Tally Marks

What a Tally Mark Is

A tally mark is a short line we draw to show one thing.
Every time we see something, we add another line.

Counting One by One

1. Look at the object you want to count.
2. Draw a vertical line: |
3. Keep drawing a new line for each new object.

Making Groups of Five

When you have four straight lines, they look like a little fence:

| | | |

Add a diagonal line across them to make a group of five:

| | | |
 \

The slanted line tells us the group is five.

Counting Bigger Numbers

• One group = 5 items.
• Two groups = 10 items.
• Three groups = 15 items, and so on.

Just keep adding groups of five and any extra single lines at the end.

Try It Yourself!

Count the crayons in your box. Draw a tally for each one.
When you have five, make the diagonal line.
How many groups do you get?

Great job! Tally marks help you see the total fast.