Maths word problems practice
Word problems test whether a child can choose the right calculation, not just do it. Noggli practises one-step problems first, then two-step and multi-step ones.
What your child practises
- Year 3one-step addition and subtraction problems
- Year 4one-step multiplication and division problems
- Year 5two-step problems
- Year 6multi-step money problems
- Year 6multi-step problems with fractions and percentages
Mix-ups Noggli looks out for
- Adds when the question needs multiplying
- Stops after the first step of a two-step problem
Reading the problem
Most mistakes in word problems happen before any maths: picking the wrong operation, or stopping after the first step. Noggli checks for both and gives a clue about what the question is really asking.
Two-step and multi-step problems
"You have 39 beads. You buy 6 packs with 7 beads in each. How many beads now?" needs 6 × 7 = 42, then 39 + 42 = 81. In Year 6 the steps include money, fractions and percentages.
Helping at home
- Ask your child to tell you the story in their own words before calculating.
- Draw it: a bar model often makes the calculation obvious.
- Ask "have we answered the question?" before moving on.
Made for children who worry about getting it wrong
A clue, not a cross
A wrong answer gets a clue and another go. A second miss shows how it works, step by step.
No clock
Nothing counts down. Confidence first, speed follows on its own.
The right level
After a few questions Noggli knows where your child is, and every question after that adapts.
Related practice
Questions parents ask
How can I help my child with word problems?
Read the problem together, draw a quick picture or bar model, and decide what to work out before doing any calculation. Then check the answer makes sense in the story.
Why does my child stop halfway through?
Stopping after the first step of a two-step problem is common. Noggli notices it and asks what the question wanted at the end.
Are word problems in the SATs?
Yes. The two KS2 maths reasoning papers are mostly word problems.
Practise this every day, at the right level
Noggli works out where your child is in every topic and adjusts each question to suit. Free, with no timers, no scores and no child accounts.