JC or Poly?

[zac's mum]

Imp75\" post_id=\"2082171\" time=\"1663153549\" user_id=\"2358:

Am I correct to say that if hcl is L1, CL cannot be R5 (based on the logic CL/HCL is viewed as one), then EL also cannot be used in R5 correct? So if EL is used as L1, can hcl or cl be used as R5 under the ‘others’ bucket? Seems like in sec sch, it doesn’t pay to be good in Chinese.

IIRC, neither EL nor CL can be used as the R subject, simply because they are categorized as L subjects.

Doing HCL for O levels still gives u 2 benefits: -2 bonus points, and no need to take H1 CL in JC.

Not that it doesnt pay to do HCL (it does), but you are correct in that it doesnt pay to *do extremely well* in HCL or CL in secondary school. Chinese buffs however, may want to consider Chinese Literature as their humanities subject (half my Sec 4 class did that).

If u want to maximise efficiency, work harder to get A1 for EL is probably smarter, side benefit maybe the humanities essays will improve also. Set the grounding for GP in JC as well.

[MerlionInGermany]

I think CL is an O subject.


The O level student who sits for both CL and HCL is only sitting for an additional exam, but not using up curriculum time for 2 subjects.

The HCL gives him 2 bonus points.

The student who takes HCL and CL doesnt take CL as an additional subject. It is only sitting for an additional exam. So the earlier example of “a student taking 9 subjects including HCL” is actually a student taking 8 subjects and a CL exam. He is taking HCL as an option for his L1, without which he will have to use EL as his L1. And in your example of this student being weak in EL, having the option to use his stronger HCL in L1 is already an advantage. And then he has to pick 5 out of his 6 other subjects. Vs another student who has the same 8 subjects (7 subjects + CL) and no HCL, he will use his EL for L1 and then has to pick 5 out of 7 subjects. It may seem like he has an additional subject to play around with for his R1-R5. Whereas the earlier student has an additional subject to play around with for his L1. One has more options for L1, and the other has more options for R1-R5.

[zac's mum]

MerlionInGermany\" post_id=\"2082176\" time=\"1663158872\" user_id=\"2964:

CL is an O subject.

Thx for the correction.

How about if use HCL as L1? Can EL be an O subject?

[MerlionInGermany]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2082177\" time=\"1663159781\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2082177 time=1663159781 user_id=53606]
Thx for the correction.

How about if use HCL as L1? Can EL be an O subject?[/quote]

I think English is an L. I am not absolutely sure. Because I see it is O in the Jae booklet but I dont know if that means you can use it as R4 or R5.

[SG_KP1]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2082177\" time=\"1663159781\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2082177 time=1663159781 user_id=53606]
Thx for the correction.

How about if use HCL as L1? Can EL be an O subject?[/quote]

I think the answer is yes but functionally it doesn't matter. Just put EL as L1 and use HCL or CL as R4 (or R5) if both languages are in your Top 6 (subject to the constraints of each box).

[zac's mum]

I wonder why MOE website team hasnt yet come up with an online L1R5 calculator for O levels.


I searched and found an independent one but it requires self-input of the L and R and O subject grades, no AI check.

[Imp75]

That’s why I feel the L1 R5 is very confusing for me. So EL CL or HCL can be used as R4 or R5? I thought EL or HCL only fit L1 and CL (being Not first language) can be R4 or R5 because it’s not the ‘prime’ language?

[SG_KP1]

I may be wrong on EL, HCL, and CL. Hopefully floppy will log on again soon.


The following post has the JAE booklet embedded in it. Page 29 (PDF page 41) has English as first language, Chinese, and Higher Chinese all as \"O\" category. That's why I thought you can use either EL or HCL as L1 and any of the three as R4 as long as you don't use both CL and HCL.

Practically speaking, CL should at least match HCL, so I'd guess many end up with EL = L1 and CL = R4 per Merlion's prior reply above.

https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=15425&p=2079016#p2079016

[zac's mum]

SG_KP1\" post_id=\"2082184\" time=\"1663162819\" user_id=\"188234:

I may be wrong on EL, HCL, and CL. Hopefully floppy will log on again soon.

The following post has the JAE booklet embedded in it. Page 29 (PDF page 41) has English as first language, Chinese, and Higher Chinese all as \"O\" category. That's why I thought you can use either EL or HCL as L1 and any of the three as R4 as long as you don't use both CL and HCL.

Practically speaking, CL should at least match HCL, so I'd guess many end up with EL = L1 and CL = R4 per Merlion's prior reply above.

https://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=15425&p=2079016#p2079016

I’ll insert a screenshot of the page here as an image so it’s a handy ref:

https://i.imgur.com/hdJ93rC.png\">

As for the assumption that if CL is good, HCL will also be good, well in my case I scored A1 for CL (taken as the only major exam in Sec 3, no sweat), but in Sec 4 I scored B4 for HCL (partly becos I had other more important subjects to focus on).

[SG_KP1]

zac's mum\" post_id=\"2082186\" time=\"1663164068\" user_id=\"53606:[quote=\"zac's mum\" post_id=2082186 time=1663164068 user_id=53606]
...
As for the assumption that if CL is good, HCL will also be good, well in my case I scored A1 for CL (taken as the only major exam in Sec 3, no sweat), but in Sec 4 I scored B4 for HCL (partly becos I had other more important subjects to focus on).[/quote]

Understand. What I meant was I don't think there would be a situation where:

a) EL = L1, CL = R4

is worse than

b) HCL = L1, EL = R4 (if you can use EL here)

Hence, do what you did above; once you lock up CL = A1, try to get EL as high as you can (for many reasons) and then just pass HCL.