PSLE English Grammar: Common Mistakes Students Make
Practical tips for Grammar MCQ, Grammar Cloze and Editing sections
Grammar appears in three crucial components of PSLE English Paper 2: Grammar MCQ, Grammar Cloze, and the Editing section. Together, these sections can make a significant difference to your final score.
Subject-Verb Agreement: The Trickiest Grammar Rule
Common mistake: "The box of pencils are on the table."
Correct: "The box of pencils is on the table." — the subject is "box" (singular).
PSLE tip: Cross out prepositional phrases like "of pencils" to find the real subject.
Watch for these tricky subjects:
- Each, every, someone, everyone are always singular
- Neither… nor takes the verb matching the noun closer to it
- Collective nouns like "team," "family," "class" are usually singular
Tenses: Past Perfect vs Present Perfect
Present Perfect (have/has + past participle): action started in the past and still relevant now. "She has finished her homework."
Past Perfect (had + past participle): one past action happened before another. "By the time I arrived, they had already left."
PSLE tip: Look for time markers like "since," "already," "by the time," "before."
Pronouns
Common mistake: "Each student must bring their pencil case." → Correct: "his or her pencil case" (each is singular).
- Who vs Whom: "Who" is subject; "whom" is object
- Its vs It's: "Its" = possession; "it's" = "it is"
Prepositions
- "Good at" not "good in"
- "Arrive at" not "arrive to"
- "In the morning" but "At night"
Connectors
Common mistake: "Although it was raining, but we still went out." → Can't use both "although" and "but" together.
Tackling the Editing Section
10 marks total — 5 grammar, 5 spelling. Check: subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, pronoun usage, articles (a/an/the), prepositions. For spelling: double letters, silent letters, commonly confused words.
PSLE tip: Read the edited passage aloud — errors often "sound wrong" when you hear them.
Practice Makes Perfect
Consistent practice with immediate feedback is the most effective way to master PSLE grammar. Understand why each rule works, and correct grammar will start to "feel right" over time.