PSLE Comprehension (Open-Ended): How to Answer, with Examples
This page shows you how to answer open-ended comprehension questions in PSLE English Paper 2. Each technique has a weak answer and a strong answer, so you can see the difference.
Most lost marks are not about understanding the passage. They come from how the answer is written. Vague answers lose marks, and precise answers earn them.
Try each "Your turn" task before you look at the model answer. Use the multiple-choice questions to check that you can spot the answer that earns the mark.
First, work out what the question asks
Different question words need different answers.
| Question type | What it asks for | How to answer |
|---|---|---|
| What, who, when, where | A fact from the passage | Find it, then copy or reword it. Keep it short. |
| Why | A reason | Write an answer that could follow the word "because". |
| How did X feel? | A feeling | Name the feeling. Often you need evidence too. |
| In your own words | The same idea, in different words | Reword the passage. Copying loses the mark. |
| What does "___" mean here? | What the word means in this sentence | Give the meaning as it is used here, not the usual dictionary meaning. |
A question reads: 'In your own words, explain why Ravi refused to enter the cave.' Which approach earns the mark?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: (B) Give a reworded reason that can follow the word 'because'.
The correct answer is (B). This is a 'why' question and an 'in your own words' question. So it needs a reason, in your own words, that could follow 'because'. (A) is wrong because copying scores zero on an own-words question. (C) is wrong because the question asks for a reason, not a feeling. (D) is wrong because where the cave is does not explain why he refused.
Technique 1: answer in a full sentence
Start your answer with the words of the question. Then your answer makes sense on its own.
Question: Why did the boy hide the letter?
| Weak answer | Strong answer |
|---|---|
| "Because he was scared." | "The boy hid the letter because he was afraid his parents would be angry about his poor results." |
The strong answer begins with the question's words, "The boy hid the letter because". It also gives the exact reason from the passage, not a vague feeling.
Passage snippet: Lena clutched the trophy to her chest and slipped out through the back door before anyone in the hall could see her. She did not want the questions, or the eyes turning her way.
✍️ Your turn
Your turn: answer this in a full sentence that uses the words of the question. Why did Lena slip out through the back door? Use a specific reason from the snippet.
Reveal the model answer
Model answer: "Lena slipped out through the back door because she did not want people to ask her questions or stare at her."
Marking note: A good answer uses the question's words ("Lena slipped out… because…"). It gives the exact reason from the text, which is avoiding questions and attention. A vague feeling like "because she was shy" is not enough.
Technique 2: back up your answer with evidence
Some questions ask how someone felt, or what the passage suggests. For these, give a detail from the text as proof.
Question: How did Mei feel when she saw her results? How do you know?
| Weak answer | Strong answer |
|---|---|
| "She was sad." | "Mei felt disappointed. We know this because she 'stared at the paper without saying a word and her eyes filled with tears.'" |
The strong answer names the feeling. It also gives proof from the text, which is what "How do you know?" asks for.
Passage snippet: When the coach read out the team list, Devi's name was not on it. She forced a small smile, but her hands would not stop trembling and she looked away quickly.
✍️ Your turn
Your turn: how did Devi feel when her name was not read out? How do you know? Name the feeling and give evidence from the snippet.
Reveal the model answer
Model answer: "Devi felt upset and disappointed. We know this because although she 'forced a small smile', 'her hands would not stop trembling and she looked away quickly.'"
Marking note: For a "How do you know?" question, the feeling alone ("upset") is not enough. The mark needs evidence from the text. The answer points out the contrast between the forced smile and the trembling hands. This shows you worked out what the text suggests.
Technique 3: "in your own words" means reword every key word
Passage line: "The abandoned house was dilapidated and gave him an eerie feeling."
Question (own words): Describe the house and how it made the boy feel.
| Weak answer (copied) | Strong answer |
|---|---|
| "It was dilapidated and gave him an eerie feeling." | "The house was old and falling apart, and it made the boy feel strangely uneasy and frightened." |
The strong answer changes "dilapidated" to "old and falling apart". It changes "eerie" to "strangely uneasy". This shows you understood the words. Copying the exact words scores zero on an own-words question.
Passage line: 'The narrow alley was gloomy and reeked of stale food.' In your own words, which answer scores?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: (B) The tight alley was dark and smelled strongly of old food.
The correct answer is (B). Every key word is reworded. 'Narrow' becomes 'tight', 'gloomy' becomes 'dark', and 'reeked of stale food' becomes 'smelled strongly of old food'. (A) is copied word for word, so it scores zero on an own-words question. (C) still copies 'gloomy' and 'reek'. It only rewords half, so it would not get full marks. (D) rewords nothing useful. It also leaves out how the alley looked and smelled.
Technique 4: give the meaning the word has in this sentence
Passage: "The runner bolted down the track."
Question: What does "bolted" mean here?
| Weak answer | Strong answer |
|---|---|
| "A metal bolt." or "Locked a door." | "It means he ran off very quickly." |
The strong answer fits how the word is used in this sentence.
Test your meaning. Put it back into the passage in place of the word. It should still make sense.
Passage: 'A wave of relief washed over her.' What does 'washed over' mean here?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: (C) Suddenly filled or overcame her with the feeling.
The correct answer is (C). In this sentence, 'washed over her' means a feeling suddenly filled her. Check by putting the meaning back into the passage. (A), (B) and (D) all use the usual meaning of 'wash', which is about water. They ignore that the subject is 'a wave of relief'. That is a feeling, not water. These questions reward the meaning as it is used, not the dictionary meaning.
Check each answer
Ask yourself 3 questions about every answer you write.
- Does it answer the question word? "Why" needs a reason. "How did X feel?" needs a feeling.
- Is it about this passage, or could it fit any story?
- For own-words questions, did you reword? For questions about what the passage suggests, did you give evidence?
If all 3 answers are yes, your answer should earn the mark.
Practise the reading skill too
Careful answers start with careful reading. Practise reading for clues with comprehension cloze practice. Then use the same habit here.
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