If you already want a one-to-one tutor, our English tuition page shows how we match English tutors by level and paper.
Where the 200 PSLE marks sit
This format has applied since the 2025 PSLE. SEAB had not posted a 2027 format page on 26 October 2026, so check its site early in the year.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Weighting | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Writing | Situational writing | 14 | 25% for the paper | 1 h 10 min |
| 1 Writing | Continuous writing (at least 150 words) | 36 | ||
| 2 Language use and comprehension | Booklet A: grammar, vocabulary, vocabulary cloze, visual text (all multiple choice) | 25 | 45% for the paper | 1 h 50 min |
| 2 Language use and comprehension | Booklet B: grammar cloze, editing, comprehension cloze, synthesis and transformation, open-ended comprehension | 65 | ||
| 3 Listening | 20 multiple-choice items | 20 | 10% | About 35 min |
| 4 Oral | Reading aloud | 15 | 20% for the paper | About 10 min |
| 4 Oral | Stimulus-based conversation on a photo | 25 |
Two details matter for tuition. The composition must be based on at least one of three pictures. And the 10 open-ended comprehension questions average 2 marks each, so one vague answer costs as much as two wrong grammar items. Because the weightings match the raw marks, an oral mark counts exactly as much as a composition mark, and oral is a fifth of the result.
SEC English for 2027: the same four papers at G3 and G2
From 2027 the Singapore-Cambridge SEC replaces the O-Level and N-Level. Students sit English at G1, G2 or G3, and G3 is graded like the O-Level. G3 (K300, replacing 1184) and G2 (K200, replacing 1190) share one scheme of assessment.
| Point | G3 (K300) | G2 (K200) |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 Writing | 70 marks, 35%, 1 h 50 min | 70 marks, 35%, 1 h 50 min |
| Editing | 10 marks, grammar only | 10 marks, grammar only |
| Situational writing | 30 marks, 250 to 350 words | 30 marks, 180 to 250 words |
| Continuous writing | 30 marks, 350 to 500 words, one of four topics | 30 marks, 250 to 400 words, one of four topics |
| Paper 2 Comprehension | 50 marks, 35%, Texts 3 and 4 about 1200 words | 50 marks, 35%, Texts 3 and 4 about 1000 words |
| Paper 3 Listening | 30 marks, 10%, about 45 min | 30 marks, 10%, about 45 min |
| Paper 4 Oral | 30 marks, 20%, on computer, video clip prompt | 30 marks, 20%, on computer, video clip prompt |
The weightings do not follow the raw marks, which changes where tuition time pays off.
A comprehension mark is worth more than twice a listening mark. The oral is a planned response of up to two minutes to a video clip (15 marks) and a discussion with the examiners (15 marks). In both writing tasks, SEAB's band descriptors give 20 of the 30 marks to language. A tutor who only fixes ideas is working on a third of the writing marks.
GP in 2027: where the 100 marks go
- Paper 1 essay, one question from eight, 30 marks for content and 20 for language
- 500 to 800 words
- Paper 1 Essay and Paper 2 Comprehension, 1 h 30 min each, sat separately
- 50% each
- Three passages in Paper 2, with 8 or 9 questions
- About 1200 words
- The application question in Paper 2, the largest single item
- 12 marks
- Marks for language across both papers
- 35 of 100
What tuition should fix at each stage
- P1 to P4Reading widely, grammar, spelling and reading aloud with expression.
- P5Planning a composition from a picture, covering every point in situational writing, full-sentence comprehension answers.
- P6Timed compositions with rewrites, the photo conversation, and the Booklet B items your child keeps dropping.
- Sec 1 to 3The jump from 150-word compositions to 350-word essays, argument as well as narrative, summary in own words.
- Sec 4, SEC G3 or G2Full papers to time, the right word limits, comprehension marks and the video clip oral.
- JC1 to JC2Essay argument, the application question and cross-passage links.
What useful composition feedback looks like
Ask to see what a tutor does with a script. Here is a P5 paragraph we wrote to show the difference.
Last Saturday my family went to East Coast Park. It was a very hot day. My brother and I rode our bicycles. Suddenly I heard a loud noise. A boy had fallen off his scooter. I felt very scared. I ran to help him. His knee was bleeding. I gave him a plaster from my bag. His mother thanked me. I felt very happy and proud of myself.
Feedback that grades: "Good effort. Use more descriptive words."
Feedback that teaches:
- The problem arrives in sentence four and is solved by sentence nine. Slow down the fall. What did you see first?
- "I felt very scared" tells the reader. Show it through what your body did.
- Nine of the eleven sentences start with a subject and a verb. Open two another way, such as "Without thinking,".
- Rewrite sentences four to six and bring them next week.
One version of that rewrite: "Before I could pedal any further, a sharp crack rang out behind me. I swerved and turned. A small boy lay tangled with his scooter on the path, and for a moment my legs refused to move."
The second kind names the problem, shows a fix and sets a rewrite. That is what you are paying for.
Questions to ask a tutor or centre
| Ask | A good answer includes |
|---|---|
| Can I see two marked scripts at my child's level? | Comments that name a problem and show a fix, plus the student's rewrite |
| How do you teach composition? | Planning, drafting, then rewriting one part each week |
| How do you practise oral? | Reading aloud with feedback, and conversation on a photo (PSLE) or video clip (SEC) |
| Which paper are you preparing for? | For Sec 4 in 2027, G3 K300 or G2 K200, not just "O-Level" |
| How will I know it is working? | A dated record of marks by component |
Red flags
- Model compositions to memorise. The PSLE composition must use one of three pictures and SEC essays offer four fresh topics, so a learned essay rarely fits.
- Marked work that never comes home.
- A centre teaching 10 or more students that is missing from MOE's private schools search. MOE says such centres must register, though registration is not a mark of quality.
Centre, home tutor or online: the 2027 costs
| Point | English centre class | One-to-one tutor, at home or online |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the pace | The class programme | The tutor, around your child's weak spots |
| Composition feedback | Varies by centre, so ask to see scripts | Can go through each script in the lesson |
| Oral practice | Depends on the centre's programme | Can be built into every lesson |
English specialist centres, from their own fee pages on 26 October 2026, alphabetically:
| Centre | Level | Published fee, GST included | Per hour (our arithmetic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lil' but Mighty | P5 and P6 | S$114.45 a 2-hour lesson (2026 fees) | S$57.23 |
| Lil' but Mighty | Sec 3 and 4 | S$125.35 a 2-hour lesson (2026 fees) | S$62.68 |
| The Write Connection | P5 and P6 | S$90 a 2-hour weekday lesson | S$45.00 |
| The Write Connection | Sec 1 to 4 | S$100 a 2-hour weekday lesson | S$50.00 |
Lil' but Mighty states a ratio of 6 students to 1 teacher and asks for a deposit of four weeks' fees. The Write Connection lists an S$85 registration fee, a S$100 refundable deposit and S$12.50 of materials a term. Our comparison of 15 tuition centres covers multi-subject centres that also teach English.
TSS one-to-one rates for 2027, the same at home or online, from our pricing page:
| Level | Part-time or undergraduate | Full-time | Ex-MOE or NIE-trained |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 to P4 | S$25 to S$35 | S$35 to S$45 | S$50 to S$70 |
| P5 to P6 | S$30 to S$40 | S$40 to S$55 | S$60 to S$80 |
| Sec 1 to 2 | S$30 to S$45 | S$45 to S$60 | S$60 to S$85 |
| Sec 3 to 4, SEC G1 to G3 | S$35 to S$45 | S$45 to S$65 | S$65 to S$95 |
| JC1 to JC2 | S$45 to S$60 | S$65 to S$90 | S$90 to S$130 |
A centre hour is shared with a class, so per-hour prices are not like for like. Our guide to choosing a tuition agency explains how agencies differ.
How to run a trial lesson
- Bring a recent marked paperSo the trial starts from your child's real errors, not a generic worksheet.
- Name one componentThe section losing the most marks, such as open-ended comprehension or oral.
- Watch who talksIn a good English lesson your child writes or speaks for most of the hour.
- Ask for a rewriteBy the end your child should have rewritten a paragraph or an answer.
- Ask for the planWhat the next four lessons cover and how progress will be measured.
Common questions
What is the best English tuition for PSLE?
The kind that targets your child's weakest component: composition (36 marks), situational writing (14), Booklet B (65) or oral (40). Ask how they would raise that one component.
Is a centre or a home tutor better for English?
Neither in general. A small class suits a child who is keeping up. One-to-one suits a specific weakness, such as composition structure or oral confidence.
How much does English tuition cost in 2027?
Through TSS, one-to-one English tuition is S$25 to S$130 an hour by level and tutor type. The two English centres in this guide charge about S$45 to S$63 per class hour at upper primary and secondary.
How many words is SEC English continuous writing?
350 to 500 words at G3 and 250 to 400 at G2, on one of four topics. Situational writing is 250 to 350 words at G3 and 180 to 250 at G2.
When should my child start English tuition?
When marked school work shows a pattern of lost marks in one component, rather than at a fixed age.
What should GP tuition focus on?
Essay argument for Paper 1, and in Paper 2 the 12-mark application question and the 4 to 6 marks for linking ideas across passages. Language is 35 of the 100 marks.
Official sources
- SEAB, PSLE formats examined in 2026, updated 24 April 2026
- SEAB, PSLE English Language syllabus 0001, implemented from 2025
- SEAB, 2027 SEC G3 syllabuses, updated 11 May 2026
- SEAB, K300 G3 English Language syllabus for 2027
- SEAB, K200 G2 English Language syllabus for 2027
- SEAB, Secondary Education Certificate
- SEAB, 8881 General Paper syllabus for 2027
- MOE, Private schools search, updated 13 May 2026
- Centres' own fee pages, read 26 October 2026: Lil' but Mighty, The Write Connection
Written by Theon Teo, Founder and Mathematics Tutor, The Singapore Syllabus. DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore, Game Development & Computer Science · 3 years' Mathematics teaching (Primary & Secondary). More about Theon
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