Grade 2 addition and subtraction word problems: a parent guide
How to help Grade 2 children understand and solve addition and subtraction word problems within 100.
In Grade 2, children are expected to solve one- and two-step word problems with numbers up to 100. Word problems are where children show they understand when to add and when to subtract, not just how.
The main problem types
- Add to: "Mia had 23 shells. She found 15 more. How many now?"
- Take from: "There were 40 birds. 12 flew away. How many are left?"
- Put together: "There are 18 red and 25 blue cubes. How many cubes?"
- Compare: "Leo has 34 cards. Ana has 21. How many more does Leo have?"
Compare problems are usually the hardest, because "how many more" is answered by subtracting.
Help them picture the story
Ask your child to retell the story in their own words, then draw it. A bar model works well: draw one long bar for the whole and split it into parts. If they know the whole and one part, they subtract. If they know both parts, they add.
Check the answer makes sense
Ask: "Should the answer be bigger or smaller than the starting number?" This one question catches many mistakes.
Our Grade 2 addition and subtraction workbook is built around short everyday stories, with space for children to explain each answer.