"My child can do the sum, but freezes when it's a word problem." If that sounds familiar, this article is for you. Word problems aren't really a reading test or a maths test on their own — they are a translation test. The numbers are all there; the skill is turning ordinary sentences into a calculation, doing it quickly, and checking the answer makes sense. In a GL Assessment paper that means roughly a minute a question, multiple-choice with answers A to E on a separate OMR sheet, and no calculator, so a reliable method matters far more than raw speed.
Why word problems trip children up
Most children who "can't do word problems" can actually do the arithmetic perfectly well. What defeats them is the gap between English and maths: deciding which operation the words are asking for, spotting the one number that is a distractor, and holding a two- or three-step plan in their head under time pressure. The good news is that this is a teachable process, not a talent. Once a child has a fixed four-step routine, the panic disappears because they always know what to do next, even when the question looks unfamiliar. Practising that routine on our free worksheets until it becomes automatic is the single biggest confidence win.
The four-step method
This is the backbone of everything below. Teach it as a habit your child runs on every worded question, easy or hard.
- Read it twice. Once for the gist (what is the story about?), once for the numbers. Trying to do both in one read is where children start solving the wrong thing.
- Underline the question. What is actually being asked — "How many oranges?", "How much change?", "What was the mean?" Pin this down before touching the numbers, because the last sentence often switches what you need.
- Translate to a sum. Convert the words phrase by phrase. "Sara has three times as many marbles as Tom" becomes "Sara = 3 × Tom". Write the calculation before you compute it.
- Check the answer is realistic. An answer of "120 children fit in the room" or "the pencil costs £340" should ring alarm bells. Sense-checking catches slips a tired child would otherwise miss.
Decode the language: which words mean which operation
Half the battle is knowing that certain phrases reliably signal an operation. Get your child to circle the "signal words" as they read. Keep this table by their side while they practise, then remove it once the links are automatic.
| The words say... | Usually means | Example phrase |
|---|---|---|
| total, altogether, sum, combined | Addition (+) | "How many pupils in total?" |
| difference, how many more, left, change | Subtraction (−) | "How much change from £5?" |
| times, product, "each" repeated, of | Multiplication (×) | "6 boxes of 8 pens" |
| shared, split, per, "each" when finding one | Division (÷) | "48 sweets shared between 6" |
A warning worth repeating: signal words are clues, not rules. A crafty question might say "how many more do you need" where the answer is a subtraction, or bury a multiplication inside a ratio. That is exactly why step 2 — underlining the real question — comes first.
Worked example: a two-step problem
Here is how the method looks on a typical Year 5/6 question. A shop sells apples in bags of 6. Mrs Khan buys 4 bags and gives 5 apples to a neighbour. How many apples does she have left?
- Read twice — story is apples in bags; numbers are 6, 4 and 5.
- Underline the question — "how many apples does she have left?" (not how many she bought).
- Translate — apples bought = 4 × 6 = 24; then 24 − 5 = 19.
- Check — 19 is a sensible number of apples, and it is less than 24, which fits "gave some away".
Notice the trap: a rushing child sees "4", "6" and "5" and might add or multiply all three. The underlined question keeps them on the two steps that actually matter. Multi-step worded problems appear constantly across our mock papers and the centre-specific centre mocks, so they are worth over-practising.
Ratio, fractions and averages in words
The hardest word problems hide a ratio, fraction or average inside the story. The method still works, you just translate to a different sum.
- Sharing in a ratio: "Share £40 between Amir and Beth in the ratio 3:2." Add the parts (3 + 2 = 5), find one part (£40 ÷ 5 = £8), then multiply — Amir gets 3 × £8 = £24, Beth gets £16.
- Fraction of an amount: "What is 3/4 of 60?" Divide by the bottom, times by the top: 60 ÷ 4 = 15, then 15 × 3 = 45.
- Averages: mean = total ÷ number of values. "The mean of 4, 7 and 10" is (4 + 7 + 10) ÷ 3 = 7.
These skills overlap heavily with our guides on GL papers and the fractions material in the revision hub, both free to use.
Common exam traps to watch for
Children lose the most marks to a handful of predictable slips. Talk through these openly:
- The last sentence changes the question ("...but how many were left over?").
- Units are mixed — the question gives metres but wants centimetres, or minutes but wants hours.
- An extra number is a distractor that never gets used.
- Answering only the first step of a two-step problem.
- Forgetting to simplify a fraction or ratio in the final answer.
Frequently asked questions
Is a calculator allowed in the 11+?
No. GL Assessment maths papers are done without a calculator, so mental methods and neat written working are essential. Word problems reward children who can estimate and sense-check quickly in their head.
How much time should my child spend per question?
Aim for about one minute per question overall. Some easy items take 20 seconds, banking time for a tricky multi-step word problem. Teach your child to move on and return rather than stall.
How do I stop my child panicking when they see a wall of text?
Make the four-step routine automatic through repetition on timed practice, and remind them that the numbers are always in there. A fixed method turns "I don't know where to start" into "step one, read it twice." Build the habit on our free worksheets and timed mocks.