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Where Marks Go Missing

Why Restating a PSLE Science Question Loses Marks

Part 1 of 3 of the PSLE Science OEQ Guide: writing the answer is its own skill, and it is rarely taught. Here are the seven ways marks go missing in Booklet B.

MCQ.SG Team··2 min read
Why Restating a PSLE Science Question Loses Marks

An "explain" question needs a reason. Repeating the observation alone does not supply one. The opening post shows how to use the question and its marks to judge the detail needed.

Your answer needs to connect the relevant science to what happened. Naming an object or quoting data can be enough for a different instruction, such as "identify" or "state". Always check which job this question asks you to do.

Why the mark goes missing

Repeating the question isn't wrong. It can be a good way to start an "explain" answer. It gets your pen moving and it sets up the rest.

The problem is stopping there. A sentence can sound complete while leaving out the reason the question asked for.

The fastest way to see this is the highlight test. When you practise at home, highlight every part of your answer that was already in the question.

Practice exampleA metal spoon left in hot soup soon feels hot at the handle. Explain why. [2 marks]
The answer we see all the time“The handle feels hot because the spoon was left in the hot soup.”
The answer repeats where the spoon was and what happened to it. It still needs the science that explains how heat reached the handle. Keep useful context, then make that connection.
This gives the observation and setting, but leaves out the heat-transfer explanation.
One possible answer“The handle feels hot because metal is a good conductor of heat. Heat from the hot soup was conducted along the spoon to the handle.” This connects the metal's ability to conduct heat with the path from the soup to the handle. It is an example of relevant reasoning, not a one-fact-per-mark rule.

Next: the missing middle of an answer.

For more tips on improving your answers—from avoiding common mistakes to using precise science language—explore the complete PSLE Science OEQ Guide.

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Conditions in PSLE Science OEQ Questions

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Cause and Effect in PSLE Science OEQ Answers

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