Written Operations Worksheets โ€” Grade 2 and 3

Master the column method for addition, subtraction and multiplication from Grade 2 to Grade 3: multi-digit addition with carrying, subtraction with borrowing, short multiplication. Aligned grids prevent alignment errors.

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Why use this worksheet?

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Column addition

Two- and three-digit numbers with carrying โ€” the foundation of written calculation.

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Subtraction with borrowing

Step-by-step borrowing procedure with pre-drawn column guides.

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Short multiplication

Multi-digit ร— single digit โ€” bridges times tables to written methods.

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Instant PDF

No sign-up. Personalised with the child's name.

How to use it?

  1. 1Choose operation (addition, subtraction or multiplication)
  2. 2Select number range
  3. 3Enter child's name
  4. 4Download free A4 PDF
  5. 5Work column by column, right to left

Frequently asked questions

When is the column method introduced?

Grade 2: two-digit column addition. Grade 3: carrying, borrowing, multi-digit. UK: Year 3-4; France: CE1-CE2.

Why do children make alignment errors?

Units must align under units, tens under tens. Pre-drawn column grids on worksheets prevent this. Graph paper is a good alternative at home.

Column method vs mental arithmetic โ€” which first?

Mental strategies (partitioning, rounding) should come first for small numbers. Column method for numbers too large to hold mentally.

How to explain borrowing?

"I borrow 10 from the tens column, making it 10 ones." Concrete base-10 blocks make this visible before using abstract notation.

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