How do I make a tally chart?

Type your survey question and the categories you want into the prompt box, choose filled or blank, pick a style, then click Generate. Figviz draws a clean table with a Category column, a Tally column showing marks grouped in fives, and a Total column. Refine the description and regenerate until it fits your lesson.

How do you write tally marks?

Draw one vertical stroke for each item you count. When you reach five, draw the fifth stroke diagonally across the previous four, forming a group that looks like a gate. This lets you count by fives at a glance. For example, two full groups plus two single strokes equals twelve.

What is the difference between a tally chart and a frequency table?

A tally chart is what you fill in while collecting data, using marks so the count is easy to update. A frequency table is the tidy summary made afterward, with the final number for each category instead of marks. Many charts combine both, showing a Category, a Tally, and a Frequency column side by side. Figviz can generate any of these formats.

Can I print the tally chart for my classroom?

Yes. Figviz exports tally charts at up to 4K resolution, sharp enough for poster printing or standard letter-size handouts. Download the PNG and print it at home or at school. Choose the portrait (3:4) aspect ratio for a wall poster, or 4:3 for a worksheet that fits a single page.

AI-Powered

Tally Chart Generator Tally Charts

Q: Can I get a blank tally chart template?

Yes. Ask for a blank chart, for example "a blank tally chart with Category, Tally, and Total columns and six empty rows." Figviz produces a ready-to-print template with ruled lines so students can write the categories and add tally marks by hand during a class survey.

Describe a survey or set of categories and get a clean, classroom-ready tally chart in seconds. Tally marks grouped in fives, a category column, and a frequency total. Print or share digitally.

Last updated: 2026-06-21

✓Tally marks grouped in fives✓Category and frequency columns✓Classic, colorful and minimal styles✓Free for teachers

Tally Chart Generator

Style

Describe your tally chart

Free to try ·

Not what you expected? Tell us

Preview

Your tally chart will appear here

Describe your survey and click Generate

Tally Chart Examples

Browse tally charts made with Figviz, or generate your own above

View

Favorite Fruit Tally Chart

A survey tally chart recording favorite fruit votes, with tally marks grouped in fives and a matching frequency total for each row.

surveydatafrequency

Blank Tally Chart Template

A clean blank tally chart template with three labeled columns and empty rows, ready to print and fill in during a class survey.

templateblankprintable

Tally Marks Poster

A classroom poster that teaches how to write tally marks, showing one through five and how every fifth mark crosses the group diagonally.

postertally marksreference

Tally and Frequency Table

A combined tally and frequency table that shows how counted tally marks translate into the numbers in a frequency column.

frequency tabledatamath

Weather Survey Tally Chart

A tally chart recording the weather across a month, with rows for sunny, cloudy, rainy, and snowy days and a frequency total.

weathersurveyscience

Tally Chart Worksheet

A practice worksheet pairing a filled tally chart with simple questions that ask students to read the totals and compare categories.

worksheetpracticeprintable

What is a tally chart?

A tally chart is a simple table for recording counts as data is collected. Each row lists a category, and a tally mark is added every time that category is counted. Marks are grouped in fives: four vertical strokes with a diagonal fifth stroke drawn across them, which makes large counts quick to read. A final column shows the frequency, or total, for each category. Tally charts are one of the first data tools taught in kindergarten through second grade because they are easy to fill in by hand and turn directly into a frequency table or a bar graph.

How to make a tally chart with Figviz

Name your survey: type the question or topic you are counting, for example "favorite fruit" or "weather this month."

List the categories: tell Figviz which rows you want, such as apple, banana, orange, and grape.

Choose filled or blank: ask for tally marks already filled in, or a blank template you can complete by hand during the lesson.

Pick a style: Classic keeps it black and white, Colorful color-codes the rows, and Minimal gives a clean low-ink layout.

Choose an orientation: portrait (3:4) suits a wall poster, landscape (4:3) fits a projector or handout, and square (1:1) exports cleanly for digital platforms.

Generate and download: click Generate Tally Chart, refine your description if needed, then export at up to 4K for crisp printing.

How to read and write tally marks

To write tally marks, draw one short vertical stroke for each item you count. When you reach five, draw the fifth stroke diagonally across the previous four so the group looks like a gate. This grouping lets anyone count by fives at a glance: two full groups plus three single strokes is thirteen. To read a tally chart, count the groups of five and add the leftover single marks for each row, then write that number in the total or frequency column. Comparing the totals tells you which category has the most and which has the least.

Tally chart vs frequency table

A tally chart and a frequency table show the same data in two stages. The tally chart is what you fill in while collecting data, using marks so you do not have to erase and rewrite numbers as the count grows. A frequency table is the tidy summary you make afterward, replacing the marks with the final number for each category. Many teachers combine both into one table with a Category column, a Tally column, and a Frequency or Total column, so students can see exactly how the marks become numbers. Figviz can generate either format, or the combined version, from a single description.

Classroom uses for tally charts

Class surveys: count favorite fruits, pets, colors, or sports and turn the results into a quick bar graph.

Daily data routines: track the weather, attendance, or lunch choices each day to build a running tally over a week or month.

Science observations: tally the number of birds at a feeder, the types of leaves collected, or the results of a simple experiment.

Reading and counting practice: filling in marks and totaling by fives reinforces skip counting and one-to-one correspondence.

Math centers: a blank tally chart paired with a spinner or dice makes a self-checking probability and counting activity.

Can I get a blank tally chart template?

Yes. To generate a blank tally chart template, ask for empty rows: for example "a blank tally chart with columns for Category, Tally, and Total and six empty rows." Figviz draws the table with ruled lines and headers so students can fill in the categories and add tally marks by hand during a live survey. Print several copies for a math center, or post the file digitally so students can annotate it in a PDF editor. Building the chart together as data comes in helps younger students connect each mark to a real count.

Frequently asked questions

A tally chart is a table that records counts using tally marks. Each row is a category, and you add one mark every time you count that category, grouping the marks in fives with a diagonal fifth stroke. A frequency or total column shows the final count for each row. It is one of the first data tools taught in early elementary grades.

Related math tools

All tools →

Make your own tally chart with Figviz

Create a free account and get starter credits to generate your own. No credit card required.