Ask Our Teachers: Tips to acing your PSLE Chinese paper

Now that the listening comprehension and oral exams are out of the way, it’s time for your child to focus on their PSLE Chinese written paper! Paper 1 consists of composition writing, while Paper 2 assesses the student’s grasp of vocabulary, grammar, and their overall language mastery.

With composition-writing, Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs), and open-ended questions to tackle, they can be too much to even think about. But fret not, Teacher Carolyn’s back again to provide some tips for your child to ace their upcoming PSLE Chinese written paper!

1. Read the questions carefully (仔细审题)

Students should read each question carefully and understand what is required in their answers. They should ensure they understand what the question means and what it’s asking for, and answer them accordingly. Some questions may have multiple parts, and they need to ensure they address each part so no marks are left behind in vain. This is also important in many comprehension sections where incomplete answers can result in lower scores.

在考试中，学生们应该仔细阅读每道题目的要求。确保理解题目的意思，并按照要求回答。有时候，考试题目可能会包含多个部分，学生需要确保每个部分都有提到。这也是很多阅读理解的部分，答案不能够拿到满分的主要原因。

2. Manage your time well (时间管理)

Each exam paper has a limited duration for students to work on them, so they should keep in mind to manage their time wisely. Estimate how much time each section will require before starting the paper, and then strictly control your time while answering. If a particular section is taking too much time, consider skipping it and returning to it later. Poor time management can lead to incomplete exam papers and ultimately failing the exam for many students.

PSLE华文书面考试时间有限，所以同学们需要合理安排时间。大家可以在答卷前估算每个部分需要花费的时间，并在答题时严格控制时间。如果某个部分占用了太多时间，可以考虑跳过并在后面回答。有很多学生会因为时间管理不好，而造成了考卷没有写完，最终考试不及格的现象。

3. Proofread your answers (仔细校对)

After students have completed each section of the paper, they should allocate some time to carefully proofread their answers. Things they should take note of are spelling, grammar, and logical errors to ensure clarity in their responses. Proofreading helps students avoid careless mistakes that can result in point deductions.

在完成每个答卷部分后，学生应该留出一些时间来仔细校对他们的答案。检查拼写、语法和逻辑错误，确保答案清晰明了。校对有助于避免粗心错误，而造成丢分。

4. Tips for composing essays (作文写作的主意事项)

Choosing to write a composition based on a picture prompt (看图作文) can be easier because the images provide a visual context for the story and make it less likely for the student to go off-topic.

选择看图作文会比较容易创作，因为图片直观，可以看到事情的发展，不容易写离题。

Students should always begin by writing a draft first. They can follow the 6W method (who, what, when, where, why, and how), outline the cause, events, and outcomes of the story before proceeding with the full composition. While it may seem like a lot of time will be taken, this approach helps students establish an appropriate framework and helps beef up their actual content.

一定要写草稿，按照 6 何的办法，把事情的起因、经过、结果写出来之后，再进行完整的创作。这样做看起来是浪费了时间，实际上是可以帮助学生把握正确的框架，让内容更充实。

Although dictionaries are available to help, students should avoid rushing to use them at any given opportunity. Instead, annotate unfamiliar words with hanyu pinyin (汉语拼音) and fill them in after completing the composition. Many students waste a lot of time looking up words while writing, which can result in an incomplete essay and eventual failure.

不要着急查字典，可以把不会写的字全部用拼音标注，等完成了作文之后，再回去填补上文字。有很多学生因为一边查字典，一边写作，最后浪费了很多时间在查字典上，导致作文没有写完，就会作文不及格。

Paragraphs should be clearly separated. For a composition based on 6 pictures, use 6 paragraphs, along with an introduction and conclusion, to create a complete article.

段落一定要分清楚，6 幅图 6 个段落，再加上开头和结尾会是一篇完整的文章。

With Teacher Carolyn’s helpful tips for your child’s upcoming PSLE Chinese paper, we wish you all the best and good luck!