Learn how to teach the four types of sentences in three easy steps using guided notes, daily lessons, activities, and more that are effective and fun.
On average, a person speaks over 16,000 words a day…some more than others. When we speak or even when we write, we are using sentences to express our thoughts or ideas.
Sometimes, we like to tell a friend about a new book. Other times, we like to ask a lot of questions. Some days, we feel the need to be extra bossy and tell others what to do. Then there are times when we are super excited about an upcoming trip or event.
We use sentences to help others understand what we are trying to say. Those sentences are broken down into four types of sentences.
- Declarative/Statements
- Interrogative/Questions
- Imperative/Commands
- Exclamatory/Strong Emotions
Mastering the four types of sentences is an important piece in helping your students build a foundation of writing, which in turn helps them learn how to express themselves in various ways.
Let’s take a deep dive into the world of how to teach the four types of sentences so they “stick” with your kiddos.
Step 1: Introduce the four “Types of Sentences”
You can introduce the four types of sentences in several ways. Some of my favorite ways are through anchor charts and guided notes.
Anchor Charts: You can do this with a premade anchor chart or one that you make with your students. This is a great visual for students to reference.
Guided Notes: When using guided notes, I explain the sentence type and the sentence’s job. We talk about punctuation. Then I give sentence examples using one phrase.
As I am working through each sentence, students are taking notes on their guided notes page.
There is power in a phrase!
When working through the guided notes, we talk about sentence examples. I introduce one phrase: dirty hands. I write this phrase on the board for students to see then we turn that phrase into different sentences.
First, I take the phrase, dirty hands, and turn it into a declarative sentence.
- Your hands are dirty.
I walk students through three clues/questions to help them determine the type of sentence. The three clues/questions are:
- What is the sentence doing? Is it telling, asking, giving a command, or showing emotion?
- Are there any question words at the beginning? Who, what, where, when, whose, how, why, how much, how many, etc…
- What punctuation do you see at the end? Period, question mark, or exclamation mark
Most of your students will have a general understanding of this sentence type, but I want them to understand why it is a declarative sentence.
When they dig deeper into why a sentence is a certain type, they will understand it better, especially with tricky sentences.
We’re not done yet!
After we are done with the declarative sentences, I write the other 3 sentence types on the board.
- When are you going to wash your dirty hands?
- Please wash your dirty hands.
- Wow, your hands are dirty!
We discuss the last three sentences using the clues/questions to fully understand the difference between each sentence type.
Once your class has discussed the different clues and determined the sentence types, have them write the sentences on the guided notes.
I use the same phrase, “dirty hands,” for all sentence types to show students that a sentence can be expressed in four different ways.
Step 2: I do, We do, You do
Now that you have guided your students through the different types of sentences using the phrase and clues (I Do). It’s time to move on to the two parts in the guided notes that will further take them through determining sentence types.
Guided Notes Part 1: We do
For part 1 of the guided notes, I take the “We Do” approach to building a foundation of mastery.
We either work together as a whole group, or I pair students to determine sentence types using the clues introduced at the beginning.
As students work together, I walk around to clear up any misconceptions with the four types of sentences.
If we are working as a whole group, I pay attention to students who typically struggle to gauge whether they are catching on.
Guided Notes Part 2: You do
At this point, students should be rocking and rolling with the different types of sentences. Now, it’s time to take things up a notch. This is where students work independently to show what they have learned.
Minds are exploding…Can students identify types of sentences without punctuation?
For part 2 of the guided notes, it’s time for students to show what they know! By reading the sentences and using the clues, students will determine what punctuation is needed to complete each sentence.
This part can be tricky, but if students use the clues given at the beginning, they will soar through it.
Step 3: Make Learning types of sentences fun!
Learning the four types of sentences doesn’t have to be boring. You can spice up mastery by immersing your students in fun and engaging activities that promote learning.
Detective details: Practice skill cards
I use practice skill cards with each grammar skill. Kiddos love them! Plus, it brings reading and grammar together.
Once a grammar skill has been taught, the practice skill cards become a part of student learning.
They grab the skill card and a book then look for strong sentences that support the grammar skill of the week.
Make it fun by explaining that using skill cards is like being a detective looking for clues. You can use these skill cards with short texts, picture books, and more!
Related: Learn more about the Parts of Speech Skill Cards
Make Learning Fun: Junkyard Wonders Sentence Sort
Throughout the year, I use picture books to help teach various reading and grammar skills. The Junkyard Wonders is one of my favorite books to read at the beginning of the school year.
I created a sentence sort using this book to give students additional practice identifying the four types of sentences.
After reading the book, I include the activity in a grammar station for students to complete during the week. Students read each sentence, look for clues, and sort it by purpose.
This gives students another opportunity to apply what they’ve learned while connecting grammar instruction to the books they’re reading.
Related: Make Learning Fun: 3 Tips for Teaching Grammar
Try Types of Sentences Resources
- Teaching Tip & Objectives – Free Download (PDF)
- Anchor Charts – Free Download (PDF)
- 4 Fun Activities – Free Download (PDF)
- Types of Sentences PowerPoint – Members Only
- Google Lessons – Members Only
- Guided Notes – Members Only
- Daily Lessons – Members Only
- Grammar Quick Writes – Members Only
- Practice Skill Cards – Members Only
- Unit Exam – Members Only
Final Thoughts on Teaching the Four Types of Sentences
Teaching the four types of sentences goes beyond helping students memorize definitions and punctuation rules. The goal is for students to understand what each sentence does and how they can use different sentence types to communicate their thoughts and ideas.
Start with explicit instruction, give students opportunities to practice identifying and writing different sentence types, and bring those skills into their everyday reading and writing.
Remember, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel! Use the free teaching tips, anchor charts, and activities shared above to help your students build a stronger understanding of the four types of sentences.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you teach the four types of sentences to elementary students?
Start by introducing each sentence type according to its purpose: telling, asking, commanding, or expressing strong emotion. Use one familiar idea to model all four types, then guide students to identify, compare, and write their own sentences.
How can students identify sentence types when punctuation is missing?
Teach students to look at what the sentence is doing before looking at the punctuation. Is it making a statement, asking a question, giving a command, or expressing strong emotion? Once they determine the purpose, they can choose the appropriate ending punctuation.
What’s the difference between an imperative and an exclamatory sentence?
An imperative sentence gives a command or makes a request, while an exclamatory sentence expresses strong emotion. Both can end with an exclamation mark, so punctuation alone doesn’t determine the sentence type.
For example, Stop running! is imperative because it gives a command. That was incredible! is exclamatory because it expresses excitement.
Why do students confuse the four types of sentences?
Students often rely too heavily on ending punctuation instead of considering sentence purpose. For example, they may assume every sentence ending with an exclamation mark is exclamatory. Teaching students to identify what a sentence does before examining punctuation helps address this misconception.
What activities help students practice the four types of sentences?
Use sentence sorts, guided notes, partner activities, and quick writes to give students practice identifying and using different sentence types. Have students rewrite the same idea in four different ways to help them understand how sentence purpose changes meaning.
Want the complete set of lessons and resources for teaching the four types of sentences?
If you’re looking for more than a few activities, you’ll find everything you need to teach this skill inside The Grammar Collective – Beyond BUILD 4th Grade. From guided notes and daily lessons to practice activities and assessments, the resources are organized and ready for you to teach.
The support doesn’t stop with the four types of sentences! Inside The Grammar Collective, you’ll have access to a growing collection of grammar lessons, resources, and teaching support designed to help students build understanding, practice skills, and apply grammar to their writing.
You’ll spend less time figuring out what to teach next and more time helping students actually use what they’ve learned.
