The examinations are here again! Remember to take a breather, stay calm and apply the skills that have been taught to you.
For the essay writing section, remember to
1. Plan for the essay
PSLE students – if you are writing a narrative composition, remember to plan the climax first, followed by the resolution. It is vital that you know the main plot and how the story ends even before you begin writing.
‘O’ levels – for your chosen topic, analyse the question carefully and take note of key phrases or qualifiers e.g. “describe”, “discuss”, “agree/disagree”. Outline your essay with a clear thesis statement.
2. Write clearly and with impact
PSLE students – this means that you have to embellish your sentences with emotive descriptors. When describing scenery, engage your five senses and think about how to bring the scenery to life with appropriate phrases and description. While descriptive phrases are useful, avoid cramming too many adjectives or adverbs to describe a particular detail.
‘O’ levels – When in doubt, use clarity as your yardstick for writing. Make sure your essay follows a logical structure and use short sentences. Avoid overly-elaborate sentences or cramming too many ideas into one sentence.
3. Check for mistakes
Whether it’s a PSLE narrative or an ‘O’ levels essay, make sure you have time at the end to proofread your script for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. These mistakes can accumulate and cost you unnecessary marks.
All the best for your examinations!
