11+ Maths
Describing chance with words and simple fractions — certain, likely, even, unlikely, impossible.
Probability appears in 53 of our 338 ready papers (106 tagged questions). It averages 2 questions a paper worth about 1.59 marks each. The typical question allows around 40 sec. It appears in 1 CSSE paper we hold.
Probability in the 11+ is usually language plus simple fractions, not advanced theory. Papers ask which outcome is most likely, what fraction of outcomes match an event, or how probability changes when an item is removed. Children who invent percentages without counting equally likely outcomes, or who confuse “and” with “or”, drop marks. Practise listing outcomes systematically (or drawing a simple table) before writing a fraction. Keep answers in simplest form when the mark scheme expects it, and always check the denominator is the full set of possibilities. A quick sense-check helps: impossible is 0, certain is 1, and everyday “likely” events sit clearly between those extremes.
A real tagged question from our catalogue — method included, not paywalled.
Ranked from our tagged catalogue — open a paper to practise the questions that actually test this topic.
Not sure whether probability is the problem? Mark any past paper on 11plusSolved and the report tells you which topics are costing marks — and how many.
