🔤 Grammar Mastery
Grammar is one of the most heavily tested skills in PSLE English. It appears in three separate sections of Paper 2: Grammar MCQ (Booklet A, 10 marks), Grammar Cloze (Booklet B, 10 marks), and Editing for Spelling and Grammar (Booklet B, 12 marks). Together, these sections carry 32 marks — more than any other single skill area.
But grammar does not stop there. It also affects your scores in Composition Writing, Comprehension answers, and even the Oral conversation. A student with strong grammar will score well across all papers, not just the grammar sections. That is why mastering grammar is the single most impactful thing you can do to improve your overall PSLE English grade.
The good news is that the same grammar patterns are tested every year. Once you learn the top 30 rules, you will be able to handle almost any grammar question that appears in the exam. Let us go through each major grammar topic in detail.
📊 Grammar Marks Breakdown
| Section | Booklet | Marks | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammar MCQ | A | 10 | 15 multiple-choice questions (choose the grammatically correct option) |
| Grammar Cloze | B | 10 | Fill in 10 blanks in a passage with the correct grammar word |
| Editing | B | 12 | Find and correct 12 spelling and grammar errors in a passage |
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Grammar Marks
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Rules to Learn
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Editing Errors
1️⃣ Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement is the most frequently tested grammar rule in PSLE. The rule is simple: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. But students often make mistakes when the subject is separated from the verb by other words.
Rule: Singular subject = singular verb
Wrong: My mother cook dinner every evening.
Correct: My mother cooks dinner every evening.
Rule: Plural subject = plural verb (no "-s")
Wrong: The children in the playground plays happily.
Correct: The children in the playground play happily.
Tip: "In the playground" is a prepositional phrase — ignore it when finding the subject. The subject is "children" (plural).
Rule: "Neither...nor" / "Either...or" — verb agrees with the nearer subject
Wrong: Neither the boys nor the girl were happy.
Correct: Neither the boys nor the girl was happy.
Tip: "Girl" is the subject closer to the verb, and "girl" is singular, so use "was".
Rule: Collective nouns are usually singular
Wrong: The team are practising for the competition.
Correct: The team is practising for the competition.
Tip: "Team", "class", "family", "group", "committee" are collective nouns — treat them as singular.
2️⃣ Tenses — The Big Four
Tenses are tested in Grammar MCQ, Grammar Cloze, and Editing. You need to know when to use each tense and the signal words that tell you which tense is needed. Here are the four most commonly tested tenses:
When to use: Habits, routines, facts, and general truths.
Signal words: every day, always, usually, sometimes, often, never
Wrong: She go to school by bus every morning.
Correct: She goes to school by bus every morning.
Remember: Third-person singular (he, she, it) needs "-s" or "-es" on the verb.
When to use: Completed actions in the past.
Signal words: yesterday, last week, ago, in 2024, once, previously
Wrong: Yesterday, Ali walk to the hawker centre.
Correct: Yesterday, Ali walked to the hawker centre.
Regular verbs: add "-ed". Irregular verbs: memorise them (go-went, see-saw, eat-ate).
When to use: Actions happening right now, at this moment.
Signal words: now, at the moment, currently, Look!, Listen!
Wrong: Look! The monkey climb up the tree.
Correct: Look! The monkey is climbing up the tree.
Formula: is/am/are + verb-ing
When to use: Actions that started in the past and continue to the present, or past actions with present results.
Signal words: since, for, already, just, yet, ever, never
Wrong: I live in this HDB flat since 2018.
Correct: I have lived in this HDB flat since 2018.
Formula: have/has + past participle. "Since" and "for" almost always signal present perfect.
Quick Tense Test
When you see a grammar question about tenses, look for signal words first. Words like "yesterday", "last week", "ago" tell you to use past tense. Words like "every day", "always", "usually" tell you to use present tense. Words like "since", "for", "already" tell you to use present perfect tense. Signal words are your biggest clue!
3️⃣ Articles: a, an, the
Articles are small words that cause big problems. Many students struggle with when to use "a", "an", or "the". Here are the rules:
"A" — before consonant sounds
Use "a" before words that begin with a consonant sound: a book, a cat, a university (starts with "yoo" sound)
"An" — before vowel sounds
Use "an" before words that begin with a vowel sound: an apple, an egg, an hour (the "h" is silent), an honest person
"The" — for specific things
Use "the" when both the speaker and listener know which specific thing is being referred to: "the book on the table", "the principal of our school". Also used with superlatives: "the tallest building".
Common Article Traps
Trap 1: "An uniform" is WRONG because "uniform" starts with a "yoo" sound (consonant). Correct: "a uniform".
Trap 2: "A hour" is WRONG because the "h" in "hour" is silent — it starts with a vowel sound. Correct: "an hour".
Trap 3: Do not use "the" with general statements: "Dogs are loyal animals" (not "The dogs are loyal animals" unless you mean specific dogs).
4️⃣ Prepositions: at, on, in
Prepositions of time and place are frequently tested. Learn these rules and you will pick up easy marks:
Prepositions of Time
- at — specific times: at 7.30 a.m., at noon, at night
- on — days and dates: on Monday, on 15 March
- in — months, years, seasons: in March, in 2026, in the morning
Prepositions of Place
- at — specific locations: at the bus stop, at school
- on — surfaces: on the table, on the field, on the wall
- in — enclosed spaces: in the classroom, in the bag, in the car
5️⃣ Pronouns
Pronoun errors are very common in PSLE. Here are the key rules:
Subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they): Used as the subject of a sentence.
Wrong: Me and my brother went to the bookshop. Correct: My brother and I went to the bookshop.
Possessive: its vs it's
Its = belonging to it (no apostrophe). It's = it is (contraction). "The cat licked its paws" (possessive). "It's raining outside" (it is).
Their / There / They're
Their = belonging to them. There = a place. They're = they are. Memory trick: thEIR = possessIve, thERE = whERE, they'RE = they ARE.
📚 Master All 35 Grammar Rules
Below are the top grammar rules tested in PSLE. Each card shows a wrong sentence on the front. Flip the card to see the correct version with an explanation. Try to identify the error before flipping!
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📝 Grammar Cloze Strategy
Grammar Cloze is worth 10 marks. You are given a passage with 10 blanks, and you must fill each blank with the correct grammar word (article, preposition, pronoun, conjunction, or verb form). Here is a step-by-step strategy:
How to Tackle Grammar Cloze
Read the Entire Passage First
Before filling in any blank, read the whole passage once to understand the context and storyline. This helps you understand what tense the passage is in and what kind of words are needed.
Identify What Type of Word Is Needed
For each blank, ask: Is this a verb? An article? A preposition? A conjunction? A pronoun? Look at the words before and after the blank for clues. For example, if the blank comes after a subject, it probably needs a verb.
Check for Signal Words
Look for tense signal words (yesterday, since, every day). Look for preposition clues (time expressions need at/on/in). Look for article clues (is there a specific or general noun?).
Fill in the Blanks You Are Sure About
Start with the easy ones. If you see "since 2018", you know the verb needs to be in present perfect tense. If you see "__ the table", you know it needs "on". Build confidence with easy blanks first.
Go Back to Difficult Blanks
For tricky blanks, try reading the sentence with different options. Say it out loud in your head — does it sound right? Trust your language instinct. If you have read widely, correct grammar will "sound right" to you.
Read the Completed Passage
After filling in all blanks, read the entire passage again. Check that every sentence makes sense and sounds natural. Check for consistent tense usage throughout.
✏️ Editing for Spelling and Grammar (26 Common Errors)
The Editing section is worth 12 marks. You are given a passage with errors underlined, and you must write the correct word. Errors include spelling mistakes and grammar errors. Here are the most common editing patterns:
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🔄 Commonly Confused Words
These word pairs appear frequently in Grammar MCQ and Editing. Learn the difference between each pair:
affect vs effect: "Affect" is a verb (to influence). "Effect" is a noun (a result). The rain affected our plans. The rain had a bad effect on our plans.
then vs than: "Then" is for time/sequence. "Than" is for comparison. I ate lunch, then went swimming. She is taller than me.
fewer vs less: "Fewer" for countable nouns. "Less" for uncountable nouns. Fewer students attended. I have less time.
who vs which: "Who" for people. "Which" for things and animals. The boy who won is my friend. The book which I read was interesting.
lay vs lie: "Lie" means to rest (no object). "Lay" means to put down (needs an object). I want to lie down. Please lay the book on the table.
among vs between: "Between" for two things. "Among" for three or more. Share between Ali and Kumar. Share among the five of us.
Choose the correct sentence:
Which sentence uses the correct tense?
Fill in the blank: 'The group of students ___ waiting for the bus.'
Which is correct? 'She ate ___ apple and ___ egg for breakfast.'
'The bad weather had a big ___ on Sports Day.' Choose the correct word.
Which sentence has correct parallel structure?
⏰Complete Tense Signal Words Reference
Signal words tell you which tense to use. Memorise these — they appear in almost every Grammar MCQ and Grammar Cloze question:
| Tense | Signal Words | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | every day, usually, always, often, sometimes, never, seldom | She always walks to school. |
| Present Continuous | now, right now, at the moment, currently, still | He is reading a book now. |
| Simple Past | yesterday, last week/month/year, ago, in 2024, once, one day | They visited the zoo yesterday. |
| Past Continuous | while, when (+ past action), at that time, all morning | She was studying when the phone rang. |
| Present Perfect | since, for, already, yet, just, ever, never, recently, so far | I have lived here since 2020. |
| Past Perfect | before, after, by the time, already (+ past context) | He had finished his homework before dinner. |
| Simple Future | tomorrow, next week, soon, in the future, will, shall | We will go to the beach tomorrow. |
| Future Continuous | this time tomorrow, at 3 pm tomorrow, will be + ing | I will be sleeping at midnight. |
📏Subject-Verb Agreement: The 10 Rules
Subject-verb agreement is tested in nearly every PSLE paper. The subject and verb must agree in number (singular or plural). Here are the 10 rules you must know:
Singular subject = singular verb; Plural subject = plural verb
The boy runs. The boys run.
"One of the + plural noun" takes a singular verb
One of the students is absent. (NOT "are absent")
"Each", "Every", "Either", "Neither" take singular verbs
Each student has a textbook. Every child was given a gift.
"Together with", "along with", "as well as" do NOT change the subject
The teacher, together with the students, is going on a field trip. (Subject = teacher = singular)
"Either...or" and "Neither...nor" — verb agrees with the NEAREST subject
Neither the teacher nor the students were happy. Either the boys or the girl has the key.
Collective nouns (class, team, family) are usually singular
The class is going to the museum. The team has won the match.
Uncountable nouns (information, news, furniture, homework) are singular
The news is shocking. The furniture was delivered.
"A number of" = plural; "The number of" = singular
A number of students were absent. The number of students is decreasing.
Words between subject and verb do NOT affect agreement
The bouquet of roses was beautiful. (Subject = bouquet = singular, not roses)
"There is" for singular; "There are" for plural
There is a book on the table. There are five books on the table.
📌Articles: A, An, The (The Most Confusing Grammar Topic)
Articles (a, an, the) are small words that cause big confusion. They appear in almost every Grammar Cloze passage. Here are the rules:
"A" (indefinite)
Used before consonant sounds for non-specific, singular countable nouns.
a book, a car, a university
Note: "university" starts with "yoo" sound (consonant), so use "a"
"An" (indefinite)
Used before vowel sounds for non-specific, singular countable nouns.
an apple, an hour, an honest man
Note: "hour" and "honest" have silent "h", so use "an"
"The" (definite)
Used when both speaker and listener know which specific thing is meant.
the sun, the teacher (our teacher), the book (that we discussed)
Use "the" for: unique things, 2nd mention, superlatives, specific places
Tricky Article Rules
No article before: uncountable nouns in general ("Water is important", NOT "The water is important" — unless you mean specific water)
No article before: most country names (Singapore, Malaysia), but use "the" for: the United States, the Philippines, the United Kingdom
No article before: meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), sports (football, badminton), subjects (Mathematics, Science)
Use "the" with: superlatives (the tallest boy), ordinals (the first time), specific places (the zoo, the library — when there is only one in context)
📍Prepositions: AT, ON, IN (Time & Place)
Time Prepositions
AT
Specific times: at 3 pm, at noon, at midnight, at dawn, at night, at the weekend
ON
Days and dates: on Monday, on 25 December, on my birthday, on National Day
IN
Longer periods: in January, in 2026, in the morning, in summer, in the 21st century
Place Prepositions
AT
Specific points: at the bus stop, at the door, at the corner, at school, at home
ON
Surfaces: on the table, on the wall, on the second floor, on the bus (transport)
IN
Enclosed spaces: in the room, in the car, in Singapore, in the bag, in the garden
✏️Editing for Spelling & Grammar: The Systematic Approach
The Editing section is worth 12 marks and tests your ability to spot and correct errors in a passage. Each line may contain one error (spelling or grammar) that you need to identify and correct. Here is a systematic approach:
6-Step Editing Strategy
Read the Entire Passage First
Understand the context and story before looking for errors. This helps you identify tense inconsistencies and meaning errors.
Check Each Underlined Word
Focus on the underlined word in each line. Is it spelled correctly? Does it use the right tense? Does the subject agree with the verb?
Check Spelling Carefully
Look for commonly misspelled words: "recieve" (receive), "seperate" (separate), "definately" (definitely), "occured" (occurred), "begining" (beginning).
Check Tense Consistency
If the passage is in past tense, all verbs should be in past tense. Look for sudden switches from past to present.
Check Subject-Verb Agreement
Does the verb match the subject in number? "The group of students were..." should be "was" (group = singular).
Write the Correction Clearly
Write the corrected word neatly in the space provided. If there is no error, write a tick mark. Do not leave any line blank.
Top 20 Most Commonly Misspelled Words in PSLE
Grammar Drill Strategy
The most effective way to improve your grammar is to practise 10 grammar questions every day. Focus on one grammar topic per week: Week 1 = Tenses, Week 2 = Subject-Verb Agreement, Week 3 = Articles and Prepositions, Week 4 = Pronouns and Connectors. After each practice, go through your mistakes and write the correct rule in a notebook. Review this notebook weekly.