Q&A - PSLE English

[ridcully]

Joy:

Claire was reluctant to part with her friends.


It was with________

DD answer : It was with reluctance did Claire part with her friends

Teacher's answer: It was with reluctance did Claire parted with her friends.

Teacher marked DD answer wrong.

Your daughter and her teacher are both wrong. In terms of usage of 'did' and an infinitive, your daughter's answer is 'more right'.

The correct answer should be:

It was with reluctance that Claire parted with her friends.

Rgds
R

[tianzhu]

starlight1968sg:

May I ask any online resources on PSLE Oral?

Many thanks.

Hi

Hope this helps.

http://www.todaysmotherhood.com/2010/04/tips-for-oral-examinations/

Best wishes

[Mum1113]

Help needed on Qns on S n T :


1. The city is holding the marathon on Saturday.
DS's answer : The marathon is being held in the city on Saturday.
Given answer : The marathon is being held by the city on Saturday.
This mummy thinks the answer should be in, as it sounds more correct than by.


2. Who invented the first camera ?
DS's answer : By whom the first camera was invented ?
Given answer : Who was the first camera invented by ?
This mummy thinks given answer just doesnt' sound correct ...?

Any experts kind to share your thoughts....MTIA

[ridcully]

Mum1113:

1. The city is holding the marathon on Saturday.
DS's answer : The marathon is being held in the city on Saturday.
Given answer : The marathon is being held by the city on Saturday.
This mummy thinks the answer should be in, as it sounds more correct than by.

The given answer is correct. It is not a case of which sounds better: it is a case of understanding what S&T is about and of comprehension.

The sentence 'The city is holding the marathon on Saturday' is an active sentence. Here, 'the city' is the subject doing the action of holding the marathon. This active sentence has to be rewritten into the passive. In the passive, 'the marathon' becomes subject but 'the city' is retained as the agent hence 'by'.

You are using the preposition 'in' because you are thinking of the location where the marathon is held, which is not the question.
[quote]2. Who invented the first camera ?
DS's answer : By whom the first camera was invented ?
Given answer : Who was the first camera invented by ?
This mummy thinks given answer just doesnt' sound correct ...?[/quote]The given answer is correct for spoken English. For written English, the preferred answer would be:

By whom was the first camera invented?

In the course of my teaching, I frequently come across parents and children showing me worksheets marked by school teachers, tuition centre teachers and private tutors full of marking errors, especially in S&T. I wonder what's going on?

Rgds
R

[Mum1113]

ridcully:

it is a case of understanding what S&T is about and of comprehension.

Thanks ridcully....so it goes back to the fundamentals of keep practising.

[ridcully]

Mum1113:

ridcully:

it is a case of understanding what S&T is about and of comprehension.

Thanks ridcully....so it goes back to the fundamentals of keep practising.

No, it goes back to the fundamentals of being well taught by a knowledgeable teacher.

[atutor2001]

ridcully:

No, it goes back to the fundamentals of being well taught by a knowledgeable teacher.

I have been enjoying your posts. I fully agree with your above statement. Unfortunately, after 20 over years, I have not met a Pr school teacher with knowledge like yours. Maybe it is my luck.

Cheers

[ridcully]

atutor2001:

ridcully:

No, it goes back to the fundamentals of being well taught by a knowledgeable teacher.

I have been enjoying your posts. I fully agree with your above statement. Unfortunately, after 20 over years, I have not met a Pr school teacher with knowledge like yours. Maybe it is my luck.

Cheers

Modesty and decorum preclude me from acknowledging your compliment!

:celebrate:

[anneshirleygilbert]

Hi, I've been following the posts ... they have been most interesting to me. Can't help but make the following observation.


I've compiled the following inputs by RCully for ease of reference :

With regard to the marking of Comprehension Cloze passages in schools, I feel it is not a case that the marking is too strict but rather that the marking is done by non-specialist teachers who lack a certain breadth of vocabulary. Consequently, they are fearful of deviating from the set answers. To be fair, most of the teachers, like some private tutors advertising themselves in this forum, probably teach maths and science as well as English so I can accept that they are making fair effort within their limitations.

With regard to the marking of the Comprehension Cloze passage in the PSLE itself, the markers are reputedly knowledgeable teachers and well supported by MOE guidelines but have to be fairly strict in order to ensure standardisation.

In the course of my teaching, I frequently come across parents and children showing me worksheets marked by school teachers, tuition centre teachers and private tutors full of marking errors, especially in S&T. I wonder what's going on?

On many points, I appreciate the Spore education system. I think the MOE has done a wonderful job for the kids here. The kids are learning... there is a lot for them to learn. I witness that in my daughter when she returns home from school each day.

But, just what is going on? with errors in the marking of the English paper, erroneous answers in Science assessment books that we buy in the stores? Perhaps, you can do something, being a teacher? and bring Spore education to a higher level yet.

[ridcully]

anneshirleygilbert:

But, just what is going on? with errors in the marking of the English paper, erroneous answers in Science assessment books that we buy in the stores? Perhaps, you can do something, being a teacher? and bring Spore education to a higher level yet.

Hi anneshirleygilbert

I am only a humble private tutor who occasionally teaches in an enrichment centre. Also, I am not a Singaporean.

No one will listen to me ...

Rgds
R