Double-Digit Addition Without Regrouping: A Step-by-Step Guide

Double-digit addition without regrouping is where column addition begins. It teaches the routine (ones first, then tens) without the extra step of carrying, so kids can focus on lining numbers up and adding one column at a time. Below is how to teach it step by step, the mistakes to watch for, and ways to practice at home.

What is double-digit addition without regrouping?

Double-digit addition without regrouping means adding two numbers that each have a tens place and a ones place, where each column’s sum stays under 10. Take 24 + 13: the ones make 4 + 3 = 7, and the tens make 2 + 1 = 3, so the answer is 37. Nothing goes past 9, so there’s no carrying.

This skill usually appears in 1st grade as part of Common Core standard 1.NBT.C.4, which asks children to add a two-digit number and a one-digit or two-digit number using place-value understanding. By the end of 1st grade or early 2nd grade, kids move on to problems that need regrouping.

How to teach double-digit addition without regrouping (step by step)

The routine is the same every time, and that’s what makes it teachable. Walk through these three steps with your child:

Step 1: Line up the numbers by place value

Write the two numbers stacked, with the ones digit directly above or below the other ones digit, and the tens above or below the other tens. This alignment is the foundation of all column math.

For 24 + 13, it looks like:

  24
+ 13
----

If your child writes the numbers side by side or misaligns them, the rest of the problem falls apart. Use graph paper or draw boxes to make the columns clear.

Step 2: Add the ones column first

Start on the right. Add the two digits in the ones place: 4 + 3 = 7. Write the 7 directly below the ones column.

  24
+ 13
----
   7

Say it out loud: “Ones first.” That phrase is the habit you’re building, and it will matter later when regrouping enters the picture.

Step 3: Add the tens column

Now move to the left. Add the two digits in the tens place: 2 + 1 = 3. Write the 3 directly below the tens column.

  24
+ 13
----
  37

Say it out loud: “Then tens.” The answer is 37.

Why always add the ones column first?

Kids who read left to right want to start with the tens, and that works fine until a problem needs regrouping. Once you have to carry, starting with the tens breaks the whole routine. Teaching “ones first, then tens” from the beginning builds a habit that will work for every addition problem your child ever sees.

Even when the problem doesn’t need it, say the phrase. Repetition is what makes it automatic.

The 3 mistakes kids make most (and how to fix them)

How to practice double-digit addition without regrouping at home

Short, daily practice beats long worksheets. Here are a few ways to make it stick:

• Start with 5 problems a day. Write them out on paper or a whiteboard. Five problems takes three minutes and doesn’t feel like a chore.
• Use real numbers from daily life. Add ages (Grandma is 62 and Grandpa is 64), prices (a toy costs 23 dollars and a book costs 15 dollars), or scores in a game.
• Make it a game. Roll two dice to build each two-digit number, then race to add them. Or use playing cards (remove face cards, aces are 1).
• Mix in a few one-digit problems. If your child is still building confidence with basic addition facts, throw in a few problems like 24 + 5 or 31 + 8. These use the same routine but are a little easier.
• Use base-ten blocks or bundled straws. For a child who needs it concrete, have them build each number with blocks (2 tens and 4 ones for 24), combine them, and count the total. This makes the place-value idea visible.

Keep sessions to five or ten minutes. When your child makes a mistake, give a hint and let them try again before you show the answer. That second try is where the learning happens.

When to move on to addition with regrouping

Your child is ready for addition with regrouping when they can:

• Line up two-digit numbers correctly without help.
• Add the ones column first, then the tens, without being reminded.
• Solve ten problems in a row without hesitating or making mistakes.
• Explain what they’re doing (“I add the ones, then I add the tens”).

Once those feel automatic, introduce problems where a column adds up to 10 or more, like 28 + 16. The routine stays the same (ones first, then tens), but now they’ll learn to carry the extra ten to the next column. That’s regrouping, and it’s the natural next step.

Free Double-digit Addition Without Regrouping Worksheet

Free · no email required · print at home

Open & print

The easiest way to give your child practice

For most parents, the hardest part isn’t teaching the routine. It’s coming up with enough of the right problems and keeping your child willing to do them. That’s where Octolearn helps: describe the skill (“double-digit addition without regrouping”), and it builds a grade-matched practice set with read-aloud support, a hint and a second try on every question, and stars that keep kids coming back.