How to score well in PSLE english compositions?

The most important tip on how to score well in PSLE english compositions is to NOT GO OUT OF POINT.

Many students make this grave mistake and lose marks in content. You can have the most bombastic vocabulary but if your story does not fit the theme, you lose marks. Content carries at least 50% of the weightage.

In this short blog, we will focus on TWO KEYPOINTS to ensure your child NEVER goes out of point. If you follow these TWO SIMPLE STEPS, your child definitely can score well in PSLE english compositions.

1. Understanding the PSLE COMPOSITION TOPIC.

Here is a typical question. The PSLE composition topic is made up of three pictures and a title. A student is required to write at least 150 words using one, two or all three pictures. This sounds pretty straight forward. However, many students lose focus. They spend a lot of energy describing scenes that do not contribute to the theme. There may be exchanges of dialogues between characters that has nothing to do about a rescue. Or they may write lengthy descriptions about the weather and only a few sentences dedicated to the TOPIC - RESCUE.

KEYPOINT #1 : Focus on the title

The most energy consuming paragraph in your composition would be the CLIMAX. The climax would have the most action. This would roughly be in the third paragraph. The title is a clue to the MOST IMPORTANT SCENE in your story. The BIGGEST FOCUS of your composition. This is where you direct most of your descriptions, facial expressions, body language - anything that increases excitement in your story.

If your title is THEFT. Then, the most important scene would be an item getting stolen.

If your title is AN IRRESPONSIBLE ACT, the most important scene would be about someone committing an irresponsible act. All the previous paragraphs would culminate to THIS MOST IMPORTANT SCENE.

KEYPOINT #2: Focus on the pictures

You do need to use all pictures. However, you need to use at least ONE. In one of our classes, we had a PSLE COMPOSITION TOPIC that featured a mobile phone as one of the three pictures. One of our students asked, if they could substitute the mobile phone with another device. This is highly discouraged. It is best to use the pictures as they are. Again, this sounds pretty straightforward. However, many students go out of point because they did not utilise the pictures correctly.

You need to select at least one picture and ask how does the title fit into it?

In the above example, if you chose a rope, you can write a story about how you rescued someone who was clinging onto the cliff for his dear life! The most important scene would be the action of rescuing that person with the rope. You would direct a lot of energy by writing vivid descriptions to raise the excitement. You may use language tools like facial expressions, body language, dialogue, speech tags or emotional adjectives.

If you chose the broken bottle, you can write a story about how you rescued someone who was a victim of 'killer litter.' The most important scene would be the action of rescuing that person.

If you chose the van, you can write a story about how you rescued someone from an accident. The most important scene would be the action of rescuing someone by calling the ambulance.

Once again, THE MOST IMPORTANT SCENE roughly falls on the CLIMAX (3rd paragraph). As long as you remember these TWO KEYPOINTS as your anchors, you would NEVER go out of point.