Q&A - PSLE English

[Brenda10]

Mum1113:

Interestingly, mine got all correct

Hi Mum1113

That's great! We are in the process of clearning all the 2010 EL S&T section and would seek help :imdrowning: here if there is doubt.

[Mum1113]

Brenda10, this forum is very helpful in clearing doubts. Esp when the given answers seem doubtful at times and we are here to seek help

[PiggyLalala]

Just curious, how does the teacher in the school teach sythesis? Did they go through the structure or rules for each sythesis question like what ridcully had done? Anyone knows of any good sythesis guide or assessment books with all the structure and rules clearly stated and explained?

[Mum1113]

Hi, pls help with the following SnT , MTIA


Qn : I am talking about last Tuesday or whichever day it was that my uncle came over.
Given ans : I am talking about last Tuesday or whenever it was my uncle came over.
Is this ans acceptable ? I am talking about last Tuesday or whenever my uncle came over.


Qn : There are seats in the auditorium at this time. It is doubtful.
Given ans : It is doubtful whether there are seats in the auditorium or not at this time.
Is this ans acceptable ? It is doubtful whether there are seats or not in the auditorium at this time.


Qn : I understand you have a bad childhood. Despite that, you do not need to awash yourself with sympathy all the time.
Given ans : I understand you have a bad childhood, but you still do not need to awash yourself with sympathy all the time.
Is this ans acceptable ? I understand you have a bad childhood, still you do not need to awash yourself with sympathy all the time.

[ridcully]

Mum1113:

Qn : I am talking about last Tuesday or whichever day it was that my uncle came over.

Given ans : I am talking about last Tuesday or whenever it was my uncle came over.
Is this ans acceptable ? I am talking about last Tuesday or whenever my uncle came over.

The short answer is ‘no’. The explanation is a little convoluted and beyond the primary syllabus, but if you are interested…

‘Whenever’ can be used as a conjunction or an adverb. We use it as a conjunction to refer to something that happens each time another event occurs. For example:-

Whenever Teacher Ridcully is bored, he logs onto kiasuparents.

In the given answer, you already have a conjunction, namely ‘or’. Therefore, the suspicion is that ‘whenever’ is not being used as a conjunction - we do not normally put two conjunctions together. This is indeed the case: ‘whenever’ is being used as an adverb. As an adverb, it is substituting for the question word ‘when’. The clause in the given answer really means:-

When was it that my uncle came over?

We would not say:

When my uncle came over?

The false subject ‘it’ is needed to frame the question. Thus, the given answer is correct.

Mum1113:

Qn : There are seats in the auditorium at this time. It is doubtful.
Given ans : It is doubtful whether there are seats in the auditorium or not at this time.
Is this ans acceptable ? It is doubtful whether there are seats or not in the auditorium at this time.

I would say that your answer is acceptable. ‘In the auditorium’ and ‘at this time’ are both prepositional phrases serving as adverbials. If you can have ‘at this time’ after ‘not’, then why not ‘in the auditorium’?

Mum1113:

Qn : I understand you have a bad childhood. Despite that, you do not need to awash yourself with sympathy all the time.
Given ans : I understand you have a bad childhood, but you still do not need to awash yourself with sympathy all the time.
Is this ans acceptable ? I understand you have a bad childhood, still you do not need to awash yourself with sympathy all the time.

Your suggested answer is not correct. In the given answer, ‘still’ is being used as an adverb meaning ‘despite that’. As an adverb, it does not subsitute for a contrasting conjunction, in this case ‘but’.

However, you can use it as what is called a conjunctive adverb – combining both roles. In this case, you need to separate the clauses with a semi-colon:-

I understand you have a bad childhood; still, you do not need to awash yourself with sympathy all the time.

Hope that helps.
R

[Mum1113]

Thanks Ridcully

[Mum1113]

Hi, pls help with the following SnT, MTIA.


Qn : Where is my book ? I left it on the table.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? Where is my book that I left on the table ? (Should the answer be : Where is my book that I had left on the table ? )

Qn : A plate of fried rice costs about $10 at a Japanese restaurant. At a coffeeshop, a plate of fried rice costs only $3.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? A plate of fried rice costs about $10 at a Japanese restaurant whereas it costs only $3 at a coffeeshop.

Qn : Start out with a master plan. If possible, use it.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? Start out with a master plan and use it wherever possible.

Qn : Heath-conscious Fang Fang tries to drink mineral water as much as possible.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? Heath-conscious Fang Fang tries to drink mineral water whenever it is possible.

Qn : The old filing system was rather complicated. However, the new filing system is as simple as ABC.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? The old filing system was rather complicated whereas the new one is as simple as ABC.

Qn : As I was waiting in line for the service, I ate four cheese hotdogs for lunch.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? While waiting in line for the service, I ate four cheese hotdogs for lunch.

[ridcully]

Mum1113:

Qn : Where is my book ? I left it on the table.

Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? Where is my book that I left on the table ? (Should the answer be : Where is my book that I had left on the table ? )

Your ds's answer is correct. The other answer is wrong: no need for past perfect.

Mum1113:

Qn : A plate of fried rice costs about $10 at a Japanese restaurant. At a coffeeshop, a plate of fried rice costs only $3.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? A plate of fried rice costs about $10 at a Japanese restaurant whereas it costs only $3 at a coffeeshop.

Your ds's answer is correct.

Mum1113:

Qn : Start out with a master plan. If possible, use it.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? Start out with a master plan and use it wherever possible.

I would say no. 'Wherever' means in every case, but 'if possible' implies only use it when appropriate.

How about:
If possible, use the master plan you start out with.

Mum1113:

Qn : Heath-conscious Fang Fang tries to drink mineral water as much as possible.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? Heath-conscious Fang Fang tries to drink mineral water whenever it is possible.

Your ds's answer is acceptable. I prefer:
Being health-conscious, Fang Fang tries to drink mineral water as much as possible.

Mum1113:

Qn : The old filing system was rather complicated. However, the new filing system is as simple as ABC.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? The old filing system was rather complicated whereas the new one is as simple as ABC.

Yur ds's answer is acceptable.

Mum1113:

Qn : As I was waiting in line for the service, I ate four cheese hotdogs for lunch.
Is my ds’s answer acceptable ? While waiting in line for the service, I ate four cheese hotdogs for lunch.

Your ds's answer is acceptable.

Rgds
R

[Brenda10]

Hi, need help on the following two S&T:


Q1: \"Can you find out where Aunt Alice has gone?\" my mother asked me.

DD: My mother asked me if I could find out where Aunt Alice had gone.

Ans: My mother asked me to find out where Aunt Alice had gone.


Q2. Many people came to watch the football match even though it was raining heavily.

DD: Many people came to watch the football match in spite of the fact that it was raining heavily.

Ans: Many people came to watch the football match in spite of the the heavy rain.

Thank you.

[ridcully]

Brenda10:

Q1: \"Can you find out where Aunt Alice has gone?\" my mother asked me.


DD: My mother asked me if I could find out where Aunt Alice had gone.

Ans: My mother asked me to find out where Aunt Alice had gone.

Both seem fine.

Brenda10:

Q2. Many people came to watch the football match even though it was raining heavily.

DD: Many people came to watch the football match in spite of the fact that it was raining heavily.

Ans: Many people came to watch the football match in spite of the the heavy rain.

Both answers fine (except for the repeated 'the' in the second answer).

Rgds
R