4th grade adages and proverbs worksheets

Fourth graders complete famous adages and proverbs from situational context, meeting L.4.5.b's common sayings.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.4.5.b.

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The kind of sentences you'll fix

Complete the saying: choose the ending that fits, and write it on the line.

  1. The neighbors who helped us move said one good turn (deserves another / saves nine / spoils the broth).

    Fixed: The neighbors who helped us move said one good turn deserves another.

  2. Our rivals gloated early, but pride comes (after the broth / before a fall / before the worm).
  3. The park cleanup taught us that actions speak louder (than acorns / than trumpets / than words).

Every print pulls a fresh set of sentences 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 on the last page.

How to teach this

After each blank, ask what the saying ADVISES: the early bird line is about starting early, not about birds. Advice-first reading is what separates proverbs from trivia.

Watch for: Proverbs are advice, not descriptions: each one exists to guide a choice. Matching the saying to the situation is matching advice to a problem. Some proverbs argue with each other (many hands make light work; too many cooks spoil the broth). Both are true in different situations, and knowing WHICH situation is the actual skill.

Common questions about adages and proverbs

What is the difference between an idiom and a proverb?
An idiom is a phrase with a hidden meaning (piece of cake); a proverb is a whole sentence of advice (haste makes waste). Proverbs teach; idioms describe.
Why learn old sayings?
They compress centuries of advice into memorable lines, and they appear everywhere: speeches, books, grandparents. The standard (L.4.5.b) names them directly.

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Aligned to Common Core L.4.5.b. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 179, updated August 2026.

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