Grade 1 Subtraction Worksheets — Free Printable PDF
Free Grade 1 subtraction worksheets — subtract within 20, fact families, missing minuend problems. Common Core 1.OA aligned. Instant PDF download.
Subtraction is harder than addition for almost every Grade 1 child. The reason isn't the maths — it's the direction. Adding combines, which feels natural; subtracting splits, which doesn't. Children who breeze through addition often slow down here, and that's fine. The fix is simply more reps.
Our Grade 1 subtraction sheets start with subtract-within-10 problems where the answer is small enough to count on fingers. They build to subtract-within-20, then introduce fact families (the relationship between 7 + 3 = 10 and 10 − 3 = 7), then missing-minuend problems where the child has to work backwards. Word problems are sprinkled throughout.
Don't push past subtract-within-10 until that's solid — moving too fast on subtraction is the most common cause of maths anxiety in Grade 2. Pair with our Subtraction Quest game. Free, copy-friendly, classroom use allowed.
Download the Worksheets
Pair With These Practice Games
More learning ideas
Frequently Asked Questions
What's a fact family?+
A group of three numbers that form related addition and subtraction facts — for example, 3, 4 and 7 give us 3+4=7, 4+3=7, 7-3=4 and 7-4=3.
Should Grade 1 kids subtract within 20?+
Yes — Common Core 1.OA.C.6 expects fluency with subtraction within 20 by the end of Grade 1.
Why is subtraction so hard for my child?+
It's harder than addition for most kids because the operation feels less intuitive. More repetition usually fixes it within a few weeks.
Are word problems included?+
Yes — Grade 1 subtraction word problem sheets are included, covering 'take away' and 'compare' problem types.