1st grade addition word problems worksheets

Addition word problems for grade 1 tell one small story in two or three sentences: two groups join, or one group grows, and your child finds the total. The types teachers call add to and put together both appear, including change unknown, where the missing number sits in the middle of the story. Numbers stay within 20 (1.OA.A.1).

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core 1.OA.A.1.

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The kind of problems you'll get

Read each problem. Show your work and write the answer.

  1. Isabelle put 7 pencils in a box. Isabelle added 2 pencils to the box. How many pencils are in the box?

    Answer: 9

  2. Sarah had 11 apples. Ania gave Sarah 2 apples. How many apples does Sarah have now?

    Answer: 13

  3. Liam found 17 shells in the morning. Liam found 1 shell later. How many shells did Liam find?

    Answer: 18

Every print pulls a fresh set of problems at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.

What's on each sheet

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key after the problems.

How to teach this

Read the story out loud twice before any math happens. On the second read, have your child circle the question and underline the two amounts. Then ask what is happening in the story: is a group growing? Say the answer in a full sentence, "Priya has 13 stickers", so the number stays tied to the story. If a problem stalls, act it out with buttons or cereal pieces.

Watch for: In change unknown problems, like 'Caleb had 6 shells and now has 10', kids add the two numbers they can see and answer 16. Act it out with counters: start with 6, add until you reach 10, and count what you added. Kids count on but start the count at the first number, so 8 plus 5 lands on 12. Have them make a fist and say 8, then raise five fingers while counting 9 through 13. Kids grab the two numbers before reading the question and answer something nobody asked. Cover the numbers on the first read, so the story has to come first.

Common questions about addition word problems

What kind of word problems does 1st grade math use?
One-step stories with numbers up to 20: a group grows, or two groups come together. That matches 1.OA.A.1, and it includes the sneaky change unknown type, where the missing number is in the middle of the story.
How many problems are on the sheet?
Five, each with room to show work and an answer line. Every print draws a fresh set of stories, and the answer key on page two shows the equation for each one.

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Aligned to Common Core 1.OA.A.1. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 240, updated September 2026.

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