"guilty" in a Sentence — Examples for K-8

Three example sentences for guilty, written at K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 reading levels.

What does "guilty" mean?

guilty is an adjective that means: feeling bad because you did something wrong. Seeing it in real sentences helps kids learn how the word actually behaves in writing.

Grade K–2Easy sentence with guilty

"I feel guilty about lying."

Notice the short, simple structure — perfect for early readers learning to decode and understand new words.

Grade 3–5Upper-elementary sentence with guilty

"He felt guilty for not telling his sister where the missing book was hidden."

This sentence adds more context and detail — typical of chapter books at this grade level.

Grade 6–8Middle-school sentence with guilty

"Even after his parents forgave him, he felt guilty about losing the watch his grandfather had given him."

At this level, guilty takes on subtler shades of meaning depending on context — the kind of nuance middle-schoolers need for essay writing.

How to use these sentences in the classroom

Sentence imitation — Read the example aloud, then have students write their own sentence with the same structure but a different topic.

Vocabulary notebooks — Have students copy the grade-appropriate sentence into their vocabulary journal alongside the definition.

Reading comprehension — Ask students to identify why guilty is the right word for that sentence — what would change if you swapped it for a synonym?

FAQ — using "guilty" in sentences

How do I use guilty in a sentence for a 1st grader?

Try: "I feel guilty about lying." Keep it under 7 words and use sight-word vocabulary around it.

What's a more advanced sentence with guilty?

"Even after his parents forgave him, he felt guilty about losing the watch his grandfather had given him."

🦘 Try the live tool

Look up another word's example sentences.

Open Sentence Examples for guilty →