How to answer PSLE science exam questions

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SINGAPORE – When it comes to the PSLE science examination, pupils often make certain mistakes which can be readily addressed, according to former science schoolteacher Jolene Ang.

Some Primary 6 pupils are unclear about terms that occur frequently in questions, which leads to incorrect or incomplete answers, says the co-founder of BlueTree Education tuition centre.

For instance, questions asking exam participants to “state” scientific concepts do not require them to provide explanations.

When explanations are called for, pupils may find it useful to apply the CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) framework where relevant, she adds.

The popular technique requires pupils to support their claim with evidence and provide reasons for their choice of answer.

Explanations are often requested in exam questions involving the application of concepts learnt, such as being asked to explain how an increase in the amount of light would change the rate of photosynthesis, says Ang.

“In the PSLE, children learn scientific processes and should be able to describe how processes like decomposition take place,” she says.

When asked to describe an experiment, for example, children need to determine the relevant concepts and evidence to support their answers, and outline the steps involved.

Ang is a former Gifted Education Programme teacher and chief presiding examiner, the lead exam official at a testing centre who is responsible for ensuring that national exams like the PSLE are conducted securely.

She marked PSLE science exam papers for 10 years before co-founding BlueTree Education in 2016.

She will be a speaker on July 11 at The Straits Times PSLE Prep Forum, titled “Essential exam strategies: What can you do in the final stretch of PSLE revision?”. It is open to subscribers of ST’s PSLE Companion series.

At the forum held online and in person at the auditorium at SPH Media in Toa Payoh North, Ang will focus on how to approach PSLE science questions.

A set of questions and answers from past-year PSLE papers compiled by BlueTree Education – billed as PSLE Science Challenge Cards – will be distributed at the event.

Click here for a sample card.

Besides clearing up any confusion about what terms like “state”, “describe” and “explain” mean for exam answers, Ang advises parents on how they can help pupils tackle other problem areas in PSLE science.

This involves guiding children who have put in the work but give vague answers that cost them marks; streamlining revision using tools such as mind maps; and urging parents and Primary 6 kids not to underestimate the multiple-choice section of the national exam.

Don’t sleep on the MCQ

The 2026 Primary School Leaving Examination science paper is scheduled to take place on Sept 29.

It comprises two booklets. Booklet A consists of 30 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) with four options and makes up 60 out of 100 marks. The remaining 40 marks are from Booklet B, which has 10 to 11 structured questions.

Ang says that parents are often confident that their Primary 6 child can do well in the MCQ section, but this sentiment may be misplaced in some cases.

“A lot of multiple-choice questions are what we call knowledge-based questions. The children must know their topics well. If there is a content gap, it shows up quite badly in the MCQs,” she says.

“Science is a content-heavy subject – the parents must know this. The children are expected to absorb a great amount of information, and a lot of parents underestimate this.

“Many parents think that MCQs don’t matter, but I would urge parents to focus on the MCQ paper as much as the other parts of the exam, as doing well could help your child get quality marks from Achievement Level 1 to 4.”

Keywords debate

A common complaint she hears from parents is that their child understands what the test questions are asking, but gives vague answers.

This could be due to several factors. For one thing, Ang says, children with a weaker content foundation may understand the question, but they need to recall what they know and apply it.

While there has been discussion about whether the PSLE requires pupils to use “keywords” or face losing marks, she notes that “every subject has its own language”.

If the correct terms are not taught to pupils, they may spend too much time trying to find the right words for their answers, she says.

“For instance, instead of saying ‘matter takes up space’, they say ‘the object is there’. The child may understand the concept, but you cannot mark it as correct.”

Book of mistakes

To boost revision, pupils should learn from their mistakes by documenting them, Ang says.

“I recommend that the child carry a personal misconception book. When she encounters a mistake, and knows that she keeps making similar mistakes, it’s useful to keep a record. It’s like language teachers asking students to keep a vocabulary book,” she says.

For instance, if the child keeps thinking that clouds are made of water vapour – they are made of water droplets or ice crystals – then it will be helpful to counter this error and record it.

“When students revise and look through their misconception books, it becomes very meaningful. It clicks immediately because it is personal,” she says, adding that it can take the form of recorded voice notes, if the child does not like to read.

Ang says that counters to habitual misconceptions can also be represented in mind maps, a tool for visually representing connections between concepts and ideas.

Mind maps can be used to organise and revise information, and can be especially helpful if they are comprehensive, she adds.

“You know your child has got it when you can see content from other topics on his mind map. For example, this might be a mind map on the water cycle linked to concepts involving heat,” she says.

How to spark motivation

Ang urges parents to encourage their children to pursue scientific thinking and not be “outcome-based”, zooming in on the correct answers.

She has encountered children who say things like: “I don’t want to try any more. My mother always says I get it wrong.”

“A lot of times, parents struggle with teaching their children. It’s because the kids did not take ownership of their learning, and were relying on the parents for answers and solutions,” she says, adding that parent and child can do research together on ChatGPT.

Real-life examples can spark curiosity, especially in younger children, she says. Mixing cornstarch with water, for instance, makes a substance called oobleck, which acts like a liquid when poured, but turns into a solid when force is applied to it.

Ang says: “Being curious about science will help your children want to learn more on their own.”