English Medium Mathematics
The sums are not the problem. Reading the question and writing the working in English is. Here is the official material, and the English that goes with it.
Official Mathematics courses in English, Grades 6 to 11
The Ministry of Education's e-thaksalawa carries a full English medium branch. Each course holds the Smart Text Book, the Teacher's Instructional Manual and material arranged by competency. Some items open straight away; others ask you to log in with a free account.
| Grade | Mathematics course |
|---|---|
| Grade 6 | Mathematics, Grade 6 |
| Grade 7 | Mathematics, Grade 7 |
| Grade 8 | Mathematics, Grade 8 |
| Grade 9 | Mathematics, Grade 9 |
| Grade 10 | Mathematics, Grade 10 |
| Grade 11 (O/L) | Mathematics, Grade 11 |
Past papers and Teachers' Guides
O/L past papers
The official source. Choose the year and the G.C.E. Ordinary Level examination, then take the English medium Mathematics paper.
Grade 11 Mathematics Guide
The Teachers' Guide for Grade 11 Mathematics, in English.
Grade 10 Mathematics Guide
The Teachers' Guide for Grade 10 Mathematics, in English.
What the maths question word is telling you to do
Each instruction asks for a different amount of working. A pupil who writes the answer alone where the paper said show that has thrown away most of the marks.
| The paper says | It wants | So the answer looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Calculate / Find | The working, then the answer with its unit. | Area = 4 × 3 = 12 cm² |
| Show that | Every step, ending exactly at the value you were given. | Since a = 2 and b = 3, a + b = 5, as required. |
| Prove | A reason beside each step, ending in the statement asked for. | ∠ABC = ∠ADC (angles in the same segment) |
| Solve | The value or values of the unknown. | x = 4 or x = −1 |
| Simplify | One expression, as short as it will go. No equals-sign chain to a number. | 3a + 2a = 5a |
| Evaluate | A single number, with its unit if it has one. | = 36 |
| Factorise | The expression written as a product of brackets. | x² + 5x + 6 = (x + 2)(x + 3) |
| Construct | A drawing made with compasses and a straight edge, arcs left showing. | A construction with its arcs still visible. |
| Draw / Measure | An accurate drawing, then the measurement written with its unit. | AB = 6.4 cm |
| Hence | Use the answer you just found. Do not start again. | Hence x = 7. |
| Estimate | A rounded value, with the rounding shown. | ≈ 200 (to the nearest hundred) |
Turning an English word problem into a sum
Word problems are a reading test as much as a maths test. These are the phrases that decide the operation, and the ones pupils reverse most often.
| The words say | It means | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| the sum of, altogether, total | Add | — |
| more than, increased by | Add | 8 more than x is x + 8, not 8 + x reversed in meaning |
| less than, decreased by | Subtract | 5 less than x is x − 5, not 5 − x. Pupils reverse this constantly. |
| the difference between | Subtract | Take the smaller from the larger unless the question says otherwise |
| twice, double, thrice, of | Multiply | half of x is x ÷ 2, written x/2 |
| per, each, every | Multiply or divide, by the rate | 60 km per hour for 3 hours is 60 × 3 |
| shared equally, divided among | Divide | Check who gets the remainder |
| let x be ... | Name the unknown before you start | Always write this line down; it earns marks |
| consecutive numbers | x, x + 1, x + 2 | Even or odd consecutive numbers go up in twos |
| at least / at most | ≥ / ≤ | These are inequalities, not equations |
Saying and writing maths in English
How do I read these aloud?
Pupils who cannot say it often cannot write it either.
- x² - x squared. x³ - x cubed. x⁴ - x to the power of four
- √9 - the square root of nine
- 3/4 - three quarters, or three over four in an expression
- 2 : 3 - the ratio two to three
- 12 ÷ 4 - twelve divided by four
- ∠ABC - angle A B C
- ≈ - is approximately equal to. ≥ - is greater than or equal to
- (x + 2)(x + 3) - bracket x plus two, bracket x plus three
The lines that earn method marks
Marks are given for the working, not only the answer. These lines cost seconds and are worth marks.
- Let x be the number of books.
- Let the two angles be x and 2x.
- Total = 3 × 250 = 750
- Therefore x = 7.
- Hence the perimeter is 24 cm.
- Always finish with the unit: cm, cm², kg, rupees
Words pupils mix up in maths
Teach each pair together, in one sentence each.
- Area and perimeter - one is the space inside, one is the distance around
- Volume and capacity - the space a solid takes up, and how much it holds
- Numerator and denominator - top and bottom of a fraction
- Factor and multiple - 3 is a factor of 12; 12 is a multiple of 3
- Odd and even; prime and composite
- Equation and expression - an equation has an equals sign
More help
The English both subjects need
Sentence shapes, the mistakes that cost marks, and five minutes for teachers.
English Medium Science
The same again for Science, with experiment write-ups.
O/L English
The English paper itself, question type by question type.