Hi everyone! Welcome to our blog post! The Synthesis and Transformation (S&T) section is possibly one of the trickiest sections in the PSLE English Paper 2. Making errors, such as using the wrong tense or missing out words, will cause you to lose the whole two marks for that question. That is why it is imperative to know what types of questions are tested and the strategies you want to use for each type.
In this post, I will be looking closely at the questions that were tested in the PSLE 2021 paper and sharing some tips on how you can tackle them. Let’s get started on PSLE 2021: Types of Synthesis & Transformation!
What is Synthesis and Transformation?
Synthesis and transformation is an important part of English grammar where two or more sentences are combined or rewritten as one without changing the original meaning. This section tests not just your grammar, but also your ability to use vocabulary and recognise sentence structures. Since it’s a regular feature in the PSLE English paper, mastering this skill can make a big difference to your overall marks.
To do well, you’ll want to:
- Practise different types of sentences—simple, compound, and complex.
- Learn common transformation patterns (like changing direct to indirect speech, combining sentences using connectors, or transforming active to passive voice).
- Always check your answers to make sure the meaning remains exactly the same as the original.
Armed with these basics, let’s dive into the actual questions from PSLE 2021 and see what strategies we can use to tackle the different types of Synthesis & Transformation questions effectively.
What Does the Synthesis & Transformation Section Test?
Before we dive into the question types, let’s quickly recap what this section is all about. The Synthesis & Transformation section tests how well Primary 6 students can:
- Use correct grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure
- Apply grammar rules, such as:
- Joining sentences with words like “and,” “because,” or “although”
- Using relative pronouns like “who,” “which,” or “that”
- Writing if-conditional sentences
- Changing direct speech to reported speech
- Changing active voice to passive voice, or vice versa
- Changing a question tag into a statement
Understanding the Synthesis & Transformation Section
Before we dive into the question types, let’s quickly look at the format of this section. Synthesis and Transformation is a 10-mark section found in Booklet B of Paper 2.
For each question, you are required to combine or transform two sentences into one without changing the original meaning. Each answer must be entirely correct to receive full marks—there are no partial marks awarded for partially correct answers. That’s why precision is key!
Now that we know what’s being tested, let’s look at the specific question types that appeared in PSLE 2021 and how to tackle them!
Type 1: Word Transformation
Step 1: Check answer stem and sentence starter
The answer stem ends with “her”, meaning to say that the word that follows must be a thing or trait belonging to “her”. From the question, we are quickly able to identify that “her” refers to “Ella” and that Ella’s trait is being “not careful”.
Step 2: Change the adjective to noun
Step 3: Write down the final answer
The next two questions can also be classified as the Word Transformation type of question. However, there are small differences that you need to be take note of. Let’s take a look at them:
Step 1: Take note of any word transformation
If you take a look at the question closely, you will notice how the noun “discussion” in the question has been changed to the verb “discussed” in the answer stem. Hence, for this question, the word transformation part has already been done for you. This tells you that you will need to change the way the sentence is structured.
Step 2: Identify the correct preposition to use. Remove unwanted information
We need the preposition “for” to show an amount of time, i.e. for an entire hour. As a result of using the verb “discussed”, we can also remove the phrase “took the team”.
Step 3: Write down the final answer
The last question which tested the students’ knowledge of word transformation will be the following one.
Step 1: Check answer stem and sentence starter
The answer stem ends with “great”, which is an adjective that means “extreme”. In this case, “great” is similar in usage to “very” in the question. This tells you that the noun form of “pleased” should come after it.
Step 2: Change the adjective to noun. Remove unwanted information
Step 3: Write down the final answer
Take note that for this question, you should have checked for tense. The word ‘was’ in the question tells you that the past tense is used. As such, the verb “receive” needs to be changed to “received” in the answer to reflect the correct tense.
Transforming Active and Passive Voice
When changing a sentence from active voice to passive voice, start by identifying the subject (who is doing the action) and the object (who or what receives the action). In the passive construction, the object of the active sentence moves to the subject’s place, and the original subject is introduced with the word “by.”
For example:
- Active: The chef prepares the meal.
- Passive: The meal is prepared by the chef.
Take note: When making this shift, always check the tense. The verb should match the original tense of the sentence, such as “is prepared” for present or “was prepared” for past.
To switch from passive back to active, reverse the process—have the “by” agent become the subject at the start, and ensure the verb tense remains consistent. This attention to verb forms is just as important as identifying who is doing what in the sentence.
Using Relative Pronouns to Connect Ideas
Relative pronouns like who, which, and that help us link two related sentences into one smoother, more complex statement. This eliminates the need for repetition and makes our writing clearer.
For example:
- “The scientist works at NASA. She discovered a new planet.”
Using the relative pronoun who, we get: - “The scientist who discovered a new planet works at NASA.”
Remember, who is generally used for people, which for objects or animals, and that can refer to both, depending on the context. By mastering relative pronouns, you can avoid awkward repetitions and improve the flow of your sentences.
Inversion and Emphasis
Now, let’s talk about another common technique you might encounter: inversion for emphasis. In some synthesis and transformation questions, you may be asked to rearrange the usual word order to highlight a point or to make the sentence sound more formal or dramatic.
For instance, you might take a straightforward sentence like:
I have never seen such a beautiful painting.
To change this for emphasis, you move the negative phrase to the front and invert the subject and auxiliary verb:
Never have I seen such a beautiful painting.
Notice how this not only places emphasis on the word “never”, but also gives the sentence a stronger, more striking tone. This structure is called inversion and is often used with words like “never”, “rarely”, “seldom”, and “hardly”.
Remember: The inversion usually involves swapping the usual subject-verb order after the introductory negative or limiting word. Always double-check that the verb agrees with the subject after the change!
- The man who treated my grandmother is a doctor.
A relative clause helps specify exactly which man is being referred to. - Keith said that he was not feeling well.
Reported speech is used to indicate what Keith said. - The cake was baked by my mother.
Transformed from active to passive voice. - Tom said that he would be home by six o’clock.
Reported speech, again, to show what Tom mentioned. - The boy who won the writing competition is my classmate.
A relative clause highlighting the particular student. - The letter was sent by the teacher.
Passive voice construction. - He shouted at me because he was very angry.
Stating the reason for his outburst. - Ali said that he could not attend the class.
Using reported speech to convey Ali’s statement. - Neither Sam nor the girls are going to the party.
A conjunction joining two negative possibilities. - Despite being very tired, Jane continued working.
Contrast shown using a conjunction at the start of the sentence.
These sample answers should help you recognise the different approaches needed for each question type and give you a good foundation to work from in your own practice. Now, let’s move on to a different type of question you might encounter in the S&T section:
Sample Synthesis and Transformation Questions
Ready to put your skills to the test? Here are a variety of synthesis and transformation questions that cover different formats you might encounter in the PSLE. Work through them and see how well you can apply the techniques we’ve discussed:
Practice Questions:
- She lost her toy. She was crying.
(Use “because” to join the sentences.) - The man treated my grandmother. He is a doctor.
(Combine using “who.”) - Keith said, “I am not feeling well.”
(Change to reported speech.) - He failed the test. He did not study.
(Join using “because.”) - My mother baked the cake.
(Rewrite using the passive voice with “by.”) - Tom said, “I will be home by 6pm.”
(Transform into reported speech.) - You do not follow the rules. You will get into trouble.
(Start with “If.”) - He won the writing competition. He is my classmate.
(Use a relative clause beginning with “who.”) - The teacher sent the letter.
(Rewrite in passive voice.) - He was very angry. He shouted at me.
(Connect with “because.”) - Ali said, “I cannot attend the class.”
(Transform to reported speech.) - Sam is not going to the party. The girls are not going either.
(Combine using “neither…nor.”) - You must practise regularly. You will not improve.
(Begin with “Unless.”) - Jane continued working. She was very tired.
(Use “despite.”) - I had never heard such a strange story.
(Begin with “Never had I…”)
Try these out and check your answers using the strategies from earlier in this post—paying close attention to tense, pronouns, conjunctions, and voice. If you want to challenge yourself further, transform the sentences in both directions (direct to indirect, active to passive, etc.) to strengthen your understanding. Happy practising!
Type 2: Direct to Indirect Speech
For Direct to Indirect Speech questions, we use TPTP to check that all the different parts of the question have been changed correctly. We check for:
Tense
Pronoun
Time
Place
When we check for TPTP, we will circle the word and write the answer above it. Let me show you how it’s done step by step:
Step 1: Check the Tense (T)
“Drove” is in past tense, so we need to change it to the past perfect tense.
Step 2: Check the Pronouns (P)
Since it is a boy who spoke, change the pronouns “my” to “his” and “me” to “him”. Remember to check if there are more than one pronoun to change!
Step 3: Check if there are any expressions of Time (T)
Step 4: Check if there are references to any specific Place (P)
For this question, there is no mention of “here”, “this” or “these” so it is safe to say that there is no reference to any specific place.
Step 5: Write down the final answer
Double-Check for Meaning and Accuracy
Once you’ve rewritten the sentence in indirect speech, take a moment to compare your answer with the original direct speech. Ask yourself:
- Did I keep the meaning the same?
- Did I miss out on any important information?
If your new sentence accurately reflects the original meaning and is grammatically correct, you’re on the right track! Always make sure nothing important was left out or altered during the transformation.
Type 3: Fixed Phrase + Preposition
The phrase “in the event” in the answer stem refers to a possible future situation, especially one where a person is planning what to do if it occurs. It is similar in usage to the conjunction “if”. As such, we should follow these steps when answering such a question:
Step 1: Label C (Condition) and R (Result)
Labelling the question this way helps us to know how to arrange the ideas in the answer. We should place the Result (R) before the answer stem and the Condition (C) after it. Think of it this way:
When I replace “in the event” with the conjunction “if” and put it in the middle of the sentence, the answer would be: The outing to the beach will be called off if it rains.
To make this clearer, let’s look at another example involving conditionals—a common feature in synthesis questions:
Original sentences:
You do not water the plant. It will die.Transformed:
If you do not water the plant, it will die.
Notice how “if” shows that one action (not watering the plant) leads to a result (the plant dying). This same conditional relationship is what “in the event of” helps to express in more formal contexts.
Step 2: Identify the correct preposition to use with the fixed phrase. Remove unwanted information
The phrase “in the event” goes with the preposition “of”. We can also remove “if” and “it”. Remember to change the verb “rains” to the noun “rain”.
For example:
Original: The outing to the beach will be called off if it rains.
Using the fixed phrase: The outing to the beach will be called off in the event of rain.
This structure tidies up the sentence, making it more concise and formal.
Step 3: Write down the final answer
Let’s break down the process further for clarity and accuracy:
1. Read Both Parts of the Question Carefully
Take your time to read each sentence or phrase in the question. Pay close attention to the relationship between ideas—are we talking about a cause and its possible effect? This careful reading helps you spot which part is the condition and which is the result.
2. Identify the Type of Transformation
Here, the transformation requires you to use the fixed phrase “in the event of” instead of a simple “if”. Make sure you’re not just swapping words, but restructuring the sentence so that the meaning remains unchanged and the grammar is correct.
3. Ensure Grammatical Accuracy
- Tense: Do the verbs match the timing intended in the question?
- Form: Have you changed “rains” (verb) into “rain” (noun) to fit after “in the event of”?
- Prepositions: Have you used “of” after “in the event”?
- Subject-Verb Agreement: Double-check that, after your transformation, subjects and verbs still agree.
4. Compare With the Original Meaning
After your transformation, read both your sentence and the original. Ask yourself:
- Does the new sentence mean exactly the same as the original?
- Is any important information missing or changed?
If everything matches up and the sentence is grammatically sound, you’re good to go!
By following these steps, you’ll be able to confidently handle questions that require using fixed phrases with prepositions, maintaining both accuracy and clarity in your answers.
The final answer should combine the condition and result smoothly, using the fixed phrase and correct preposition. Always double-check that all unnecessary words have been removed and the verbs or nouns are in the correct form to match the new sentence structure.
How did you find the questions? I hope you found the steps that I have shared useful and now feel ready to ace this section in the PSLE. If you have any other tried and tested methods of answering Synthesis questions, do share them with us in the comments section. See you in my next post!
