1 more and 1 less

1 more and 1 less: what children learn

Finding 1 more or 1 less than a number is one of the first things children learn about how numbers are ordered. 1 more than 6 is 7, the next number when counting forwards. 1 less than 6 is 5, the number before it.

It sounds simple, but it builds a very important idea: every number has a fixed place in the counting sequence. Year 1 pupils start with numbers up to 20 and move on to numbers up to 100. The tricky moments come when the tens change, such as 1 more than 39 being 40, or 1 less than 70 being 69. The game focuses on numbers up to 100 so these boundary cases come up often.

This topic covers the Year 1 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Number – number and place value): pupils should be taught to “given a number, identify 1 more and 1 less”. Year 1 pupils are usually aged 5–6.

For families following US standards, the closest Common Core standard is 1.NBT.A.1, which is taught in Grade 1.

How to play

How many can you answer in 60 seconds? Type the answer and press Enter. Questions keep coming for 60 seconds. Type each answer and press Enter, or choose Skip. Answers can be typed with or without commas.

Step by step

1. Count forwards and backwards. Children need to count fluently in both directions from any number, not just from 1. Practise counting on from 17, or back from 43.
2. Use a number track or 100 square. On a 100 square, 1 more is one step to the right and 1 less is one step to the left. At the end of a row, 1 more wraps round to the start of the next row (from 40 to 41), which is a good talking point.
3. Notice which digit changes. For most numbers only the ones digit changes: 1 more than 52 is 53. When the ones digit is 9, adding 1 makes it 0 and the tens go up by one: 1 more than 59 is 60.
4. Answer without counting from the start. The aim is to answer quickly by thinking only about the neighbours of the number, not by counting up from 1 each time.

Worked examples

Common mistakes and how to fix them

• Saying 1 less than 40 is 49 or 30. Count back slowly: 42, 41, 40, 39. Point to the numbers on a 100 square so children see 39 sits just before 40.
• Mixing up 'more' and 'less'. Ask 'is the answer going to be bigger or smaller?' before working it out.
• Writing numbers in the 'teens' backwards, such as 61 for 16. Say the number as tens and ones: sixteen is 1 ten and 6 ones.

Activities to try at home

• On the stairs, step up for 1 more and down for 1 less, saying each number.
• Use house numbers on a walk: what number is next door? (On many streets it is 2 more, which is a nice discussion.)
• Play 'what's my neighbour?': you say a number, your child says the numbers either side of it.

Ideas for the classroom

• Hide numbers on a 100 square and ask children to name the numbers to the left and right.
• Number line washing line: peg up cards and ask a child to peg 1 more or 1 less next to a given number.
• Extend to 10 more and 10 less once 1 more and 1 less are secure.

Printable worksheet

The printable worksheet uses the same question generator as the game, so it practises exactly the same skills. It comes with a separate answer sheet on the second page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser's print menu.

Open the printable worksheet

Frequently asked questions

Related topics

• Numbers on a number line to 20 (Year 1 maths) – Place numbers to 20 on a number line. Free Year 1 maths game that builds number sense.
• Ordering numbers to 100 (Year 2 maths) – Put numbers to 100 in order, smallest or largest first. Free Year 2 maths game.
• 10 or 100 more or less (Year 3 maths) – Find 10 or 100 more or less than three-digit numbers, including across hundreds. Free Year 3 maths game.
• Number bonds to 10 (Year 1 maths) – Match number bond pairs that make 10. A free Year 1 maths game with a printable worksheet.
• Adding and subtracting within 20 (Year 1 maths) – Race the clock to add and subtract numbers to 20, including missing number problems. Free Year 1 maths game.

Back to Year 1 maths