PSLE English Oral Practice with Model Answers
- Time
- About 10 min
- Marks
- 40
- Weighting
- 20%
The oral exam has two parts: reading aloud, and a conversation about a photo. The two parts are on different topics.
What the examiners mark
- Reading with expression that suits the situation.
- Clear pronunciation.
- Giving clear views and personal experiences in the conversation.
- Grammar and range of vocabulary when speaking.
Suggested timing
| Preparation | 5 min |
| With the examiners | About 5 min |
The sections
| Section | How you answer | Marks | On Zippy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading aloud | Spoken | 15 | 5 practice sets |
| Stimulus-based conversation | Spoken | 25 | 5 practice sets |
This page helps your child practise both parts of the PSLE English Oral. Each practice page has a model answer and notes on how it is marked.
What is in the Oral
| Part | What your child does |
|---|---|
| Reading Aloud | Reads a short passage aloud. A situation line at the top sets the tone. |
| Stimulus-Based Conversation (SBC) | Talks with the examiners about a photo. |
In SBC, the first question asks how the people in the photo feel. Your child should say why, using what they can see. The later questions ask for your child's own views.
Reading Aloud
Each passage has a situation line, notes on the tone to use, and help with hard words.
| Passage | Tone |
|---|---|
| Reading Aloud Passage 1: The Lost Puppy | Warm, like telling a story |
| Reading Aloud Passage 2: A Message to a Friend | Excited |
| Reading Aloud Passage 3: Directions to the Hall | Calm and clear |
| Reading Aloud Passage 4: A Thank-You Speech | Sincere and warm |
| Reading Aloud Passage 5: A News Report | Clear and steady |
Stimulus-Based Conversation (SBC)
Each photo comes with 3 questions. The first is about feelings in the photo. The other two ask for your child's opinion on the theme. Each question has a weak answer, a strong answer and a note on the difference.
- SBC Practice 1: Cooking Together at Home
- SBC Practice 2: A Community Clean-Up
- SBC Practice 3: Screen Time at Home
- SBC Practice 4: A School Sports Day
- SBC Practice 5: Helping an Elderly Neighbour
How to practise
Do 1 Reading Aloud passage and 1 SBC photo each evening in the weeks before the Oral. About 10 minutes a day is enough.
New to the Oral? Start with the parent guide: PSLE English Oral 2026: a guide for parents.
Reading aloud
Read a short passage aloud clearly, with expression that suits it.
How to answer
- Read the line at the top that tells you the situation.
- Decide how it should sound. A welcome speech sounds different from a news report.
- In the preparation time, mark where to pause and which words to stress.
- Practise any hard words quietly.
- Read at a steady pace. Pause at commas and full stops.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What helps |
|---|---|
| Reading every passage in the same flat voice. | Record your child reading, play it back, and ask where it sounded flat. |
| Rushing, so the pauses disappear. | Practise a short pause at every full stop. |
| Stumbling on long words. | Use the preparation time to say every hard word three times. |
Stimulus-based conversation
Talk with the examiners about a photo, and share your views and experiences.
How to answer
- Answer the question directly in your first sentence.
- Give a reason.
- Add an example from your own life.
- Later questions move away from the photo. Answer them the same way.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What helps |
|---|---|
| One-sentence answers with no reason. | At home, ask "why?" and "when did that happen to you?" after each answer. |
| Describing the photo instead of answering the question. | Practise starting with "Yes", "No" or "I think" before anything else. |
| A memorised story that does not fit the question. | Practise short, true examples from your child's own week. |
Format, marks and weighting from the SEAB syllabus.