Subtraction - Grade 1 Math Worksheet 9 - Free Printable

Download this free printable Subtraction worksheet for Grade 1 Math. Perfect for practice, homework, and classroom use.

Grade 1 Math practice

This printable Subtraction worksheet is part of the free WizKidsHub Grade 1 Math collection. Print it at home or in the classroom for extra practice.

What this worksheet teaches

• Solve simple story problems where something is lost, eaten, given away or left over.
• Notice that subtraction cannot be reversed the way addition can - 9 − 4 is not 4 − 9.
• Read and complete number sentences with a missing number, such as 8 − ? = 5.
• Subtract within 20 using counting back and taking away from a group.

How to use this worksheet

Read each word problem aloud and ask your child what is happening in the story before they write anything. Many Grade 1 errors here are story errors, not number errors - the child adds because two numbers appeared. Words like 'left', 'gave away' and 'ate' are the signals worth pointing out explicitly.

Sample questions from this worksheet

1. 13 - 6 = ______
2. 18 - 11 = ______

Frequently asked questions

Is it a problem that my child writes 4 − 9 instead of 9 − 4?

It is a common early mistake and worth correcting directly: in subtraction the order matters. Modelling it with objects - you cannot take nine buttons from a pile of four - makes the reason obvious.

How far should Grade 1 subtraction go?

Within 20 is the usual Grade 1 expectation, with facts within 10 becoming quick and reliable first. Two-digit subtraction with borrowing belongs to later grades.

What about missing-number questions like 8 − ? = 5?

These look harder but build real flexibility, because your child has to think about the relationship rather than follow a procedure. If they stall, lay out eight objects and remove some until five remain.