How can you tell they’ve got it: Comparing durations?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Compare two events and say which was quicker/slower; Use 'earlier' and 'later' correctly to describe daily events; Solve practical problems like 'Who finished first?'. Or just try it together: If your child finishes their dinner before a sibling, can they tell you who finished earlier — and which one was quicker?

Mathematics Measurement Ages 4–6

Comparing durations

Your child can use time words like quicker, slower, earlier and later. They can say who finished their dinner first.

In curriculum terms

Use comparative language for time: quicker, slower, earlier, later

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Compare two events and say which was quicker/slower
Use 'earlier' and 'later' correctly to describe daily events
Solve practical problems like 'Who finished first?'

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

If your child finishes their dinner before a sibling, can they tell you who finished earlier — and which one was quicker?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Nothing on the map comes before this — it’s a starting point.

Comparing durationsthis skill · ages 4–6

Unlocks

Telling time to the minuteages 5–6Measuring time in units requires understanding time comparison language first

Sequence intervals of timeages 6–7Comparing and sequencing intervals extends Y1 comparative time language

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

Show candidate curriculum codes · 3 ACARA · 2 NSW · 3 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9MFM01low confidenceFoundation · Measurement

identify and compare attributes of objects and events, including length, capacity, mass and duration, using direct comparisons and communicating reasoning

AC9M1M01low confidenceYear 1 · Measurement

compare directly and indirectly and order objects and events using attributes of length, mass, capacity and duration, communicating reasoning

AC9M1M03low confidenceYear 1 · Measurement

describe the duration and sequence of events using years, months, weeks, days and hours

NSW syllabus codes & stages only

MA1-NSM-02medium confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 1

MA1-CHAN-01low confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 1

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2M1M01medium confidenceMathematics · Level 1 · Measurement strand

VC2MFM01medium confidenceMathematics · Foundation · Measurement strand

VC2M1M03low confidenceMathematics · Level 1 · Measurement strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

Comparing Capacityages 4–6 Comparing Lengths & Heightsages 4–6 Measurable Attributes of Objectsages 4–6 Measuring mass and weightages 4–6

All Measurement skills →