Math Drill Pages

1st Grade Subtraction Word Problems

Eight subtraction stories for first graders, all within 20. The sheet mixes "take away" problems with comparison questions ("how many more", "how many fewer") and part-whole problems where some items are one color and the rest another. Each problem has space to draw.

Grade
Grade 1
Problems
8
Time
About 15 minutes
Standard
1.OA.A.1
Download PDF (US Letter) Download PDF (A4)

Two pages: the worksheet, then the answer key. No sign-up needed.

Worksheet preview

Word problems Solve. Draw a picture or write a number sentence.

  1. Noah has 9 toy cars. Zoe has 5 toy cars. How many more toy cars does Noah have than Zoe?

    4

  2. There are 11 frogs on a log. 9 frogs jump into the water. How many frogs are still on the log?

    2

  3. Grace had 18 beads. She used some to make a bracelet. Now she has 7 beads. How many beads did she use?

    11

  4. Emma has 8 balloons. 5 balloons pop. How many balloons does she have now?

    3

  5. Ella has 7 marbles. She gets some more. Now she has 14 marbles. How many marbles did she get?

    7

  6. Owen needs 19 blocks to build a tower. He has 11 blocks. How many more blocks does he need?

    8

  7. There are 19 fish in a tank. 17 are orange and the rest are blue. How many fish are blue?

    2

  8. There are 9 children at the park. 7 children go home. How many children are still at the park?

    2

Tips for teachers and parents

  • Read each story aloud first, then ask: is something being taken away, or are we comparing two groups?
  • For comparison problems, line up two rows of counters and count the extras in the longer row.
  • For "the rest are blue" problems, draw the whole group, circle the part you know, and count what is left.
  • Ask your student to check each answer by adding: if 12 − 8 = 4, then 4 + 8 should be 12.

Common mistakes

  • Adding the two numbers in a "how many more" problem. Comparing two amounts is a subtraction even though nothing is taken away.
  • Writing the larger number second, as in 4 − 12. Remind students that the whole or the larger amount comes first.

What to practice next

Once both sheets go smoothly, the 2nd grade addition and subtraction word problems use numbers up to 100.

Frequently asked questions

What types of subtraction word problems does this include?

Take-away problems, comparisons that ask how many more or how many fewer, missing parts, and "how many did she get" problems where the change is unknown.

Can my child use counters or fingers?

Yes. Drawing, counters and fingers are all expected in grade 1. The goal is to understand the story and write a matching number sentence.

Is there an answer key?

Yes, page 2 has the answers to all 8 problems.