Secondary English Tuition in Singapore | 80% A-Grade

Paper 1 comprises three sections, namely Editing (10 marks), Situational Writing (30 marks), and Continuous Writing (30 marks). The duration is 1 hour and 50 minutes, and it carries a 35% weighting. Tied with Paper 2, this is the highest weighting amongst all papers, which is why we recommend students focus more of their efforts on these two papers. 

The Editing section contains a short text with a range of grammatical errors that students would need to identify and correct. This section will not include any spelling or punctuation errors, allowing students to focus solely on demonstrating their grasp of grammar. 

The Situational Writing section presents students with a visual text, requiring them to respond in 250 - 350 words. Besides clear articulation of ideas, this section assesses the students’ ability to adapt their writing for different purposes, audiences, and contexts. 

Here are a few examples of the kinds of formats students might be expected to write: 

• Formal and informal letters
• Reports
• Emails
• Speeches
• Articles

The Continuous Writing portion of the paper allows students to choose from one of four given topics, within a 350- to 500-word limit. Each topic may require different writing styles, including narrative, argumentative and expository writing.

Paper 2 comprises three sections, whereby Sections A, B, and C are worth 5, 20, and 25 marks respectively. Similar to Paper 1, the exam duration is 1 hour and 50 minutes, and it also carries a 35% weighting, the highest weighting amongst all papers. It is recommended that students dedicate a significant portion of their time to this paper, in addition to Paper 1. 

Section A assesses students’ comprehension skills by presenting them with two texts and quizzing them on the use of language and visuals to convey meaning. 

Section B contains a narrative piece that students are required to read through and analyse to answer a few questions about. The questions in this section may touch on the choice of vocabulary or use of language for effect. 

Section C includes a non-narrative piece, and, similar to Section B, the questions are designed to test comprehension and the use of specific words for effect. However, this section also requires students to write a summary of the given text in around 80 words.

Paper 3 comprises two sections, which are Section A (22 marks) and Section B (8 marks). The exam duration is 45 minutes, accounting for 10% of the subject's weighting, which is the lowest among all the papers. Despite that, this paper can still provide a significant boost to students’ overall grade, so it’s best not to underestimate it. 

Section A contains a variety of audio tracks. These tracks will be replayed, giving students two chances to understand and respond to the questions. 

Section B contains only one informational audio recording, requiring students to do a note-taking task while listening to the track. The recording will only be played once.

Paper 4 comprises two parts, worth 15 marks each. Each student will be assessed for 20 minutes (inclusive of 10 minutes of preparation time), with this paper carrying a 20% weighting. 

Part 1 of this paper involves showing students a video clip and a prompt, allowing them some time to plan and deliver their responses. 

In Part 2, the examiner and student engage in a discussion about the theme(s) introduced in the earlier video.

Through past year papers, targeted exercises, and step-by-step personalised guidance, our educators are highly experienced in pinpointing your weakest areas and giving you constructive feedback to work through them. 

Here are a few of the key skills our teachers will focus on for each paper: 

Paper 1 – Writing

• Linguistic accuracy to build a strong foundation of grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary for different writing formats. 
• Clarity of expression to form concise and context-appropriate arguments and ideas. 
• Strategic planning and time management to organise thoughts and structure responses effectively under exam conditions.

Paper 2 – Comprehension

• Structured and analytical thinking to form cohesive and precise answers. 
• Inference skills to help students read between the lines and interpret implied meaning.
• Effective summarisation techniques to extract, synthesise, and organise key information. 

Paper 3 – Listening

• Exposure to diverse accents (e.g. British, American and local) to improve comprehension of different speech patterns and overall listening skills.
• Prediction techniques to anticipate answers by analysing questions before listening.
• Note-taking strategies to capture essential details accurately, especially during single-play recordings.

Paper 4 – Oral Communication

• Spontaneous thinking techniques to structure quick yet meaningful responses in conversation. 
• Personalised pronunciation coaching to refine articulation, stress, and intonation, improving overall speaking skills. 

Vocabulary and expressionsworksheets to allow greater precision and ease in articulating opinions and ideas.

At Zenith Education Studio, our O-Level English classes are designed to build a solid foundation in language and writing, while also cultivating critical thinking and instilling academic confidence. Here’s how we do it:

• Curriculum-Aligned Lessons: Our lessons are continually updated to reflect the latest MOE syllabus changes, ensuring that students are well-prepared for every O-Level English paper.
  
  
• Skill-Based Learning: For every paper, we give our students a clear overview of the core skills they will need to perform well. For instance, for English Paper 2 (comprehension), students will need to refine their inference, critical analysis, and summary writing skills, whereas for Paper 4 (oral examination), they will need to expand their vocabulary for better self-expression and guidance to assist with intonation and clear articulation.
  
  
• Personalised Feedback: Through consistent writing practices and targeted drills, students receive detailed, personalised feedback that helps them understand their weaknesses and take actionable steps to improve. For students who feel like they need more guidance, they can always arrange to meet teachers before or after classes (if availability allows) for free consultation sessions.
  
  
• Access to Curated Resources: From summary templates to grammar “cheat sheets” and model essays, our in-house study materials are meticulously curated to accelerate learning and develop essential skills. 

‍Supportive Learning Environment: We go the extra mile to ensure that all our centres offer a conducive learning environment for our students. Beyond helping students focus better on the lessons at hand, our classrooms make students feel comfortable engaging with the teacher and the teaching materials on a deeper level.