Basic Etiquette

1. Remember to greet your examiner.

2. Identify yourself by name and PSLE index number. “May I please be seated?”
3. “I am done, thank you!” when you have finished your points
4. Thank your examiner after the oral session

Oral Pointers - Reading

Phase 1 – 5 Minutes Preparation

1. Take note of the punctuation

a. Full-stops for long pauses
b. Commas for shorter pauses.
c. Add emphasis to an exclamation mark
d. Tone of query to a question mark.
2. Take note of the dialogue:
a. Prepare yourself to read with emotion
b. Dramatize the reading
3. Read through the passage quickly and scan for challenging words to pronounce. Practice
these words a few times through.

Phase 2 – Reading Aloud

4. Pace - Read the passage slowly, don’t be in a rush to finish it!

a. Pronounce each word properly
b. Do not stop at the end of the line but keep reading to the next punctuation mark
5. Vary your tone and intonation when reading. Do not read in a monotonous manner. Your
sentence should have emotion.
6. Add emphasis to words that are more important:
a. Words that convey feelings eg “he was FURIOUS”
b. Words in a dialogue eg “WAIT FOR ME!”

I am not one who enjoys going to the dentist at all and I always try to put it off for as long as I can .
Sitting in the dentist chair makes me very nervous and uncomfortable, causing me to break into
cold sweat.

Three weeks ago, I started to feel a slight pain whenever I chewed on my food. I tried to ignore it
and kept the pain to myself because if my mother were to find out, she would make me go to the
dentist. I had gotten so used to ignoring my toothache that I was sure that the toothache had
disappeared!

While at a party, I was happily chomping on a chicken wing when, “Ahhhhh!” I screamed. As I bit
down on the chicken wing, a sharp pain shot up through my mouth.

There was no way out for me, my mother dragged me off to the dentist. As the dentist was
examining my tooth, he said that I should have come in earlier as now he had a bigger cavity to fill!
I squirmed in my seat as the dentist went to work on my tooth.
Oral Pointers – SBC Picture (Question 1)

Phase 1 – 5 Minutes Preparation

1. Examine the picture systematically (Left to Right) or (Back to Front)

2. Identify the main features in the object/pictures/posters you would like to spend more
time talking about in relation to the question.
3. Consider how effectively the elements of the picture achieves its purpose
4. Form your opinions about the given picture(s). PO
5. Think about related themes to the picture eg. Healthy Living/Diet, Games & Activities
6. Think about a Personal Experience related to the themes you predict. PE
7. Apply DIES (Describe picture - elements, Interpret its meaning/importance, Elaborate on its
effect on you and others, Suggest improvements or changes).

Phase 2 – Talking about the Picture

1. Begin with answering the question asked. Eg. Yes! I would certainly purchase this packet
of biscuits…
2. Continue on by Describing and Interpreting the picture for significance and importance
and effectiveness of the elements. Eg. The inclusion of a game at the side of the box engages
me and keeps me occupied as I eat the cookies…
3. State your opinion. “I think that this product is well packaged because…”.
4. Elaborate on your opinion. “it has an attractive design and contains nutrients which
support a healthy lifestyle…”
5. After you have covered the main points, Suggest areas for improvement/change.
 6. Respond to the following questions using the Personal Opinion and Personal
Experience model.

Oral Pointers - SBC Conversation (Questions 2-3)

1. Remember that the conversation topic is often related to the picture and passage
2. You may use some of the content from the picture and the passage to help you in
conversation.
3. This component is all about your opinions. Always respond to each question with your
opinion “Yes… because…” or “No… because…”. Always provide reasons for your opinions and
answers. “I feel strongly that…”
4. Form your opinions using phrases like “I think…” or “I believe…”. Eg “I believe that we
should all exercise regularly…”
5. Interact with the examiner (remember, this is a conversation):
a. Eye-contact – look at the examiner as you answer the question
b. Make your responses personal – “I would not do this because…”
c. Feel free to express yourself emotionally – express disbelief, disagreement or
surprise – this will enhance your conversation.

Do you think it is important to exercise regularly?

Yes, I think it is important to exercise regularly because regular exercise helps us to keep fit. It
also helps us to stay healthy so we will not fall sick so often. Having a fit and strong body enables
us to do many things better. For example, a fit person can spend longer hours studying without
feeling tired, whereas a person who is not fit may get tired more easily and not be able to
concentrate as long.

Staying fit and healthy is also important as we grow older. People who exercise tend to have
stronger bones and muscles. They are less prone to getting injured as they grow older.

Regular exercise is also a good way to deal with stress. When I am feeling stressed because of the
examinations, I find that a good run around the park or playing a game of soccer with my friends
helps me to relax and feel less stressed. I find that I am also able to concentrate better when I get
back to studying for my examinations. So you see, there are many advantages to exercising
regularly.

However, I must admit that I do not exercise regularly enough. I often do not have enough time to
exercise because of the amount of homework I have to do. However, I know I must make the time
to exercise because it is important for my health and can also help me in my studies.
Common topics for conversation

1. Health and Fitness (Sports)

a. Exercise is important
b. It helps us stay fit and healthy
c. It strengthens our bones and muscles
d. It helps us stay alert and focused
e. We cannot do much when we are sick and unhealthy
f. Boys need to be fit when they enter National Service
g. Exercise helps us deal with stress better
h. If we are good at a sport we can train to become full-time athletes
i. Represent Singapore in the Olympics
j. Bring glory and recognition to our nation

2. Hobbies & Interests

a. It is important to have a hobby
b. It helps us develop new skills
c. It helps us to learn new things/facts/ways of doing things, “broaden our horizons”
d. It helps us relax and gives us enjoyment
e. My hobby is….
f. We can make new friends with people who share our hobbies
g. Some people can make money with their hobbies (like selling rare stamps or coins
from their collections)

3. Road Safety
a. Roads can be dangerous places
b. We should not play along roads or at crossings
c. Raise our hands to signal that we are crossing a road
d. Wear clothing that make us more visible to motorists especially at night
e. Cross the road only at designated crossings – do not jaywalk
f. Follow the instructions of traffic wardens at school crossings
g. Watch out for traffic – look to the left and the right
h. Be alert when crossing – do not talk on the phone or send SMSes

4. Food and Dining

a. Do you prefer to eat home-cooked food or food in restaurants
b. Food prepared at home is more nutritious
c. My parents know what I like to eat – my taste in food
d. There is more variety when we eat outside
e. The food outside is more tasty but less healthy because they use a lot of seasoning
and MSG
f. Eating healthy food is important because too much unhealthy food might cause us to
gain weight and become obese
g. Too much fast food is not good because it contains a lot of oil and sugar
h. My favourite dishes are….