Exam Preparation

[SAHM_TAN]

slmkhoo:

vinegar:

[quote=\"slmkhoo\"]
Don't necessarily follow what the guides say because many of them are truly horrible and the suggestions are way too flowery. If your daughter imbibes too much of it, she will have to unlearn it to do well in sec school.

it's true.the more i read thru creative writing books,the more i confuse n obsess wf the phrases they use.

What my daughter and I decided was that she should try to use more adjectives and adverbs (but only one at a time), and limit herself to 2 similes or metaphors per compo. That was about all we could stand in the 200-300 words![/quote]Thanks for the tip. I will observe how dd1's writing style develops and adapt accordingly.

[shann2]

i hope i am not intruding ...


but i do remember my teacher telling the class to use descriptive phrases. I believe that the phrases will make a compo more interesting. I usually use phrases to describe feelings since we can write about it in almost every single compo.

For example, \"her cheeks blushed hot with rage\" or \"He growled, fury twisting his handsome face into a gargoyle's mask\" .

Both phrases describe anger. I do not take credit for these phrases. I read a lot so i make it a point to jot down a few for every book i read so in the end i have a list. I remembered my favourite phrases & used them for daily compo homework hence during exams i would have these phrases at my fingertips.

This was how i \"studied\" for composition. I am not saying phrases are a must just that it will help students. Of course, grammar, spelling and story flow are the most important.

[SAHM_TAN]

shann2:

i hope i am not intruding ...


but i do remember my teacher telling the class to use descriptive phrases. I believe that the phrases will make a compo more interesting. I usually use phrases to describe feelings since we can write about it in almost every single compo.

For example, \"her cheeks blushed hot with rage\" or \"He growled, fury twisting his handsome face into a gargoyle's mask\" .

Both phrases describe anger. I do not take credit for these phrases. I read a lot so i make it a point to jot down a few for every book i read so in the end i have a list. I remembered my favourite phrases & used them for daily compo homework hence during exams i would have these phrases at my fingertips.

This was how i \"studied\" for composition. I am not saying phrases are a must just that it will help students. Of course, grammar, spelling and story flow are the most important.

Pls share what fiction titles/authors do you read to build up your list. Thank you.

[vinegar]

shann2:

i hope i am not intruding ...


but i do remember my teacher telling the class to use descriptive phrases. I believe that the phrases will make a compo more interesting. I usually use phrases to describe feelings since we can write about it in almost every single compo.

For example, \"her cheeks blushed hot with rage\" or \"He growled, fury twisting his handsome face into a gargoyle's mask\" .

Both phrases describe anger. I do not take credit for these phrases. I read a lot so i make it a point to jot down a few for every book i read so in the end i have a list. I remembered my favourite phrases & used them for daily compo homework hence during exams i would have these phrases at my fingertips.

This was how i \"studied\" for composition. I am not saying phrases are a must just that it will help students. Of course, grammar, spelling and story flow are the most important.

no, u r not intruding

I am doing the same as what u did,for my kids. I let him pick up his fav storybook,then get him to highlight the phrases he finds it interesting n easy to remember.

I feel he has remembered some of these phrases,but somehow,doesn't apply in his compo.Instead,he used those words he learnt fr. cartoon or movie. His teacher/tutor was puzzled n amused on his choice of words,for e.g. \"devour\". He learnt this word from Lego Ninjago cartoon.sometx,he used it correctly,most of the times not.

[Nebbermind]

shann2:

\"He growled, fury twisting his handsome face into a gargoyle's mask\" .

I donch know about the rest of you, but if I donch know what is a 'gargoyle mask', I totally cannot imagine or relate to the level of anger.

[SAHM_TAN]

Nebbermind:

shann2:

\"He growled, fury twisting his handsome face into a gargoyle's mask\" .

I donch know about the rest of you, but if I donch know what is a 'gargoyle mask', I totally cannot imagine or relate to the level of anger.

Ahhhh, the issue of common reference.

I wonder how will a PSLE marker respond? If the marker does not know what is a gargoyle, will the marker give the mark becos it looks sound, or not give mark becos cannot relate?

[Funz]

What with kids knowing big bombastic words like that pescatarian, I reckon markers will need a dictionary beside them when marking these compos.

[shann2]

SAHM_TAN:

shann2:

i hope i am not intruding ...


but i do remember my teacher telling the class to use descriptive phrases. I believe that the phrases will make a compo more interesting. I usually use phrases to describe feelings since we can write about it in almost every single compo.

For example, \"her cheeks blushed hot with rage\" or \"He growled, fury twisting his handsome face into a gargoyle's mask\" .

Both phrases describe anger. I do not take credit for these phrases. I read a lot so i make it a point to jot down a few for every book i read so in the end i have a list. I remembered my favourite phrases & used them for daily compo homework hence during exams i would have these phrases at my fingertips.

This was how i \"studied\" for composition. I am not saying phrases are a must just that it will help students. Of course, grammar, spelling and story flow are the most important.

Pls share what fiction titles/authors do you read to build up your list. Thank you.

i believe the books i read now would be too chim for primary school kids. But i do remember reading Enid Blyton when i was younger. Not much of a preference. My style was to go to the library, pick a book & go :imcool:
sorry im not of much help here! :imsorry:

[shann2]

vinegar:

shann2:

i hope i am not intruding ...


but i do remember my teacher telling the class to use descriptive phrases. I believe that the phrases will make a compo more interesting. I usually use phrases to describe feelings since we can write about it in almost every single compo.

For example, \"her cheeks blushed hot with rage\" or \"He growled, fury twisting his handsome face into a gargoyle's mask\" .

Both phrases describe anger. I do not take credit for these phrases. I read a lot so i make it a point to jot down a few for every book i read so in the end i have a list. I remembered my favourite phrases & used them for daily compo homework hence during exams i would have these phrases at my fingertips.

This was how i \"studied\" for composition. I am not saying phrases are a must just that it will help students. Of course, grammar, spelling and story flow are the most important.

no, u r not intruding

I am doing the same as what u did,for my kids. I let him pick up his fav storybook,then get him to highlight the phrases he finds it interesting n easy to remember.

I feel he has remembered some of these phrases,but somehow,doesn't apply in his compo.Instead,he used those words he learnt fr. cartoon or movie. His teacher/tutor was puzzled n amused on his choice of words,for e.g. \"devour\". He learnt this word from Lego Ninjago cartoon.sometx,he used it correctly,most of the times not.

Perhaps he does not know how to use the phrases in his writing? It would be good if he is comfortable with what he is writing so when using the phrases it wouldn't be forced! I think that is what teachers called an expression error! Better to make the mistake during homework & learn how to correctly use it then making mistake in exam!

[SAHM_TAN]

shann2:

SAHM_TAN:

Pls share what fiction titles/authors do you read to build up your list. Thank you.

i believe the books i read now would be too chim for primary school kids. But i do remember reading Enid Blyton when i was younger. Not much of a preference. My style was to go to the library, pick a book & go :imcool:
sorry im not of much help here! :imsorry:

No worries