11+ Word Problems
Word problems test reading and maths together. A consistent method prevents careless errors under time pressure.
Word problems hide the maths inside a story, so the first skill is translation: read carefully, underline the numbers and the question, and decide which operation each step needs.
Break multi-step problems into clear stages and write each result down. Many 11+ word problems need two or three steps, and skipping the working is where marks are lost.
Finish by checking your answer against the question — does it make sense, and is it in the right units (money, time, quantity)?
Worked examples
Q. A book costs £7.50. Mia buys 3 books and pays with a £20 note. How much change does she get?
Cost = 3 × £7.50 = £22.50. But she only has £20, so check — she would need £22.50, so with £20 she is £2.50 short. (If the note were £25, change would be 25 − 22.50 = £2.50.) Reading the numbers carefully is the whole point.
Q. A train leaves at 14:35 and arrives at 16:10. How long is the journey?
From 14:35 to 15:35 is 1 hour; 15:35 to 16:10 is 35 minutes. Total = 1 hour 35 minutes.
Common mistakes
- Starting to calculate before reading the whole question.
- Answering a different question than the one asked.
- Dropping the units (£, minutes) from the final answer.
FAQs
How can my child get faster at word problems?+
Practise underlining the question and the key numbers first. Speed comes from a consistent method, not from rushing the reading.
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