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PSLE English Comprehension & Oral: Do's & Don'ts
12 Apr 2025·5 min read·The Tutor's Table
Paper 2 rewards careful reading more than it rewards 'bombastic' vocabulary. Oral rewards natural, thoughtful answers more than memorised phrases. Here is what works — and what costs marks every year.
Do's
- DO underline the key word in every question — 'why', 'how', 'what', 'two reasons'. The question dictates the answer shape.
- DO answer in full sentences that 'borrow' words from the question to anchor your answer.
- DO use evidence from the passage, quoted exactly where possible, for inference questions.
- DO practice explaining your answer for Oral in 3 sentences: Point → Example / personal experience → Link back to the question.
- DO make eye contact and smile during Oral. Examiners mark on 'ease of communication' too.
- DO ask for clarification if you truly don't understand an Oral question — it's better than freezing.
Don'ts
- DON'T copy a whole chunk from the passage as your answer — markers penalise lifting without processing.
- DON'T answer 'why' questions with just a 'because'. Always unpack the reason.
- DON'T leave vocabulary-in-context questions blank. Look at the sentence before and after for clues.
- DON'T speak in one-word answers during Oral. Even 'Yes' needs 2–3 sentences of reasoning.
- DON'T memorise generic Oral responses — examiners hear them and mark down for unnatural delivery.
- DON'T rush. Taking a breath before answering is a sign of confidence, not weakness.
Daily 10-minute reading of a newspaper article + summarising it in 3 sentences is the single most effective prep for both comprehension and oral.
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