If you’re in Primary 5 or 6 and preparing for your PSLE English Paper, you’ve probably come across the section called Synthesis and Transformation (S&T). This part of Paper 2 tests how well you understand grammar by asking you to join or change sentences using specific rules — without changing the meaning.
Even strong English students can lose marks here if they’re not careful. That’s why we at WRITERS AT WORK, an English tuition Singapore specialist, are here to help you recognise the most common sentence patterns and show you how to avoid the usual mistakes.
In this guide, you’ll learn the key grammar types tested and some useful strategies to score higher in your S&T section.
What Is Synthesis and Transformation?
In the PSLE English Paper 2, the Synthesis and Transformation section checks your ability to:
- Join two or more short sentences into one longer sentence (Synthesis)
- Change the structure of a sentence using the given word (Transformation)
You must make sure that the meaning stays the same. Most questions will also ask you to use a specific word or phrase — without changing that word in any way.
Let’s go through the main types of sentence structures you’ll need to master.
Key Grammar Types You Must Know
1. Relative Clauses
Relative clauses help you combine two ideas by using words like who, which, that, or whose.
Example:
This is the boy. He won the top prize.
→ This is the boy who won the top prize.
Tip:
- who for people
- which for things
- whose to show possession
2. Conditional Sentences (If Clauses)
Conditional sentences show what could happen if something else were true or false.
Type 1: If + Present Simple = Consequence
Example:
If you travel to Japan in April, you will see the cherry blossoms.
Type 2: If + Past Simple = Consequence
Example:
If only I were taller, I could reach the top shelf.
Type 3: If + had + Past Participle = Consequence
Example:
If my sister had been at home, she could have received the delivery.
Tip:
For PSLE, you’re usually tested on the second conditional (imaginary situations).
Use:
If + subject + were, subject + would + verb
3. Despite / Although / Even Though
These words help you show contrast between two actions or ideas.
Examples:
She was tired. She continued studying.
→ Despite being tired, she continued studying.
→ Although she was tired, she continued studying.
Tip:
- Use despite with a noun or –ing form: Despite being tired
- Use although/even though with a full sentence: Although she was tired
4. Neither…Nor / Either…Or
These pairs are used to show two negative or positive choices.
Example:
She didn’t go to the cinema. She didn’t go to the mall.
→ She went to neither the cinema nor the mall.
5. Direct and Indirect Speech
This is about changing what someone says into reported speech.
Example:
Jane said, “I will call you later.”
→ Jane said that she would call me later.
Tip:
- Remove the quotation marks
- Change the pronouns: I becomes he/she, you becomes me/him/her
- Shift the tenses: will becomes would, can becomes could, etc.
- *Shift the tenses: present to past, past to past perfect, past perfect to past perfect.
- *There are exceptions such as universal truths where tenses stay the same.
6. Word Form Change
Some questions require you to change a word into a different form — from verb to noun, adjective to noun, noun to adjective, and so on.
Example:
She was curious about the results.
→ She waited for the results with great curiosity.
- brave → bravery
- decide → decision
- happy → happiness
- important → importance
Tip:
- Identify the part of speech you’re given (e.g., curious is an adjective)
- Think about how to use the related noun form (curiosity) in a grammatically correct way
- Make sure the sentence still means the same thing
Common Mistakes Students Make
Even when you understand the grammar, there are still a few traps to avoid:
1. Changing the Meaning
Be careful not to add or remove important information when combining or transforming sentences. Always check that your answer still means the same as the original.
2. Using the Wrong Verb Forms
Watch out for subject-verb agreement, incorrect tense changes, or using the wrong verb form (like mixing up gerunds and infinitives).
3. Ignoring the Instructions
Many students lose marks just because they changed the word they were told to use, or didn’t follow the rule of not changing the meaning. Always re-read the question carefully.
Tips to Improve Your Synthesis and Transformation Skills
Here’s how you can do better in this section of the PSLE English Paper:
- Practise regularly: Don’t just memorise rules — write out your answers and check them.
- Review model answers: Study how top students write clear, correct answers using a variety of structures.
- Keep a grammar notebook: Write down new sentence types and your own examples.
- Ask for feedback: Get your teacher or tuition centre to explain your mistakes clearly.
At WRITERS AT WORK, we train students to approach Synthesis and Transformation with confidence. You’ll learn how to spot key sentence patterns, rewrite with proper grammar, and check your answers to avoid careless errors.
Synthesis and Transformation doesn’t have to be confusing or scary. With the right practice, a good understanding of grammar, and support from experienced teachers, you can master this part of the PSLE English Paper. Whether you’re aiming for AL1 or trying to boost your grades, remember: every mark counts — and this section can be a great way to score full marks with the right technique.
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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 more 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Long Should You Study for PSLE?
Parents should take around a year or two to prepare for PSLE as learning about subjects like English requires a long-term effort, as opposed to short cramming.
2. Is PSLE Compulsory?
PSLE is compulsory for everyone to enter secondary school in Singapore.
3. How to Study for PSLE?
Parents should make a list of everything a child should study for all their PSLE subjects. Engaging a tuition teacher or practising with workbooks and past year papers may help students tackle the exam format of PSLE and feel more confident taking the exam.
4. How Do I Motivate My Child to Do PSLE?
Children should be motivated to do PSLE by being taught that it is important for their future. Explaining to them the reasons to do the exam may work better than forcing them to study.
