Addition and Subtraction
addition or adding | ||||
5 | + | 3 | = | 8 |
five | plus | three | equals | eight |
2 | + | 2 | = | 4 |
two | and | two | is | four |
Note: Some English books will use the plural verb “equal” or “are” for the equal sign (=). Grammatically, this is correct but most people use a singular verb. |
The teacher asks for the answer like this:
What’s two plus two? (use the singular verb for “be” — “is”)
subtraction or subtracting | ||||
5 | – | 3 | = | 2 |
five | minus | three | equals | two |
10 | – | 7 | = | 3 |
ten | take away | seven | is | three |
Note: The first example (using “minus”) is preferred over the second, but “take away” is popular. |
The teacher asks for the answer like this:
What’s five minus three?
Of course, you know how to do math in your own language, but it’s important to practice in English. Here are some other ways to talk about addition and subtraction: Addition:
The word “make” is often used when counting money. Subtraction:
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