Blueprint For PSLE Success - Composition

Contents
Foreword 5
About Creative Campus 7
About the Authors 9
Preface 13
Section A: Narratives 15
Chapter 1: Cheat Sheet 17
Chapter 2: Crafting an Effective Introduction and Conclusion 21
Chapter 3: Injecting Emotional Details into the Story 31
Chapter 4: Focusing on Action-driven Plots 41
Model Narrative Essays 53
Past-Year Questions 105
Section B: Expositions 131

Chapter 5: Handling the Expository Essay 133
Chapter 6: Language and Tone in Expository Writing 145
Chapter 7: Introductions and Conclusions in Expositions 155
Chapter 8: Putting it All Together 165
Model Expository Essays 169
CHAPTER 1
Cheat Sheet
A 'cheat sheet' to all the fundamental skills of writing narratives is provided

here for easy reference.
3 Steps to Writing Narratives: Plan, Write, Edit!
1. Plan your plot before writing
• You can use a story curve, numbered mind-map or bulleted points.

• The interrogatives (who, what, why, when, where, how) are useful
prompts to help you generate ideas.
• Try to spend only 5-7 minutes on your plan.
Why plan?
• To avoid writing out-of-point and ensure that you address the theme or
topic;
• To ensure your story flows logically (no lapses in logic);
• To ensure you focus on language accuracies when writing the essay.
2. Language - Writing your composition
• Be sure to use accurate G.S.P. (Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation).

• Use elegant and appropriate vocabulary (this does NOT mean using the
most flamboyant vocabulary you know).
• Remember to K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple, Safe). If in doubt, shorten your
sentences, ensuring clarity and grammatical accuracy.
Remember to:
• pick a perspective (POV);
• narrate the story using the past tense;
• inject a few vivid details to make your story come alive.
compiled by Future Academy Page 17

18 Blueprint for PSLE Success: .Composition
3. Check and edit your composition for
• G.S.P. errors;
• careless gaps in the story;
• any pc,ssible upgrades in descriptions or vocabulary.
Planning for your composition is a crucial step to that AL 1 narrative.
Scan the QR code to see some crucial planning and grammar tips for writers!
Plotting a Story Curve
1. Start by deciding on the perspective.
• 1 st person POV (I/me/my/we/us)

Limited viewpoint - do not describe what you did not hear/see/feel
• 3rd person/narrator's POV (he/him/she/her/they/them)

Universal/all-seeing viewpoint - able to describe everything that
happened
2. Remember to narrate the story using the past tense.
3. Remember to describe - show, not just tell, the story.

Cheat Sheet • 19
A Model Story Curve
• Describe the climax (key concept/problem)

• What actions were carried out by whom?
• How did the main character(s} react?
How did they feel?
Cllm•x
• What happened next?

Who was doing what mi!iln action?
What happened next? F■lllng Action • How did the main character(s) feel?
Who was doing what
main action?
How did the main
character(s) feel? Rising Action
R.. olutlon How was the problem finally solved?

Who did what?
Is there a twist?
Introduction
Conclualon and Afurthought
• Where?
• How did the whole story end?
• When?
• Describe the scene/setting What are your/the main character' nal thoughts?
• Who did what activities? Any lesson(s) learnt?
The Rising Action of a story is a great place to start building suspense and
tension in your story.
Scan the QR code to see how our student does it.

20 Blueprint for PSLE Success: Composition
Tips for Imbuing Vivid Details
This essentially means that you should 'show', not just 'tell', the story. But
how do yoJ do that? Here are a few quick techniques:
• When a place features in your story, describe the place using the
5 sensf!S.
• When people are featured in your story, involve characterisation of your
key per5ona(s) by describing their Features, Actions, Thoughts and
Emotio 1s. (Every character has a F.A.T.E.)
When two or more characters feature in your story, have them engage
in a little dialogue.
• When your story features an action sequence, describe the actions and
reactions in slow motion. Your characters would also be emotional, so
remember to describe their feelings too!
• Inject li:erary devices whenever possible to improve the vivid portrayal
of scenes. These include imagery, similes, metaphors and alliteration,
among!,t others.
Preparing for the Composition Paper
Revise and Remember:

• Grammar rules;
• VocabJlary, descriptive phrases;
• Ideas, '1ocabulary and phrases from Model Essays in this book.
Be sure tc,:
• Get en::>ugh rest - so your mind is clear to create a wonderful story.
• Breathe! Settle the nerves and try to enjoy your creative process.

II
CHAPTER 2
Crafting an Effective Introduction

and Conclusion
This chapter highlights the pitfalls in students' introductory paragraphs and

showcases methods to avoid redundancy. This allows students to trim the
fat and start crafting a concise introduction that gets right into the story.
Essential tips to writing a sound conclusion are also included.

A Thrilling Adventure
Write a composition of at least Picture 1

150 words about a thrilling
adventure!.
The pictures are provided to help

you think about this topic. Your
composition should be based on
one or more of these pictures.
<·
Consider the following points
when you plan your composition: Picture 2
•
•
What was the adventure?
Why was it memorable?
(., .�-1
le
.
V
• What were the lessons learnt? ' I
You may use the points in any

order and include other relevant
points as well.
,,,.,
•,�

Crafting an Effective Introduction and Conclusion • 23
Content Derivation: Brainstorming the Possible Plots

Using the Interrogatives: who, what, when, where, why, how
1 Key prompt: what activity/modes of

transportation?
Possible narration of the protagonist exploring

a place/new environment (e.g. a new
neighbourhood) by bicycle.
Further prompts:
• Where did he go? Why did he decide to

explore the place?
• Who was with him?
• What problem/adventure did he encounter?
• How did he react? How did the others
react?
• How was the incident resolved?
• What did he learn from the experience?
............................ .. ......,
2 Key prompts: Where was this place? What

were the people doing there?
Possible narration of travellers straying

from the usual tourist paths and discovering
something new OR getting lost.
Further prompts:
• What made them want to take the

alternative path? (curiosity? boredom?)
• How did they get lost?
• What sort of adventure did they have?
• What were their feelings and reactions?
• How did the incident end?
• Why was the experience a thrilling
adventure?

3
feelings are invoked by the place?
Possible narration of a true or fictional trip to a

theme park.
Further prompts:
• When did this take place?

• Who was present?
• Which rides did the person/people try?
• What adventure did they have? (roller
coaster malfunctioned? came upon a lost
child?)
• What were their feelings and reactions?
• How did the adventure end?
• Why was the experience a thrilling
1. Using the interrogatives, plan your plot - via a story curve or bulleted
points - by answering the prompts.
2. Remember to pick your Point of View (POV).
3. Consider a more advanced plot involving two or more of the picture
prom�,ts.
4. Remember to answer the question prompts. This ensures that you
addre:;s the given theme.
Note: The PSLE does not require students to write an essay using all
three visual prompts. Using one visual prompt usually makes the mark.
The more important criteria to fulfil is the link between the chosen visual
prompt, the theme/ topic, and the content of the student's essay.

Crafting an Effective Introduction and Conclusion 25
[] Pro-Tip!
For the advanced writer:
✓ Look at the key prompts for each picture and see how you can merge
the ideas. For instance, use the activity featured in Picture 1 with the
place featured in Picture 2.
✓ Your story could involve a bicycle ride exploring a new

neighbourhood and taking the wrong path, the protagonist and
friends getting lost and/or making an interesting discovery.
Craft: Expressing Ideas More Vividly
(1) Crafting an Effective Introduction
Students often describe the weather in their opening paragraph.

Unfortunately, this is not the most effective way to begin a story.
Read the following sample introductory paragraph:
It was a bright and sunny morning as Michael McAwesome woke up to

the sound of the alarm clock which went 'ring'. He hit the snooze button
for the umpteenth time. Outside his room, the azure blue sky lit the city
and painted it in a cool glow as commuters hurried to work. Three clouds
were discernible in the sky, one of them in the distinct shape of a unicorn.
Over the hills, cows were grazing in the fields...
What were some of the elements mentioned in the introduction paragraph

above?
Turn the page to check the suggested answers and analysis.

Answers
• Bright and sunny morning
• The protagonist woke up
• The alarm bell rang
• The sky was blue
• Peoplt! went to work
• There were three clouds, one shaped like a unicorn
Analysis
None of the details in the introductory paragraph has an actual bearing on

the story. �;tudents might say 'waking up' is an essential prerequisite to the
plot but th,1t would be stating the obvious - we don't need the reminder that
the protagonist was awake while the action took place.
In fact, thi� introduction paragraph could be removed in its entirety and the
story would not be affected!
There is a very simple rule in writing: Everything you put in a story should
have a good reason to be there. This is also known as relevance.
[J Pl'o-Tip!
Using a v sual media prompt, one of our Primary 3 students honed her
budding talents. Scan the QR code to read more.

Model Narrative Introduction
The cool night breeze brushed against our faces as Sara, Dee and
I negotiated a sharp bend and came to a halt at a T-junction. The
neighbourhood was eerily quiet, but not too far from our homes. It did
not help that the street lamps were dim. Our usual routine was to cycle
around a familiar path, but that night, Dee made a suggestion that we
would come to regret immensely.
What were some of the elements mentioned in the introductory paragraph

above?
. Elements inttt. pa
.., :..:·f,>,. t,...,,,,..;;,.,--,\-·•-. -�
·• It was night time • When the story occurs

i• Protagonist was with Sara and • Who are present
Dee
i• At a T-junction, in the • Where the events take place
neighbourhood • Hints at what happens next.
:• Implies that Dee suggested NOT Presents a relevant lead up to
taking the familiar route the complication and adventure. I
(2) Crafting a Thoughtful Conclusion
A conclusion that is well thought out is a combination of personal

experience, personality and change.
• Experience - Draw on your beliefs and experiences and give your

characters unique thoughts about the events in the story.
• Personality - Cliches make for cardboard characters. Think about the

character's personality (e.g. strict, cool, sarcastic) and imagine what he
would think and say.
• Change - Look at the key events that happened in the story. How has it
changed the protagonist?

During th1� planning process, spend time developing a fuller conclusion and
pencil your idea down in the story curve.
Model Narrative Conclusion
After a f:!w days, I was ready to put the incident behind me and never go
on these hare-brained adventures again when the phone rang. It was Dee.
"Michell,�, you're not going to believe this, but there's this other abandoned
building right next to the hospital that we've just got to check out..."
Some people just never learn.
Analysis
The conclusion shows contrast in the two key characters. The

protagonist's adventure has strengthened her conviction 'never to go on
these hare-brained adventures'.
On the other hand, Dee's experience has not altered her adventurous
personali<y {'Some people just never learn.').

Model Narrative Essay: A Thrilling Adventure
The cool night breeze brushed against our faces as Sara, Dee and
I negotiated a sharp bend and came to a halt at a T-junction. The
•
neighbourhood was eerily quiet, but not too far from our homes. It did not
help that the street lamps were dim. Our usual routine was to cycle around
a familiar path, but that night, Dee made a suggestion that we would come
to regret immensely.
"Hey, I was on Google Maps before we started cycling and there's this old,
abandoned hospital nearby," Dee began. Instantly, I felt a lump in my throat
and goosebumps on my neck; the daredevil was going to suggest exploring
some strange and allegedly haunted place again. I tuned out immediately
but Sara listened with relish. Both of them turned to me with imploring eyes,
silently asking if I would come along. I heaved a sigh of resignation and
motioned for Dee to lead the way. I could have refused, but I did not like the
prospect of cycling back alone.
My mounted headlight was no match for the darkness. The gale was bone
chillingly cold, as though a foreboding wind was warning us to stay away
from the vicinity. We had come too far to turn back, however, and Dee was
so far ahead that the struggle to keep pace with her outweighed any possible
concerns of danger. Just then, Dee's bicycle screeched to a halt. We were
now in front of the dilapidated building.
After securing the bicycles, we detached the headlights from them and
began exploring the perimeter. I followed mindlessly behind Sara and Dee
as they discussed how British soldiers were left to die in the sanatorium,
after horrible rounds of interrogation by the Japanese. My hands were
shaking uncontrollably, but there was no way I would let them laugh at me.
All of a sudden, Sara stopped dead in her tracks and put a finger to her lips.
"I think I hear something," she whispered. We strained our ears in the dead
silence and true enough, there seemed to be some murmuring noises that
could be discerned. I felt sick to the stomach and wanted nothing more than
to get out of the place. "G-girls, I don't think I feel so well. Maybe we should...
uh... call it a night?" I mumbled.
Before S,3ra or Dee could reply, the murmuring noises grew louder and
louder and two small and bright orbs came into view. Our eyes widened in
horror as we saw the white specks floating in mid-air. A loud, shrill scream
escaped my mouth, startling Sara and Dee. The orbs stopped, and angry
murmuring sounds grew even louder, prompting us to dash to our bicycles.
We ran faster than bats out of hell as I imagined the white balls of light
gaining 01 us.
A loud voice boomed as we fumbled to unlock our bicycles, "What are

you kids doing here?" We turned back to see two policemen in uniform
staring d sapprovingly at us. In their hands were huge flashlights, which
we immediately understood to be the orbs we saw earlier. Dee tried to
explain the situation, but was sternly rebuked, "Ghosts or not, you girls are
trespassi 1g. This is not a place for thrill seekers!" We hung our heads in
shame a�; the policemen escorted us, and our bicycles, back home where
we would earn another lecture from our parents.
After a feN days, I was ready to put the incident behind me and never go on
these har�-brained adventures again when the phone rang. It was Dee.
"Michelle. you're not going to believe this, but there's this other abandoned
building r ght next to the hospital that we've just got to check out..."
Some thrill seekers just never learn!

CHAPTER 3
Injecting Emotional Details into the Story
This chapter addresses another common issue in narrative writing - the

lack of emotional details. Strategies and skills are presented to help writers
inject emotional descriptions and use rhetorical devices in their essays.

An Act of Honesty
Write a cJmposition of at least

1 50 worcls about an act of Picture 1
honesty.
The pictL res are provided to help

composi":ion should be based on
one or mJre of these pictures.

• What Nas the act undertaken?

• Why v,as it honest?

order ancl include other relevant
points as well.
Picture 3

Injecting Emotional Details into the Story • 33

Key prompt: What action is happening here?
Possible narration of the protagonist picking

up a wallet and returning it to its rightful owner.
Further prompts:
• Where did he go? Why was he there?

• Who was with him?
• What problem did he encounter?
• How did he react? How did the others
react?
• Why was the lesson on honesty important?
,. . ,
...................... .... ....... ...... ........................................................... ................................................... . ...
2 Key prompts: Where was this place? What

were the people doing there?
Possible narration of a student cheating in a

test and getting caught; learning a lesson on
honesty.
Further prompts:
• What made her want to peek at her

classmate's work? (unsure? afraid of
failure?)
• What were her feelings and reactions?
• Did the friend realise? What did she do?

3 Key prompts: What happened?
Possible narration of an accidental breakage

of a favourite vase.
Further prompts:
• When did this take place?
• Who was present?
• How did this happen
• What were his feelings and reactions?
1. Using the interrogatives, plan your plot - via a story curve or bulleted
point�. - by answering the prompts.
2. Remember to pick your Point of View {POV).
address the given theme.

Injecting Emotional Details into the Story . 35
II
(1) Using F.A.T.E.D. to Show Characterisation
The acronym F.A.T.E.D. stands for the various areas that you can utilise to
describe a person. This means that you can talk about his Features, Actions,
Thoughts, Emotions and what he says in Dialogue. Hence, the F.A.T.E.D.
technique is useful for creating an impression of each character.
In Picture 1, we see a wallet. Imagine you are the person who saw the wallet.
How can you describe yourself at this point of the story?
Features • threw quick furtive glances around me

• my brows furrowed quizzically
·······························································• · · · ·· ····
Actions • the plump leather wallet filled with a thick wad of

notes lay in the middle of the quiet corridor, as if
enticing me to pick it up
• my trembling hands reached for the wallet gingerly
Thoughts • covetous and dishonest thoughts filled my mind
• What was a wallet doing in the middle of the room?
Emotions • torn between my conscience and the pressing
financial need at home
• wracked with guilt
Dialogue • "It's not stealing if it doesn't belong to anyone," I tried
convincing myself.
Analysis
Notice that the suggested phrases provide an insight into how the person
felt. For instance, showing that the protagonist "threw quick and furtive
glances" suggests that he knew he was doing something wrong and was
trying to avoid further scrutiny. This adds another dimension to his character.

(2) Using J\lliteration
When writ1�rs use two or more words together that have the same beginning
sounds, they are using a literary device called alliteration. Poets like to use
alliteration because it adds an audio quality to their poems. Let us take a
look at some examples of alliteration:
Robert Frost's 'Acquainted with the Night':
'... I � ave stood still and stopped the sound of feet

WhE•n far away an interrupted m
Can� over houses from another street...'
Edgar Alle 1 1 Poe's 'The Raven':
'Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered w.e..ak and�

Ove· many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
Whi e I nodded. nearly napping. suddenly there came a tapping...'
Dorie Thurston's Thank You for the Thistle:
'Great Aunt Nellie criss-crossed to her kitchen counter to cut some

.c.r.ispy croissants. Then she noticed a noisy knuckle knock and
she knew it was no nasty knave but her nice nephew. She danced
deliqhtfullydirectly to the .d.o.o.r with her dogs dutifully dashing along.'
Can you find the pairs of alliteration in the following paragraph?
Tom wa� sitting on the bench, kicking his feet in the air and trying to
entertain himself. The cool evening breeze caressed his face, and he
smelt thei scent of the earth after the heavy downpour. There was not
a soul in sight, only Tom and his lone shadow on the cold cement floor.
He was waiting for bus 123 to take him home after a day of ogling at his
friend's Bionicle and Hero Factory collection. Oh, how he wished he could
own just one of them, he sighed, knowing full well that his family was
unable to afford the extravagance.

Injecting Emotional Details into the Story • 37
Answers
• cool evening breeze caressed his face
• smelt the scent
• not a soul in sight
Analysis
By using alliteration occasionally, you too can add freshness and flair to
your paragraphs or essays. This is the easiest way to boost your vocabulary
marks! However, be careful not to use them excessively as it may distract
the reader from your ideas. Remember, less is more.
g Pro-Tip!
Characters come alive in our students' writings.
Scan the QR code for an example of an interesting character development.

Model Narrative Essay: An Act of Honesty
Tom was sitting on the bench, kicking his feet in the air and trying to
entertain � imself. The cool evening breeze caressed his face, and he smelt
the scent Jf the earth after the heavy downpour. There was not a soul in
sight, only Tom and his lone shadow on the cement floor. He was waiting for
bus 123 tc take him home after a day of ogling at his friend's Bionicle and
Hero Factory collection. Oh, how he wished he could own just one of them,
he sighed, knowing full well that his family would not be able to afford the
extravagance.
When Tom was looking around, he espied a black wallet on the floor next to
him. It was a seasoned, black leather Gucci. Curious, he opened the bulging
wallet. Ins de was the identity card of a person named Sim Wong Hoo 1,
some credit cards and a lot of banknotes, maybe hundreds. Each one was
a crisp $SC-bill.
"Wow!" Torn exclaimed excitedly. "This is enough to buy the whole Bionicle
collection!' He envisioned a winged angel speaking, "You should return it to
the rightful owner, Tom. You must be honest!" Tom was in a dilemma. The
devil, however, had tricks up his red sleeves, "Keep it. I know you love Hero
Factory and Bionicle. Buy your favourite Hero Factory and Bionicle toys.
There is m::>re where that came from. Trust me; Mr Sim would not miss a
thing."
Tom could not decide. It was a tough choice to make. Suddenly, Tom
remembereid what his mum had told him before: "Honesty is very important.
Every man must be honest."
"I am going to return it to the rightful owner," Tom told himself firmly. He ran
as fast as his legs could carry him to the nearest police station. By the time
he reached the police station, Tom was perspiring profusely.
Tom recog 1ised Mr Sim instantly at the police station. He must be here to
report the loss, Tom surmised as he strode over and returned the wallet. Mr
Founder of Creative Technologies, one of Singapore's home-grown brands in digital entertainment

products.
Injecting Emotional Details into the Story , 39
Sim looked bewildered initially, then he beamed widely. The entrepreneur

kept complimenting Tom for his honesty. Mr Sim decided to reward Tom.
"What would you like as a present?" asked Mr Sim. Within the hour, Tom's
favourite Bionicle toy was presented to him in a shopping bag. When Tom
went home that day, he told his mum what he had done. As a treat, Tom's
mum decided to take him for a movie that evening. Just then, the doorbell
rang. It was Mr Sim. The grateful man handed Tom another Bionicle toy and
praised him once more. It was truly a day Tom would remember for a long,
long time.

i.
.'

CHAPTER 4
Focusing on Action-driven Plots
This chapter narrows the focus to writing detailed action sequences. The
key techniques to vivid action scenes are especially useful when writing
the climax in narratives.

An Act c,f Courage

1 50 worcis. about an act of
courage.


• What was the act?

• Why was it courageous?
• What happened in the end?

points a� well.
Picture 3

Focusing on Action-driven Plots 43

Picture Possible Plots

1 Key prompt: What is the source of fear?
Possible narration of the protagonist being

forced to confront her phobia of spiders (or
moths or other flying insects) and finding the
strength to face her fear courageously.
Further prompts:
• Where was the protagonist when she

encountered the source of her fear? Where
did this phobia stem from?
• What kind of inner struggles did she have
to deal with?
• How did she react to the problem?
• Who was present during the incident?
• Why was the incident an act of courage?
2 Key prompts: What action is taking place here?
How did the two characters find themselves in
this situation?
Possible narration of how you were confronted

with a bully and had to be courageous in
standing your ground.
Further prompts:
• What was the setting in which the

confrontation took place? (The bully was
stirring trouble in the canteen and you
decided to intervene? You were the bully's
original target?)

• What was the cause of the incident?

• Who else was present during the incident?
• What feelings and emotions did you
experience when faced with the bully?
3 Key prompts: What was your involvement in

the breaking of the window? What was your
reaction to the incident?
Possible narration of a boy accidentally

breaking a neighbour's window and confessing
to the owner.
Further prompts:
• Where was the location of the incident?

• What were you doing in that vicinity?
• Who was with you?
• How did the incident occur?
• What was your reaction?
• What were your feelings and emotions?
1. Usin£ the interrogatives, plan your plot - via a story curve or bulleted
point::; - by answering the prompts.
2. Remember to pick your Point of View (POV).
address the given theme.

Focusing on Action-driven Plots • 45
(1) Describing Emotions
What defines a good story is the ability to transport the reader into the
minds of the characters. If the reader feels no emotional connection to the
characters, the story will cease to captivate. Describing emotions effectively
bodes well for the story, but how can the writer convey emotional feelings
with words?
Show-Not-Tell
Words have many meanings and connotations. The word 'love', for example,
can be used to describe the affection felt for a puppy, the joys of fishing
or the nostalgia a certain scent brings. The physical sensations, too, are
diverse.
However, rather than take the easy route of using words alone to describe
an emotion, it would be a better idea to describe exactly what a person feels
without the oft-used labels. This will give the reader something tangible to
work with and understand the full extent of the protagonist's feelings and
emotions better. Doing so follows the 'show-not-tell' technique that good
writers often employ. The following examples demonstrate the difference
between using abstract nouns compared to describing the felt emotions:
Example 1
Monica knew she had been stuck in the box for hours but did not
dare to count how much time had passed. Her heart was pumping
furiously like a pair of pistons, and yet her gasps for air yielded none
of the calming oxygen she sought. Her vision started to blotch over
like a blizzard and she shut her eyes while waiting for the giddiness
to pass...
Example 2
Monica stood in the boxed elevator, feeling anxious and
claustrophobic. A panic attack began to swell inside her and she
began gasping for breath with a mounting fear.

A good e>ercise is to consider an emotion to include and to think carefully

about the sensations that accompany it. Writing down an accurate
description not only helps create a vivid experience for the reader, but also
shows th,� examiner you are meticulous and discerning in your thought
process. --he following pointers will help create a compelling read:
• ldenti fy the emotive words that you have in mind.

• Drawing from the particular set of emotions, be both descriptive and
speci1k in showing what your character is experiencing.
• Avoid cliches e.g. 'she felt like breaking down and crying when the
results came'. Look for an original way of describing an emotion
instec d.
• Describe aspects of the physical sensations of the emotion: heat/
cold, what can be seen, heard, tasted, smelt, right down to the
small,�st of details.
In a scenE! from the movie, Homefront, a girl is confronted by a boy in the

schoolyard. Observe the feelings and emotions portrayed by the young
actress ai; the bully taunts her repeatedly. Using the emotive techniques
mentioned previously, describe in 5-8 sentences the different types of
feelings and emotions the girl is experiencing.
Scan the OR code here to watch the video clip.
Go on to the next page for the answer and points of analysis.

Model Narrative Answer: Emotions of the Girl
Sweeping the blue cap off her head, the portly

schoolyard bully taunted and cornered Lindsey.
This roused her ire and a wave of vexed emotions
spread from her chest to her fingertips which curled
into a tight fist of fury. Inhaling deeply through
her flared nostrils, she tried to calm herself but
her eyes, which had shrunk into slits, revealed her
consternation. Lindsey had grown exasperated with the bullying. Her knees
trembled slightly but her deadpan stare betrayed none of her fears and
apprehension. It was now or never, she thought.
Analysis
Notice the description of certain details that showcases the girl's emotions:
• how her feelings start to spread within her;

• the reaction we see: fist clenched, nostrils flared, eyes narrowed, knees
trembling, staring at the perpetrator;
• the description culminates into a single thought at the end of the
paragraph, which serves as a cliffhanger to keep the reader hooked.

(2) Slow-Motion Writing Technique
Utilising slow-motion techniques in your writing is like watching the details

of a particular movie scene reveal itself second by second. As you choose
a scene to inject some slow-motion drama into, pay heed to the following
points:
• Put yourself in the shoes of a movie director's camera.

• Are the-re sensory images that might be more interesting when the
'writer's camera' is running in slower motion? Sights? Taste? Sounds?
Smells? Sensations of touch?
• Are the•re secondary or supporting characters who might be noticed by
the camera, now that the scene is being written in slower motion?
• Are the-re other smaller details that might, when added to the
description, help slow down the action further?
C Pro-Tip!
Scan the QR code for an example of how to imbue a sense of action and
urgency in your narrative.
Editing Exercise
In the following editing exercise, pay attention to the use of 'slow-mo'.
Read the following passage carefully and write down the correct word in the
table provided.

David (1) lounged at me like a vicious hound hungry for blood. We both
■
tumbled to the ground in a tight ball of sweat and nerves. My back hit the
hard concrete floor first, cushioning David's fall. My father once told me
that in times of danger, you will realise who your true friends are. Out of
the corner of my eye, I saw Timothy (2) scouring away in the opposite
direction.
"So, you enjoy breaking windows, huh?" David's voice brought me back
to the menace I had to (3) comfort. The glint in his eyes and his bulging
muscles seemed to tell me that unless I did something about the situation,
I was going to experience a lot of pain. David raised his fist. I instinctively
began to (4) .s..b.e.llii my face. Even though it was difficult to think straight,
I gathered all the strength I could muster and with a loud grunt, (5) break
free from David just as his punch landed. He shrieked in pain as blood
trickled down his knuckles.
"L-look, violence is not the answer. Breaking a window doesn't mean you
can hit other people," my thoughts were incoherent, but I (6) rattling on.
"If you must punch something... or someone, at least hear him out first!" I
was hyperventilating as the words poured (7) � from my mouth, but
I was beginning to feel a little bit braver, until another voice boomed from
the direction of the house. It was David's father, who had just returned
from work. I was not sure what he would think at the sight of his son
kneeling in pain, but I knew I could not give up that little bit of courage I
had in me and (8) ]__o_Q__s__e the chance to explain myself.
1. 5. t
2. 6. ·· · · ··
3. 7.
4. 8.
Turn the page for the answer and points of analysis.

50 • Blueprint for PSLE Success: Composition
Answers
1. lunged
2. scurrring
3. confront
4. shield
5. broke·
6. rattled
7. feebl:,
8. lose
Analysis
• Note tile use of literary devices, e.g. simile
• Use of dialogue to vary sentence structures
• The slow-motion technique also included the narrator's thought
proce�;s

Focusing on Action-driven Plots • 51
Model Narrative Essay: An Act of Courage
Of all the places it could land, my baseball chose the living room that
belonged to the most fearsome bully in the neighbourhood.
Timothy and I looked at each other in disbelief. I tried to close my eyes

and pretend it was all a nightmare, that when I opened my eyes again it
would all be a dream, but it was futile. A sense of dread came over me as I
stared at the broken window. The feeling intensified as David stormed out of
the house. Angrily, he bellowed, 'Which one of you did this to my window?"
Before I could say anything, Timothy's finger was already pointing at me.
David lunged at me like an angry hound hungry for blood. We both tumbled
to the ground. My back hit the hard concrete floor first, cushioning David's
fall. My father once told me that in times of danger, you will realise who your
true friends are. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Timothy scurrying away
in the opposite direction.
"So, you enjoy breaking windows, huh?" David's voice brought me back to
the menace I had to confront. The glint in his eyes and his bulging muscles
seemed to tell me that unless I did something about the situation, I was
going to experience a lot of pain. David raised his fist. I instinctively began
to shield my face. Even though it was difficult to think straight, I gathered
all the strength I could muster and with a loud grunt, broke free from David
just as his punch landed. He shrieked in pain as blood trickled down his
knuckles.
"L-look, violence is not the answer. Breaking a window doesn't mean you
can hit other people," My thoughts were incoherent, but I rattled on. "If you
must punch something... or someone, at least hear him out first!" I was
hyperventilating as the words came out of my mouth, but I was beginning
to feel a little bit braver, until another voice boomed from the direction of
the house. It was David's father, who had just returned from work. I was not
sure what he would think of the sight of his son kneeling in pain, but I knew
I could not give up that little bit of courage I had in me and lose my chance
to explain myself.

David's father seemed cross at first. After I explained how I had lost control
of my ba :;eball when Timothy startled me from behind, he seemed to
understand the situation. I told him the rest of the story and offered to call
my family so we could work out some way to pay for the damage. David's
father put his hands on my shoulder, "You're an impressive young lad. You
had the cc,urage to tell the truth, and did not shirk your responsibilities." He
let me off Nith a warning to be more careful, and brought a remorseful David
back into· he house.
The next cay, Timothy saw me in school and smiled sheepishly, averting his
gaze. I w, lked on by, not wanting to have anything to do with the coward
who did not stand by his friend. I felt the incident had taught me two valuable
lessons. We must always have the courage to stand up for ourselves and
confess oJr misdeeds truthfully. At the same time, I have also learnt to pick
my friendi, a lot more wisely.

Model Narrative Essays
Topics covered in this section:
1. Greed
2. Wealth
3. Broken
4. Celebration
5. Flight
6. Making A Mistake
7. Saying No
8. An Unexpected Announcement
9. Being Grateful
10. A Responsibility
11 . Being Patient
12. A Heroic Act
13. A Misunderstanding
14. A Disappointing Experience·

Model Narrative Essay 1 : Greed
Write a ccmposition of at least 150 Picture 1

words about greed.
The pictur·es are provided to help

Picture 2
Consider the following points when
you plan �,our composition:
• What was the greed?

• Why was the person greedy?
You may use the points in any order

and include other relevant points
as well.
Picture 3

Model Narrative Essays • 55
Mother was an incredible conjurer of tasty pies and pastries. However, the
one thing which we adored most was her ability to bake the most delectable
of cookies. It did not help that Martha and I were born with a penchant for
sweets, so it was unsurprising to find ourselves frequently indulging in more
than a mouthful of Mother's most mouth-watering baked snacks.
I
Our celebrated chef undoubtedly knew of our love and weakness for her
cookies. In an attempt to curb our cookie raids, she stored them in a giant
cookie jar. This, she placed on the highest shelf of the kitchen cabinet, and
like a hallowed artefact sitting in a museum, we would gaze wondrously at '
the contents of the jar whenever we walked into the kitchen. As the jar was
way beyond our reach, we had to earn them: either by being on our best
behaviour or by completing all our chores and school assignments. Such
rewarding moments did not occur very often, but when they did, we relished
every crumb.
That fateful afternoon, however, Mother had gone out to run some errands
and was only due home in the late evening. We were each given specific
instructions to complete our homework and to stay clear of the kitchen, for
fear of us starting a fire or getting injured by sharp utensils. With Mother's
clear warning ringing in our heads and the creaking gate signalling her
departure, my sister and I set about our playful exploration of the house.
'Tm getting bored, Mary. We've played almost every game imaginable and
I'm tired. Bored and tired!" Martha whined in exasperation as she collapsed
on the sofa. We had indeed exhausted the list of games known to us but
chose to blatantly ignore the stack of worksheets that still awaited our
attention. Playing game after game of 'hide and seek' and 'police and thief
had reduced our legs to wobbly jelly. Needless to say, our stomachs were
beginning to rumble too. Perhaps the quest to placate our hunger might
have led us into the kitchen, but truly it was that one abominable vice which
propelled our spindly legs into mother's restricted domain: greed.
Martha and I stood below the kitchen cabinet for what seemed like an
eternity as we craned our necks to catch a glimpse of mother's cookie jar.
We could only see the lid, but that was reason enough for us to contemplate

pulling off one of our infamous raids. It sure would be nice to have one of
mother's c,Jokies. The thought carved a sly smile on my face and I looked to
my accomplice. Her silence and smirk signalled the tacit agreement for us
to go ahead with our plan.
Grabbing a stool and using it as a makeshift ladder, I hoisted myself atop

it as Martha steadied it with quaking arms. As I tiptoed on the edge of the
stool, a pctralysing chill shot through me as the thought of being caught
quickly se1 in.
There wa� no time to react! If my suspicion was true, we would soon be

found out. Mother had entered through the back gate of the house and her·
unexpected appearance made us freeze like deer caught in headlights.
Devoid of any excuse, my sister and I hung our heads in shame as mother
shook her head in grave disappointment. Not only were we apprehended
in our desire for wanting more, but we had also been embarrassed by our
selfish disobedience. As we learnt from that day onwards, it never pays to
be greedy.
C Pro-Tip!
✓ Use similes to create a comparison, allowing readers to understand
the description clearly!
e.�J. 'like a hallowed artefact sitting in a museum' shows that the

jar of cookies has been left untouched as well as its status as
something desired.
✓ Vary your vocabulary to make the story more interesting.
e.q. 'incredible', 'delectable', etc.
✓ Use sensory imagery to create atmosphere for the situation.
e.q. 'With Mother's clear warning ringing in our heads and the
cr�aking gate signalling her departure' shows how the sisters are
dc,ing something wrong through building tension.

Model Narrative Essay 2: Wealth
Write a composition of at least 150 Picture 1

WQ_[_d_s_ about wealth.


you plan your composition: Picture 2
• What was the wealth?

• Why was the wealth important?

as well.
Picture 3

My grandrna loves to read. She has a whole library full of books, ranging
from fiction to non-fiction books. This year, our family wanted to give her a
birthday party she would never forget - and a special present too.
The day of Grandma's 80th birthday dawned, and the house was decorated
with brightly coloured balloons and streamers. Even the dining table had
a pretty tablecloth laid on it. The table groaned with food - cakes, chips,
my favourite spicy chicken wings, and much more. Everyone was in a
celebratorf mood.
Just before it was time to eat, everyone gathered around Grandma at the
sofa. The enormous birthday cake was placed on the coffee table in front
of the sofo. The cake looked very grand, with white and pink icing. Then we
began to sing the birthday song. As I sang the song at the top of my voice, I
was elated; I could not wait to see Grandma's face when she saw what we
had got for her! I noticed Grandma beaming widely. I, too, smiled so broadly
that my c�eeks felt like they were going to crack.
When the :;ong ended, Grandma looked at us again, hesitated for a while, and
blew out the many candles on her cake in just one go. Everyone applauded
enthusias1 ically.
After that, my other relatives handed over red packets filled with wads
of cash. Then, it was time for the children to present Grandma with her
surprise present. Jane, the youngest child in our family, ran forward and
gave Grar dma her special birthday present. As Grandma opened it, she
smiled as she realised what it was. We had given her Amy Tan's Joy Luck
Club. My parents were shocked beyond words at our gift. I learnt later that
they believed the Chinese custom of giving people books on their birthdays
to be inaw,picious. They began to berate us, which caused Grandma to look
up from her book in surprise.
"What's w,·ong? I love books! Especially this one! It's by my favourite author!
This is bE'tter than all the other red packets put together! It's fine. Stop
scolding t ile children and enjoy the party!" Grandma explained affably.

Model Narrative Essays O 59
"But Ma, that's so unlucky... " began my father.
"I said it's alright. I'm not superstitious. Besides, having a wealth of
knowledge, especially at my age, is something that should be encouraged,
no?" interrupted Grandma. She was clearly relaxed and both Mother and
Father stopped nagging.
I
Upon hearing Grandma's response, the other children and I ran off to enjoy
the feast at the dining table. Any tension was soon forgotten and everyone
enjoyed the party thereafter. The party was a resounding success and credit
must go to Grandma for her wisdom.
g Dro-Tip!
✓ Personify objects so the readers can imagine a more vivid setting!
e.g. The table groaned with food' shows the extent to which the
table is filled with food.
✓ Include dialogue and emotions to dramatise the shift from one scene
to another.
e.g. 'Grandma explained affably' shows how grandma is gracious

and kind whereas, 'interrupted Grandma' shows that she is being
firm.

Model Narrative Essay 3: Broken
Write a composition of at least 1 50 Picture 1

words about broken.


you plan your composition:
• What was broken?

Picture 2
• Why was it broken?

as well.
Picture 3

John was sprinting through the open field located opposite a row of houses.
The abandoned field had not been well-maintained and was overrun by
untrimmed grass and weeds. Sometimes, young children who did not
seem to mind the dreary state of the field would use it for a quick game
of football but would later change their minds when they realised that the
dry and brown patch did nothing to cushion their fall. John did not usually
I
take this route home but today was different. He had hoped that running
through the abandoned field would help him escape from the burly and
broad-shouldered bully that was quickly gaining speed on him. Daryl was
the best football player on the school team but he was always picking on
John because of his small stature. John's legs were growing weary and .
soon, he slowed to a stop. When he had finally mustered the courage to turn
around and look the bully in the eye, he noticed a round and white object
hurtling towards him at lightning speed.
Pain was imminent; there was no way John could dodge that ball in time. In
that split second that felt like an eternity, John braced for the impact. The
round, swirling ball smashed into his face like a high-speed truck, knocking
him off balance. He fell onto the grassy field. A bolt of pain surged through
his entire body like fine electricity and for a while, John was stunned.
The image of John lying on the grass was a painful one to watch as he
struggled to get up. His face contorted in agony and his lips quivered.
He shut his eyes tightly, hoping the pain in his shin would become more
bearable. The bully, Daryl, sniggered, "Get up, wimp! Don't be a coward! I
could have hit you harder!"
As fate would have it, Daryl's mother happened to look out of the window.
Having caught her son red-handed, she was so shocked that her jaw fell wide
open. The middle-aged woman was in a state of denial and kept mumbling,
"Is that my son? How could he have done that?"
"I have to do something before the boy gets hurt any further," Daryl's mum
thought to herself as she rushed to the field across from her house.

Daryl was about to hit John again when he caught a glimpse of a familiar
figure loo11ing next to him. Turning around, he came face to face with his
mother. The look of anguish and grief on her face was all it took for Daryl to
feel a sur�e of remorse for his actions. He unclenched his fist, took a few
steps back and hung his head down in shame. He had broken his mother's
heart.
John was taken to the clinic a short distance away. Fortunately, other than
some bruises, he did not sustain any serious injury. Daryl apologised to both
John and his mother for his actions. Having upset her and seen how she
was crushed by grief and disappointment, Daryl promised to turn over a
new leaf.
[] Pro-Tip!
✓ Begir the story with an action to capture the reader's attention!
✓ Use r•:!levant idioms to make the story more enjoyable to read
e.q. 'As fate would have it' expresses that Daryl's mother looking
oLt the window was unforeseen and unfortunate.

Model Narrative Essays * 63
Model Narrative Essay 4: Celebration

WQrd..s about celebration.
I
.

• Who were involved in the

celebration? Picture 2
• What was the celebration?

as well.
Picture 3

I walked !: lowly towards the endless sea. Grains of sand stuck to the soles
of my darnp feet as I left a trail of deep, round footprints that would soon
be washed away by the tides. I was at the lagoon in Sentosa, enjoying a
wonderful day at the beach. It was so relaxing to have finally completed the
Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE), a worthy cause for celebration!
The waves lapped at regular rhythmic intervals against the shore, creating
a perfect harmony that was pleasant to my ears. My parents had brought
my elder .;;ister Jane, my younger brother Tom and me to the beach for a
weekend picnic.
Jane sat on the picnic mat, leaning against a tree and reading her favourite
volume ir the Percy Jackson series for the umpteenth time. My mother
was unpacking our food from the picnic basket - sandwiches, sausages,
crackers, chips and more. An array of delectable snacks lay before us, but
we were too consumed by the other fun activities. Tom frolicked near the
beach, trying to build what seemed like a sandcastle. However, it looked
more like the remains of a house after a hurricane had got to it!
My father and I were in charge of setting up the barbecue pit for the honey
glazed chicken wings and the marshmallows we had brought from home.
For a while, the task seemed even more arduous than taking the PSLE. The
I
charcoal refused to light up, despite our relentless fanning. I wanted to

scrap the idea, but my obstinate father stayed the course.
Dad walk1id off to grab some more charcoal from the nearby pile. I was so
frustrated that I grabbed the bottle of olive oil from the table and emptied
half of its :ontents onto the glowing charcoal without hesitation. This should
do it, I thought to myself. I watched as the liquid gold splashed into the pit.
Startled ty the splash, my father turned towards me and hollered, "Stop,

son!" His ·'ace was contorted with fury, but it was too late. In an instant, fiery
flames erupted from the barbecue pit. Instinctively, we both leapt back. I
could feel the searing heat on my face as the angry flames burnt brightly.
"Look what you've done!" my father bellowed. By then, the rest of my family
had notic�d the commotion. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that
my mother and Jane's jaws had dropped wide open. My heart hammered
against my ribcage and I started hyperventilating in panic. Thoughts started
to race through my mind as I stared at the blazing inferno that I had created.
What have I done?
For a moment, it seemed like no one knew how to react to the sudden turn
I
of events. It was five-year-old Tom who spurred us into action. Grabbing the
tiny bucket he had been playing with, he sprinted towards the sea. Filling
the bucket with water, he scurried back to the barbecue pit, but not before
spilling half of its contents en route. However, his actions were enough for
us to realise that we had to do something quickly.
We grabbed the receptacles we had brought with us and raced towards the
sea to draw water. Thankfully, the sea was within close reach. Before long,
the fire had been reduced to tiny embers, which we decided not to put out
for the sake of the remaining chicken wings and marshmallows that we had
yet to barbecue.
By then, the rest of the family had figured out what had caused the
commotion as they stared at the charred mess on the barbecue pit and the
half-empty bottle of oil standing on the table next to it.
Needless to say, the celebration was indeed memorable as I was dragged

over the coals by my father. Then, I was given another lecture by my mother
for acting hastily. My subsequent apology and show of contrition were
sincere - I had deserved the admonishment for acting so rashly. That
celebration taught me to think twice before reacting to a crisis and that I
should be very careful when dealing with fire.
C Pro-Tip!
✓ Include the keywords in the essay question to explicitly show that
your story aligns with the theme/topic.
✓ Note the descriptive elements for both scene and character.

Model Marrative Essay 5: Flight
Write a composition of at least

Picture 1
150 words about flight.

Picture 2
when you plan your composition:
• Who was on the flight?

• What was the flight?
• How were the problems
resolved?
• What were the lessons learnt? Picture 3

points ,1s well.

The seat belt fastened with a satisfying click. I looked outside the window
at the familiar runway of Changi Airport. In a few minutes, my family and I
would be leaving the tropical heat of Singapore for the cool winter of South
Korea. This was a reward for having aced all my subjects at the end-of-year
examinations. My brother, Timothy, seemed a lot more enthusiastic than
I was. I saw him fidget in the seat beside me, wondering when the plane
I
would take off.
I must have dozed off, for the plane was already in mid-air when I awoke. Oh,
no! I missed the exhilarating take off again! I thought to myself. Dejected, I .
turned my attention to the interior of the plane. Apart from the monotonous
humming of the engines, the interior was dark and quiet. As it was a night
flight, many passengers seemed to be asleep or engrossed in reading. The
silence was uncomfortable and I had an inkling that something terrible
would happen as I went back to sleep.
A sudden jolt roused me rudely from my slumber. The passengers wore looks
of unease and panic on their faces even as they tucked into their meals. The
tremors were intermittent at first. Then, they grew stronger and more violent
until the plane was perpetually jerking. The pilot made an announcement
over the intercom, but it was so garbled that I could only make out the words
'seat belt' and 'turbulence'. Without a second's hesitation, I assisted Timothy
in fastening his seat belt before doing the same for myself. Mum, who was
seated behind us, leaned over to console Timothy. 'Timmy honey, it's going
to be alright. It's just shaking a little bit, that's all," said my mum, but Timothy
seemed inconsolable. He was virtually on the verge of tears.
All of a sudden, an unbelievable sight occurred: trays of food and cutlery

floated upwards before crashing down as a quaking turbulence hit us.
Carry-on luggage began to tumble downwards as the doors to the luggage·
compartments came unhinged. Screams and crying could be heard as
the cabin crew tried in vain to soothe hysterical passengers. Instinctively,
I reached for my brother's hand, which was cold and clammy. My heart
palpitated with the symphony of a thousand drums, but I had to appear calm
for Timothy's sake; my poor sibling was by then sobbing uncontrollably.

As swiftly ,1s it had started, the turbulence ceased. The calm was so sudden
that it took everyone by surprise. However, the damage had already been
done. The aisles were littered with scraps of food, cutlery and luggage. A few
of the pas ,engers were injured in the process, and special arrangements
were mad1! to move them to the business-class cabin. Dad and Timothy
switched seats so Mum could console him for the rest of the flight. When
the plane 1inally touched down, ambulances and paramedics were on-site
to attend to the injured. At the exit, the cabin crew gave each passenger two
large boxes of Belgian chocolates for the inconvenience and distress we
had experienced. However, some started bickering with the hapless flight
attendants and threatened to sue. As for our family, we just wanted to get to
the immigration counters as soon as possible.
Thankfully, the trip and the return flight were safe and uneventful, although
Timothy was still a bit jittery. I felt fortunate to have been unscathed from
the incide1t. In fact, it inspired in me a newfound respect for the flight
attendant�;, who have long been called 'glorified waiters and waitresses'. The
calm and composure they displayed amidst the chaos was commendable.
g �ro-Tip!
✓ The plot was inspired by real-life events that occurred in 2013. Scan
the QI� code here to watch the video
l!l:<:
. .. :;<t:..::oo
• · .. ..
✓ Descriptions of the protagonist's engagement with his younger

brother shows (rather than just telling or stating) the close sibling
relationship.

Model Narrative Essay 6: Making A Mistake

words about making a mistake.
I

• What was the mistake?

• How did the mistake come
about?
• How did the characters react?

points as well.
Picture 3

Stepping ir to the food court, I was immediately greeted by the alluring aroma
of freshly cooked food permeating the air. Abuzz with the lunch time crowd,
snaking queues were quickly forming at some stalls. Animated chatter
amidst the shouts of the stallholders filled the air. My stomach growled.
Saliva poo ed in my mouth as my eyes feasted on the myriad of food. I was
spoilt for choice.
"You can't decide what to eat again?" Jane, my best friend, teased. We were
supposed to have our lunch before our movie. As I had already predicted,
Jane made a beeline for fish ball noodles - her usual choice. After some
hesitation, I finally decided to join her in the queue since we were running
late. My eyes twinkled with delight as the bouncy fish balls floated leisurely
in our pipirg hot soup. Balancing my tray, I hastened towards an empty table
nearby, eaqer to sink my teeth into the noodles.
"Watch your step!" An angry voice boomed into my ear, stopping me in my

tracks. Lifting my gaze, I realised an elderly man was just a hair's breadth
away.
"Sorry... I did not see you," I muttered in apology as I realised that I had
almost bumped into him. Turning my gaze away, I settled into my seat and
gobbled down my lunch.
"See, isn't fish ball noodles always the right choice?" Jane smiled, visibly
pleased with herself. The movie was starting in five minutes, so we finished
our food c1uickly and headed for the exit. Suddenly, a familiar voice rang
in the air, ''Return your tray! How can you leave your tray and walk off! So
inconsiderate!" I whirled around and saw the same old man whom I had
almost bumped into, staring daggers at me. Realising that I was indeed
the culprit, my face turned a shade of red. I quickly grabbed our bowls and
bolted to t 1e tray return section.
"Let's get out of here quickly," I muttered to Jane. As we were walking

towards the exit, I suddenly felt a soft object under my foot. I looked down
and was l: urprised to see a brown wallet. Piqued with curiosity, I quickly
picked the wallet up. There was a thick wad of fifty-dollar notes inside. Jane,

ever alert, quickly remarked, 'There's a pink identity card. Take it out and see
whose wallet this belongs to."
Imagine our astonishment when the photograph of the old man grinned
back at us.
I
"What a coincidence! This rich rude man is your nemesis. We should just
take this wallet away and teach him a lesson. It was his mistake to be rude
to us," Jane interjected excitedly.
Instinctively, I turned around and saw the septuagenarian searching

frantically for something. He must have realised that he had dropped his
wallet. Though I was tempted to listen to Jane, the image of his bent figure
and his wrinkled face, wrought with worry, burned into my conscience.
"No, Jane. It would be a mistake to return evil for evil," I replied resolutely.
With the wallet in hand, I strode towards the old man, still tentative about
his earlier outburst.
"Hey Uncle, I think..."
"What do you want?" the man snapped. He looked up and saw the object in
my hand.
In that instant, his eyes widened and he fell quiet.
"Erm... is this what you are looking for?" I asked softly.
He took the wallet and opened it to check its contents. The wrinkles on his
face softened as he smiled sheepishly.
"Thank you so much. I... I'm sorry for shouting at you earlier. I made a
mistake thinking that you were a typical inconsiderate teenager," the old
man stammered. I beamed broadly.

"It's okay. I'm glad you have your wallet back," I smiled. "I have to leave. My
friend ancl I will be late for our movie."
As I made my way into the cinema with Jane, I was filled with the satisfaction
that I had the chance to correct the old man's misconception. I also realised
that we should not be so hasty in judging others. It would be a mistake to
return evil for evil.
[J Pro-Tip!
✓ Include a twist to the key conflict to add depth to your plot.
✓ Reite ·ate the theme or title clearly.

Model Narrative Essay 7: Saying No

� about saying no.


Picture 2
• What or who did you say no to?
• How did you say no?
• Were you successful in saying
no?

points as well.
Picture 3

Dragging r1y feet to school after a long break, I was filled with dread. The
thought of meeting Ben, the class bully, sent a chill down my spine. "Why
can't Home Based Learning be extended? Why must I come back to school?"
I muttered as the white fa9ade of the school building loomed ahead. The
last few w,�eks of staying at home were a welcome respite, safe from Ben's
cruel joke� and intimidation. However, I told myself that it was time to say
no to his brutal bullying.
Shuffling footsteps interrupted my thoughts. Clad in their pristine white

uniforms, :;tudents chatted animatedly with their friends. Unlike me, they
must be e;3ger to be back at school. Their exuberance did not seem to be
dampened by the dark clouds which mirrored my mood.
From the corner of my eye, I espied a familiar figure. Being a head taller than
most of u�. in class, and of an athletic build, Ben cut an imposing figure. My
heart sank. Wanting to avoid Ben, I decided to take the shortcut: the rocky
path at thei side gate. It was now covered by tall grasses, a sign of neglect,
understandable due to the recent Circuit Breaker measures.
I trod on ·:he half-hidden path carefully. Just then, my foot tripped on a

loose rock. I slipped and landed clumsily on my posterior. There was the
unmistakable sound of ripping cloth. Mortified, I glanced down at my pants.
It was split wide open to reveal my red Underwear, one which my mother had
insisted I wear for good luck.
As luck w,)uld have it, Ben appeared right in front of me. Flashing an evil
smirk, he �;niggered and strode off. The lack of any instant verbal taunt was
unsettling It was as if he was saving it for later. Certainly, it did not bode well
for me. Brushing my bruised ego aside, I proceeded to the General Office for
a quick eh 3nge of clothes before heading to class. It's going to be a/right. No
one will know, I thought.
Chortles emanated as I stepped into the classroom.
"What red underwear!"
"He's a clumsy fool!"

I could feel the heat rushing up to my face. That nagging sense of foreboding
had come true. Tears welled in my eyes and I had the urge to run away.
However,. I remembered my resolve to put an end to Ben's bullying. Taking a
deep breath, I strode over to Ben's table.
Ben was brandishing his mobile for all to see. There I was, sprawled on the
I
ground with the offending colour peeking out from its confines. His lackeys
were clearly relishing my moment of humiliation, immortalised in digital
form.
.
I cringed at the sight. Taking another breath, I steeled myself. With
unwavering determination, I raised my voice and blustered, "Stop Ben!
That's enough. Delete the photo now!"
"Look who's here? Mr Red Underpants?" Ben's voice drawled nonchalantly,

and everyone broke into guffaws.
"No, stop it now!" I seethed.
"Let's post this on IG," his lackey John suggested, his eyes glittering
dangerously. Ben smirked and nodded.
It was the straw that broke the camel's back.
With newfound courage, I stomped towards Ben. Somehow, the adrenaline

rush made me wrangle the phone from Ben. I pressed the 'delete' button and
looked up. Gasps reverberated around the class. In my living memory, this
would be this first time anyone had stood up to Ben.
Ben was quick to react. Regaining his composure, his eyes narrowed. He
clenched his hand into a fist, lifted his arm and landed a punch squarely
on my left jaw. I saw the knuckles coming but was too shocked to dodge
them. The impact sent my head ringing and my body staggering backwards.
My ears buzzed, and a shot of excruciating pain went up my chin. I was
beginning to regret saying 'no' to Ben. I closed my eyes to prepare for the
usual round of knockout punches.

"Ben Tan! Stop that right now!"
The commanding voice of my saviour was none other than our form
teacher and Discipline Mistress, Mrs Lim. A wave of relief washed over me
as I opened my eyes. Caught red-handed, Ben was actually cowering. The
sight of Ben reduced to a whimpering weakling reminded me that he was a
student, j1Jst like everyone else.
Ben, his gang and I were taken to the Principal's office. The Principal
reiterated that bullying was not tolerated in school and encouraged victims
to stand up to their perpetrators. I was glad that I had put an end to the
bullying but wished that I had done it earlier. It was never a good thing to
suffer in :;ilence.
I later learnt that, after an investigation, Ben and his lackeys were severely
reprimanded. While his gang was slapped with detention for an entire
month, B1rn was suspended for the same period. I saw Ben's parents when
they pickl�d him up at the end of the school day. His face was beetroot red
as they hollered at him on the porch, in front of the entire school cohort.
The sky was clear as the radiant midday sun smiled warmly at me. Going to
school W,3S beginning to look a lot more appealing.
� Pro-Tip!
✓ The writer set the mood in the introduction and hinted at the reason
for the protagonist 'dragging [his] feet' to school.

MODEL ESSAYS 8 TO 14
The following essays are fairly advanced but offer valuable writing tips
to students.
Model Narrative Essay 8: An Unexpected Announcement
I
150 words about an unexpected
announcement. -

composition should be based on one
or more of these pictures.
Consider the following points when Picture 2

• What was the announcement?

• Why was it unexpected?

and include other relevant points Picture 3
as well.

The soun:l of screeching tyres woke most of us up and we wasted no time

in alighting from the bus. Ahead before us was the magnificent fac;ade of
the art museum. My classmates and I stood in awe of the former Parliament
House. 11 was an old building, but its exterior had not lost its quaint
architectural charm.
Accompanying our rowdy class that fateful day to the National Art Gallery
was our ,1rt teacher, Mr Tan. Prior to our visit, Mr Tan had urged us to read
up on famous museums all around the world. Personally, I was eager to
admire the many exhibits on display.
As we walked into the reception foyer, the cool blast of air was a much
welcomed relief from the scorching sun. It took our embarrassed art teacher
a good while to hush the chattering children. Standing beneath the arched
hallway, we swivelled our heads to take in the murals which stretched from
floor to cEiiling. I could begin to understand why paintings were said to come
alive. It seemed as if the elaborate cornices were struggling to contain the
strident colours which were splashed across the walls.
Without much delay, we were assigned our guide, Mr Hartley. The well-built
middle-a�1ed man had a bubbly personality and we took to him immediately.
Like a flock of eager sheep being led to greener pastures, Mr Hartley guided
us to the special exhibition of the Byzantine art gallery. As he rambled on,
my atten:ion flitted from hardstone carvings to enamelled furniture and
dazzling . ewellery. It was beyond my imagination how people in the first
century A.D. could create such unparalleled works of art that ranged from
common household items to immaculately painted mosaics.
My curious mind was wrapped in a million thoughts when a shrill jangling

ensued. IAy classmates and I looked at one another, utterly puzzled. An
unexpect,�d announcement came from the intercom: "The fire alarm has
been activated. We are investigating the source. Please proceed to the
nearest fl re exit."
One of my classmates, Marie-Ann, grabbed my hand tightly and she made

no attempt to hide her bewilderment and distress, "I'm scared, Kaitlyn.
What if we don't make it out of here alive?" Throwing my gaze from her
pale countenance to the panic and confusion which was unfurling before
my eyes, I sought to calm my own nerves. Mum had always taught me to
stay calm under pressure, and I chose to heed her words at that moment. Mr
Hartley, upon disengaging from a tense conversation with our art teacher,
led the way to the nearest fire exit.
I
Groups of frantic tourists knocked into one another in the confusion.
Surprisingly, our group meandered through the pockets of space, each
grabbing another's hand as we filed through in an orderly fashion. Alas, some
of the sculptures were not spared amid the pandemonium. I heard the sound .
of marble sculptures crashing onto the floor. I turned around and my eyes
fell on the broken helmet of a Roman soldier, his chiselled frame in pieces.
Above the cry of voices and the piercing fire alarm, our stoic guide led us
down the fire escape staircase with our flustered art teacher trailing behind.
As we emerged from the back of the building, we joined countless others

who had already gathered in the open field, a mass of anxious and worried
spectators. A plume of smoke wafted from one side of the building. The
west wing was on fire! Sirens signalled the arrival of the firefighters minutes
later. Marie-Ann gradually released her vice-like grip on my hand.
Needless to say, the unexpected announcement cut short our excursion. Mr

Tan promptly herded us back to school, much to my parents' relief. While
the news media that night reported no loss of lives, I lamented the prized
art pieces that were destroyed in the commotion. I hope that the damage
was minimal, and that I would have the opportunity to revisit the National Art
Gallery in the near future.
� Pro-Tip!
✓ Include strong and relevant descriptions of the scenes to make them
come alive for the reader.
e.g. ,'as if the elaborate cornices were struggling to contain the
strident colours which were splashed across the walls' to describe
the museum; 'hardstone carvings to enamelled furniture and
dazzling jewellery' to describe the exhibits.

Model Narrative Essay 9: Being Grateful
Write a ccmposition of at least 150 Picture 1

� about being grateful.
The pictui-es are provided to help

composit on should be based on

you plan rour composition: Picture 2
• Who was involved?

• Why d d the person need to be
grateful?

as well.
Picture 3
A GIFT OF TIME

"I am so sorry, Jacob," his mother's apologetic tone caused a wave of

disappointment to hit Jacob. His mother was scurrying around the kitchen
trying to whip up breakfast for the two of them. Jacob felt the corners of his
mouth droop as she broke the news to him. He could not believe that his
mother was cancelling yet another outing that had been planned way ahead
of time. It was not the first time and Jacob could have sworn that it would
I
not be the last.
"But mummy is unable to take you to Universal Studios. It is way too

expensive. I am so sorry, Jacob, but I do not have the time either. I still have .
unfinished chores to do. But I will try to ask Papa, okay? I promise I will make
it up to you... " His mother trailed off with her excuses, and so did Jacob's
mind.
With the mention of his father, he knew that it was a forlorn hope. If his
mother was as busy as a bee, his father was the head of the worker bees.
It is not so much about the activity that we will do together, but the fact that
they will never have time for me, Jacob thought to himself. On that note,
and with his chin dipped to his chest, Jacob retreated to his room without
another word.
Fast forward two hours and Jacob was still down in the dumps. Despite it
being midday, Jacob had closed all the curtains to sulk from the news. He
sat in isolation within the confines of his dimly-lit room.
All of a sudden, he saw something twinkling in the corner of his room. The
sole ray of sunlight that peeked out from behind his curtains pointed Jacob
towards the shiny object. The face of his watch glistened before his eyes.
The watch that his mother had gotten for him for his sixth birthday. The
strap was broken the last time he saw it but now the watch looked as good
as new. He recalled only telling his mother about the strap breaking. Upon
realising that his mother had fixed his watch, Jacob felt a lump rising in his
throat and his eyes were on the verge of tears. Soon, his tears started to
flow like rivulets. He was grateful for his mother's love and care, especially
when she put in the effort to show it despite her busy schedule.
Jacob was touched by the simple act of his mother's love: she had gone out
of her waf to fix his watch. He tried to think of when she could have had the
watch re�•aired and thought of the last time that he even spent time with his
mother. lhat was then he had gone against the rule and stayed awake past
his bedtime. As he peeked from his bedroom door, he could see that hi8
mother's eyes drooped sleepily and he could see them flicker as she fought
hard to stay awake. It was as if gravity around her was heavier, her body
slouchin�1 in fatigue. The dark of night had a somniferous effect on her.
Did Mum say that she still had household chores to do? I should do it for her
so she doesn't spend her time off work still worrying about chores! thought
Jacob.
With newfound determination, Jacob sat up and decided to do the

household chores for his mother. He quickly dashed out of the room to get
started. The fragrance of freshly washed clothes wafted through the house,
the lavender aroma of the detergent soothed Jacob as he hung the laundry
up to dry
As he was finishing hanging up the laundry, the front door's lock started
clicking. The door creaked open and revealed Jacob's mother. Jacob's face
lit up with joy upon the sight of his mother.
"Mum!" t e exclaimed, running to give her a hug. "What are you doing back
so early?''
"I managed to rush through all my work today and came back home early.
I even gc,t tomorrow off! We could go and do something fun. But for now,
let us sp,�nd the rest of the evening together, okay?" his mother suggested.
"Alright!" Jacob was over the moon with mother's gift of time.

g Pro-Tip!
✓ Use settings to convey the atmosphere of a scene. This can be used

to reflect a character's emotions.
e.g. A 'dimly-lit room' can show the feeling of sadness.
I
✓ Use more similes and metaphors! These literary devices can be used
to describe a situation clearly.
e.g. 'If his mother was as busy as a bee, his father was the head of .
the worker bees' shows the extent of how busy the protagonist's
father is.
✓ Begin the story with a line or speech from the middle of a dialogue to
create an interesting opener. This can grab the reader's attention.

Model Narrative Essay 10: A Responsibility
Write a ccmposition of at least 1 50 Picture 1

words about a responsibility.
The pictu ·es are provided to help


Picture 2

• What was the responsibility?
• How v,as the incident resolved?
• What lessons were learnt?

and inclu je other relevant points Picture 3
as well. �

The day dawned crisp and clear as the sun poured in through my window. I
was up early enough to see the sunrise because the day had finally arrived!
I was getting a new pet. After much pleading and begging, my parents had
finally relented to the idea of letting me have a hamster. They told me that I
had to be responsible over the well-being of my pet, cleaning and feeding it
when I needed to. I was determined to show them that I could. That morning,
I
I was bouncing off the walls! With a surge of excitement, I jolted up from bed
and got started with my day.
"Well, someone's an eager beaver!" my father remarked when he saw me

wide-eyed at 8am. I was raring to go to the pet shop so we hopped into the
car and sped off to our destination. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I entered
the pet shop with my father. The mellifluous ring of a bell marked my arrival
as I made a beeline towards the enclosures and beamed at the selection.
I scanned the various rodents with furs of white, black, brown and ginger.
One caught my eye. A ginger and white Syrian hamster.
I brought him home and came to learn the little things that made Billy my
favourite hamster. The little furball enjoyed snuggling in the right corner of
his cage, curled in a little ball while he slept in the day. His small, soft fluffy
ears peeked out at me, tempting me to pet him. Billy liked to eat apples,
carrots and cucumbers. Every morning since I got him, that is what I had
been making in the kitchen. I cut up the ingredients into little bite-sized
pieces and replaced the food in his bowl. Some mornings, he would crawl
to the bowl for a quick snack, his heavy eyelids evidence of his midday nap.
That was when I first had Billy. I cared for him to the best of my abilities,
but ever since I bought him his riew wheel, the nocturnal rodent has been
keeping me up. He would run on his wheel all night, causing an incessant
shrill squeaking as his stocky legs paddled on. Every night, the screech of
the wheel pierced my ears, a stark contrast to the pin-drop silence of night. I
simply could not sleep with Billy running. In the mornings, my eyes were red
rimmed. I gazed into the mirror while I brushed my teeth and contemplated
sleeping in. I was so tired that I even skipped changing Billy's water bowl or
cleaning up his cage.

My eyes widened in realisation when I noticed that it had been a week since
I changed Billy's water and food, and cleaned his cage. I gasped loudly and
quickly went over to his cage to find that it was completely soiled. A rancid
odour attacked my nose as I saw the little black specks of Billy's droppings
littering the cage's bedding. Billy's silky fur was now in a tangled mess. "Ew!"
I said to myself, repulsed. He had also dug a burrow in his bedding and the
little flakes went everywhere! With a sigh of annoyance, I picked Billy up and
took him out of that pigsty. Just then, I felt two tiny teeth piercing my skin.
"That is the last straw!" I barked at the rodent, anger coursing through my
veins. In a flt of rage, all I saw was red and I shoved him back into the filthy
cage.
The next day, I realised Billy was nowhere to be found. I looked around,
scratching my head in confusion. Where had he gone to? A light bulb lit in
my head when I remembered that the cage's door was left ajar. I had absent
mindedly forgotten to lock the cage!
Frantic, I continued to search for him around the house, looking behind
doors, underneath the couch, behind the washing machine ... everywhere.
I went on a hamster hunt for two hours before my parents returned. It was
then I knew I had to face the music.
"Alisa, you have to be more responsible! Mum and I saw that the cage was
getting filthy, and even had to change Billy's water and food for you a few
tim_es. You promised me that you would take care of your pet and now, you
have failed to do so."
With my eyes cast down, I felt the sour feeling of guilt rising in my gut. Then
I spotted a little ginger figure beside my foot.
Billy! I raised my eyes heavenward and cried dramatically, "It's a miracle!"
I shifted my gaze to my parents, who looked at me expectantly. Billy, too,

gazed at me and at that moment, I knew I had failed him. I had to be more
responsible. From then on, I promised myself never to stop caring for Billy.

liJ Pro-Tip!
✓ Sensory imagery helps depict an emotion clearly.

e.g. 'sour feeling of guilt rising in my gut' allows the reader to 'taste'
the negative emotion of guilt.

Model Narrative Essay 11: Being Patient

words about being patient.



• Why did the person need to be Picture 2
patient?

as well.
Picture 3
STAFF
ONLY

The round face of the watch stared back at me with its mechanical ticking,
its cool metal strap sitting in my warm clammy palms. The icy breeze of the
air conditioning made my body tremble. I started breaking out in cold sweat
as each tick signalled to me, incessantly, that time was passing quickly.
The thin metallic dial moved at a threatening speed, like a predator creeping
up on its prey. Five minutes had elapsed since I set eyes on this watch.
I
Intimidation exuded from its pristine exterior, from its glossy gold rim to
the tiny diamonds that embellished the face. Its grandeur reflected onto the
exorbitant price tag as I flipped it over to look.
.
$500? That would cost me an arm and a leg! I cannot afford that, I thought
to myself.
Finally, I mustered up the courage to approach the shopkeeper. I gulped

nervously and shifted my gaze up slowly. I was greeted with the sight of the
shopkeeper's eyes boring into me, impatiently waiting for my decision. For
the fifteenth time, I had to be the bearer of bad news to him.
"Erm... unfortunately, this is not the watch I am looking for," I uttered.
The news seemed to rustle his moustache a little. His furrowed eyebrows
hinted at his annoyance as he snatched the watch away from me.
"You made me take at least 20 watches off the shelves today! If you are
not going to buy anything, don't waste my time!" His voice boomed with
frustration.
"I told you already, it is my mother's birthday and I am trying to get the
perfect gift for h-"
"I don't care whose birthday it is!" he interjected. "You will only find the watch
that you want when pigs fly. Get out of my store right now!" the shopkeeper
hollered.
Defeated, I left the store. I was at my wit's end, trying to find the perfect
watch for my mother. I knew I had to be patient, and do the legwork, but
nothing was working at that point. In low spirits, I dragged my feet home.

The bright storefronts made me squint my eyes in discomfort. The acrid

tang of the dry air, combined with the pungent smell of perfume, ambushed
my nose. l)ud and vibrant voices mocked my despondence while I pushed
past the cDwds, trying my best to dodge them like hurdles in a race. It all
seemed quite pointless. I would never find it.
Just then, from the corner of my eye, a shimmering rose gold watch called
out to me from the window of a random shop. I rushed in and checked the
price. At le ng last, the perfect one! Priced at $200, it did not exceed my
budget.
I approach,:!d the staff for the watch and she went into the back to get me
a new one. I sat in the store, waiting. The shop was empty except for me.
I looked at their array of watches displayed in the glass case, the smooth
surface fel1 cold to the touch. The artificial light of the store gave the watches
a glimmer .3s they anxiously stood by for a customer to claim them as their
own. Somei had blue faces, some were bedecked in classic black leather,
others wen� digital and some were completely metal. Soon, the ticking faces
all started 1:0 look the same to me.
Where on Parth is my watch? I looked to where the staff had disappeared

behind the door with the sign in red bold font, "DO NOT ENTER. STAFF
ONLY."
I found myself waiting once again. With nothing to do, I stared down at my
hands, the·, twisted and knotted them. Then I crossed my arms, and as I
grew more and more impatient, my foot began tapping against the floor. It
irked me that my tapping was actually in sync with the incessant ticking of
the watches that I had been subjected to scrutinising for the whole of today.
I tapped my foot faster and faster to counter the annoying ticking of the
watches, but it made me more impatient.
"How long does it take to find a watch? It has been such a long day and I still
have to Wciit?" I muttered to myself. I contemplated barging into the room
but suddenly, I realised that if I did not like it when the shopkeeper yelled at
me earlier, the salesgirl would not like a demanding customer either. I just
had to wai":.
At that instant, my patience was rewarded. The door creaked open. I lifted
my head to see a blue velvet box in her hands. It was in mint condition.
"This is the last one, but since you've waited so long, let me give you a small
discount," the salesgirl offered. The offer came as a pleasant surprise. I
thanked her and made the purchase, relieved to finally be able to go home.
I
The day had been a test of my patience, but I was glad I got through it with
empathy and was even rewarded for it in the end.
g
.
0,o-Tip!
✓ Personify an object to describe a scene in an interesting way.
e.g. 'the face of the watch stared back at me' shows the feeling of
urgency the protagonist felt. It is as if the watch was judging him
as well.
✓ Begin the story with a sound or an unusual description to grab the

reader's attention.

Model Nlarrative Essay 12: A Heroic Act

words about a heroic act.

compos tion should be based on
Conside· the following points when

• What was the act?

• Who was involved? Picture 2
• Why Nas the person heroic?
You ma�, use the points in any order

as well.
Picture 3

Aaron made his way to the front door of the bus as it came to a halt. The
doors swung open as he tapped his EZ-Link card and alighted, almost tripping
over the laces of his shoes that had become undone. The scratches and dirt
marks on his military boots were signs telling him that it was finally time to
clean them. It was almost midnight and Aaron was making his way back
from camp. Just one more year, he thought to himself. As he knelt down to
I
retie his laces, Aaron caught a glimpse of a stranger in his peripheral vision,
walking past him with haste. Soon enough, the stranger was out of sight.
With dangerous shoelaces out of the way and an entire weekend of rest and
anime ahead of him, Aaron was ready to finally head home.
.
The sparse trail of glowing street lights put all the stars in the sky to death,
making the moonless sky seem almost pitch black. Besides the occasional
vehicle that whizzed past him and the rhythmic thud of his boots against the
pavement, the streets were deadly silent. Desperate to reach home as soon
as possible, Aaron decided to take a shortcut through a narrow and dark
alley that was wedged between thick vegetation and a fence that guarded
the back of a small building. Aaron's green backpack, that was almost more
than half his height, weighed him down.
Thanks for the physical disadvantage, Dad, Aaron thought ruefully to himself.
There was never a moment where he was not taunted in the army: How can
a short man amount to anything?
As he turned the corner, a piercing shriek cut through the thick silence of
the night. Aaron could not believe the scene that was unfolding in front of
him. A man, surprisingly not much taller than Aaron's humble height, was
clad in a dark hoodie and jeans. In his left hand was the glistening blade of a
stainless steel knife. The source of the shriek was an older lady whose arms
were the only barrier between her torso and the knife.
"G-give me your wallet. N-now!" the robber stuttered, audibly lowering his
voice in an attempt to be menacing. His small stature and visibly trembling
armed hand made the scene slightly comedic.
At least try to not look so pathetic when committing a crime, Aaron thought
to himself as he hid behind a tree and dialled 999 to report what he had
seen. Aar,Jn tried to peer around the corner, hoping to catch a glimpse of the
man's face. Just then, the crunch of a dry twig beneath his boots gave away
his hiding spot. The robber caught sight of Aaron's silhouette and his eyes
grew wid1i with the realisation that he had been caught red-handed.
"Who's there?" he stammered, slightly louder this time.
Aaron realised it was up to him to protect the older woman, fearing the
robber would do something reckless in his anxious state.
It is now or never.
Aaron dropped his bag and charged towards the robber. His pint-sized
stature a lowed him to be quick like a squirrel, tackling the robber to the
ground. Paron tried to disarm him and managed to kick the knife out of the
robber's hand. The deadly weapon clattered away unceremoniously; it was
only a buiter knife.
The robber seemed to have given up fighting as he lay on the pavement, like
a heavin{1 starfish. Under the dim glow of a street light, Aaron could make
out more of his features. He had fair skin and dark brown eyes that were...
welling up with tears?
"Are you.. crying?" Aaron asked in disbelief, glancing at the older woman
who was regaining her composure. That was when the scene was awash
with flashes of blue and red. The police had finally arrived.
The boy was put into handcuffs as two police officers took down Aaron and
the victim's statements. Aaron caught the perpetrator's gaze and felt a tinge
of guilt for the incompetent delinquent. This feeling of guilt soon dissolved
when his train of thought was interrupted by a pat on the back.
'Thank you, my hero Ah-boy," the granny grinned her toothless smile for the
umpteemh time. Aaron's chest swelled with pride. For the first time in his
life, he W,3s proud of his small stature.

[] Pro-Tip!
✓ Use descriptions to inform the reader about someone's personality.
e.g. the main protagonist can be seen to be clumsy because he
I
trips over his shoelaces in the beginning, or the robber is seen to be
incompetent/scared because he is small and trembling.
✓ Provide a comedic1twist! This makes your essay fun to plan, write

and read! The reader expects the robber to be tough, cunning and
bold. However, the robber is the direct opposite.
This can also be reflected through objects associated with a character.

The 'bold' robber is revealed to be scared and pathetic. Similarly, the
'deadly weapon' is revealed to only be a 'butter knife'.

Model Narrative Essay 13: A Misunderstanding
Write a cc,mposition of at least 150

words about a misunderstanding.


• Who v1as involved? Picture 2

• What was the
misunderstanding?
• How vtas the misunderstanding
resolved?

and inclu je other relevant points
as well.
Picture 3

I slumped into my desk chair, staring at the unfinished mathematics problem

sitting on my desk. My gaze drifted to the beige corkboard on the wall in
front of me. It was overflowing with pictures from carnival photo booths and
photos from my trip to Prince Edward Island. Hiding in the corner was a lilac
card with hand-drawn pink peonies and gold calligraphy reading 'I'm Sorry'.
Memories rushed in like a river gushing through the floodgates of a dam...
I
The unfortunate misunderstanding had taken place just a week before the
annual Secondary 3 trip to Taiwan. Not only was it the due date for the
consent form as well as a fee of $1 00 to pay for the journey, but it also .
happened to be the day my favourite pop artist released her latest record.
However, due to the trip, I was unable to scrounge up enough money to
buy it.
"No, you don't understand! I've got a// her albums except this one," I said in
agony, "I should just steal some money - I'd rob a bank for Taylor Swift!"
Abigail giggled and playfully hit my arm.
Abigail had long wavy hair that turned auburn brown under the harsh sun and
would always fall neatly into place. She was the live incarnation of a Disney
Princess - perfectly beautiful. I, on the other hand, had thin, straw-like
black hair that mimicked my awkwardly long willowy stature. My upturned
mischievous eyes, paired with my constant lack of better judgement, always
got me in trouble. Attached at the hip since we were barely two years old,
our long-lasting friendship had gained us the nickname 'the Princess and
the Pauper' amongst our peers.
It was ten minutes before recess ended. We returned to our seats right
next to each other at the back of class. Abigail pulled out her pristine copy
of The Great Gatsby that was decorated with colour-coordinated tags and
neat annotations. She placed the book on the table and straightened it
such that it was perfectly perpendicular to her pink pencil case which was
overflowing with a ridiculous number of colourful highlighters and pens. My
copy, on the contrary, donned dog-ears and a severely cracked spine. I was
rummaging through my bag to find my single blue pen when Abigail let out
an exclamation of expletives.

98 , Blueprint for PSLE Success: Composition
"Where is it?" Abigail muttered under her breath in an irksome manner,

"Where's my wallet?" Her eyebrows furrowed with worry as she turned her
pockets ir side out. I reassured her that I would help her find it and began .
retracing our steps back to the canteen.
We ran up and down the corridor twice, asked the canteen staff thrice, but
it was to no avail. Empty-handed and crestfallen, we slumped onto the
canteen bench. I looked up at the clock and jolted, realising that we were
five minut �s late for class! We sprinted back hoping that we could sneak to
our desks without catching the attention of our austere teacher, Mrs Goh.
We were pulling out our chairs just as our teacher had turned away from
counting the number of consent forms on her table. Mrs Goh had caught us
in flagrante delicto.
"Where he ve you two been?" she questioned.
"Umm... I was stuck in the toilet," I lied.
"Don't play games with me. You said that the last time you were late for
class! Don't you know that recess ended five minutes ago?" She shifted her
attention towards Abigail, the tone of her voice lightening up, "Do you have
your consent forms for the trip?"
I fished an envelope of money and a crumpled consent form out of my bag

while Abi!Jail explained that she had lost her wallet and that she was unable
to pay the $100 fee. As I placed the items on Mrs Goh's desk, I could feel the
eyes of someone watching me.
"I can't find it anywhere! All my money is gone," Abigail's voice broke as she
started tc cry.
"Are you sure it's lost? Maybe someone stole it," suggested a boy coming
from the other side of the class, his eyes fixated on me.
Both Mrs Goh and Abigail turned towards me.

"I mean, you did say that you really wanted the new Taylor Swift album... "
Abigail said finally, "and you did say that you would steal money to get it."
A hush fell over the classroom.
"Class, unzip your bags. Just to be safe, I'm checking everyone's bag.
I
Starting with yours." Mrs Goh's scarily wide eyes stared directly at me.
I could not believe my ears. That statement I made was clearly a joke! Even
if Mrs Goh believed it, Abigail should know that I was being sarcastic ... .
right?
Mrs Goh stormed towards my desk, reached for my bag, unzipped it and
emptied its contents onto the floor. A waterfall of textbooks and crumpled
worksheets fell out one by one. After one last shake, the blue pen that I had
been looking for clattered onto the floor. Abigail did the same with her bag.
White and pink folders neatly labelled with cursive writing scattered onto
her table. With another shake, a familiar pink pouch decorated with cherry
blossom designs tumbled out of her bag and onto her table. Her wallet was
buried at the bottom of her bag all along! Her face turned as red as a tomato
as she picked it up and laughed sheepishly.
The class released a collective groan of annoyance and turned back to their
regular chatter between themselves. No walk of shame to the Principa/'s
office? Not even a stern shelling from Mrs Goh? What a waste of everyone's
time! The next hour of school was torture. Abigail's constant apologies and
pleas for forgiveness only made me more livid.
A relaxing night of playing video games and doing absolutely no homework

allowed me to quell the fire in my mind. After all, I did earn it after such a
torturous day. As I entered the classroom the next day, my eyes landed on
a purple card with metallic gold calligraphy perched on my desk. Did she
make this herself? I thought, opening the card to read Abigail's long heartfelt
apology. Abigail glanced towards me with a wary smile. I stepped closer to
her and enveloped her in a warm embrace.

To this d 3Y, the purple card is pinned onto my corkboard, serving

as a reminder that all relationships are riddled with conflict and
misunderstandings. However, resolving such misunderstandings only
allows the friendship to grow stronger and healthier, developing a healthy
system of communication between each other.
C Pro-Tip!
✓ If ther:! are two characters, you can provide direct opposite
personalities through contrasting descriptions.
e.!;. Abigail's books are described to be pristine, showing her

pe1·sonality to be neat and organised. However, the protagonist's
bo )ks are dog-eared and her worksheets are often crumpled,
sh,)wing her to be disorganised and unkempt!
Use a flashback in the beginning to create a strong opener.

Model Narrative Essay 14: A Disappointing Experience

150 words about a disappointing
experience.
I

Picture 2
• What was the experience?
• Why was it disappointing?

points as well.
Picture 3

Sabrina's Eiyes snapped wide open once her alarm clock chimed. Usually,
she would groan, roll over to shut it off, and go back to bed for another five
minutes. However, on this day, she did not dally. It was the 28th of March,
the day of her 16th birthday bash. Sabrina thought that 16 was a magical
age: 16 wc.s only two years from 18, when she would become an adult. 16
would grant her the freedom that she had yet to experience when she was
15. 16 would be the peak of her adolescence, as countless chick flicks and
television :;hows had shown her.
The spraw ing lawn in front of her colonial style house, that was just recently
repainted with a fresh coat of Wimborne white, was the perfect backdrop to
the celebrntion. She was going to have a garden tea party so whimsical that
a white hare and a mad hatter would join in the fun. Her guests would arrive
in their formal party attire to a buffet of Sabrina's favourite food. They would
ogle at the magnificent decoration that her father had helped put up the day
before anc wish her a very happy birthday. Fairy lights would dance across
the tall black metal fence, and colourful bunting would hang in perfect 'U's
across the· frieze boards and windows of the house. The main focus, of
course, Wes going to be Sabrina in her new pink tulle dress that her parents
had bought as a gift.
With these expectations in mind, Sabrina eagerly sprung out of bed and
rushed to 1 he kitchen where her mother was baking her favourite strawberry
sponge cake, the same one that she had every year. This time, however,
the cake v,as going to be bigger and taller than the years before. "Happy
birthday, r,y dear!" Her mother chimed while piping the words "Sabrina's
Sweet Six1een" in canary yellow icing with swift expertise. The side of the
cake was coated in white frosting and embellished with handmade fondant
roses and :ltrawberries that were cut to look like hearts. The aroma of freshly
baked sponge cake wafted through the air, making Sabrina's mouth water.
Oh, how e :1ger she was to cram as much birthday cake into her mouth as
possible!
'Thanks, Mummy! The cake looks beautiful," Sabrina exclaimed. That's

when she rioticed the absence of a crucial family member. "Where's Dad?"
"He was c.:1lled into work today, unfortunately, but he should be back before
your party ends!" Her mother replied, pouting slightly. Sabrina's heart sunk
faintly, but she knew her father would show up just in time.
After breakfast, Sabrina began getting ready for the party. Her guests
were going to arrive within an hour. Bobby pins and tiny elastic bands, the
building blocks to her masterpiece, were scattered across her vanity. She
I
pinned the final loose strand of hair behind her ear and stood back to admire
her handiwork. "Perfect!" she muttered under her breath. Stepping into her
dress, Sabrina pulled it over her chest, and reached behind her, stretching
as far as she could to pull the zipper up. It glided smoothly until it got stuck
halfway. The stubborn zipper did not budge no matter how hard Sabrina
tugged. She tugged and tugged until the tension broke along with a loud
RfPPP. The zipper had pulled some tulle along with it! Sabrina groaned in
exasperation. At /east the zipper is up, she thought to herself.
There was one more minute till the guests arrived. Sabrina peered out of
the bay window in her living room, scrutinising the decoration. Cake? Check.
Dress? Check. Invitations? Sent out a month prior.
A long table adorning a grey gingham tablecloth sat underneath the hot sun.
The chairs that were once in the dining room, were now placed at the table
outside, in front of name cards corresponding to each guest. The cloudless
sky was bright azure blue and the bright sun caused anything white to
glisten and glimmer. In the middle of the table was a vase overflowing with
wildflowers that swayed in the cool breeze. Everything was going just as
planned, yet Sabrina could not help but feel that something was amiss...
Sabrina slouched near the bay window in her living room. The guests should
have arrived ten minutes ago. The rumbling of cars from a distance would
jolt her up momentarily, only for them to whizz past her front gate. Each
time a car drove past, she would slump lower and lower as the feeling of
disappointment grew heavier and heavier. She checked the grandfather
clock in the corner of the living room again. Another 30 minutes went by
and still no sign of guests.
Her lips began to quiver and her eyes started to well up with tears. What kind
of friends would miss her birthday? Nothing is going my way - my dress is

torn, everyone's missing my party! Sabrina began to sob. Upon hearing her
daughter·� soft cries, Sabrina's mother ran into the living room. She cradled
her daughter in her arms and ran her hands through her hair, muttering
softly, "Do 1't cry, my dear. I'm sure they mean well. Why don't you call them?
Maybe there's a big traffic jam!"
Sabrina re3ched for her phone and dialled her best friend's number. "Naomi,
where are you?"
"What do :1ou mean? Your text said that the party's tomorrow!"
Sabrina's •�yes widened and her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink upon
hearing Naomi's response. She scrolled through their chat log on WhatsApp
and sure Enough, the invitation stated:
Venue: 4 Canterbury Road

Time: 11am to 2pm
Theme: Garden Tea Party
Oat,�: 29 March 2021
"I told you to double check your dates," her mother nagged. "Lucky for us, we
are able to keep the birthday cake for tomorrow."
One small typo and it was a careless mistake that turned out to be the culprit
that sabo·:aged her party! Sabrina's less-than-nimble fingers had pressed
the wrong number, sending an invite to her friends that was one day late.
"
From that day on, Sabrina vowed to check and double-check dates in order
to avoid y,�t another disappointing experience.
D Pro-Tip!
✓ Create an expectation in the beginning through describing an ideal
scem1rio. The protagonist's mood changes towards the end. Build up
hope to show the extent of the disappointment!
✓ Show small points of disappointment (e.g. father being at work,
dress is slightly ripped).
Past-Year Questions
The PSLE Essay in Paper 1 has broken new ground since the syllabus was
changed in 2015. To date, examiners have tasked students with a wide
range of topics:
• 2021: A Promise
• 2020: Something that was Lost
• 2019: A Celebration
• 2018: Teamwork
I
• 2017: A Special Gift
• 2016: A Secret
• 2015: Being Considerate
The topic for 2022 is anyone's guess. Judging by the question types, both in
the PSLE and primary schools' prelims alike, we have narrowed the possible
topics down to the following broad themes:
Themes
A Character Trait patience, responsibility, compassion,
determination, gratitude
An Abstraction walls, secret, dreams, challenge, celebrations
A Value teamwork, cooperation, ambition, friendship,
achievement, integrity
···· ·· ·····"·'·"·'··· ···"·· · ·······"· · ··
A Dilemma being dishonest, making decisions, betraying

a secret
A Situation a challenging task, an unexpected reward,
a memorable experience, a promise
While the exact questions will not repeat themselves any time soon, the
techniques for securing that AL1 remain the same.

"
a Pro-Tip!
It is never a good idea to memorise model essays wholesale. Students risk

not answering the question or worse, veering off topic, thereby causing
them to lose content marks.
We encourage students to go through the model essays with a fine-tooth

comb. Attempt to apply these skills and techniques in your own essays.
Develop your personal voice and make your story yours.
Students �.hould analyse the model essays carefully in the following areas:
1. Approa1::hing Content
Study the plot carefully. What do you like about the theme? How was the
theme adcressed in the story? What is the perspective? What does the writer
do to reite-rate the theme? How does the plot flow in a cohesive manner?
What techniques are used to draw the reader's interest in the plot?
2. Approar::hing Language
(a) Obser\'e the use of Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation (G.S.P.). Look
at the sen-:ence structures carefully. How do the turns of phrases make the
sentences flow in a clear and logical manner?
(b) Obser"e the use of literary devices. Which literary devices are used
and why are they effective? What techniques are used to draw the reader's
interest in the language? Which particular vocabulary or word choices are
well-chosE!n? How does the author showcase his tone or character(s)? Can
you make out the author's voice?
In this section, we present model essays to the various themes in past PSLE
questions. A short pro-tip accompanies each one.
All the be�t!

Past-Year Questions • 107
2021 Model Narrative Essay: A Promise

WQ_[d_s about a promise.

I
• What was the promise?

Picture 2
.
'
• Did you keep the promise?

as well.
Picture 3

1 08 Blueprint for PSLE Success: Composition
I was in ,�xcruciating pain. With the metallic tang of iron in my mouth,

I struggle,j to force air into my lungs. My head was spinning. Every little
movement I made sent jolts of agony coursing through my body. A whimper
escaped r,y lips as I lay limply among the twisted metal of the car wreckage.
As my eyes closed on their own accord, I drifted off into memories of that
calm and strangely serene morning, thinking that that would be my very last
memory cf happiness...
"You have to come, okay?" my daughter Kayla had insisted, as she tugged on
my sleeve before leaving the house. "The recital starts sharply at 7pm. So be
seated in the school hall at 6.45pm! Promise you'll be on time?" I nodded, a
gentle smile stretching the corners of my chapped lips. "You mean the world
to me, sweetie," I cooed, pecking her on the cheek before she entered the
school bus. "I'll be there for you. I promise."
Just as the bus turned the corner, Kayla waved back at me from beside the
window, flashing a satisfied grin. Her happiness was sunshine, filling me
with warmth. I headed back into the house, where the mountain of undone
work glar,�d back at me coldly like the unconquerable Alps. I had already
pulled a few all-nighters and probably looked like a panda. Sighing, I sat
down and got to work.
By the tirre I looked at my watch again, it was exactly 6.45pm. The concert!
I was going to be late. I sprinted out of the house with a half-tied tie and
a spray of expired cologne. Hurtling down the expressway, it suddenly
occurred -:o me that my socks did not match. Worst of all, my pockets were
empty: I had forgotten to bring the recital ticket!
A string ,)f curse words interrupted my agitated thoughts. "How could

you do this to her?" I scolded myself through gritted teeth, recalling how
much tim� and effort Kayla had put into her dance practices. She had been
coming h::>me late in the recent weeks, spending additional time with her
teachers just to perfect her routine. The image of her innocent doe-eyes
and tootht smile as she pleaded with me to be punctual flashed through my
mind, striking my conscience like lightning.

I slammed on the brakes. Spinning the sedan around, I executed an illegal

U-turn. Following the designated road back to the house would waste a good
fifteen minutes. By the time I reached the school with the ticket, I would
have missed half of the recital. I could not fail my dual duties as her father
and mother. I have to keep my promise. I must.
Preoccupied with anxiety and guilt, I looked at my watch again: 7pm. The
second hand ticked away mirthfully, as if taunting my tardiness. "If I go
faster, I might just make it. I... " My monologue was interrupted by the loud
blaring of a car horn. I glanced up, just in time to see a pair of blinding LED
I
lights staring right back at me. Swerving instinctively to my left, I heard my
car tyres screech iri horrified protest as the other driver slammed his palm
on the centre of his steering wheel. My ride spun like a toy top, stopped only
by the rough, calloused trunk of a large oak tree...
It seemed as though hours elapsed before the faint cry of sirens finally
penetrated through the fog of my consciousness. Exhausting the remnants
of my energy, I struggled to face the direction of the sound, my lips mouthing
a silent plea for help.
"Sir! Can you hear me? Sir?" I could barely register the question before
tears welled up in my eyes. Relief engulfed my entire being as a flashlight
illuminated my face, the caress of a ray of hope. "Sir! Please hang in there!"
the paramedic said, his team members rushing over as he spoke. "We're
here to help." I closed my eyes again, reaching out for the morning memory
of my only daughter and all of her loveliness. Tears streaked down my sooty
cheeks as I realised that the worst of the ordeal was over...
"Daddy!" Kayla's terrified sobs reached my ears before the girl bounded over
to the side of the hospital bed, still decked out in her crumpled tutu. Her
small cheeks were pale with fright, and she looked like she was about to
collapse. "I am so, so sorry," I whispered, embracing my shivering child. "I
am so sorry for everything."
That night, as I lay awake in the hospital bed with a broken leg and a snaking
wound across my torso, I thought long and hard about resetting my priorities.

11 O . Blueprint for PSLE Success: Composition
What was initially a simple promise of punctuality had quickly escalated out
of control. I gazed at Kayla's small and vulnerable frame, huddled under
thick blan <ets on the armchair next to me.
I'll always be here for you, sweetie. I promise.
"
D Pro-Tip!
✓ The climax suggests why the protagonist could not keep his promise.
The theme resonates throughout the e_ssay.
✓ An irn;ight into characterisation gives the plot more depth and

enga�1es the reader better.

2020 Model Narrative Essay: Something that was Lost

WQNS about something that was
lost.

I

Picture 2
-
• How did it get lost?
• Was it found?

as well.
Picture 3
MISSING

The towering trees swayed in the breeze as the orange orb rose in the
horizon. I trudged out of my room towards the balcony. My cat, Charlie,
followed closely behind. I picked him up and hugged him affectionately. The
birds and cicadas were chirping intermittently. I could smell the scent of
freshly cu1 grass from the nearby park. The gentle breeze caressed my face
while the :aste of the crisp morning air was refreshing. "What a beautiful
day!" I inhaled deeply. Just then, the clock chimed seven. Realising I was
late, I quickly put Charlie down and dashed out of the house to catch the
next bus t,) school.
As I settle::! down in my seat, nagging thoughts flooded into my mind. Did I

turn off the air conditioner? Did I put out the cat food? Did I lock the door...
the door! Jh no! What if Charlie escaped? My parents had left the house
before I did. A jolt of panic coursed through me. My face must have turned
ashen as beads of cold sweat dripped down my forehead. Minutes passed,
but I coulcl still feel my heart pounding like a sledgehammer.
There wa:; no time to lose. I took another bus home immediately. I burst
into the house panting. Charlie was neither in the living room nor in his
cage. I se:irched everywhere - he was nowhere to be found. Tears welled
in my eye:;. Mum and Dad will kill me, I thought despondently. I bolted to the
nearby pa ·k and tried looking for him.
"Charlie! Charlie! Where are you?" I checked Charlie's favourite spot in the
park. Do cats really wonder so far off? Aren't they lazy animals? I was about
to collaps,� in despair when a brilliant idea flashed across my mind. Heading
straight h,)me, I made a poster on a Word document. Pasting an image of
Charlie, I :hen typed out in big, bold letters: 'Please help find Charlie' and
listed all the necessary details. I even included a $20 reward. I printed 25
copies and pasted them all over my neighbourhood. Then, there was nothing
else I could do. I just had to wait.
A few agonising hours later, I received a call from an uriknown number,

"Hello! I tliink I found your cat! Big eyed, brown-colour?" I jumped for joy
once I he,1rd those words.

"Yes! Yes! (i;an I meet you at Bishan Park?" The man agreed, saying he would
be in a black T-shirt and jeans, and hung up. I grinned from ear to ear. Charlie
was safe and sound! At the park, I noticed a man with a cat that looked like
Charlie. I figured it was him and ran over.
"Hey! Are you Henry? I'm Cait, Charlie's owner!" The man looked at me and
nodded. I took Charlie from his arms and thanked him. Then, we sat down
and chatted for a bit. Apparently, Henry had found Charlie in an uncovered
drain, looking lost and petrified. After coaxing Charlie out with a treat -
yes, my favourite feline was definitely greedy - Henry took Charlie home
I
to give him a good bath. It was at the void deck that he saw my poster and
contacted me after Charlie was cleaned and fed.
Grateful, I reached into my pocket for the twenty-dollar bill. Henry pushed
.
my hand away gently and smiled, "I don't need a reward. I'm just glad I
helped someone. I'm sure you were so worried when you lost him." I was
taken aback: There are people who would actually do something nice and
not expect anything in return? I thanked Henry once more, and left the park
with my beloved pet. Charlie snuggled into the crook of my arms and purred.
That day, I realised I had to be more attentive and mindful of my surroundings.

I had come close to losing my pet forever, and I must treasure Charlie more.
More importantly, I found myself a new resolution. At the next opportunity, I
will pay it forward and be the one to reunite a lost pet with his human.
[J Pro-Tip!
✓ The protagonist's thoughts and actions show her anxiety, relief and
gratitude.
✓ Effective use of descriptive phrases for scene-setting and character

building.

2019 Model Narrative Essay: A Celebration
Write a c:::imposition of at least Picture 1

150 worcls about a celebration.


when yo 1 J plan your composition:
• What was the reason for the

• How Mas the occasion
celebrated?

points a, well.
Picture 3

Excited chatter and congratulations filled the cool oasis of the air
conditioned ballroom. It was the first birthday of Celeste Lee, daughter of
renowned billionaire Paul Lee. Naturally, the guest list included prominent
cabinet ministers and corporate magnates alike. The black-tie event saw
the men decked out in tailored tuxedos and their female companions in
fabulous gowns and dripping with sparkling gemstones from head to toe.
Champagne-filled glasses clinked every now and then. The star of the
night was being cradled in the arms of her mother, Vanessa. The beaming
mistress was proudly showing off her child under the watchful eyes of an
entourage comprising three nannies and five adoring aunts.
I
Everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves. Everyone except me, I
thought enviously. Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead. As head chef
of Ben's Bakery, I had no time to relax. I had to ensure that the birthday cake
was primed for its debut. .
'
"Is it ready?" Vanessa asked for the umpteenth time. I nodded, before
quickly moving to the light switches. "One, two, three," I whispered to
myself. I dimmed the chandeliers in the ballroom, darkening the room to
gasps of expectation. Going back to where the delicate confectionery stood,
I wheeled the chocolate ganache dessert towards the birthday girl under the
spotlight.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..." The crowd sang to

Celeste, who was clapping joyfully in her mother's arms. As I inched slowly
towards Celeste, the guests parted like the Red Sea to make way for my
masterpiece. Finally, the baked dessert was safely brought to the baby.
Pointing to the solitary candle, I whispered gently to Celeste, "Blow out the
candle, sweetie." Constant clicks of camera shutters filled the room and as
I looked up, I realised more guests had held up their smartphones to record
the momentous occasion.
Celeste gurgled incoherently. I never thought that it meant anything until I

saw a distinctive gleam in her eyes. In that split second, her chubby fingers
moved forward and landed squarely on the chocolate cake. Before I could
react, the two-tier dessert was adorned with two palm imprints. My eyes
widened in sheer horror. The cake!
The crowd stared at the stage in stunned silence. Some were aghast while
others gasped audibly. The baby, sensing that something was awry, bawled
her loudest that night. Her parents, my clients, furrowed their brows. Mr Paul
Lee stared daggers at me, visibly upset at the sudden turn of events. He was
about to make a move when, without warning, two cards popped out of the
cake - 'H,1ppy birthday!', they read.
Celeste s·:opped, mid-cry, and gazed quizzically at the multicoloured

greeting. Just then, a soft melody began to play from within the cake: "Head
and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes... "
It was CelE!Ste's favourite song, played from a hidden music box in the cake.
Peals of laughter filled the room once again as the guests took the cue from
the tune. Everyone sang along heartily. Celeste gradually calmed down and
giggled. The celebration was a success, thanks to the icing on the cake.
As for me, I heaved a sigh of relief, thankful that I had the foresight to include
the music box. Everything had gone according to plan.
a Pro-Tip!
✓ The rnader is engaged with an interesting first-person perspective as

a bak�r.
✓ Effec1 ive use of literary devices such as imagery and a pun.
✓ The writer uses a twist to anchor the theme securely.

2018 Model Narrative Essay: Teamwork
Write a composition of at least 1 50

words about teamwork.

I
• How did the team members .

work together?
• What did the team members
hope to achieve?

as well.
Picture 3

It was a cold December morning. Our class was excited to embark on an

excursion :o the zoo. Accompanied by our teachers, Mr Mathews and Mrs
Garner, who were also our chaperones, we put on our thick coats, scarves,
gloves ancl woolly hats, then made our way toward the bus. Finally, it was
time to go The trip was special for me in two ways. Firstly, it was the first
time I wa� travelling without my parents and in the company of friends.
Secondly, it was not a routine sightseeing itinerary but rather, an educational
adventure where we would be observing different types of animals in their
enclosure�:. This was part of our school project to learn about zoo animals
and know which part of the world they come from.
After arriving, we broke into our teams. Ours consisted of childhood

friends: J;;son, David, Alan and myself had been pals since kindergarten.
All the teams were given the freedom to explore the premises as long as
we returned to the main zoo building by noon for lunch. Before setting off,
we checkE•d inside our backpacks to see that we had our iPads with us
and with c quickening shimmy, we made our way. Our first location was
the lion er,closure. The big cats were lazily sleeping the day away. David
commented, "Ah, what a life that must be: doing absolutely nothing." We
all agreed. Next, we made our way to the tiger pen - it was Alan's favourite
animal and he was eager to get there. As we approached, he gradually
became in:reasingly excited.
"Hurray!" he exclaimed cheerfully, his eyes lighting up with delight when

he finally �potted the striped animals and a zookeeper cleaning the empty
cages. As for the rest of us, we nodded politely. Tigers are not my favourite;
they are net as majestic as lions and rather fierce looking, I thought to myself.
We decided to see the mischievous monkeys next. As we arrived, Jason

suddenly :ommented, "Where is Alan?" He had disappeared and was
nowhere tJ be seen. I took in a deep long breath. Worried, we discussed
the best way to go about finding Alan. After what seemed like an eternity
of communicating, negotiating and reconciling, we decided to retrace our
steps. Off we went to the monkey enclosure first, where we had last seen
Alan. No, he was not there. As the tiger enclosure was quite far, we decided
to walk fa ;;ter. What if Alan had fallen into the tiger enclosure? What if the

tigers had him for breakfast? What if... I kept my worrying thoughts to myself.
Upon approaching the tiger enclosure, I suggested, "Would it be a good idea
if we split up so that we could cover the area quicker?" We needed to work
as a team to complete the task. My friends concurred and we set a time limit
of ten minutes to regroup at the main tiger sign.
I had no luck in spotting Alan, so I began making my way back to our

prearranged meeting point. When I reached there, I saw that Jason was
with Alan. Apparently, Jason had found Alan talking to the zookeeper about
caring for the tigers and other animals. Not only was I relieved and angry,
I
but I was also emotionally exhausted from the amount of worrying I had
done. Nevertheless, I gave Alan a hug. David arrived soon after and shouted,
"Where have you been?"
"Just talking to the zookeeper," Alan replied. -

'
"Please don't do this again, or at least let one of us know," I said. "We need
to cooperate and work as a team if we want to get anything done."
Alan nodded sheepishly.
It was a team effort to locate Alan. While the incident strengthened our
friendship, team members must communicate and cooperate to inform one
another of their whereabouts, and be ready to listen to various viewpoints
and agree on the best one.
� Pro-Tip!
Excellent description of protagonist's emotions when Alan was

discovered missing.
The strategic use of dialogue breaks up the monotony of a narrative

text.

2017 Model Narrative Essay: A Special Gift
Write a c,)mposition of at least 1 50 Picture 1

� about a special gift.

composi1 ion should be based on
one or m,)re of these pictures.

you plan {Our composition:
• What Nas the special gift?

• Why was the gift special? Picture 2

order anc include other relevant
points as well.
Picture 3

Past-Year Questions � 121
"Cake... check. Streamers... check. Balloons... ahh!" I jumped up in fright.

A balloon had popped above my head with a sudden violent bang, sending
a purple rubber strip cascading down upon my shoulders. I sighed. "Here,
take this one," giggled Rachel as she handed me a yellow balloon. I blew it
up and tied it in place, quickly glancing at the clock to see if we were still on
schedule.
It was Kayla, my best friend's birthday. My friends and I had been planning
this surprise party for over a week, staying up late to discuss procedures and
dropping in at various party shops to buy countless boxes of decorations.
I
While Kayla attended her tuition class, her mother had allowed us to enter
the house to decorate the living room. Kayla's closest circle of friends,
Cheyenne, Kei-lyn, Rachel and I, had turned up that morning with hoards of
colourful streamers and balloons. By early afternoon, the living room was
'
entirely covered in bright birthday decorations. We huddled excitedly in front

of the cake, butterflies in our stomachs but wide grins on our faces.
Just then, the doorbell rang loudly out of the blue. "Hello? Mum, are you
home?" We heard Kayla's muffled question from the other side of the door.
Since there was no reply, we heard Kayla rummage through her bag for
her keys. "Now!" Cheyenne whispered. Kei-lyn sprinted to her spot behind
the door, while Cheyenne and I dived behind the sofa. Meanwhile, Rachel
crawled into place under the table. Having practised that routine dozens of
times before the actual day, the four of us moved like clockwork.
"Happy birthday, Kayla!" we screamed in unison, springing out from

our hiding places as she opened the door. The look on Kayla's face was
priceless. "What... how... oh my goodness!" Kayla exclaimed, visibly shocked
but extremely elated. We handed her the presents that we had painstakingly
chosen, and screams of delight echoed down the hallway as wrappers were
torn open excitedly. Cheyenne's present was a book that Kayla had always
wanted, while Rachel and I had both forked out money for a headset. Kei-lyn,
knowing that Kayla was an avid reader, gave her a Popular gift voucher with
her best wishes. Kayla embraced each one of us in gratitude.
"Blow the candles first!" I laughed, when it came to cutting the cake and
Kayla attempted to do so with the candles still lit. As we sang a loud and

joyous birt 1day song, I could truly feel the warmth and love of our friendship,
a strong a1d precious bond that linked each of our young hearts. 'This is
the best birthday ever," Kayla declared, as we shared the rich, creamy cake.
"Thank you so, so much."
That night we went home with a skip in our step, exhausted but satisfied
with the eventful day. Our efforts to give Kayla a surprise gift had come to
fruition, and the friendship we shared was truly one to be treasured.
C Pro-Tip!
✓ A typical plot, but punctuated with numerous descriptive phrases for
the scene.
✓ The fr endship of the girls can be felt in their conversations.

Past-Year Questions � 123
2016 Model Narrative Essay: A Secret

WQIQ.S. about a secret.

I
• What was the secret?

Picture 2
-
• Why was it kept a secret?

as well.
I I
Picture 3

My scho,)I sat next to the woods, a boring, beige block of a compound

invading the space of stretching trees and whispering leaves. It was a
favourite pastime of us students to carry our classroom chatter into its shady
grounds, leaning on cracking bark or sprawling across the moist grass. I
always felt lighter after visits to the woods, as if the trees had absorbed my
worries Ii <e water from the soil, expelling it into the open air as vapour. The
evening t reeze blew away all of my trivial frets.
"Have you heard?" the class monitor asked me one morning, as I strolled
past her tensed shoulders towards my seat in the classroom.
"Heard what?" I asked, reclining nonchalantly in my chair.
'They're closing it off," she whispered. "They're closing the woods off."
My eyes subconsciously darted towards the classroom window, where

the spindly trees beckoned me with a serene view. I howled, "Jamie, you
can't be serious." Yet the tight-lipped builders arrived that evening, chasing
students ;3way from our sanctuary with hard tools and harder words. Within
two week:;;, fences and gates sprouted along the entire stretch of greenery.
The woods had disappeared. In its place was a barrage of red and ugly 'Out
of Boundi;' signs.
The school management offered us no answers. "It's confidential," our form

teacher e::plained. Mr Toms, a kindly man mellowed by having reached the
age of half a century, beat around the bush as we interrogated him about the
school's sudden action. We were devastated. The woods were our hang-out
and refug:!. Losing it, we also lost a certain sense of serenity. Devastation
turned int,) rage, and rage morphed into suspicion.
'They're cJtting the trees down!" cried Jonathan, the most environmentally
consciou� of my classmates.
"They're � iding a dead body!" insisted Jane, a notorious fan of murder

mysteries "Our woods have become a grave!"

As bizarre rumours circulated among the aggravated student population, it

became increasingly difficult to discern fact from fiction.
Exactly one month after she had disclosed to me the school's closure of
the woods - a piece of information she had astutely picked up from the
teachers' room when delivering worksheets - I stopped at Jamie's table
and begged for her help.
"I think something fishy is happening in the woods," I explained, looking her
straight in the eyes. "You're the most observant and capable person in this
I
school, and I need whatever help I can get to unearth the truth. Will you
risk your monitor badge for this?" Jamie bit her lip, her face twisting into a
troubled expression. Glancing out of the window, her eyes lingered on the
.
treetops peeking out from above the fences. She nodded slowly.
.
At the crack of dawn, I met Jamie outside the smallest gate to the woods,
a gate she had noticed the builders rarely locked. On closer inspection, we
discovered that the lock itself was so rusty it was barely functional. Prying it
open with our four small hands, we scurried into the shadows of the woods,
hoping its darkness could conceal our offence. My heart palpitated wildly,
and a strange combination of fear and exhilaration coursed through my
quivering body.
'This was your idea," Jamie reminded me, her voice wavering.
The woods looked different under the sparse light of the rising sun.
Everything was darker and more sinister, with multiple shadows clinging
onto branches. We tiptoed across the grass, squinting quizzically at the neat
rows of holes that had appeared in the ground, and the red ribbons that
fluttered across the necks of the skinniest trees. Questions floated about in
my head till they were replaced by Jamie's ear-splitting shriek. A dark figure
hunched in the distance, digging deep into the soil with a shovel. A human
sized sack lay beside his feet.
"Jane was right all along," I muttered.
"Who's there?" a hoarse voice questioned.

Jamie and I instantly broke out of our frightened stupor, looking at each
other incredulously. My memory matched the familiar voice to a benign,
wrinkled f3ce.
"Mr Toms?" Jamie asked, as we trod closer for a better look. The old man
laughed abruptly, scattering the seeds in his hand across the ground, "So
our uptig�t class monitor decided to break the rules for once!"
It turned out that the students' frequent usage of the woods had dam.aged
the soil and plants severely. Mr Toms had advocated for its temporary
closure, s,) that conservation efforts could be carried out, from planting new
saplings to fertilising the most unhealthy of trees.
"I wanted it to be a surprise," Mr Toms explained, shaking his head in

disbelief c1s we shared the horrid rumours with him. "At the end of the year,
we were planning to reveal the revamped place to all of you! By then, the
new flowE•rs will have bloomed."
My cheek, flushed the colour of a rose. Looking at how speechless we were,

Mr Toms Jrinned, "It's alright, it's alright... as long as you promise to help me
keep this 1 secret. Meanwhile, it'd be great if you could quash some of those
rumours too." I nodded vigorously, then realised that Jamie was hesitating.
"Sir, with... with all due respect..." she stammered, glancing down at her
badge sh :!epishly, "Would you keep our... trespassing ... a secret too?" Mr
Toms lau;:ihed again, a hearty guffaw that echoed through the woods and
stirred th1i birds awake to a new day. Shaking the hand of my embarrassed
friend firmly, he winked, "It's a deal. Your secret's safe with me."
C t>ro-Tip!
✓ The narrative takes a new look at the theme 'secret'.
✓ An unlikely start of a new friendship between two students and a
teacher/gardener lies central to the plot.

2015 Model Narrative Essay: Being Considerate

WQid.s about being considerate.

I
-
• Who was/were considerate? Picture 2 .
• How did the person(s) act in a
considerate way?

as well.
Picture 3
,. �
... .ii

Matthew � at slumped on the couch, his legs sprawled out in front of him.
With his iiyes glued to the television screen, he grabbed a handful of
popcorn a 1d stuffed them into his mouth. His entire family was out of town
visiting thiiir grandmother and he had decided that tonight was the perfect
opportunity for a movie marathon.
Matthew qazed at the new 80-inch screen lovingly. He had picked it out
with his buddy, Terry, who lived in the adjacent unit. The duo had the same
hobbies, c nd often played video games together. In fact, they had even
made plar s to have a video game session that weekend.
Oblivious 10 everything else going on around him, Matthew sat transfixed by

the image of a man speeding through traffic on a highway. He had turned
the volum � up so loud that the window panes were vibrating. Soon, Terry's
voice echoed through the door.
Terry's sh::>uts were punctuated with rapt knocks on the door. "Matthew!
Matthew! Matthew!" The shouting grew in intensity as Terry tried
exasperat �dly to get Matthew's attention. Seething with anger by this point,
Terry staned pounding on the door.
Wait, was someone at the door? Matthew thought as he heard the urgent
knocks. Rising lazily from his seat, he shuffled his way to the door. As soon
as he opened the door, Terry, with a clear scowl on his face, launched into a
string of expletives.
"It is almost midnight! My entire family can't sleep because of the loud noise
blasting from your speakers! I've had enough," Terry spewed his frustrations,
clearly irate. Matthew was speechless. He had never seen Terry so angry
before. W th one forceful shove, Terry pushed Matthew aside and stormed
into his living room. Matthew's eyes widened in fear. What was Terry going
to do?
Terry walked straight towards the culprit. He was going to take care of that
dreaded object once and for all. Grabbing a handful of electrical cables in
his hand, Terry yanked so forcefully that the television screen went blank
immediat,:!ly. Matthew, taken aback by Terry's sudden actions, could only
stare with his mouth agape. A tense silence hung between them as the
two men eyed one another angrily. Matthew felt a sudden pang of guilt for
disturbing his neighbours' sleep. Mustering all the courage he had, Matthew
decided to break the silence.
'Terry, I... I'm really sorry," Matthew stammered. Terry merely nodded and
stormed out. Matthew stared at the blank television screen and the cables
that were sticking out from behind. There was no way he could plug them
back to his television. Parts of the cables had snapped into two, the ends of
the wires frayed beyond repair. Matthew sighed dejectedly as he removed
I
the broken cables and placed them aside.
Terry and Matthew never spoke to each other again. It was a painful lesson
for Matthew as well: he had lost a good friend and a neighbour.
-
C Pro-Tip!
✓ A simple plot about being considerate to your neighbours, but
dramatised better with dialogue and emotions of each character.
✓ Effective use of literary devices and good vocabulary phrases

punctuate the paragraphs.

-�.i
!
I
·i
I
•,

The current PSLE format includes the options of writing an exposition or
other appropriate non-narrative text types. This section covers the relevant
techniques and know-how.
What is considered a 'non-narrative' essay in the PSLE?
As long as the composition does not follow a clear plot, it is deemed a non
narrative essay. What is covered in the essay must relate to the given theme.
Generally, examiners look for the following:
• logical explanation;
• linking these experiences to the given theme;
• sharing of personal experiences;
• using at least ONE picture for the essay;
• answering the question prompts provided.
Consider the three pictures in Chapter 2 for 'A Thrilling Adventure'.
The pictures are used as a springboard to discuss what a thrilling adventure

means to the student.
For example, the student can choose to talk about how looking at a bike
reminds him of a hiking trip he took recently. It was thrilling because he
explored a different part of Singapore. As it was the first time he learnt how
to ride a bike, it was also exciting in that sense. The same logic applies to
the other two pictures.

While stud,�nts are free to base their compositions on a narrative that ties
the topic a 1d the chosen picture(s) together, there is an option to write an
exposition. This non-narrative option is meant to prepare students for the
rigours of t ,e secondary school curriculum where expositions are the staple.
Strictly speiaking, an exposition should be structured and cohesive. This is

not compulsory for students at PSLE. Thus, students are allowed to write a
simpler explanatory or information text that links the chosen visual aid(s)
to the topi :. The level of persuasiveness usually found in an exposition is
also not required at PSLE.
Non-narra1ives need not be daunting. We believe in preparing students to be

competent communicators, not merely competent test-takers. To this end,
the chapters on exposition that follow will adhere to the strict definition of
an exposition. Rest assured that with unfamiliar terms explained along the
way, students need not feel overwhelmed.
PSLE Requirement
II
........................... ....•.... .
Explanations are supported by examples. II

Body par3graphs are logical, With sentences
linking tcgether to form a cohesive whole.
II
Has a rigid, well-defined structure that links
all the pc ragraphs together.
Includes a thesis statement.
Implicit!) persuasive; logical links within the
essay leads readers to adopt a certain view.
X
As most students are
Language and tone of the exposition is new to expositions, they
detached and objective. may engage a tone and
provide examples that
are more personal.

CHAPTER 5
Handling the Expository Essay
This chapter introduces students to expositions and outlines the basic

structure of an expository essay, as well as the structure of the arguments
that comprise the body paragraphs.
What is an Expository Composition?
An expository composition is an explanatory or informative text on a given

topic. You might have come across such text types in schools. Your teacher
may have given you an article, newspaper clipping or even a cloze passage
on topics such as the wonders of the natural world or the three most
important things to know about plants.
� Pro-Tip!
Strictly speaking, the expository composition should contain a thesis

statement.
A thesis statement is a brief sentence in the introductory paragraph that

tells the reader what to expect in the coming body paragraphs. This way,
the writing flows smoothly and readers are aware of the specific focus of
the composition. This is a skill that takes time to develop and is typically
not required at the PSLE level. Nevertheless, we will cover all these
skills to help you get a head start in secondary school, where they will be
essential.
Having more examples can make your essay better. While the PSLE does
not require you to use all three pictures, our recommendation for a well
developed essay is to use as many pictures as you can. This can be seen in
the following chapters.
In your expository composition, you will be given a specific theme or topic

to write on, with three accompanying pictures to guide you in your writing.
Let us look at one example below:

Theme for the composition
Write a c,)mposition of "'--'----'--"-"'""-'- Picture 1

150 wore s about a thrilling
adventure.
The pictL res are provided to help

composi":ion should be based on
one or m :>re of these pictures.

• What was the adventure?

• Why v,as it memorable?
• What were the lessons learnt?

points a� well.
Three pictures will usually be given as

visual aids for the expository composition
Handling the Expository Essay • 135
How Do I Write an Expository Composition? (Structure)
Based on the theme of A Thrilling Adventure, you can look at the pictures
and use them as examples to support your points. The structure for a simple
expository composition is as follows:
• First paragraph Introduction

This paragraph introduces readers to the topic of A Thrilling
Adventure. There are many things that can be said about the topic,
but your task here would be to pick out two to three aspects of the
topic and explain them in detail. The thesis statement is a sentence
that allows the reader to understand the focus of your composition.
• Body paragraphs Main points of exposition

There are usually three body paragraphs, corresponding to the pictures
given as visual aids. Your task here is to explain the topic clearly and
use the pictures as examples to reinforce your main idea. We will look
at how to do so in this chapter.
• Last Paragraph Conclusion

To end the composition, you can choose to summarise the main
points that you have made earlier and include your personal thoughts
or observations about the topic.

How Do I Score Well on the Expository Composition?
You may be worried about attempting the expository composition. After all,
it is the frrnt time you are writing an expository composition for school or the
examinati Jns. Thankfully, the requirements for a good exposition are quite
simple. Te,achers are looking for:
• Relevance of your exposition to the theme;

• A clear, easy-to-follow structure;
• Logical coherence within the paragraph that each point of exposition is
fleshed out.
Let us focus on the last bullet point - logical coherence. What this means
is that in '.'Our body paragraph on the topic, the sentences in the paragraph
should connect well and flow logically. Examiners do not want to be reading
one sentence about the importance of having an adventure, followed by why
vanilla ice cream is the best ice cream flavour. There is a clear structure -
the P.E.E.S. structure - to follow for the body paragraph:
• Point
The first sentence contains the main point you wish to make in the
para�1raph.
• Explc1nation
This s followed by a brief clarification of the point.
• Example
Further support is given by using examples based on the given pictures
for the theme.
• Sum--up
Finally, conclude by summarising or rephrasing the main ideas
presented in the body paragraph.

Handling the Expository Essay 137
When you write in a structured manner, your sentences will flow naturally and
you minimise lapses in logic. Look at the example of a P.E.E.S. paragraph
below, written by a student:
• Point
Figuratively, we can also liken our lives to an adventure. Our emotional
peaks and troughs are like the ups and downs of a roller coaster ride.
• Explanation
There are times when we can be absolutely despondent, as well as
moments where we are floating on cloud nine.
• Example
Likewise, the roller coaster, with its unpredictable twists and turns,
mirrors our feelings and reactions to the adventures that life throws
at us.
• Sum-up
Hence, life itself can be a thrilling adventure as we never know what
will happen next.
Did you notice how, when the student followed the P.E.E.S. structure, every
"
succeeding sentence builds on the previous in a logical manner?
D Pro-Tip!
Scan the QR code for an example of a body paragraph of another

exposition topic, 'Broken'.

Content !Derivation: Brainstorming the Possible Points of

Exposition
Using th•! Interrogatives: who, what, when, where, why, how
By workin�1 through the figurative and literal associations with each picture,
we can derive the points necessary for our exposition.
Brainstorming the questions and answers using interrogatives is an

essential �.kill that can help us understand how the picture relates to the
theme betrer and thus, derive the points that will form the first sentence of
our body paragraphs.

Handling the Expository Essay 139
Picture
1 Key prompt:
What is being shown in the picture?

A bicycle.
How is this relevant to the idea of adventure? !

A bicycle allows a person to go on adventures in the
literal sense of the word.
Further prompts:
• Where can you go with this tool? Explore the

neighbourhood.
• What other kinds of transportation tools are there?
Cars, planes, motorcycles, kick scooters, etc.
• How do they contribute to an adventure?
Depending on the type of transport, one may be
able to explore near or far-flung places and have
an adventure.
• When would you want to use such a tool for
adventures?
Perhaps when exploring a new neighbourhood
that is close to one's home.
How is the adventure thrilling?

There is a thrill in discovering something new for the
first time.
Point: A literal adventure entails exploring and :

discovering new horizons.

2 Key prompts:
Where is this place?

A forest/park.
What are the people doing there?

Hiking/exploring unusual places.
Further prompts:
• Why do people deviate or wander afar in their

quest for adventures?
They might be bored with routine activities.
• How do they go on such adventures?
They could plan a getaway that takes them away
from their comfort zones.
• What sort of risks are there on such adventures?
They might easily get lost or be attacked by
wildlife.
• Where are the places they might explore for an
exotic adventure?
Mountains, jungles, developing cities, etc.

The dangers encountered could be thrilling, albeit in
an unpleasant way.
Point: Some people may be bored with the mundane

and crave for a different adventure.

3 Key prompts:
What figurative association(s) to adventure can you

make with this picture?
Our lives and emotions can be likened to a roller
coaster ride with its ups and downs.
Further prompts:
• How are our emotions/lives akin to the roller

coaster?
There are moments when we are exhilarated; this
is represented by the peak of the roller coaster.
Likewise, there are moments in life when we are
said to be 'down', mirroring the roller coaster's
troughs.
• What emotional/life experiences can be tied to the
peaks and troughs of the ride?
A joyous occasion, such as acing the final
examinations, can be tied to the peak while
a depressing moment, such as the loss of a
beloved pet, would be associated with the trough.

We never know what kinds of ups and downs life
might present, hence it is, in a way, a thrilling
experience.
Point: Figuratively, our lives can be likened to a

thrilling adventure.
While we are deriving the points for all three pictures, it is important to note
that using all three pictures is not an absolute requirement. There may be
circumstances where you find it difficult to use one or two of the visual aids
to reinforce your points. In such a situation, you can opt to use at least one
of the visual aids, followed by your own idea(s) and example(s) that relate
to the theme.

Model Expository Essay: A Thrilling Adventure
lntrodu,;tion
Adventures are all around us. Some of them A general statement
may be dangerous and risky, while others introduces readers to
could be fun and exciting. Regardless of the topic of 'Adventure'.
the nature of such adventures, we have
always been drawn to them, seeking them The last sentence
out in books, theatres and even while on introduces the thesis
vacatio1. It is an immensely satisfying statement - remember
experie1ce when we find one that captures that this sentence is
our imagination. Thus, it can be said meant to introduce
that having thrilling adventures is an readers to what the rest
integral part of our lives, both literally and of the composition will
flgurafr,ely. be about!
First P.E.E.S.
A literal adventure entails both exploring
and di�:covering new horizons. Centuries
of civilisation have led mankind to invent After the brief point, a
different modes of transportation, from lengthier explanation is
locomctives to aeroplanes, so that we offered to elaborate on
may go on adventures and discover the how we have explored
unknown. Even the humble bicycle is a good and discovered new
tool for explorations. When we move into a horizons.
new neighbourhood, one of the first things
we woLld do is to familiarise ourselves with
the new area. One of the quickest ways is
to pedal around the vicinity on a bicycle.
This example demonstrates how, with the The student utilises the
simple:,t of transportation tools, we can first picture of a bicycle
have an adventure in our own backyard to further her point.
and e>perience the thrill of discovering
something new.

ESSAY
Second P.E.E.S.
Even then, some of us may be bored with
the mundane and crave new experiences.
These people might find routine adventures The composition flows
like going around the neighbourhood naturally from a literal
too boring or common for their tastes. backyard adventure
They would rather explore new territories, to somewhere further,
whether it be visiting an allegedly haunted using the second
mansion or trekking through the remote example of trekking
wilderness. With the convenience of to discuss exotic
booking air tickets online, adventures need adventures.
not be tepid. However, with such exotic
adventures comes the thrill of dangerous
encounters. Thus, such adventures can be
thrilling in an unpleasant way.
Third P.E.E.S.
Figuratively, we can also liken our lives to The composition now
an adventure. Our emotional peaks and moves to the second
troughs are like the ups and downs of a part of the thesis
roller coaster ride. There are times when statement - figurative
we can be absolutely despondent as well adventures.
as moments where we are blissfully happy
and floating on cloud nine. Likewise, Note the use of words
the roller coaster, with its unpredictable like 'thus', 'hence'
twists and turns, mirrors our feelings and and 'therefore'. Such
reactions to the adventures that life throws words are helpful in
at us. Hence, life itself can be a thrilling summing up the P.E.E.S.
adventure as we never know what will paragraph!
happen next.

Conclusion
In conclusion, thrilling adventures are The student has
definitely an integral part of our lives, opted to use a simple
whether literally or figuratively. They summary to conclude
can be ordinary like a bicycle ride, or as her composition.
extraord nary as our imagination will
1
take us. If we cannot escape the need for

adventures, why not make the best out of it? Note her personal
Persona ly, I would like for my adventures observation that
to be fun and exciting, something that I can nicely rounds up the
enjoy an j share with friends! composition.

CHAPTER 6
Language and Tone in Expository writing
This chapter focuses on the differences between expositions and narratives

in terms of writing styles. Essential skills in using transitional phrases and
ensuring formality of tone are covered.


150 wor � about an act of
honesty

you thin< about this topic. Your
Consider the following points Picture 2

when yc,u plan your composition:
• What was the act undertaken?

• Why was it honest?

points ,1s well.
Picture 3
In the previous chapter, we looked at the structure of the expository essay

as well as the structure of the body paragraph, characterised by P.E.E.S. In
this chapter, we will focus on writing expository essays with the appropriate
style an j tone.

Language and Tone in Expository Writing • 147
What is Tone?
How you behave in the presence of the school principal is quite different
from how you would behave around your best friend. In the first instance,
you may be civil and courteous, or even a little stiff and formal. This is
similarly reflected in how you would phrase your words when you speak
in that context. Imagine if you were discussing an exciting movie you had
watched over the weekend. This might be how you would say it to (i) your
principal and (ii) your best friend:
To your principal 'The movie was quite interesting. I would

recommend that you watch it."
·• ··········
To your best friend 'The movie was super awesome! You should
totally watch it."
Although the information conveyed is essentially the same, the tone in which
you conveyed it to your friend is decidedly more informal, characterised by
the use of 'super' as a qualifier and 'totally' for emphasis.
When writing an exposition, it is best to adopt a neutral and civil tone, similar
to how you would speak to the principal in the example above. In order for the
reader to assess your exposition fairly, it must obey the C.O.R.E. principles:
• Clear
• Objective
• Reasoned
• Explanatory

Tell, Not Show?
Some teachers may have left the following comment on your narrative
compositions: Show, not tell!
Narratives require good imagination, as well as the ability to translate those

imaginary details into ink on paper. The techniques for writing these details
('show') rather than presenting readers with an information dump ('tell') are
discussed in detail in the narrative segment of this book.
In expository writing, the requirement is almost a reversal of the narrative.

You need to present information rather than embellish it with details. 'Tell'
sentencef: present information 'as is' without any ornate description.
Hence, thiiy are more likely to be free from ambiguity - a key requirement
for obeying the C.O.R.E. principles.
Reasons, Conclusions and Transition Words
In order tc write a coherent body paragraph, the point must be substantiated

by reasons. This is done through the second E - Explanation. Following the
example, you then sum up with a conclusion.
There are words that writers often use to make their body paragraphs easier
to follow. They are generally termed transition words and a list of these
words arE! provided below:
Transiffi>n'woids for �luslons

----.,
: as a result of... hence
i because... thus
: due to... therefore
: since... ' consequently
. . . . ..... .. . . . . . . .... .................................. - --
for the reason that... I it follows that...

Language and Tone in Expository Writing , 149
When readers see such transition words, it is immediately apparent that

they are reading an explanatory statement or the conclusion. The following
example illustrates the use of transition words:
Point An act of honesty can refer to situations where

you do not keep items that do not belong to you.
Explain reason Such circumstances arise because there exist

( ) many careless people who tend to lose their
belongings. It is common to have a 'finders,
keepers' mentality and be tempted to keep the
found item for yourself, but honesty requires us to
do the opposite.
Example For example, if someone picked up a wallet on the

street, he might be tempted to keep it, especially
if it contained a lot of money. To behave honestly,
that person should locate the owner and return it.
Sum up conclusion Hence, we should never keep things that do not

( ) belong to us as it is dishonest.
Notice that the example is usually preceded by the phrase 'for example'
or 'for instance'. These are further transitional phrases that are commonly
used so that the body paragraph is easier to follow and understand.
� Pro-Tip!
Sentence structures matter! Scan the QR code to learn more with our
guide to active and passive sentence structures.

1 50 • Blueprint for PSLE Success: Composition
Content Derivation: Brainstorming the Possible Points of

Exposition
Using thE! Interrogatives: who, what, when, where, why, how
In the previ )US chapter, we learned how brainstorming the various literal and
figurative ,1ssociations with each picture can help us formulate our body
paragraphi,. Would you be able to derive the points using the interrogatives
'---·i
as prompti,?
'·•.··· ·.· t''··· ·,i--<
_,, . -
.... -- :,
l What action is happening here?

I A wallet is being picked up.
i How is this action related to the theme of
l honesty?
I If the wallet does not belong to the person
l picking it up, keeping it would be dishonest.
l Point: An act of honesty would require us to

i return a found object to its rightful owner.
2 • Key prompts:
I Where was this place?

l In a classroom.
l What were the people doing there?

l A girl is peering over at her friend's test
l answers, possibly trying to copy them.
I How is this action related to the theme of

I honesty?
I Examinations and tests require students to
j display honesty, that is, by not cheating.
I Point: An act of honesty can be difficult as we

i are often tempted to do otherwise.

Language and Tone in Expository Writing • 151
3 Key prompts:
What is happening in this picture?

Someone has broken a vase.
How is this action related to the theme of

honesty?
Honesty means he has to admit his wrongdoing.
Point: An act of honesty sometimes r equires

one to have courage to · to one's mistake.
Honesty is the right thing to do, but in this exposition, there are many ways
in which we display honesty. By thinking about the different requirements
for honesty, we can derive the points and their subsequent explanations.

Model EJCpository Essay: An Act of Honesty
ANALYSIS
Imagine a world where everybody was Broad opening

dishonest with one another. If you had lost statement invites
something, you would feel very depressed readers to envision
becausEi you would be certain that the the total opposite of
thief wc,uld never own up to his misdeed, honesty before leading
and ins·:ead, would deny any wrongdoing, to the thesis statement.
even if he were caught. In my opinion, this
world would be a very unappealing one to
live in. .l,cts of honesty should be practised
whenever the occasion arises.
An act of honesty can refer to situations Based on the content

where {OU do not keep items that do derivation, the
not belong to you. Such circumstances writer discusses
arise b,�cause there exist many careless the requirements
people who tend to lose their belongings. for honesty and the
It is co 11mon to have a 'finders, keepers' temptation to do
mentality and be tempted to keep the found otherwise.
item for yourself, but honesty requires us to
do the ,)pposite. For example, if someone
picked up a wallet on the street, he might be
tempted to keep it, especially if it contained
a lot of money. To behave honestly, that
person should locate the owner and return
it. Hence, we should never keep things that
do not belong to us as it is dishonest.

Language and Tone in Expository Writing 153
There are also times when you are tempted

to be dishonest. Since examination converse - dishonesty
questions can sometimes be extremely - the writer discusses
difficult, we may be enticed into cheating. the responsibility
Instead of giving our best efforts at required in an honest
answering the question, we may have a act.
strong desire to peer over the shoulders of
a classmate and copy her answers instead.
Displaying honesty here would mean facing
the consequences of not studying hard, or
even finishing the paper without copying
another person's answers. In summary, an
act of honesty can sometimes require us
to make the right decision, even if it is a
difficult one.
Further, an act of honesty can also involve Each statement

taking ownership and responsibility for follows logically from
the mistakes we make. No one likes to the previous, leading
be punished, and when we do something to a well-reasoned
wrong, we instinctively want to avoid the paragraph.
stern rebuke of our parents or teachers.
However, we need to learn to be honest and
take responsibility for our mistakes and
actions. For instance, if a girl accidentally
breaks her mother's favourite vase, it would
be tempting to blame it on someone else or
a pet. An honest person would own up to
the error of her ways, no matter how harsh
the consequences. This is thus another
scenario where an act of honesty means
making the tough but correct decision.

In conclusion, I believe that a better Short conclusion

world begins with us, and practising acts succinctly sums up
of honef;ty in our daily lives will help us the writer's personal
become morally upright citizens with the thoughts.
integrity to admit our own faults and do the
right thing in the face of temptation.

CHAPTER 7
Introductions and Conclusions in Expositions
This chapter outlines the skills necessary to construct a coherent

introduction with a clear thesis statement. A simple method for concluding
expository essays is also presented.


1 50 wor,fu about an act of
courage.
The pict Jres are provided to help

you thinl< about this topic. Your
Consider the following points Picture 2

when ye u plan your composition:
• Wha-: was the act?

• Why was it courageous?
You mat use the points in any

points c s well. Picture 3

Introductions and Conclusions in Expositions 157
Introductions
Students often struggle with writing introductions to expositions. They often

wonder about crafting the opening sentence that would lead nicely into their
P.E.E.S. body paragraphs. One way to help students craft their beginnings
is to use the acronym, HET, which stands for hook, explanation and thesis
statement.
Hook
An arresting start, or hook, is an opening sentence that (a) is relevant to the
topic of the essay, and (b) grabs the attention of the reader, prompting him
to read on. It can come in the form of:
• a statement of fact;
• a thought-provoking question;
• a famous quote;
• a statistic.
For example, the theme for this chapter is courage. Hence, your opening
statement can be your thoughts or a famous saying on courage. If you
happen to have a statistic, that can be used as an opening too.
Explanation
This shows the relevance of a broad statement to the chosen theme and
your essay. Key words should also be explained in the introduction - in this
instance, the meaning of courage.
Thesis Statement
This is a sentence that narrows the topic down to a specific focus. Depending
on the topic, students might choose to discuss the various contexts in which
the theme is displayed. Students can also expound on the consequences
or the benefits and pitfalls of actions related to the theme. We will see an
example of a thesis statement for courage later.

Conclm:ions
As with the introduction, students also find difficulty in ending their essays
satisfactorily. While a sophisticated conclusion does take time and practice,
a simpler method is to summarise the points and offer your personal take
on the theme. Let us look at an example below:
In conclusion, courage involves overcoming one's

fears, doing the right thing and/or taking responsibility
for one's actions.
Personal opinion The combination of all three factors illustrates what it

means to be courageous.
With this chapter, we have now learnt the three basic skills necessary to
tackle an expository essay:
• understanding the structure of the essay and the body paragraphs;

• understanding tone and language; and finally,
• understanding the structure of introductions and conclusions.
We are now ready to brainstorm ideas for the composition!

Introductions and Conclusions in Expositions • 159
Content Derivation: Brainstorming the Possible Points of

Exposition
, ......
.. ...... ..,... ..,.... -��......-,-.............,-,-.-..-
.. ·----·•··"•·..··..····•-- .-.,.··��=,
Pictunt
-=�-��..·..�. :·-. ' . ,.·......,. .".,;..,;,,.a,......,..�.....of
j �� i.-�-
_Exposition
;•••••••;;.;,r,�1;-_,;,,.;;�";.,.................
1 i Key prompt:
i What is happening in this picture?

I A girl has encountered something fearful.
i What is the source of fear?

j e.g. a spider, witnessing an accident, becoming a
I victim of a robbery
i How is this picture related to the theme of courage? I

: ;
j As fear is the antonym of courage, an act of courage

might involve overcoming one's fear.
Point: An act of courage means to overcome one's fear.
Key prompt:
II
Two boys are having a physical confrontation.
How is this picture related to the theme of courage?

This brawl might be due to a victim finally standing up
to his bully.
Point: An act of courage means to do the right thing

Key prompt:
A window has been broken by an errant ball.
How is this picture related to the theme of courage?

Someone has damaged someone else's property. It
will take courage for this person to admit his mistake.
Point: An act of courage means to take responsibility

for one's mistake.
C Pro-Tip!
Defining a keyword is a good way to begin an expository essay.

Scan the QR code here for an example.

Craft: Using Quotations to Begin Your Exposition
Many of the themes that you will encounter for expository writing will be
ideas that many famous people have thought about or discussed before.
Students can use these quotes as Hooks, followed by a clear and concise
Explanation. This leaves them to consider only the Thesis Statement that
will define the scope of their essay.
Look at the quotes below. How would you explain it such that it leads nicely
into your body paragraphs?
Quote 1:
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over
it. ~ Nelson Mandela
What this means is that it is easy to believe that a courageous person must
have no fear in his heart. Reality, however. presents us with many fearsome
challenges to overcome.
Quote 2:
He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing

in life. ~ Muhammad Ali
What this means is that a life that has purpose and meaning cannot be
achieved if we are not brave enough to take certain risks.

Model Expository Essay: An Act of Courage
ESSAY ANALYSIS
To many people, courage is to put your Broad opening

hand into something disgusting or statement with brief
performing incredible acts of bravery. To explanation. Final
me, courage is more than that. Courage sentence serves as the
means ,o overcome one's fear, standing up thesis statement.
for wh,1t is right and taking responsibility
for one's mistakes.
Firstly, overcoming one's fear, even if it The student has chosen

is irrational, takes mammoth amounts to use the simple label
of courage. What this means is that we of 'Firstly... , Secondly... ,
should always be willing to confront our Lastly...' to clearly define
fears and phobias squarely. For instance, and expound on his
when a girl who has arachnophobia comes points.
face to face with a spider, she has to learn
to accept that her fear is not logical. There
is no chance of the spider hurting her on
sight. If she wants to be courageous, she
must g �t the better of her fear and confront
it brav,�ly. Even if it takes a long period
of tim11 and effort to do so, she has to
convince herself that spiders do not pose a
real threat to her. Therefore, courage is the
active decision to defeat one's fears.

Secondly, courage is doing the right thing, By manipulating the

even if it means taking huge risks. What this sentence structures,
means is that we must always stand up for this student avoids
what we believe is right. For example, when opening his points with
we see someone being bullied in school, repetitive phrases.
we should either confront the bully or get
help from the teacher even though we
might be scared to become the target of
the bullies. We do what we must because it
is the right thing to do. Hence, courage can
also prevent others from getting hurt.
Lastly, taking responsibility for one's The student takes care

mistakes can also qualify as an act of to explain the example
courage. This means that we should thoroughly, showing
always admit to our mistakes no matter how it relates to the
how severe the consequences could turn theme.
out to be. For instance, a boy breaks a
window of his neighbour's house while
playing baseball with his friend. He admits
to his mistake of breaking the window to
the owner, even though he might be sternly
rebuked. Owning up to his fault is doing
the right thing. Hence, we should admit
our errors as it shows responsibility and
maturity. This is courageous.
In conclusion, courage involves overcoming A simple conclusion

one's fears, doing the right thing and/or that can be as effective
taking responsibility for one's actions. The as a sophisticated one.
combination of all three factors illustrates
what it means to be courageous.

-1
I
•I
·t
• I
.,
I
•I
I
.;

CHAPTER 8
Putting it All Together
In the previous chapters, we learnt about the essential building blocks

to crafting a good, standard expository composition. We are going to
consolidate everything we have learnt in this chapter and go through some
of the common pitfalls in expository writing.
The theme that will be used throughout this chapter will be the same as that
for Chapter 2, A Thrilling Adventure.
Part 1: Deriving the Point and Writing the Body Paragraph
When students first try their hand at exposition, it is a common mistake to
II
start with the point and launch into the example immediately. For example:
A literal adventure entails exploring and discovering

new horizons.
Example For example, we can have adventures while riding
bicycles.
Explanation This is because a bicycle is a convenient way for us to
explore new neighbourhoods.
Why is this sequence incorrect? Essentially, the Point in P.E.E.S. is a very

broad claim that is written without substantial explanation. Before anyone
can be convinced enough to look at a real-life example, a brief but logical
explanation is needed to serve as a bridge.

To help you understand this better, take a look at the following chart:
This sentence is normally a broad claim. After this, a

logical person may ask, "Is that so? I don't believe you."
This sentence answers the logical person's doubts,
after which he may ask, "I can accept your explanation,
but where is your proof?"
.. . ..... .... . ......... .... . . ...... ..... . . . . .... ..... ..................................... ............. . .... . .... ...
The example comes in handy here to answer the

logical person's requirement of real-life examples
and/or data.
Refer to the Model Expository Essays and you will note that the body
paragrap 1s adhere to the P.E.E.S. structure.

Putting It All Together 167
Part 2: Setting the Right Tone
The right language and tone are important to any kind of writing. In an
expository essay, you are required to be formal in tone. More often than not,
students may lapse into one or more of the following errors:
1. Using an informal or colloquial tone
Bicycles are very efficient and superfast when it comes to

exploring new neighbourhoods.
X
Exploring a new neighbourhood by bicycle is efficient and
expedient.
2. Excessive description, almost as if the student is writing a narrative
For instance, there was once I explored my new neighbourhood.

It was a cool, windy morning with fluffy white clouds dotting the X
sky like little cream puffs on a blueberry cake...
For instance, one can be quickly acquainted with the essential
landmarks in a new neighbourhood by going around on a II
bicycle...
A Note on the PSLE Requirements:
• An informal tone that is overly colloquial is not acceptable in both

expositions and narratives. However, students need not fear getting
penalised for adopting a personal tone when writing. For example,
students can take a general approach and talk about the topic but
share their personal experiences or memories that are related to the
topic.
• While the standard expositions do not engage personal examples, the

PSLE does not explicitly state that students will be penalised should
they use personal examples in their non-narrative essays.

• , \ .
II
i
I;

Model Expository Essays
Topics covered in this section:
1. Greed
2. Wealth
3. Broken
4. Celebration
5. Flight
I .

Model E,:pository Essay 1 : Greed

words ab:>ut greed.

one or m :>re of these pictures.
Consider the following points when Picture 2

• What was the greed?

• Why was the person greedy?

as well.
Picture 3

My father used to tell me we should never be greedy, taking more than what
we need. This is especially true in a country like Singapore, where we have
what we need to survive or even live a comfortable life. However, people
often become so greedy that they might even do wrong or unlawful deeds
just to satisfy their desires.
Greed can cause people to commit a crime to meet their own wants. When
people become too greedy for money and power, they might want it so badly
that they mistakenly believe they can get away with crime. For instance,
a manager's greed might get the better of him, causing him to accept
bribes from unscrupulous dealers or embezzle his company's money.
Thankfully, the long arm of the law has caught up with many of these greedy
businessmen. Therefore, greed can cause people to carry out offences,
perhaps even deluding themselves into believing they can be above the law.
Greed can cause children to stray from doing the right thing. What this means
is that although children are taught to do things in moderation, greed can
make them disobey instructions. For example, a parent deliberately places a
cookie jar on a high shelf to moderate her children's intake. However, greed
may blind them to the dangers of climbing and reaching for the jar. In the
end, the jar might fall and shatter, making the cookies inedible. Hence, even
children can be influenced by greed to carry out misdeeds.
Greed can even make people overindulge to the point of being sick. What this
means is that some things in life can be quite enjoyable in moderation, but
our greed for enjoyment causes us to consume it in excess. For instance, a
pair of friends who enjoy pizza may order the largest size available because
there is a promotion for it. What they do not realise is that while they may
have saved a few dollars from the promotion, they end up having bloated
stomachs from overeating and may even feel nauseous as a result. Thus,
greed can blind us to ignore common sense and make us wasteful.
In conclusion, greed is a vice that is prevalent in society today as

economically-driven societies encourage people to place money,
achievement and recognition above everything else. Not only does this affect
teenagers and adults, but it also affects children. I will always remember

my father's saying, as I believe I can learn to make better decisions without

being blinded by greed.
� Pro-Tip!
✓ The appropriate tone is created through suitable turns of phrases

such as 'do things in moderation', 'greed for enjoyment causes us to
consume it in excess' and 'economically-driven societies'.

Model Expository Essays • 173
Model Expository Essay 2: Wealth

ytQNS about wealth.


• What was the wealth?

• Why was the wealth important?

as well.
I
Picture 3

Ralph Waljo Emerson once said, 'The first wealth is health." This suggests
that there are other forms of wealth as well. In fact, the concept of wealth
can mean different things to different people. It can include material as well
as non-m,1terial assets.
First, wealth is associated with having much knowledge or talent. This is

important as knowledge is long-lasting and cannot be spent, meaning that
it is invaluable. Knowledge can only grow and cannot be given back. As
people grow older, they will gain more knowledge and wisdom. Perhaps that
is why older people are known to be wealthier. Therefore, wealth also refers
to abundc1nt knowledge.
Second, vrealth in the form of money is important too. We live in a constantly

evolving :;ociety, where inflation causes the prices of goods and services
to go up. We need money to survive. For example, we have to pay for a
house, w3ter, electricity and much more. In 2020, Singapore was among
the top five most expensive cities to live in, according to an Economist
Intelligence Unit survey. Despite the amount of money we have to spend,
we still have to save money. We try our best to stop buying things that are
not actuc lly needed. Instead of buying something that we merely want, we
should save and spend only on what we need. Overall, wealth in the form
of havin� ample financial stability is very important so we must spend our
money wisely.
However in the words of the 32nd US President, Franklin D Roosevelt,

"Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of
achievement, in the thrill of creative effort." This means that wealth can
come from being happy or achieving one's goals in life. For instance, a
grandmcther who celebrates her birthday with her family is truly blessed to
have her family with her. She does not need to feel lonely or wait for people
to visit her. Time, kinship and familial bliss are some things that money
cannot buy. Therefore, wealth is synonymous with happiness.
In conclusion, wealth is a variety of things, and includes happiness, health,

material possessions and knowledge. In my personal opinion, having an
abundarce of material possessions is perhaps the most important, as

this will enable us to acquire other forms of wealth such as happiness and
"
knowledge.
D Pro-Tip!
✓ Enhance the persuasive value of your arguments with (a) relevant

quotes, and (b) accurate facts e.g. the reference to the Economist
Intelligence Unit survey.
I
Model E>:pository Essay 3: Broken

� about broken.

one or mxe of these pictures.

you plan tour composition:
• What was broken?

Picture 2
• Why v1as it broken?

as well.
Picture 3

The famous quote from Forrest Gump states that "Life is like a box of
chocolates: you never know what you're going to get." Likewise. in life, few
things remain constant, predictable or permanent. Inevitably. things break.
There can be many definitions of the word 'broken', related to both the
physical and abstract.
One of the many definitions of the word 'broken' is to be emotionally

disheartened; in particular, to be crushed by grief. A person can be broken
hearted and in extreme cases, die of a broken heart. In this example of
an abstract definition. the heart is not physically broken, but spiritually
shattered. For instance, when a close relative or a loved one has passed
away, one becomes broken-hearted and is crushed by grief. This example
of being broken is also seen in the Shakespearean tragedy Romeo and
Juliet, where both lead characters died as a result of being broken-hearted.
Therefore, the word 'broken' can refer to being emotionally crushed.
Furthermore, the term 'broken' can refer to something being breached or

violated. or the result of a reputation being tarnished. This can also refer to
rules being violated or broken. Rules were created for a reason; if we lived in
a world without rules, chaos would rule. However, there is also a saying that
'rules are meant to be broken'. This tru.i.s.r:n is also controversial. When rules
are broken, people can learn from their mistakes and even influence others
to not commit the same mistakes. For example, when a bully punches
another pupil in class, he violates or breaks one of the school rules. Once
I
the bully has been identified and reprimanded for his wrongdoing, his
reputation would also have been shattered. Therefore, 'broken' can refer
to the violation of rights and rules, or the reputation of someone's name
being tarnished.
The word 'broken' can also refer to the physical breaking of tangible or
inanimate objects. When something malfunctions or becomes inoperable, it
is said to be 'broken'. As with all things, tangible objects will break at some
point. Although some objects can be fixed, some objects that malfunction
can become irreparable and one has no choice but to replace the item with a
new one. For example, a mirror that has broken into smaller shards of glass
is irreparable and would have to be replaced with a new one. Although one

178 Blueprint for PSLE Success: Composltion
can attempt to piece the glass shards back together, the mirror would still
have cracks and would never reflect a complete image again. Therefore,
things around us will break at some point and sometimes, the brokenness
or damag1� is irreversible.
In conclu� ion, there are very few things in our lives that are permanent and
enduring. It is inevitable that things break at some point. People can also be
emotionally broken or crushed by grief and although rules were created to
establish ·ight from wrong, rules can also be broken.
C Pro-Tip!
✓ This 1!ssay offers an impressive range of vocabulary. Using advanced

but redevant vocabulary elevates the quality of your writing. Learn the
vocabulary underlined!

Model Expository Essay 4: Celebration

WQid.s. about celebration.


• Who were involved in the

-----
• What was the celebration?
--A•'
and include other relevant points - '/,
as well.
I
Picture 3

Celebrations bring people together to honour important events; rites of

passage, mligious observances and more. All around the world, celebrations
have become an integral part of our social life and most countries now
celebrate r1ationwide festivals and holidays annually. Although most people
would immediately be reminded of social gatherings among family and
friends when they think of the word 'celebration', it is important to note that
celebrations can occur on many different scales and for many different
reasons.
Nationwid•� or public celebrations can help bring people together despite

their differences and help instil a sense of patriotism in a society. Even in
ancient times, nationwide celebrations were used to bring people together
and encourage peace between the different nations. For example, the
Ancient Greeks introduced the Olympic Games to encourage peace among
the countries and states that were at war with one another. During the
games, th � Olympic truce that was established meant that athletes and
their families could participate in or attend the games and return afterwards
to their re�:pective countries safely. Therefore, nationwide celebrations can
help bring people together and encourage peace and harmony despite our
difference::;_
A celebration can also be held on a smaller scale and private celebrations

like birthdays or weddings can help us relax and unwind in the midst of our
busy and 1ectic lives. Most people today are so busy that they have little
time to de'tote to socialising or other recreational activities outside of work.
However, :;pending time celebrating with family and friends can help create
unforgettcble memories that make life more meaningful. For example,
family members and friends living in different continents would come
together t,J celebrate the wedding anniversary of their parents. No matter
how big or small the occasion, celebrations help people to develop stronger
relationsh ps with one another. Feasting on scrumptious food, donning
new cloth,�s or exchanging gifts just add to the joy of private celebrations.
Hence, ce ebrations on a smaller scale can help bring people together and
provide them with a temporary respite from their busy lives.
The phra:;e 'Rome was not built in a day' holds true, and personal
accompli�,hments and individual celebrations help commemorate the
hard work and effort put into accomplishing a personal target or goal. For
example, a student with a perfect score on a test' would have had to put
in long hours studying for the test. The satisfaction of doing well can be
immensely gratifying and unforgettable. Therefore, individual celebrations
of one's personal accomplishments can help validate the hard work and
dedication that one has put into reaching that target or goal.
In conclusion, although celebrations can occur on various scales and for

different reasons, celebrations, no matter how large or small, can help bring
"
people together despite their differences.
D Pro-Tip!
✓ Interesting and mature content organised according to the scale of
celebrations: public, private, then personal.
I
,

Model E>1 pository Essay 5: Flight
Write a cc,mposition of at least

Picture 1
1 50 word i about flight.

Picture 2
when you plan your composition:
• Who v1as on the flight?

• What 'Nas the flight?
• How v,ere the problems
resolved?
• What Nere the lessons learnt?
Picture 3
0
You may use the points in any "" ., ,.
order ancl include other relevant •r

,·. . /
.:: 0�,
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Ever since the Wright brothers' first flight, air travel has become increasingly
more accessible. With the introduction of low-cost carriers, the price of
flight tickets has become more affordable. Air travel is the preferred mode
of transportation for holidays or business trips alike. As with all things, air
travel has both its advantages and disadvantages.
The reason why most people choose air travel over other modes of transport
is because it allows us to travel long distances in the shortest amount of
time. As the saying goes, 'time is more precious than money', and time
wasted can never be regained. Time is extremely valuable to people and
the time saved from air travel can be used more productively. For example,
people used to travel by ship or bus, and their journey could take days
or even months. With air travel, a family going on holiday could travel to
another country in less than a day and use the time saved to explore more
of the destination. Therefore, air travel is the fastest way of travelling and
saves people precious time that could be used to do other things.
Despite the many advantages of air travel, there are many possible dangers
associated with this mode of transport. These dangers come in various
forms. At best, they would give passengers a scare, such as a turbulent
flight. At the worst, lives could be lost. The awareness of such dangers or
real-life incidents might discourage some people from flying. For example, a
helicopter crash in 2020 killed basketball star Kobe Bryant, while the world's
longest airline hijack of TWA85 lasted 18.5 hours. Hence, although air travel
I
may be the fastest way of travelling, it may not be the safest and people
should be aware of the dangers associated with it.
Moreover, an airplane uses up a higher amount of fuel than other means

.
of transportation. What this means is that the large amounts of fuel burnt
for air travel results in a significant increase in carbon emissions and this
contributes to global warming and climate change. For example, other
modes of transportation like rail travel uses less fuel and would be less
harmful to our environment. Although airline companies have tried to use
more fuel-efficient aircraft and some are looking at using biofuels, air travel
still has one of the highest levels of carbon emissions. Therefore, the speed
of air travel comes at a price as air travel can be extremely harmful to our
environment.

In conclu:,ion, though air travel can be the fastest way to travel long
distances, its speed comes at a huge price and people have to be aware of
"
the dange ·s and the harmful effects associated with the flight.
D Pro-Tip!
✓ This Eissay shows a good understanding of the topic of flight or air

travel. Read extensively and keep abreast of current affairs so you
can build on your knowledge on a range of topics.
✓ Note that only one picture is used.

Blueprint For PSLE Success - Composition

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Blueprint For PSLE Success - Composition

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Contents

Section B: Expositions 131

A 'cheat sheet' to all the fundamental skills of writing narratives is provided

3 Steps to Writing Narratives: Plan, Write, Edit!

1. Plan your plot before writing

• You can use a story curve, numbered mind-map or bulleted points.

2. Language - Writing your composition

• Be sure to use accurate G.S.P. (Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation).

compiled by Future Academy Page 17

3. Check and edit your composition for

Planning for your composition is a crucial step to that AL 1 narrative.

Plotting a Story Curve

1. Start by deciding on the perspective.

• 1 st person POV (I/me/my/we/us)

• 3rd person/narrator's POV (he/him/she/her/they/them)

2. Remember to narrate the story using the past tense.

3. Remember to describe - show, not just tell, the story.

compiled by Future Academy Page 18

A Model Story Curve

• Describe the climax (key concept/problem)

• What happened next?

R.. olutlon How was the problem finally solved?

Scan the QR code to see how our student does it.

compiled by Future Academy Page 19

Tips for Imbuing Vivid Details

Preparing for the Composition Paper

Revise and Remember:

compiled by Future Academy Page 20

Crafting an Effective Introduction

This chapter highlights the pitfalls in students' introductory paragraphs and

compiled by Future Academy Page 21

Write a composition of at least Picture 1

The pictures are provided to help

You may use the points in any

compiled by Future Academy Page 22

Content Derivation: Brainstorming the Possible Plots

1 Key prompt: what activity/modes of

Possible narration of the protagonist exploring

• Where did he go? Why did he decide to

2 Key prompts: Where was this place? What

Possible narration of travellers straying

• What made them want to take the

compiled by Future Academy Page 23

Possible narration of a true or fictional trip to a

• When did this take place?

compiled by Future Academy Page 24

✓ Your story could involve a bicycle ride exploring a new

Craft: Expressing Ideas More Vividly

(1) Crafting an Effective Introduction

Students often describe the weather in their opening paragraph.

Read the following sample introductory paragraph:

It was a bright and sunny morning as Michael McAwesome woke up to

What were some of the elements mentioned in the introduction paragraph

Turn the page to check the suggested answers and analysis.

compiled by Future Academy Page 25

None of the details in the introductory paragraph has an actual bearing on

compiled by Future Academy Page 26

Model Narrative Introduction

What were some of the elements mentioned in the introductory paragraph

·• It was night time • When the story occurs

(2) Crafting a Thoughtful Conclusion

A conclusion that is well thought out is a combination of personal

• Experience - Draw on your beliefs and experiences and give your