PSLE Tutor’s Tips For Conquering The English Vocab Cloze

The PSLE English vocabulary cloze is located in Booklet A of Paper 2, and is worth 5 marks (1 mark for each question). It tests the student’s ability to choose the correct synonym for the underlined words in a given passage. For each underlined word or phrase, students have to choose the option that is closest in meaning to the given word(s).

To do well in this section, students need a strong sense of how words are used in language. We tell our PSLE English tuition students that it is not enough to understand what the words mean, but also important to know how they are used, including any subtle nuances and suitability for different contexts.

If you are wondering how you can study and practice for the vocabulary cloze, read on for tips by our English tutors!

Read consistently

Reading widely and regularly is the best long-term plan for strengthening your vocabulary! You will encounter words in their most natural usage, and it won’t feel like you are memorising boring lists of words.

In our PSLE English classes, our tutors regularly introduce students to good reading materials, including fiction books with great writing, and non-fiction articles like current affairs and news. This definitely keeps this fresh and interesting each week, as students get to discuss what they see and tutors can highlight good examples that they can learn from.

The downside is that this approach takes time and consistent effort. You won’t see results overnight, so it is not good as a last-ditch revision method. However, if you still have a few years to prepare for the PSLE, it is worth the investment to build a strong vocabulary foundation!

Study word lists

Now, this might sound like the boring method – but trust us – there are ways to make it manageable – or even fun!

Organise your word lists

Organise your lists into a few types of commonly confused words. For example, words that have similar spellings but different meanings, words that have similar meanings but different connotations, and words that can have multiple meanings.

You can collate these lists on your own from words that you encounter in your daily reading or practice worksheets. Or, find existing resources from assessment books or from your tuition teacher!

Set a daily quota

Unless you are a genius, it’s quite impossible to memorise hundreds of words at a time. Instead, go for a more sustainable approach. Maybe just 10, 15 or 20 words a day – it adds up before you know it!

If you are already in a English tuition class, your tutor may already do this! Some of our tutors have weekly lists for students to practice in class or take home to learn. If you stick diligently to this momentum, you will be a master at vocabulary in no time!

Get involved

And what happens if you forget the words by the time you wake up the next morning? To encourage your mind to store these words in long-term memory, make each study session as interactive as possible!

Don’t just memorise the words. Make up your own example sentences. Write a short paragraph using the words. Better still if you can make it funny and memorable for yourself! If you are a person who learns best through actions, walk around as you learn the list, make up your own gestures, or even act out the scene to help yourself remember.

Strengthen your English skills with Future Academy

Language is more than word lists, memorisation, and tests. At Future Academy, we want to help students develop a strong foundation so that they can excel in school and beyond!

Through small group coaching and one-to-one consultations, our primary school tuition classes’ aim is to help students bridge the gap between their current skills and their target score. We learn together by going deep into various texts, engaging in fun class discussions, and getting competitive with mini quizzes and games – on top of the serious, exam stuff.

So if vocabulary or any other aspect of the primary school English subject is causing you stress, let’s work on it together!