Year 2 vocabulary glossary

number

A number is a value used for counting, ordering or measuring, such as 14 or 100.

digit

A digit is a single symbol used to make numbers.

tens

The tens digit shows how many groups of ten are in a number, such as the 1 in 14.

ones

The 4 is in the ones place because it is the first digit on the right.

hundreds

The hundreds place is the position of a digit worth 100 in a number.

place value

Place value tells us the value of a digit depending on its position in a number.

partition

Partition means to split a number into its tens and ones.

recombine

Recombine means to put the parts back together.

compare

Compare means to look at two numbers, amounts or fractions and decide which is bigger, smaller, or if they are equal.

order

Order means putting numbers, amounts or fractions in a sequence, either from smallest to largest or largest to smallest.

more than

More than (>) means a number, amount or fraction is bigger than another.

less than

Less than (<) means a number, amount or fraction is smaller than another.

equal to

Equal to (=) means two numbers or amounts are exactly the same.

greater than (>)

Greater than (>) means a number or amount is bigger than another.

equals (=)

Equals (=) means both sides are the same amount.

estimate

Estimate means to make a sensible guess about an amount or measurement, without measuring or counting exactly.

sequence

A sequence is a set of numbers that follow a pattern or rule.

odd

Odd numbers cannot be divided equally into pairs: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9...

even

Even numbers can be divided equally into pairs: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10...

multiple

A multiple is the answer you get when you multiply a number by another whole number.

pattern

A pattern is a repeated design or sequence that follows a rule.

add

Add means to put numbers together to find a total.

plus

Plus (+) is the symbol we use for addition.

total

The total or sum is the final amount when you add numbers together.

sum

The sum is the total you get when you add numbers together.

subtract

Subtract means to take one number away from another.

minus

Minus (−) is the symbol we use for subtraction.

take away

Take away is another way to say subtract.

difference

Difference means the amount between two numbers when you subtract the smaller from the larger.

number bond

A number bond is a pair of numbers that add together to make a given total.

inverse

Inverse means the opposite operation. Addition and subtraction are inverses — they undo each other.

tens boundary

A tens boundary is when we cross from one ten to the next (e.g., from 29 to 30).

partition

Partition means to split numbers to make addition or subtraction easier.

recombine

Recombine means to put the parts back together.

column

A column is a place-value position, such as the tens column or ones column, used to line up digits when calculating.

exchange

Exchange means to swap 10 ones for 1 ten (or 1 ten for 10 ones) to help with calculating.

multiply

Multiply means to add equal groups together.

times

Times (×) is the symbol we use for multiplication.

groups of

Groups of means we have a certain number of equal sets.

repeated addition

Repeated addition is adding the same number over and over again.

array

An array is a way of showing multiplication using objects arranged in rows and columns.

row

A row is a horizontal line (left to right).

column

A column is a place-value position, such as the tens column or ones column, used to line up digits when calculating.

double

Double means to multiply by 2.

halve

Halve means to divide by 2.

share equally

Share equally means to split a quantity into equal groups.

divide

Divide (÷) is the symbol we use for division.

divided by

Divided by means split into equal groups or parts. The symbol for division is ÷.

equal groups

Equal groups means each group has the same amount.

multiple

A multiple is the answer you get when you multiply a number by another whole number.

whole

A whole is the entire shape or amount.

equal parts

Equal parts means pieces that are exactly the same size.

half

A half (½) is one of two equal parts of a whole.

quarter

A quarter (¼) is one of four equal parts of a whole.

third

A third (⅓) is one of three equal parts of a whole.

three quarters

Three quarters (¾) means three of four equal parts of a whole. ¾ of a cake means 3 out of 4 equal slices.

numerator

The numerator is the top number in a fraction. It tells us how many parts we have.

denominator

The denominator is the bottom number in a fraction.

equivalence

Equivalence means two fractions are equal in value, even though they look different.

equivalent

Equivalent fractions are fractions that show the same amount. ½ is equivalent to 2/4 (half of a cake is the same as two quarters).

square

A square drawn on paper is a 2D shape.

rectangle

A rectangle has 4 straight sides — opposite sides are equal in length — and 4 corners.

triangle

A triangle drawn on a whiteboard is a 2D shape.

circle

A circle is round.

pentagon

A pentagon is a polygon with 5 straight sides and 5 corners.

hexagon

A hexagon is a polygon with 6 straight sides and 6 corners.

octagon

An octagon is a polygon with 8 straight sides and 8 corners.

cube

A cube has 6 square faces, 12 edges and 8 vertices.

cuboid

A cuboid has 6 rectangular faces, 12 edges and 8 vertices.

sphere

A sphere has 1 curved face, 0 edges and 0 vertices.

cone

A cone has 2 faces (1 flat circle, 1 curved), 1 edge and 1 vertex.

cylinder

A cylinder has 3 faces (2 flat circles, 1 curved), 2 edges and 0 vertices.

pyramid

A pyramid has a polygon base (often a square) and triangular faces that meet at a point.

face

A face is a flat or curved surface on a 3D shape.

edge

An edge is where two faces meet.

vertex

A vertex is a corner where edges meet.

side

A side is a straight line that forms part of a shape.

corner

A corner (also called a vertex) is where two sides meet.

symmetry

Symmetry means a shape is the same on both sides when you fold it.

line of symmetry

A line of symmetry is the fold line that divides a shape into two matching halves.

symmetrical

Symmetrical means a shape is perfectly balanced on both sides of the fold line.

polygon

A polygon is a 2D shape with straight sides.

left

Left is the side of your body where your thumb is on your left hand when your palm faces forward.

right

Right is the side of your body where your thumb is on your right hand when your palm faces forward.

above

Above means higher up than something else.

below

Below means lower down than something else.

beside

Beside means next to something.

between

Between means in the middle of two things.

forwards

Forwards means moving in the direction you are facing.

backwards

Backwards means moving in the opposite direction to the one you are facing.

full turn

A full turn means turning all the way round (360°).

half turn

A half turn means turning halfway (180°).

quarter turn

A quarter turn means turning a quarter way (90°).

three-quarter turn

A three-quarter turn means turning three quarters way (270°).

clockwise

Clockwise means turning in the same direction as the hands on a clock move.

anticlockwise

Anticlockwise means turning in the opposite direction to the hands on a clock.

right angle

A right angle is a quarter turn (90°) — it looks like the corner of a square.

straight line

A straight line is a line that does not curve.

route

A route is the path you take to get from one place to another.

journey

A journey is the act of travelling from one place to another.

length

Length tells us how long something is.

height

Height tells us how tall something is.

width

Width tells us how wide something is.

depth

Depth tells us how deep something is.

mass

Mass tells us how heavy something is.

weight

Weight is often used in everyday language to mean how heavy something is, measured using the same units as mass.

capacity

Capacity tells us how much a container can hold.

volume

Volume is the amount of space inside a 3D shape.

temperature

Temperature tells us how hot or cold something is.

centimetre (cm)

A centimetre is a small unit for measuring length.

metre (m)

A metre is a larger unit for measuring length.

gram (g)

A gram is a small unit for measuring mass.

kilogram (kg)

A kilogram is a larger unit for measuring mass.

millilitre (ml)

A millilitre is a small unit for measuring capacity.

litre (l)

A litre is a larger unit for measuring capacity.

degrees Celsius (°C)

Degrees Celsius (°C) is the unit we use to measure temperature.

estimate

Estimate means to make a sensible guess about an amount or measurement, without measuring or counting exactly.

compare

Compare means to look at two numbers, amounts or fractions and decide which is bigger, smaller, or if they are equal.

measure

Measure means to find out exactly using a tool.

ruler

A ruler is used to measure length.

scales

Scales are used to measure mass/weight.

measuring jug

A measuring jug is used to measure capacity.

thermometer

A thermometer is used to measure temperature.

clock

A clock is a tool we use to tell the time.

hour hand

The hour hand is the shorter hand on a clock.

minute hand

The minute hand is the longer hand on a clock.

o'clock

O'clock means the time is exactly on the hour.

half past

Half past means 30 minutes past the hour.

quarter past

Quarter past means 15 minutes past the hour.

quarter to

Quarter to means 15 minutes before the next hour.

analogue

Analogue clocks have hands that move around a dial.

digital

Digital clocks show the time using numbers.

hours

Hours are the larger units of time.

minutes

Minutes are smaller units of time.

days

Days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

weeks

A week is a unit of time made up of 7 days.

months

Months of the year: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

years

A year is a unit of time made up of 12 months, or about 365 days.

seasons

Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.

calendar

A calendar shows the days, weeks and months in a year.

duration

Duration tells us how long something takes.

coin

A coin is a piece of metal money.

note

A note is a piece of paper money.

penny

Penny (plural: pence) is the unit of money we use in the UK.

pence (p)

Pence (the plural of penny) is the unit of money we use in the UK. The symbol for pence is p.

pound (£)

Pound (£) is the larger unit of money.

value

Value is how much something is worth, such as the value of a digit or a coin.

cost

Cost or price is the amount you must pay to buy something.

total

Total means the whole amount.

change

Change is the money you get back when you pay with more than the cost.

spend

Spend means to use money to buy something.

pay

Pay means to give money for something.

price

The price is the amount you must pay to buy something.

cheaper

Cheaper means costing less than something else.

expensive

Expensive or dear means costing more than something else.

dear

Dear means costing more than something else.

data

Data is information we collect.

tally chart

A tally chart is a way of counting data using marks (|||| = 5).

pictogram

A pictogram uses pictures or symbols to show data.

block diagram

A block diagram uses coloured blocks (squares) to show data.

table

A table is a way of organising data in rows and columns.

symbol

A symbol is a picture or mark used to represent something. ★ could mean 1 child.

key

A key tells you what each symbol means. ★ = 1 child.

count

Count means to find out how many there are.

total

The total is the final amount when you add everything together.

most

Most or most popular means the greatest amount.

least

Least or least popular means the smallest amount.

equal

Equal means two amounts are the same.

compare

Compare means to look at two numbers, amounts or fractions and decide which is bigger, smaller, or if they are equal.

popular

Popular means chosen or liked by the most people.

common

Common means shared by more than one thing, such as a common factor of two numbers.

survey

A survey is when you ask people questions to collect data.

represent

Represent means to show data in a chart or diagram.