Situational writing is Section B of Paper 1 in the 2027 SEC G3 English exam (syllabus K300, which takes over from O-Level English 1184), and it is worth 30 marks. Your child writes 250 to 350 words, such as an email, letter, report or speech, based on a situation that comes with a visual text like a poster. Ten marks are for Task Fulfilment and 20 for Language. Paper 1 lasts 1 hour 50 minutes and carries 35% of the subject, so situational writing alone carries 15% of the overall English weighting.
- Situational writing, Section B of Paper 1 (G3 English, K300)
- 30 marks
- Words required, based on a given situation and a visual text
- 250 to 350
- Task Fulfilment marks plus Language marks
- 10 + 20
- Time for the whole of Paper 1, all three sections
- 1 h 50 min
- Share of the final English weighting (30 of 70 marks on a paper worth 35%)
- 15%
Our guide on how the SEC replaces the O-Level explains G1, G2 and G3. SEAB sets no time for each section.
| Section | What your child does | Marks | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| A: Editing | Corrects grammar errors in a short passage (spelling and punctuation are not tested) | 10 | Up to 250 words |
| B: Situational Writing | Writes for a given purpose, audience and context, using a visual | 30 | 250 to 350 words |
| C: Continuous Writing | Picks one of four topics, such as a narrative or an argument | 30 | 350 to 500 words |
The required points for Section B are printed on the question paper, which makes it the most coachable 30 marks in Paper 1.
How the 30 marks are split
- Band 59 to 10All points developed in detail, purpose, audience and context fully addressed, ideas consistently backed by the given information
- Band 47 to 8All points addressed, one or more developed in detail
- Band 35 to 6Most points addressed with some development
- Band 23 to 4Some points addressed
- Band 11 to 2One point addressed
Summarised from SEAB, K300 G3 English Language syllabus for 2027.
To reach 7 marks, every required point must be covered. A beautifully written email that forgets one point stays at 5 to 6.
- Band 517 to 20Coherent and cohesive throughout, ambitious vocabulary and structures used accurately
- Band 413 to 16Some cohesion between paragraphs, varied enough to show shades of meaning
- Band 39 to 12Most ideas coherent, some cohesion within paragraphs, often accurate
- Band 25 to 8Mostly simple vocabulary, varying accuracy
- Band 11 to 4Ideas in isolation, a few correct examples
Summarised from SEAB, K300. Language covers organisation of ideas, clarity of expression and accuracy.
Language is worth twice as much, but it moves slowly. Task Fulfilment can rise two bands in a few weeks once a student ticks off every point. Lifting Language from Band 3 to Band 4 usually takes a term of steady writing and correction, which is why many families start in Secondary 3 rather than the final year.
A practice task we wrote
This task is our own, and the school, survey and numbers are invented. The visual is described in words.
The visual. A Green Club poster titled "Clean Plate Challenge: Have your say". At the top, a bar chart from a survey of 200 students asking "Why do you leave food?": portion too big 46%, do not like the taste 31%, not enough time to finish 23%. In the middle, three ideas. Idea A is a half-portion option at every stall for 50 cents less. Idea B is "Taste Test Tuesday", with stallholders handing out sample cups of new dishes. Idea C is a compost bin in the school garden. A corner box reads "Our canteen throws away about 40 kg of food every school day" and "Club budget this year: $600".
The task. Your principal, Mrs Lim, has asked the Green Club to recommend how the school can cut canteen food waste. As the club's secretary, write an email to Mrs Lim. In your email, you should:
- describe the problem
- recommend one idea from the poster and explain why it suits the school best
- explain why you did not choose the other two ideas
- suggest how students can help to carry out your idea
Planning it in five minutes with PAC
PAC stands for purpose, audience and context.
- Number the required pointsWrite 1 to 4 beside each bullet in the task. Each becomes a paragraph, so nothing is left out.
- Name the purposeTo recommend and persuade. In one line: get Mrs Lim to approve the half-portion option.
- Picture the audienceA busy principal who makes the decision. Formal, polite, clear, main point first.
- Fix the contextA student leader replying to her request. Sound responsible, not demanding.
- Mine the visualCircle the facts you will use: 40 kg a day, 46%, 50 cents less, $600. Give each fact a job.
- Plan the closeDecide the next step you will ask for, such as a meeting, before you start.
The model answer
Subject: Green Club recommendation on reducing canteen food waste
>
Dear Mrs Lim,
>
Thank you for asking the Green Club to suggest ways to reduce food waste in our canteen. After surveying 200 students last month, we would like to recommend offering a half-portion option at every stall.
>
The problem is larger than many of us realised. Our canteen throws away about 40 kg of food every school day. When we asked students why they leave food, almost half of them, 46%, said the portions were too big. Only 23% said they did not have enough time to finish.
>
A half-portion option tackles this main cause directly. Students who want less would pay 50 cents less, so they would waste less food and save money at the same time. Since the idea needs only smaller plates and new price labels, it should cost well within the club's budget of $600.
>
We considered the other two ideas carefully. Taste Test Tuesday could help, but taste was the reason given by fewer students, and stallholders would have to spend time and money preparing samples every week. A compost bin is a sensible way to handle leftovers, but it deals with waste after it is created rather than preventing it.
>
Students can help in several ways. Green Club members could design the new price labels and remind classmates about the option during morning assembly. We could also weigh the canteen's leftovers once a week for a month, so that we can tell you whether the waste has fallen.
>
If you agree, could we meet next week to discuss how to approach the stallholders? Thank you for considering our proposal.
>
Yours sincerely,
Tan Jia Hui
Secretary, Green Club
At about 280 words, it sits comfortably inside the range.
Why each part of the answer scores
| Part of the answer | Why it scores |
|---|---|
| Subject line | States the purpose in seven words. |
| Opening paragraph | Thanks Mrs Lim (context) and gives the recommendation in the second sentence (purpose). A principal should never hunt for the main point. |
| Problem paragraph | Covers point 1 with two facts from the poster, 40 kg and 46%. This is "ideas supported by given information". |
| Recommendation paragraph | Covers point 2. It ties the idea to the biggest cause in the survey and uses the $600 budget to show it is realistic. That is development, not just a statement. |
| The rejected ideas | Covers point 3 with one reason for each. "Could help, but" shows respect for the other ideas, which suits a student writing to a principal. |
| How students can help | Covers point 4 with three concrete actions, including a way to measure results. |
| Closing | Asks for one clear next step. "Yours sincerely" with a name and role fits a formal email to a named reader. |
| Language throughout | "After", "When", "Since" and "but" link ideas. "Could" and "would" keep suggestions polite. No contractions or slang. |
Formal and informal register side by side
SEAB does not mark "formal" as such. It marks whether the writing suits the audience and context, so the right register depends on the reader.
| Point | Formal, to the principal | Informal, to a classmate |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Dear Mrs Lim, | Hi Wei Ming, |
| Opening | Thank you for asking the Green Club for suggestions. | Guess what, Mrs Lim wants our ideas on canteen waste. |
| Request | Could we meet next week to discuss this? | Can you come for a quick meeting on Thursday? |
| Reason | Almost half of the students surveyed said portions were too big. | Loads of people said the plates are way too full. |
| Contractions | Avoided: we would, it is | Fine: we'd, it's |
| Sign-off | Yours sincerely, Tan Jia Hui, Secretary, Green Club | See you, Jia Hui |
Most G3 tasks call for a formal or semi-formal register. Informal tasks still appear, and their language is still marked for accuracy.
The six formats students should practise
SEAB names email, letter, report and speech as examples, and its "e.g." leaves room for others. Schools also practise proposals and articles.
Formats and the features examiners look for
- Most commonEmailSubject line, greeting, short paragraphs, a clear request, sign-off with name and role.
- Older cousin of the emailFormal letterAddress and date, "Dear Sir or Madam" when no name is given, "Yours faithfully" to match.
- Facts firstReportTitle, who it is for and why, headings for findings, then recommendations. Impersonal tone.
- Written to be heardSpeechGreet the audience, use "you" and "we", signpost each point, end with a call to act.
- Persuade with a planProposalAim, the plan, reasons, costs, and a request for approval.
- For a newsletterArticleA clear headline, an opening that hooks, short paragraphs, a closing thought.
Format earns no marks by itself, but it shows awareness of purpose, audience and context, a Task Fulfilment criterion.
The mistakes that cost the most marks
How G2 English (K200) is different
G2 students sit syllabus K200, which replaces N(A) English 1190. Situational writing has the same shape, the same 10 and 20 split and the same Task Fulfilment bands. The length and the language bar change.
| G3 English (K300) | G2 English (K200) | |
|---|---|---|
| Situational writing length | 250 to 350 words | 180 to 250 words |
| Continuous writing length | 350 to 500 words | 250 to 400 words |
| Top Language band asks for | Ambitious vocabulary and structures used accurately | Varied vocabulary used mostly accurately |
A G2 student moving up to G3 needs longer, more developed paragraphs. Our O-Level English guide covers the other papers.
Common questions
Is SEC situational writing the same as O-Level situational writing?
SEAB says the SEC keeps the same mode of assessment and standards as the O-Level. The K300 task is 30 marks for 250 to 350 words based on a visual, the task students already practise.
How many marks is situational writing worth?
30 of the 70 marks in Paper 1, split 10 for Task Fulfilment and 20 for Language. That is 15% of the final English weighting.
What is the word limit for G3 situational writing?
SEAB asks for 250 to 350 words at G3 and 180 to 250 at G2. It publishes no penalty for going outside the range.
Can my child add their own ideas, or only use the visual?
Both. Strong answers back their points with facts from the visual and add sensible reasoning that does not contradict it.
How long should my child spend on situational writing?
SEAB sets only the 1 hour 50 minute total. About 40 minutes, including 5 minutes of planning, leaves enough time for editing and a full continuous writing piece.
What is the fastest way to improve?
Make numbering and ticking off the required points automatic, which protects the Task Fulfilment mark. Then write one answer a week and have it marked against the SEAB bands.
Official sources
- SEAB, G3 English Language syllabus K300 for 2027, 2025
- SEAB, G2 English Language syllabus K200 for 2027, 2025
- SEAB, 2027 SEC G3 syllabuses for school candidates, updated 12 Oct 2026
- SEAB, 2027 SEC G2 syllabuses for school candidates
- SEAB, Secondary Education Certificate (SEC)
Written by Tan Hong Ting, Mathematics & Science Tutor, The Singapore Syllabus. Bachelor's in Psychology, National University of Singapore · 4 years' tutoring experience in Mathematics and Science. More about Tan
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