Tally marks are a numbering system. A vertical line is used to count your first four numbers, while a horizontal or diagonal line strikes through the first four (designating the number five). As your numbers increase, your tally marks grow, so two groups of tally marks (with a diagonal line) would indicate the number 10. Although Microsoft Word was not designed to create tally marks, you can create them with a little customisation, by changing your font or by incorporating the strike-through effect.

Open a new or existing document in Microsoft Word.

Select the "Times New Roman" font from the "Formatting" toolbar, then type the pipe key "|", that is just beneath the backspace key on your keyboard.

Create a five by typing the pipe key four times. Highlight them on your page and click on "Format" and "Font" in the toolbar (shortcut: Ctrl+D). Then add a checkmark to "Strikethrough" under "Effects" and press "OK." The tally mark will be created for you.

  • Tally marks are a numbering system.
  • Highlight them on your page and click on "Format" and "Font" in the toolbar (shortcut: Ctrl+D).