Sentence Types in Action

Overview

Across three 15-minute sessions, students learn to identify and write declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences. Each day follows an “I Do, You Do, We Do” structure, emphasizing meaning, capitalization, and end punctuation.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Explain what each of the four sentence types means.
• Identify sentence types by their purpose and punctuation.
• Write complete sentences with correct capitalization and end punctuation.
• Choose punctuation that matches the meaning and effect of a sentence.

Success criteria

• I can name and explain the four sentence types.
• I can begin a sentence with a capital letter.
• I can use a period, question mark, or exclamation point correctly.
• I can write a complete sentence that matches a given purpose.

Curriculum links

• Demonstrate command of standard English grammar and usage when writing and speaking.
• Produce complete sentences and recognize and correct fragments and run-ons.
• Use knowledge of language conventions when reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
• Choose punctuation for effect and adjust language for formal or informal contexts.

Lesson structure (3 days, 15 minutes each)

Day 1: Introduce the four types

1. 0–2 min · Hook. Teacher displays “You brought a puppy!” and “Did you bring a puppy?” using the opening comparison slide and asks how the punctuation changes the speaker’s purpose. Students turn and talk about the difference.

2. 2–6 min · I Do. Teacher uses the four sentence types teaching slides to model the meaning and punctuation of each type: declarative tells, interrogative asks, imperative gives a command or request, and exclamatory shows strong feeling. Students listen, repeat the terms, and identify each ending mark.

3. 6–10 min · You Do. Teacher distributes the sentence-type practice sheet and directs students to label four example sentences. Students underline the clue words or punctuation that helped them decide.

4. 10–13 min · We Do. Teacher displays one sentence at a time on the guided practice slides. The class identifies its type and explains whether it ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point.

5. 13–15 min · Exit ticket. Teacher gives each student an exit ticket strip and asks students to name the type of “Please pass the paper.” Students write the punctuation it needs and explain its purpose in a few words.

Day 2: Capitalization and punctuation

1. 0–2 min · Review. Teacher displays four sentences with missing capitals and punctuation on the review slide. Students hold up one finger for declarative, two for interrogative, three for imperative, or four for exclamatory.

2. 2–6 min · I Do. Teacher models correcting “where is my book” and “watch out” by adding a capital letter and appropriate end punctuation. Teacher explains that an exclamation point should show genuine strong feeling, not be added to every sentence. Students help read the corrected sentences aloud.

3. 6–10 min · You Do. Students complete the correction section of the sentence-type practice sheet, fixing capitalization, punctuation, and one incomplete sentence. Teacher circulates and checks for complete thoughts.

4. 10–13 min · We Do. Teacher invites students to suggest corrections for two examples on the correction and discussion slides. The class reads each version with different punctuation and discusses how the meaning or tone changes.

5. 13–15 min · Exit ticket. Students correct “can you help me” by adding capitalization and punctuation, then label the sentence type. Teacher collects responses to identify students needing reteaching.

Day 3: Write for a purpose

1. 0–2 min · Hook. Teacher shows a comic character saying “Stop!” and “Please stop.” on the writing-purpose hook slide. Students discuss how punctuation affects the strength or politeness of the message.

2. 2–5 min · I Do. Teacher models choosing sentence types for four purposes: sharing a fact, asking for information, giving a direction, and showing strong emotion. Teacher writes one example of each with correct capitalization and punctuation.

3. 5–9 min · You Do. Students complete the writing section of the sentence-type practice sheet by writing one declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentence about a classroom pet or favorite activity.

4. 9–13 min · We Do. In pairs, students read their sentences aloud and use the peer-check slides to check that each sentence is complete, begins with a capital letter, matches its type, and has correct punctuation. Partners suggest one revision.

5. 13–15 min · Final exit ticket. Teacher displays a prompt on the final review slide: “Write an imperative sentence that politely asks someone to clean up.” Students write and label their sentence. Invite one or two volunteers to share.

Resources

• the three-day sentence-types slide deck
• the three-day sentence-type practice sheet
• an exit ticket strip
• Whiteboard and markers
• Pencils
• Four sentence-type reference labels for the board
• Timer

Assessment

• During guided practice, listen for accurate explanations of each sentence type and its purpose.
• Review worksheet corrections for complete thoughts, capitalization, punctuation, and accurate labels.
• Use the daily exit tickets to form a small reteaching group; on Day 3, check whether students can write all four types independently.

Differentiation

• Support students with a four-column board reference showing the name, purpose, example, and punctuation for each type. Provide sentence frames such as “I see ___,” “Where is ___?” and “Please ___.”
• For EAL students and students needing additional support, preview vocabulary such as “ask,” “command,” “feeling,” and “statement,” and allow oral rehearsal before writing.
• Pair students strategically and read worksheet directions aloud. Offer enlarged print, reduced examples, or a scribe when appropriate.
• Extension students can rewrite one sentence as two different types and explain how the punctuation changes the meaning, tone, or level of formality.