Hello, everyone! It’s Teacher Wen Hee from Lil’ but Mighty and I am here again to share with you useful English tips! In this post, we will be zooming in to one of the dreaded components in the English Language Paper: the Synthesis and Transformation (S&T) section 😱 . Not to worry, I will walk you through by analysing the synthesis and transformation examples questions tested in the PSLE 2023 paper together so that you will not panic if you encounter similar types in future! ☺ Let’s get started and take a look at the questions:
Type 1: Word Transformation (Verb to Gerund)
Step 1: Check answer stem and identify the word to be transformed.
The answer stem ‘instead of’ is a preposition and it means ‘in place of’. It is usually followed by a noun, a pronoun, a name or a gerund. For instance, you can use it in this way: I will represent the team instead of him (pronoun). This then tells me that the word that comes after ‘instead of’ in the question must be one of these things.
Step 2: Change the verb to a gerund.
Step 3:Write down the final answer.
Type 2: Unless
‘Unless’ is a conjunction that means something can only happen or be true in a particular situation (Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, 2020). A conditional clause usually comes after using the word ’unless’, so let us review the steps that we can apply to this question.
Step 1: Identity and label C+ (Positive Condition) and R (Result) in the question.
In this question, ‘unless’ indicates that not having a library card is the condition that results in the brother being unable to borrow the book.
Step 2: Look out for words to cancel out.
Note that since the pronoun ‘he’ is singular, there is a need to change the verb ‘have’ to ‘has’ instead to ensure there is agreement.
Step 4: Write down the final answer.
Notice how since ‘unless’ is found in the middle of the sentence, the result will come before the conjuction while the condition is written after it in the answer.
Type 3: However + Adjective
Step 1: Identify and label the order of events.
If you analyse the question carefully, you will understand that ‘Henry ran as fast as he could’ happens first and the result is that ‘he still missed the bus’.
Step 2: Look at the word provided in the answer stem.
The word ‘however’ is used here as an adverb to show despite Henry’s great effort (he ran as fast as he could), the outcome was still not favourable to him (he still missed the bus). When ‘however’ is used in this manner, it is usually followed by an adjective, in this case ‘fast’. This means that in writing the final answer, you would need to rephrase the first sentence a little.
Step 3: Write down the final answer.
We’re now halfway through our synthesis and transformation examples, and we hope you’re finding the tips both beneficial and simple to follow!
Type 4: Word Transformation (Possession + Without)
Step 1: Take note of the possessive in the answer stem.
The apostrophe ’s’ in the answer stem would require a noun. In this instance, we need to identify a verb that relates to Mr Ahmad that needs to be changed into a noun.
Step 2: Change the verb to a noun.
Be careful with the spelling! ‘Advice’ that refers to a noun is spelt with a ‘c’ while ‘advise’ spelt with an ’s’ is still a verb.
Step 3: Check if any word needs to be cancelled out to avoid repetition.
Cancel out ‘had not’ in the question as it is already represented by the word ‘without’ in the answer stem. You can also leave out ‘If’ from the answer because this transformation replaces the conditional structure with ‘without’ to emphasise that Mr Ahmad’s advice was crucial to submitting the project on time.
Step 4: Write down the final answer.
Type 5: Direct to Indirect Speech
Always a favourite amongst all the types tested is the reported speech question. Although it can be a tricky question type, let’s explore how we can answer such a question type in a structured manner.
At LBM, we recommend using 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. Take a look at how it’s done step by step below:
Step 1: Check the Tense (T).
‘Are’ is in present tense, so we would need to change it to past tense, ‘were’.
Step 2: Check for Pronouns (P)
Since it is Mrs Sim who was the one asking the students, ‘your’ would be referring to the students and need to be changed to ‘their’.
Step 3: Check for any expressions of Time (T) and references to Place (P).
The question does not contain any time markers, for example tomorrow, yesterday etc. It also does not mention ‘here’, ‘this’ and ‘these’ so it is safe to say that there is no reference to any place.
However, since you are required to change a question into a reported statement, there is an extra step you need to take before writing down the final answer.
Step 4: Check the subject-verb order (applicable only when reporting questions).
As this is framed as a question, remember to make the necessary grammatical adjustment when you write the answer. In a question format, the verb always come before the subject – that is why the verb ‘are’ is in front of the subject ‘your plans’. However, in a statement, the order is reversed – the subject should come before the verb. Hence, the verb ‘were’ and the subject ‘their plans’ need to swap places.
Step 5: Write down the final answer.
That’s all, folks! If you managed to make it all the way till the end, I hope you have found the steps shared helpful in your revision. The Synthesis and Transformation examples above may be a difficult section to conquer but do not be intimidated by it. With the right preparation and mindset, any challenge can be overcome. All the best for your PSLE revision for the P6s and for students in the other levels, continue to hone your English skills! See you in the next post.
Struggling with synthesis and transformation? Many students find these questions tricky, but with the right strategies, they can become second nature! Our Synthesis and Transformation Online Course is designed to equip your child with clear techniques and plenty of synthesis and transformation examples to master this essential PSLE component. Don’t let this challenge hold them back—sign up today and watch their confidence soar!