Where the marks are in PSLE Chinese and Higher Chinese
The two primary papers reward different skills, so a tutor strong in one is not always right for the other.
| Point | Chinese | Higher Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | 50 minutes, 40 marks, 20%. A title or a picture, at least 100 characters, SEAB dictionary allowed | 50 minutes, 40 marks, 40%. A title or complete a story, a narrative of at least 200 characters |
| Language use and comprehension | 1 hour 40 minutes, 90 marks, 45% | 1 hour 20 minutes, 60 marks, 60% |
| Oral | About 10 minutes, 50 marks, 25% | Not examined |
| Listening | About 30 minutes, 20 marks, 10% | Not examined |
| Result | AL1 to AL8, part of the PSLE Score | Distinction, Merit or Pass, not in the PSLE Score |
SEAB publishes the Paper 2 breakdown only in Chinese. Here it is in English.
| Paper 2 section (PSLE Chinese) | Format | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language use: pinyin, characters, words, phrases, sentences | Multiple choice | 15 | 30 |
| Passage cloze | Multiple choice | 5 | 10 |
| Comprehension 1 | Multiple choice | 5 | 10 |
| Complete the dialogue | Multiple choice | 4 | 8 |
| Comprehension 2, on a functional text and a passage, with written interaction | Open-ended | 11 | 32 |
| Total | 40 | 90 |
The open-ended section outweighs the next three put together. In Higher Chinese, 40 of the 60 Paper 2 marks are open-ended comprehension, with 10 for a cloze and 10 for correcting wrong characters and misused words. This format has run since 2017, and SEAB had not posted the 2027 version when we checked.
What the PSLE oral asks for, with a sample answer
Children read a passage aloud for 20 marks, then talk with the examiner about a video clip for 30 marks, after 10 minutes to read the passage and watch the clip.
After parents raised concerns about the 2026 oral, SEAB said children are marked on how well they communicate, not on knowledge of the topic. They need not narrate the clip or name objects in it, and no child was penalised for not knowing the word for a crowbar. A child who gets stuck is given more prompts, with no penalty.
So good oral teaching is a simple, repeatable way to say what you think and why, not memorising rare words. Here is an answer we wrote for a made-up clip in which one boy picks up rubbish others left at a playground. The examiner asks: 你觉得视频中的男孩做得对吗？为什么？
我觉得视频中的男孩做得很对。首先，公园是大家的，保持公园干净是每个人的责任。其次，如果每个人都随手丢垃圾，公园就会变得又脏又臭，大家也不想来玩了。记得上个月，我和弟弟在楼下的游乐场玩，看到地上有很多饮料罐。我们一起把它们捡起来，丢进垃圾桶。邻居阿姨看到了，还称赞了我们。我认为学校可以多举办清洁活动，让同学们从小养成爱护环境的好习惯。
Why it works:
- The opinion comes first (我觉得…做得很对), so the examiner hears a clear view at once.
- Two reasons, signposted with 首先 and 其次. Simple linking words do more than fancy idioms.
- A short personal story (记得上个月…) turns a one-line reply into a conversation.
- A suggestion to close (我认为学校可以…) invites an easy follow-up question.
A tutor builds this through many short, unseen practice clips, timed like the real exam.
What changes in secondary school: SEC Chinese and Higher Chinese at G3
From 2027 Secondary 4 students sit the Singapore-Cambridge SEC. Chinese and Higher Chinese at G3 are graded like the O-Level, and the jump from Primary 6 is mostly in length and types of writing.
| SEC G3, 2027 | Chinese (K320) | Higher Chinese (K355) |
|---|---|---|
| Writing | 2 hours, 60 marks, 30%. An email of at least 150 characters and a composition of at least 300 | 2 hours, 80 marks, 40%. An email or forum post of at least 220 characters and a composition of at least 500, which may be a speech |
| Language and comprehension | 1 hour 30 minutes, 70 marks, 35% | 1 hour 45 minutes, 80 marks, 40%, with an 80-character summary |
| Oral | About 15 minutes, 50 marks, 25%. Reading aloud, then a video-based conversation | About 20 minutes, 40 marks, 20%. A talk of up to 2 minutes linked to a video, then a discussion |
| Listening | About 30 minutes, 20 marks, 10% | Not examined |
SEAB's G3 marking guide splits the 40 composition marks into 20 for content and 20 for language and organisation, so essays should come back with comments on both. In Higher Chinese, the forum post and argumentative essay are the big step up from primary stories.
Why children in English-speaking homes find Chinese hard
By our count from Census 2020 data, about 77 in 100 Chinese children aged 5 to 14 spoke English most often at home, most with Mandarin as a second home language. It shows in the same places in the paper.
| What you notice at home | Where it costs marks | What a good tutor does |
|---|---|---|
| One-line answers when asked to talk | Oral conversation, 30 marks | Speaking routines every lesson, using the pattern above |
| Reads aloud slowly, with odd pauses | Reading aloud, 20 marks | A fresh passage each week, marked for where to pause |
| Short, plain compositions | Composition, 40 marks | Planning first, and practice on both question types |
| Understands the passage but cannot answer | Comprehension 2, 32 marks | Finding the key line and answering in a full sentence |
| Wrong or mixed-up characters | Every written paper, and 10 marks of HCL Paper 2 | Short dictation and work on radicals, little and often |
| Misses details in recordings | Listening, 20 marks | Announcements and adverts, not only stories |
None of this needs a Mandarin-speaking parent, only regular Chinese between lessons.
What to look for in a Chinese tutor or centre
Six signs of good Chinese teaching
- Standard, Higher or FoundationTeaches the right paperAsk which paper and level they prepare for.
- Oral is 25% at PSLEGets your child talkingYour child should speak more than the tutor, in Chinese.
- Content and languageMarks writing like the examinerNotes on ideas and structure, not only wrong characters.
- Not listsBuilds words inside sentencesNew words are learnt as phrases and used straight away.
- But teaches in ChineseExplains in English when neededA quick English explanation can unstick a child.
- Between lessonsLeaves you a planTen minutes of reading aloud beats a stack of unchecked worksheets.
For Higher Chinese, ask how the tutor teaches the move from stories to argument and forum writing. Our Higher Chinese tuition page covers this by level.
Home tutor, centre or online: costs and trade-offs
One-to-one gives your child most of the speaking time, which matters when oral is a quarter of the marks. A centre class shares that time but gives routine. Online suits Chinese because clips can be shown on screen. Our one-to-one rates are the same for home and online.
| Level | Part-time tutor | Full-time tutor | Ex-MOE or NIE-trained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary 1 to 4 | S$25 to S$35 | S$35 to S$45 | S$50 to S$70 |
| Primary 5 to 6 | S$30 to S$40 | S$40 to S$55 | S$60 to S$80 |
| Secondary 1 to 2 | S$30 to S$45 | S$45 to S$60 | S$60 to S$85 |
| Secondary 3 to 4, SEC G1 to G3 | S$35 to S$45 | S$45 to S$65 | S$65 to S$95 |
Source: our pricing page, read 26 October 2026. Centres usually charge by the month or term.
Two Chinese specialist centres, from their own sites
Neither publishes fees on the pages we read, so ask for the full monthly cost.
Read on 26 October 2026, alphabetical
- N1 to P6, since 1993Berries World of Learning SchoolChinese for pre-school and primary, with classes for children taking PSLE Higher Chinese. Its site lists six centres.
- Playgroup to Sec 4, since 1989Tien Hsia Language SchoolChinese for preschool, primary and secondary, with separate Higher Chinese programmes. Its site lists 11 centres.
For chains that teach Chinese, see our tuition centres guide.
If your child is in one of these situations
- Is in Primary 6 and freezes at the oralWeekly one-to-one speaking practice with unseen clips, well before the oral
- Is aiming for AL1 or AL2 to take Higher Chinese in Secondary 1Read how the 2026 rule works first
- Takes Higher Chinese and has SAP schools on the listSee how the HCL grade is used
- Is in Secondary 3 or 4 sitting G3 ChineseFocus on the email, the essay and the video conversation
- Takes Higher Chinese in secondary schoolA tutor who teaches forum posts, speeches and the summary
- Is struggling badly in Primary 4Ask the school about Foundation Chinese at the P4 option stage
- Joined from overseas with no ChineseSpeak to the school first about support or exemption
Foundation Chinese has no composition: 15% is a short written paper, 55% oral and 30% listening. The school recommends levels after the Primary 4 exams and parents state their choice on an option form. MOE says a foundation subject "is not a disadvantage", and grades A, B and C count as AL 6, 7 and 8.
MTL exemption is rare. MOE told Parliament in 2018 it is granted only in exceptional circumstances, such as joining mid-way without an official Mother Tongue, or certified special needs that seriously affect learning. An exempted child is assigned a score between AL 6 and 8.
How to judge a trial lesson in one hour
- Send real work firstThe last school paper and one marked composition.
- Listen to the first ten minutesIs your child talking in Chinese, or is the tutor lecturing in English?
- Count who speaks mostIn the oral part, your child should talk more than the tutor.
- Look at one correctionCan your child say why a composition sentence was improved?
- Ask for the planWhich part of the paper comes first, and how progress will be checked.
- Ask your child afterwardsWould they go back? Willingness matters a lot in Chinese.
Common questions
What should Chinese tuition focus on for PSLE?
The parts where your child loses the most marks. For most that is the oral, composition and open-ended comprehension, about 60% of the paper together.
Is Higher Chinese tuition needed in primary school?
Only if your child takes Higher Chinese and finds its composition or comprehension hard. It is not in the PSLE Score. Our Higher Chinese and Secondary 1 guide explains where it counts.
Does my child need to name objects in the oral video?
No. SEAB said so in August 2026.
Can I help with Chinese if I do not speak Mandarin?
Yes. Set a short daily reading-aloud time and play Chinese audio in the car. The tutor handles the language itself.
What does secondary Higher Chinese tuition need to cover for 2027?
A 500-character composition, a 220-character email or forum post, an 80-character summary and a 2-minute talk on a video. A tutor should teach all four.
When should we start?
There is no official right age. Start when you first see a pattern, such as short oral answers, not weeks before the PSLE oral.
Official sources
- SEAB, PSLE Formats Examined in 2026, Chinese (0005), Higher Chinese (0015) and Foundation Chinese (0025), read 26 October 2026
- SEAB, (2027 SEC) G3 Syllabuses for School Candidates, Chinese (K320) and Higher Chinese (K355), read 26 October 2026
- SEAB, Media Replies, 21 August 2026, PSLE oral examination
- MOE, PSLE scoring system, read 26 October 2026
- MOE, Subject-based banding, last updated 5 December 2025
- MOE, Parliamentary reply on exemption from taking MTL, 21 March 2018
- SingStat via data.gov.sg, Census of Population 2020, home language by age, Chinese residents, read 26 October 2026
- Berries World of Learning School, berriesworld.com, read 26 October 2026
- Tien Hsia Language School, tienhsia.com, read 26 October 2026
Written by Stella Sow, Chinese Language Tutor & Education Writer, The Singapore Syllabus. Diploma in Chinese Medicine · 7 years' tutoring experience in Chinese Language (Primary & Secondary). More about Stella
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