1. Answer in a complete sentence (with a full stop)
Incomplete sentences are grammatically wrong --> marks will be deducted
- E.g. How does Uncle Tom go to work on a fine day?
- Incorrect: On his motorcycle
- Correct: He goes to work on his motorcycle.
Do not start a sentence with "Because" or "It was because" --> this is grammatically wrong and marks will be deducted
- E.g. Why does Mrs Bala take a taxi home?
- Incorrect: Because she has many things to carry.
- Incorrect: It was because she has many things to carry.
- Correct: She has many things to carry.
2. Do not repeat the question in the answer
Repeating the question in the answer will not result in a deduction mark but it may cause careless (spelling/grammatical) mistakes to occur in the process of copying
- 1st E.g. How does Uncle Tom go to work on a fine day?
- Avoid this: Uncle Tom goes to work on his motorcycle on a fine day.
- Use this: He goes to work on his motorcycle.
- 2nd E.g. Why does Mrs Bala take a taxi home?
- Avoid this: Mrs Bala takes a taxi home because she has many things to carry.
- Use this: She has many things to carry.
3. Answer the question in the tense stipulated by the question
- E.g. Who were Mr and Mrs Low?
- Incorrect: They are Huiling's parents.
- Correct: They were Huiling's parents.
- If "does/do" appears in the question --> answer in present tense
- If "did" appears in the question --> answer in past tense
4. Answer question that requires the meaning of a word
- E.g. What does the word "pleased" mean?
- Incorrect: happy
- Incorrect: The word pleased means happy.
- Avoid: The word "pleased" means happy.
- Correct: It means happy.
- The answer that is given should be able to replace the word in the passage fittingly.
- E.g. They are very pleased --> They are very happy.
5. Answer the question that requires the quotation of a word, a phrase or a sentence from the passage
- E.g. Which word from the passage means happy?
- Incorrect: pleased
- Correct: The word is "pleased".
A sentence
- E.g. Which sentence from the passage tells you that Mr and Mrs Low are happy?
Incorrect:
- They are very pleased.
- The sentence is They are very pleased. (no quotation mark)
- The sentence is "they are very pleased." (capitalization is required)
- The sentence is "They are very pleased". (wrong placement of full-stop)
Correct: The sentence is "They are very pleased."
