PSLE English Grammar & Sentence Structure Mastery
Strong grammar and clean sentence structure are two of the fastest ways to lift your child’s PSLE English score, especially in Paper 1 (Composition) and Paper 2 (Language Use & Comprehension). Markers reward clarity, accuracy, and variety: correct tenses, proper subject–verb agreement, punctuation that guides the reader, and sentences that flow. This guide shows parents the high-impact areas to focus on, the advanced structures that score, and the drills that build automaticity.
Grammar That Matters (Tenses, Punctuation, Agreement)
PSLE scripts often slip between past and present tenses, especially in narratives. Agree on a tense at the start and stay consistent, unless shifting for effect (e.g., flashbacks). In Paper 2, cloze and editing sections frequently test tense sequences after time markers like yesterday, by then, since, already. Train your child to underline time signals before choosing a verb.
Subject–Verb Agreement (SVA):
Errors spike with intervening phrases and indefinite pronouns.
“The basket of apples is on the table.” (not are)
“Everybody has to sign.” (not have)
Watch out for collective nouns (team, class), either/neither constructions, and there is/are openings.
Punctuation that earns marks:
Commas to break clauses and lists; avoid comma splices.
Full stops to curb run-ons—markers prefer two clear sentences over one tangled marathon.
Speech marks: capital letter at the start of direct speech, punctuation inside quotes when it’s part of the spoken sentence.
Apostrophes: possession (the boy’s bag / the boys’ bags) vs contraction (don’t). Don’t use apostrophes for plurals.
Pronouns & reference:
Maintain clear antecedents. If two characters are in a sentence, repeat the noun instead of a vague he or she. This is a quiet way to improve cohesion.
Common Paper 2 traps:
Words that travel in pairs: neither…nor, either…or, not only…but also—keep agreement with the nearest subject in correlative pairs.
Prepositions with set phrases: interested in, good at, responsible for. Encourage a “collocation notebook”.
Advanced Structures
Advanced doesn’t mean complicated; it means controlled variety that elevates tone and precision. Teach a small toolkit your child can deploy reliably.
1) Fronted adverbials (time, place, manner)
“At dawn, I crept out of the tent.”
Signal when/where/how first, then anchor the action.
2) Participial openers
“Shivering in the wind, Siti zipped up her jacket.”
These add texture without extra clauses. Ensure the participial phrase modifies the subject that follows (avoid dangling modifiers).
3) Relative clauses (who/which/that/whose/where)
“Tom, who had never seen a sea turtle before, waded closer.”
Great for adding detail in compositions; in Paper 2 editing, check comma use around non-defining clauses.
4) Emphatic structures
“It was the sudden silence that frightened me.”
Useful for contrast and focus in narratives and situational writing.
5) Parallelism
“He promised to listen, learn, and lead.”
Parallel structures polish lists and thesis-like statements.
6) Sentence-length control
Teach a mix: short (impact), medium (narrative flow), and occasional complex (depth). Markers notice rhythm.
Examples
Before (flat & error-prone): “I was running fast and I see the bus then I fall because the floor was wet and people was looking at me.”
After (controlled variety): “I ran for the bus; then I slipped on the wet floor. As I scrambled up, people were staring, and my cheeks burned.”
Before (weak SVA & punctuation): “The group of boys were noisy, they was asked to sit at the back which isn’t fair.”
After (correct SVA & clarity): “The group of boys was noisy, so the teacher asked them to sit at the back. It felt unfair, but the class finally quietened down.”
Use examples like these as rewrite drills—students copy the improved version once, then attempt to transform a similar sentence independently.
Practice Drills
Daily 10 (Paper 2–style):
Give ten sentence edits: tense, SVA, punctuation, prepositions, pronoun reference.
Mark quickly; track recurring mistakes in a mini “error log”.
Transformation grid (composition booster):
Pick a plain sentence. Ask your child to rewrite it as:
With a fronted adverbial;
With a relative clause;
With a participial opener;
As two shorter sentences for impact.
This builds flexible control.
Punctuation sprints (3 minutes):
Provide an unpunctuated paragraph. Child adds full stops, commas, and speech marks. Compare with a model.
SVA spotlight (5 questions):
Tricky pairs: neither/nor, each of, a number of vs the number of, there is/are, collective nouns. Speed + accuracy.
Composition uplift pass (5 minutes):
After finishing a draft, do a final pass only for:
Tense consistency
SVA
One sentence upgrade (add a relative clause or participial opener)
Punctuation of dialogue
Place these drills into a weekly cadence (Mon–Fri short sets, Sat longer composition work). For guided support and marked practice, see our PSLE English Tuition.
