As a teacher, I see this every year: many children can do sums like 7 × 6 or 450 ÷ 9 quickly… but they freeze when the same maths is written as a story.
If this is happening at home, don’t worry. Word problems are not “extra difficult maths.” They are a mix of:
✅ reading + understanding
✅ finding the right operation
✅ solving step-by-step
✅ checking the final answer
In exams like school tests and AISSEE (Sainik School Entrance Exam), word problems decide the score. The good news: with the right method and the right vocabulary, children improve fast.
What “struggling with word problems” really means
When a child struggles, usually one (or more) of these happens:
- They read the question but don’t understand what it is asking
- They understand, but don’t know which operation to use
- They choose correctly but make calculation mistakes
- They solve but write the wrong final answer (units, statement, rounding)
- They panic because the question looks long
So it is not only maths. It is also language and thinking.
10 reasons children struggle with word problems
1) They read fast, not for meaning
Many children read like it is a story paragraph. But in maths, we must read slowly.
Fix: Teach the “Read twice” rule:
- First read: understand the situation
- Second read: underline numbers + important words
2) They don’t visualise the situation
If a child can see the situation in the mind, the problem becomes easy.
Fix: Quick sketch: boxes, bars, small drawings, number lines.
3) Weak vocabulary: they don’t know “maths words”
This is a big reason in India because children learn maths in English, but think in their home language.
Fix: Build a Maths Word Bank (below). Revise weekly.
Core words required for word problems (Teacher’s Word Bank)
Parents, please print this section or note it in a diary. These are the most common words that appear in school exams and AISSEE-style questions.
A) Words that usually mean Addition (+)
- total, sum, altogether, in all, combined, added, plus
- more than (sometimes), increased by, rise, gain
- how many in all, how much total
Example: “Raju has 24 marbles and Suresh has 19. How many marbles in all?” → add
B) Words that usually mean Subtraction (−)
- difference, subtract, minus, less, fewer, decrease, reduced by
- left, remaining, balance, how many more/less, short of
- how much extra, how many needed to reach
Example: “A shopkeeper had 80 notebooks. He sold 35. How many are left?” → subtract
Teacher note: “More” can still be subtraction in questions like “How many more needed?”
So don’t teach children only “keywords.” Teach meaning.
C) Words that usually mean Multiplication (×)
- each, every, per, times, repeated, groups of, double, triple
- product, multiplied by
- “___ packets, each packet has ___”
Example: “6 packets of biscuits, each has 12 biscuits. Total biscuits?” → multiply
D) Words that usually mean Division (÷)
- share equally, distribute, divide, quotient
- per person, each gets, equally among
- how many groups, how many in each group
Example: “₹240 is shared equally among 6 children. How much does each child get?” → divide
E) Comparison words (very common in word problems)
- more than, less than, greater than, smaller than
- highest, lowest, maximum, minimum
- difference between, compare, exceeded by
Example: “A is 15 more than B.” (This is relationship thinking.)
F) Fraction words
- half (1/2), one-third (1/3), one-fourth/quarter (1/4)
- fraction of, part of, remaining fraction
- share, portion
Example: “Ravi spent 1/4 of his money.” (Find the fraction first.)
G) Percentage words
- percent, percentage, rate, discount
- increased by ___%, decreased by ___%
- profit, loss (basic percentage questions)
Example: “Discount of 10% on ₹500” (Find 10% of 500.)
H) Time and speed words
- minutes, hours, days, weeks, months
- before/after, duration, time taken
- speed, distance, time (basic form)
Example: “A bus travels 120 km in 3 hours. Find speed per hour.” (Division)
I) Money words (India-friendly)
- rupees (₹), paise
- cost price, selling price
- bill, total amount, change, balance
Example: “You give ₹200 and the bill is ₹165. How much change?” (Subtraction)
J) Measurement words
- length, breadth, height, perimeter, area
- litres, ml, kg, grams, cm, m, km
- capacity, weight, volume
Example: “A tank holds 15 litres. How many litres in 4 tanks?” (Multiplication)
K) Average / mean words
- average, mean, equally distributed idea
- total divided by number of items
Example: “Average marks of 5 tests…” (Add, then divide.)
L) Exam command words (children must understand these)
- find, calculate, solve, write, choose, estimate
- how many, how much, how far, how long
- least, greatest, nearest, round off
Teacher tip: Many children lose marks because they don’t read the command properly.
How to teach this word bank (simple routine)
- Pick 10 words per week
- Make 1 small example sentence for each
- Ask the child: “Which operation is likely? Why?”
This builds confidence fast.
4) Children depend only on “keywords” (and get trapped)
Keyword method alone is dangerous.
Fix: Teach them to ask:
“What is happening?”
- combining?
- comparing?
- sharing equally?
- repeating equal groups?
5) They don’t identify what is asked (the “Find” part)
Children start calculating too early.
Fix: Make them write:
- Given: ____
- Find: ____
6) Multi-step problems overload the brain
Two-step questions are hard if the child tries to do it mentally.
Fix: Step-by-step solution:
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Final answer
7) Weak estimation (number sense is missing)
Without estimation, children can’t catch silly mistakes.
Fix: Before solving, ask:
“Answer should be around ___.”
8) Calculation mistakes spoil correct thinking
Even with correct method, weak tables or division mistakes lose marks.
Fix: Daily combo works best:
- 10 minutes calculation drills
- 10 minutes word problems
9) They don’t practice “types” of problems
Word problems repeat patterns. If a child recognises the pattern, fear reduces.
Fix: Practice by types first, then mixed revision later.
10) Fear and pressure
A child who believes “I am weak” stops trying.
Fix: Start easy → build confidence → increase level slowly.
The AceJoule 6-Step Method to Fix Word Problems
Step 1: Read → underline → box the question
Underline numbers, circle key words, box what to find.
Step 2: Write “Given” and “Find”
Two lines only.
Step 3: Choose the model (not only the operation)
Combining / comparing / sharing / equal groups.
Step 4: Draw a quick representation
Bar model, number line, boxes.
Step 5: Solve step-by-step
Show steps clearly.
Step 6: Check your answer
Estimate + unit + full sentence answer.
A practical 14-day improvement plan (easy for parents)
Days 1–4: Basics
- 10 min: tables / mental maths
- 10 min: 1-step word problems (add/subtract)
Days 5–9: Operation confidence
- 10 min: multiplication/division drills
- 15 min: “each / per / share equally” word problems
Days 10–14: Multi-step mastery
- 10 min: mixed calculations
- 20 min: 2-step word problems (write steps)
- 5 min: estimation check
Teacher advice: Daily short practice is better than long weekend study.
What parents should NOT do
- Don’t say: “You can’t even understand this?” (Confidence drops)
- Don’t give the full solution immediately
- Don’t start with very tough questions
Instead ask:
- “What is the question asking?”
- “What is given?”
- “Which word tells us what to do?”
Signs your child is improving
✅ underlining and boxing the question
✅ writing “Given / Find”
✅ drawing a quick bar or sketch
✅ fewer silly mistakes
✅ better speed due to clear thinking
About AceJoule
At AceJoule, we teach children to become strong in Maths by building two things together:
- Concept clarity (understand what the question is asking)
- Speed + accuracy (solve correctly within exam time)
If you are looking for Online Maths classes in Tamil Nadu (or anywhere in India), AceJoule supports students with structured practice, worksheet-based learning, and regular revision—so children improve step-by-step without confusion.
We also offer Online Sainik Entrance Exam Coaching in Tamil Nadu for AISSEE, with exam-focused Maths and English preparation, PYQ-style practice, and smart revision plans to help students score confidently.