The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) administered by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) is a crucial stage in a child’s education journey, assessing their readiness for secondary education. The English examination is particularly notable as it tests a broad range of language skills. Specifically, let’s discuss the PSLE English Paper 2, also known as the ‘Language Use and Comprehension’ paper.
- The comprehension section is part of the PSLE English Examination Paper 2, also known as the ‘Language Use and Comprehension’ paper.
- Paper 2 is split into two main components – Booklet A and Booklet B.
- The comprehension section appears in Booklet B.
- This section is evaluated through open-ended questions (OE) based on a provided passage.
- The comprehension section carries a significant portion of the marks in Paper 2.
- The comprehension section contributes towards the total weighting of 47.5% for Paper 2 in the overall PSLE English score.
- The total duration allocated for Paper 2, which includes the comprehension section, is 1 hour and 50 minutes.
English Paper 2, structured in two booklets, is designed to evaluate students’ grasp of language use and their comprehension abilities. The paper is divided into two main components – Booklet A and Booklet B, with a weighting of 47.5% of the total PSLE English score, and it runs for 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Booklet A tests grammar, vocabulary, vocabulary cloze, and visual text comprehension, each section presenting its questions in a multiple-choice format (MCQ). This booklet gauges the students’ understanding of basic English grammar rules, their vocabulary knowledge, their ability to fill in the blanks with appropriate vocabulary, and their comprehension of visual information in various forms like posters, advertisements, or flyers.
On the other hand, Booklet B is all about open-ended questions. It assesses grammar cloze, editing for spelling and grammar, comprehension cloze, synthesis/transformation, and open-ended comprehension. Students are expected to fill in the blanks with appropriate grammar rules, correct spelling and grammar errors in given sentences, comprehend a passage and fill in the blanks, transform sentences without changing their meaning, and finally, to answer a set of open-ended questions related to a comprehension passage.
| Paper | Component | Item Type | No. of Items | Marks | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Writing) | Situational Writing | OE (Open-ended) | 1 | 15 | 27.5% | 1 h 10 min |
| Continuous Writing | OE (Open-ended) | 1 | 40 | |||
| 2 (Language Use and Comprehension) | Booklet A: Grammar | MCQ (Multiple-choice) | 10 | 10 | 47.5% | 1 h 50 min |
| Vocabulary | MCQ (Multiple-choice) | 5 | 5 | |||
| Vocabulary Cloze | MCQ (Multiple-choice) | 5 | 5 | |||
| Visual Text Comprehension | MCQ (Multiple-choice) | 8 | 8 | |||
| Booklet B: Grammar Cloze | OE (Open-ended) | 10 | 10 | |||
| Editing for Spelling and Grammar | OE (Open-ended) | 12 | 12 | |||
| Comprehension Cloze | OE (Open-ended) | 15 | 15 | |||
| Synthesis / Transformation | OE (Open-ended) | 10 | 10 | |||
| Comprehension OE | OE (Open-ended) | 20 | 20 | |||
| 3 (Listening Comprehension) | Listening Comprehension | MCQ (Multiple-choice) | 20 | 20 | 10% | About 35 min |
| 4 (Oral Communication) | Reading Aloud | OE (Open-ended) | 1 passage | 10 | 15% | About 10 min (5 min preparation time; about 5 min examination time) |
| Stimulus-based Conversation | OE (Open-ended) | 1 visual stimulus | 20 |
Legend: MCQ: Multiple-choice questions OE: Open-ended questions Total Marks: 200 Total Weighting: 100%
The range of assessments in Paper 2 truly reflects the comprehensive approach of MOE SEAB. It ensures that students have a solid understanding of English language rules, can apply these rules effectively, and can comprehend and extract information from a variety of texts.
Understanding the format of the PSLE English Examination Paper 2 is critical for effective preparation. It assists students in identifying areas of strength and weakness, enabling them to focus their revision efforts accordingly. Moreover, it helps to build familiarity with the types of questions they will encounter, thereby reducing anxiety and boosting confidence on the day of the examination. Hence, parents and educators should work closely with students to help them navigate this journey, ensuring they have a deep understanding of the requisite English language concepts and skills needed to excel.
