watch out
Watch out: the word is does not make a sentence a question. The cat is asleep. tells us something, so it needs a full stop. A question asks something, and often starts with a question word.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Say the same words three ways, such as The dog is big. Is the dog big? The dog is big! Ask your child which mark goes with each way. Talk about how the words move around for a question.
Exercise 7D Choosing the mark
Key words. A question mark (?) ends a sentence that asks something.
Method. Read the sentence first, then decide what it does.
- Read the sentence, leaving out its end mark. Look at what the words say.Can I have a biscuit ___
- Decide what it does. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.It is asking something.
- Name the mark. Each end mark has its own name.question mark (?)
Check. Add the mark to the end and read it aloud. It sounds like a question. ✓
Watch out. A question still needs a question mark, even when it is short.
Key words. A full stop (.) ends a sentence that tells something.
Method. Read the sentence first, then decide what it does.
- Read the sentence, leaving out its end mark. Look at what the words say.I can see the sea ___
- Decide what it does. It tells us something, so it ends with a full stop.It is telling something.
- Name the mark. Each end mark has its own name.full stop (.)
Check. Add the mark to the end and read it aloud. It sounds finished. ✓
Watch out. Most sentences end with a full stop. Do not use a question mark or exclamation mark just because the sentence is short.
Key words. An exclamation mark (!) ends a sentence that shows a strong feeling.
Method. Read the sentence first, then decide what it does.
- Read the sentence, leaving out its end mark. Look at what the words say.Hooray, we can go out ___
- Decide what it does. It shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.It is showing a strong feeling.
- Name the mark. Each end mark has its own name.exclamation mark (!)
Check. Add the mark to the end and read it aloud. It sounds excited or strong. ✓
Watch out. Use an exclamation mark only for a strong feeling. Most sentences do not need one.
Key words. A question mark (?) ends a sentence that asks something.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence aloud. Listen to what it is saying.Where did the dog go
- Decide what it does. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.It is asking something.
- Add the end mark. The question mark goes straight after the last word.Where did the dog go?
Check. Read it aloud. It sounds like a question. ✓
Watch out. A question still needs a question mark, even when it is short.
Key words. A full stop (.) ends a sentence that tells something.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence aloud. Listen to what it is saying.My hat is blue
- Decide what it does. It tells us something, so it ends with a full stop.It is telling something.
- Add the end mark. The full stop goes straight after the last word.My hat is blue.
Check. Read it aloud. It sounds finished. ✓
Watch out. Most sentences end with a full stop. Do not use a question mark or exclamation mark just because the sentence is short.
Key words. An exclamation mark (!) ends a sentence that shows a strong feeling.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence aloud. Listen to what it is saying.Wow, look at that rainbow
- Decide what it does. It shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.It is showing a strong feeling.
- Add the end mark. The exclamation mark goes straight after the last word.Wow, look at that rainbow!
Check. Read it aloud. It sounds excited or strong. ✓
Watch out. Use an exclamation mark only for a strong feeling. Most sentences do not need one.
Key words. A full stop (.) ends a sentence that tells something.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence aloud. Listen to what it is saying.The cat is asleep
- Decide what it does. It tells us something, so it ends with a full stop.It is telling something.
- Add the end mark. The full stop goes straight after the last word.The cat is asleep.
Check. Read it aloud. It sounds finished. ✓
Watch out. Most sentences end with a full stop. Do not use a question mark or exclamation mark just because the sentence is short.
Key words. A question mark (?) ends a sentence that asks something.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence aloud. Listen to what it is saying.Do you want a drink
- Decide what it does. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.It is asking something.
- Add the end mark. The question mark goes straight after the last word.Do you want a drink?
Check. Read it aloud. It sounds like a question. ✓
Watch out. A question still needs a question mark, even when it is short.
Key words. A full stop (.) ends a sentence that tells something.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence aloud. Listen to what it is saying.I am ready
- Decide what it does. It tells us something, so it ends with a full stop.It is telling something.
- Add the end mark. The full stop goes straight after the last word.I am ready.
Check. Read it aloud. It sounds finished. ✓
Watch out. Most sentences end with a full stop. Do not use a question mark or exclamation mark just because the sentence is short.
Key words. An exclamation mark (!) ends a sentence that shows a strong feeling.
Method. Decide what the sentence does, then choose its end mark.
- Read the sentence aloud. Listen to what it is saying.What a lovely day
- Decide what it does. It shows a strong feeling, so it ends with an exclamation mark.It is showing a strong feeling.
- Add the end mark. The exclamation mark goes straight after the last word.What a lovely day!
Check. Read it aloud. It sounds excited or strong. ✓
Watch out. Use an exclamation mark only for a strong feeling. Most sentences do not need one.
Key words. A question mark (?) ends a sentence that asks something.
Method. Look at the end of each sentence. Ask what each one does.
- Read both sentences. Look at the end of each one.A: Is it raining? B: Is it raining.
- Decide what the right one does. It asks us something, so it ends with a question mark.It is asking something.
- Pick the sentence with the right end mark. The other one has the wrong end mark for what it does.A: Is it raining?
Check. Read both out loud. It sounds like a question. ✓
Watch out. Look at the end of the sentence, and ask what it does.
Method. Ask what the sentence does, not how long it is.
- Read the sentence. Listen to what it asks.Can we play
- Decide what it does. It asks if we can play, so it is asking something.It is asking.
- Write the answer. Length does not decide the mark. The job of the sentence does.No. It asks something, so it needs a question mark.
Check. Read it aloud. It sounds like a question. ✓
Watch out. A short sentence can still ask something.
Method. Check what the sentence does, not only the words in it.
- Read the sentence. It has the word is in it.The cat is asleep
- Decide what it does. It tells us something about the cat. It does not ask anything.It is telling.
- Write the answer. A word like is does not decide the mark by itself.No. It tells something, so it needs a full stop.
Check. Read it aloud. It sounds finished. ✓
Watch out. Look at what the whole sentence does before you choose the mark.
Method. Turn the sentence into a question, then give it a question mark.
- Read the sentence. It tells us the bus is red.The bus is red.
- Move the word is to the front. A question often puts is before the subject.Is the bus red
- Write it with the right end mark. It now asks something, so it needs a question mark.Is the bus red?
Check. Read it aloud. It asks something and ends with a question mark. ✓
Watch out. Changing a sentence into a question can mean moving a word, and changing the end mark.