What kind of word problems does 2nd grade math use?

One-step add to, take from, put together, and compare stories, with two-digit and some three-digit numbers. That is 2.OA.A.1 territory, plus the regrouping that comes with bigger amounts.

My child can compute but picks the wrong operation. Is that normal?

Very. Choosing the operation is a separate skill from computing, and it is the one this page trains. Have them say add or subtract, and why, before writing anything.

2nd grade addition & subtraction word problems

2nd grade addition & subtraction word problems worksheets

Addition and subtraction word problems for grade 2 keep one step per story but stop announcing the operation. Amounts run two-digit and into three-digit numbers (2.OA.A.1, 2.NBT.B.7), so choosing the sign and regrouping cleanly both matter on the same page, often in the same problem.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core 2.NBT.B.7.

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The kind of problems you'll get

Read each problem. Show your work and write the answer.

Riley shelved 4 books before lunch and 2 more books. How many books did Riley shelve altogether?
Answer: 6
Zoe 's two baskets hold 20 apples. One basket has 15 apples. How many apples are in the other basket?
Answer: 5
During soccer practice, Ravi made 73 passes. Liam made 9 passes. How many passes did they make altogether?
Answer: 82

Every print pulls a fresh set of problems at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.

What's on each sheet

Addition and subtraction word problems. Read each problem. Show your work and write the answer. 4 problems per page.
Two-step word problems. Read each story. Show how you find the missing quantity. 4 problems per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key after the problems.

How to teach this

Read each problem twice, once through like a story, then slowly to circle the question. Have your child name the operation out loud and defend it in a phrase, "they joined, so add", before any arithmetic. Wrong-sign answers nearly always trace back to skipping that step, not to weak facts, so treat the naming as the real work.

Watch for: Kids hunt for a keyword instead of reading, so 'more' means add even when the story compares. Have your child retell the problem in their own words, then say the operation and why, before touching the numbers. In part unknown problems, kids add the whole and the part. If the jar holds 24 and 9 are red, the parts have to fit inside 24. Sketch a bar with the whole on top and the known part underneath. Subtracting across zeros falls apart, so 400 - 137 sprouts strange digits. Have them check with addition: the answer plus 137 has to rebuild 400.

Common questions about addition & subtraction word problems

What kind of word problems does 2nd grade math use?: One-step add to, take from, put together, and compare stories, with two-digit and some three-digit numbers. That is 2.OA.A.1 territory, plus the regrouping that comes with bigger amounts.
My child can compute but picks the wrong operation. Is that normal?: Very. Choosing the operation is a separate skill from computing, and it is the one this page trains. Have them say add or subtract, and why, before writing anything.

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Aligned to Common Core 2.NBT.B.7. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 240, updated September 2026.

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