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Lesson 2 of 4

SHORTCUT

Before and after

Numbers stand in a queue — every one has someone in front and behind.

The question

What comes after 7?

The trick

Picture the numbers standing in a queue, like children waiting for the school bus. 'After' means the next one in the queue. 'Before' means the one standing in front.

Worked example

  1. 1Say the numbers out loud from 1: one, two, three…
  2. 2When you reach 7, the very next word you say is 8.
  3. 3For 'before', stop just short: the number you said right before 7 was 6.

So: 8

Remember it like this

Numbers are in a bus queue. After 7 is 8 — the one climbing on next. Before 7 is 6 — the one who already got on.

In the exam

If your child gets stuck, let them count from 1 out loud every single time. That is not cheating and it is not slow — it is exactly how the shortcut gets built.

Why it works

Children learn number order as a song long before they understand quantity. Using the song to answer 'before and after' means they succeed straight away, and understanding follows.

Explain this to my childGet the words to teach it, in your language

Try it yourself

0/4 correct
  • 1

    What comes after 4?

  • 2

    What comes before 9?

  • 3

    What comes after 12?

  • 4

    What comes before 15?