Oral Exam Tips How to Become an Expressive Speaker

By WR!TERS@WORK

When facing the PSLE or O-Level English oral exam, students need to be eloquent and knowledgeable about the topics they are talking about. One way to deliver a persuasive performance in your English oral exam is to become an expressive speaker. Being expressive does not mean that you should be overly dramatic, as if you are the main character in a play – it means that you convey the appropriate emotions with the tone of voice and your body language. It is important that the information you convey should fit the context of the topic at hand.

Here are some important tips to become a more expressive speaker:

1. Louder is not better

Some people may associate being more expressive with yelling or increasing your volume. While you may increase your speaking volume when you are passionate about something, yelling your answer at the examiner during your oral exam may not earn you more marks. You should be as loud as it is required of you, but you should not yell your answers. Instead, you should keep a constant volume and not go quiet when you are not feeling too confident.

2. Pay Attention to Any Inflections in Your Voice

The way your voice changes when you speak is an inflection of your voice. When you are supposed to talk about a sad topic, you need to sound sad. The most important way you can become an expressive speaker is to speak according to the information that you are conveying. Knowing what the context is will be important in determining what kinds of emotions you need to reflect when you are speaking. Try to speak in a believable and realistic way.

3. Open Your Mouth and Do Not Mumble

You should enunciate all the words clearly. This involves opening your mouth to pronounce things properly and not mumbling. If you mumble, you may fail to pronounce some words clearly, and the examiner may not be able to hear you too well. This may result in a worse performance in terms of the marks you can get. You should sit upright and speak in a reasonable tone and volume – do not yell, but do not speak too softly, either. You should deliver your lines in a confident and measured pace – do not rush and hurry through it.

If you want to become a more expressive speaker, try discussing a variety of topics with a trusted adult or your teacher. You should also practise in the mirror to see how you look like. Getting constructive feedback on your performance will help you feel more confident in the actual oral exam. Remember – for the PSLE and O-Level English oral exams, half the battle is won by accumulating enough content knowledge to prove to the examiner that you know what you are talking about. The other half of the battle is in an eloquent and concise delivery.

Doing well in your oral exam is a combination of several skills – students not only need to have the requisite content knowledge, but also the speaking style which is eloquent and confident. Students typically get very little practise for the oral exam, as this is one of the aspects of the English curriculum which is often overlooked. For students who need more practice and confidence built up over time, WRITERS AT WORK can help them build their content knowledge and pick up good oral exam habits in time for the actual PSLE or O-Level English oral exams!

Master the PSLE and O-Level English Oral Exams with WRITERS AT WORK!

English is a compulsory subject which all students must undertake. However, mastering the English language is not something which happens overnight – it takes consistent practice and effort to learn the nuances of the language. Students must read curated notes actively and practice writing to gradually improve. Cramming for a language subject nearer to the exams is an impossible feat. After all, Rome was not built in a day! Attaining such a skill will have positive implications for not only your child’s education in school, but also employment prospects in future.

At WRITERS AT WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your child sitting for their English exams. With our carefully curated methods of teaching your child how to write well, your child will learn how to present their thoughts and arguments in a coherent and concise manner. WRITERS AT WORK reinforces your child’s language skills and provides a strong foundation for their academic success, keeping up with all aspects of their progress both inside and outside of the classroom to nurture them holistically. For more information about how WRITERS AT WORK makes a difference, feel free to explore our website and watch our YouTube videos!

If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WRITERS AT WORK has expanded to 9 convenient locations. To find the nearest location that suits your needs, please explore our options. If you have any inquiries regarding our range of programs or class schedules, please feel free to contact WRITERS AT WORK!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Creative Writing Good for Kids?

Creative writing is good for children as it teaches them how to use their imagination. Children have a vivid imagination and will enjoy coming up with different storylines and characters. Through the use of creative writing, children can express themselves using the English language, which is also good for their emotional development and maturity.

2. What are Good Creative Writing Topics?

A good start is to write about what you know. Students can start by writing about things that are familiar to them, such as school or family. Then, students can move on to more complex topics, requiring them to use their imagination about events which would be unlikely to happen in real life, such as a fairytale or an adventure story. Older students can write descriptive essays about being in a situation or about more abstract concepts, such as regret.

3. How to Begin a Story?

A good story should have just the right amount of exposition to illuminate the setting and the characters for the reader without giving away the entire plot. The story should begin where it is relevant, and the general gist of the situation should be outlined. The writer should know how to move the plot along from where they start easily, and the story should flow logically.

4. What are the Basic Steps in Creative Writing?

A good first step would be to plan out the story – it is important that the story follows a Plot Curve which has a logical sequence of events and a clear conclusion. The main and supporting characters should be clear – there should not be a whole village of characters – just enough to further the plot. Moreover, the central conflict of the story should be clear.