Cut the words

Someone typed a long question into a search engine. Cross out the words it does not need, until the right page comes first.

Question 1 of 4

Tap a word to cross it out. Tap it again to bring it back.

Your search: Please can you tell me how many legs a spider has

20 pages

No page has all your words. These have some of them, so many will not help.

  1. 1. Please tell me a joke

    • Has only some of your words: please, can, you, tell, me, how, many

  2. 2. How many legs does an insect have?

    • Has only some of your words: can, you, how, many, legs, has

  3. 3. Spider legs

    • Has only some of your words: legs, spider, has

And 17 more pages further down the list.

Why fewer words can work better

A search engine looks for words on web pages. It does not read your question the way a person does. Words like please and tell me say nothing about what you want to find, and they can bring up pages you do not need.

A clear and precise search uses only the words that matter. But one word may be too few. Try searching for just elephant and see what comes first.

For teachers

This tool goes with Unit 2, Lesson 6 of the Year 4 Inspire Computing student book, and it prepares pupils for the end-of-unit question about improving a search.

  • Before the screen: write a long question on the board and let pupils come up to rub out one word at a time. After each one, ask if the search would still work.
  • Results change with every word, so pupils learn by trying. More than one search can solve each question.
  • Small words such as a and the are not counted, because this search engine ignores them anyway.
  • Real search engines handle whole questions better than this one, and may answer them directly. Short searches are still a good habit, and they are what the book asks for.
  • Exit question: write a better search for "Hello, can you tell me how far away the moon is please?"
  • Nothing a pupil does here is saved or sent anywhere.

More to try

  • Write your own long question. Swap with a partner and cut each other's down.
  • What is the fewest words that still finds the right page?

More Edexcel · Grade 4 tools