English is a frequently used language for most subjects in many schools in Singapore as it is an official language. It is compulsory and essential for students to build a strong foundation in English during primary school. Learning English at an early stage helps students gain better fluency and command of the language and perform well in their PSLE English. When students score high in PSLE English, they gain self-confidence and get motivated to work for better grades in secondary school.

An Overview of Learning Objectives of PSLE English Syllabus

Primary 6 students must be able to write, read and examine the English language well. It is an essential skill that all students must possess while entering secondary school as they complete primary school. Let us discuss the learning objectives of the English language and what is expected from students while attempting PSLE English questions. They must:

• Use correct tone and expression in various contexts
• Write with clarity to suit the audience, purpose, and context
• Use vocabulary properly, precisely, and clearly
• Create and share relevant ideas
• Use the right spelling, punctuation, and grammar

By knowing the format of the PSLE English paper, you will be able to prepare your child with adequate knowledge and give proper revisions and help them score high.

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An Insight Into PSLE Exam Format

PSLE English has four main components, which are:

PSLE English paper 1 – Paper 1 is writing. It has a weightage of 27.5%, comprising 55 marks.

PSLE English paper 2 – Paper 2 is comprehension and language use. It has a weightage of 47.5%, comprising 95 marks.

PSLE English paper 3 – Paper 3 is listening comprehension. It has a weightage of 10%, comprising 20 marks.

PSLE English paper 4 – Paper 4 is oral communication. It has a weightage of 15%, comprising 30 marks.

PSLE English examination is for 200 marks. The student’s total score is converted into a percentage score for 100, which is used in AL (achievement level) score calculation.

Everything You Need to Know About PSLE English Format

Paper 1 – Writing

Paper 1 is subdivided into situation writing for 15 marks and continuous writing for 40 marks. The PSLE English paper 1 duration is 1 hour and 10 minutes for a total score of 55 marks. Under situational writing, students are expected to write a report, letter, or short email for a given situation to suit its purpose, context, and audience. Students must provide answers that contain information to fulfil the provided task. Most importantly, the requirement here is the usage of correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

In continuous writing, students have to write a composition on a given topic with a minimum of 150 words. Students will have to share their own interpretations for picture prompts. The ideas they express are expected to be engaging, interesting, and relevant, with good spelling, grammar, and punctuation. By using great vocabulary and different sentence structures, students will be able to score high.

Paper 2 – Language Use & Comprehension

The PSLE English paper 2 duration is 1 hour and 50 minutes for 95 marks. This paper evaluates the student’s critical thinking skills and ability to grasp English vocabulary and grammar. Paper 2 is a combination of multiple-choice questions and open-ended questions. The examination expects students to analyse different comprehension contexts and express their analytical skills and understanding of open-ended sections through editing, synthesis & transformation.

Also Read : Tips to Handle PSLE English Exam

Paper 3 – Listening Comprehension

Paper 3 tests the ability of the student with audio recordings to understand spoken English. There are 20 multiple-choice questions, and students are expected to attempt all of them in response to the provided audio recording. The exam duration is 35 minutes, and the total score for paper 3 is 20 marks. The audio recordings are played loud, and it includes advertisements, information about new items, announcements, etc.

Paper 4 – Oral Communication

PSLE English paper 4 is for 30 marks, and the exam duration is 30 minutes. This paper is an open-ended verbal assessment where students have to read and converse with the examiner. This section of PSLE English is one of the difficult parts, although the exam duration is very short. Paper 4 has a reading session for 10 marks where students have to read a passage to the examiner. The students will be assessed based on their articulation, pronunciation, expression, and fluency. Another part of paper 4 is the stimulus-based conversation for 20 marks. Here students will have to converse with the examiner using a picture provided to them. Three prompts are provided for which students have to share their experiences, examples, suggestions and opinions. The analysis will be based on proper vocabulary, grammatical sentence structure, and confidence while communicating.

ClosurePSLE is a stepping stone for every child’s future. Besides achieving and gaining high scores, it is essential to develop a strong and stable foundation to aid future studies. Preparing for PSLE English is not an easy task, but if students understand the format, they will be able to ace the examination effortlessly. Subscribe to Study Smart Singapore, an AI-powered app for personalised education and optimised exam preparation. We help your child prepare & score better in PSLE English with instant feedback and in-depth analysis through smart analytics.