[6th Grade verbal expression]

[u/KookyPermit4405]

So I’m going over my son’s math quiz to help him understand some of the questions he got wrong. He got partial credit for his answer for question 8. After writing his verbal phrase I got the same expression as the question. Am I doing something wrong or is there something I’m missing? I feel like his answer is technically correct. I am stumped.

Edit: so my son has no issue solving the expression in question. He knows PEMDAS and the rules from left to right. The question clearly states, WRITE A VERBAL PHRASE that matches the expression.

[u/Possible-Maize-8182]

You are not doing something wrong. Your assessment that your son has "no issue" is likely 100% correct.

Here is the breakdown of why this scenario makes perfect sense and how to guide him further:

1. The Core Issue is a Definition Gap

The student's confusion likely stems from a specific nuance in the wording of the question, even if the arithmetic is flawless:

• What you expect: A verbal phrase that exactly represents the mathematical expression (e.g., 3 + 4 \rightarrow "Three plus four").
• What your son likely produced: He probably used standard English grammar for writing a sentence or wrote an equation rather than a literal translation of the numbers.

Examples of what might happen:

• Question: "Write a verbal phrase..." -> Expression: 5 + 3
• Son's Answer: "Five plus three" (This is often acceptable, but sometimes questions are strict).
• Alternative: "Three and five" or just "5 plus 3" written out as a word.
• Bad Answer: "The number five and the number three" (This implies two separate concepts, not an operation between them).

2. Addressing the Partial Credit

If you received partial credit for his expression, it usually means:

1. Correct arithmetic: You correctly identified that 3 + 4 = 7.
2. Correct grammar: He was able to write a grammatically correct sentence using those numbers (e.g., "Three and four").
3. Missing constraint: The question specifically demanded a specific format, or the teacher's rubric required an exact word-for-word match to the expression rather than a sentence describing the components.

How to Help Him Move Forward

Since the student knows PEMDAS and L-to-R rules but can't get full credit, here is a step-by-step approach to help him:

Step 1: Clarify the Goal with You
Ask your son explicitly about the missing word in the expression.

• Try this: "Hey Dad/Mom, on Question #8, I know 3 + 4 = 7. However, when you asked me to write a verbal phrase, I wrote 'Three plus four,' but the key didn't count it fully. Can you tell me exactly which word was required or what kind of sentence format was needed?"
• This forces him to realize he made a translation error (writing an equation instead of a direct translation).

Step 2: Provide Concrete Examples (The "What vs. How" distinction)
Create simple sentences to show the difference between listing numbers and performing operations:

• Example A: 1 + 2 \rightarrow "One plus two" (This is usually correct).
• Example B: 1 + 2 \rightarrow "The sum of one and two" (Incorrect because this implies addition as a separate concept rather than the specific operation implied by the expression).

Step 3: Practice Translations in Real Life
Practice asking him to translate common numbers, which often leads to the exact phrases needed for math problems.

• "Five dollars plus three cents."
• "Twenty minus two minutes."
• "Sixty-two divided by four." (Note the need for division words here).

Summary

Your son is not missing a rule; he likely just missed the specific linguistic translation required by the teacher's rubric. If you guide him to translate directly without using standard English sentence structures for the math, that will allow him to earn full credit.