PSLE Composition: 5 Costly Mistakes to Avoid

Introduction

Strong vocabulary and vivid descriptions count for nothing if they appear in a composition that misses the question. PSLE examiners mark thousands of scripts each year, and certain errors appear so frequently that teachers can predict them before the exam even begins.

These are not minor slips like spelling mistakes or the occasional grammar error. They are structural and conceptual problems that cap a student’s Content mark regardless of how impressive their language appears. A composition with beautiful sentences but a weak link to the topic will score lower than a simpler piece that answers the question directly.

The good news is that these mistakes are entirely preventable. Once students recognise the patterns, they can catch themselves during planning and leave the exam hall knowing they have not thrown marks away on avoidable errors.

Mistake 1: Barely Connecting to the Topic or Pictures

The fastest way to lose Content marks is to write a story that drifts away from the question. The PSLE format requires students to write a composition based on at least one of the three pictures provided. A story that only mentions the picture in passing, or that ignores the topic keyword entirely, signals to the examiner that the student has not answered the prompt.

This happens more often than parents expect. A student may have a favourite plot they have practised many times. Under exam pressure, they try to force that plot into the new topic, squeezing in a token reference to the picture in the final paragraph. The examiner notices immediately.

Why it costs marks:

The marking rubric penalises irrelevance. If the topic is “A Disappointment” and the story ends happily with no real disappointment, the composition has not answered the question. The language score cannot compensate for missing the point.

How to fix it:

Before writing, underline the topic keyword and decide what must happen in the story for that keyword to be central. A story about disappointment needs someone to feel genuinely let down, and the reader needs to understand why. The chosen picture should appear in the main conflict, not as an afterthought. If the picture could be removed without changing the plot, the link is too weak.

Mistake 2: No Clear Structure (and a Rushed Ending)

Many compositions start promisingly and then fall apart. The student spends time crafting an atmospheric introduction, describing the weather, the setting, the protagonist’s morning routine. By the time they reach the actual conflict, they are running out of time and space. The climax gets compressed into a few sentences, and the ending becomes a single line: “I learned my lesson.”

Examiners see this pattern constantly. It signals poor planning and weak organisation, both of which affect Content and Language marks.

Why it costs marks:

The climax is where students demonstrate their ability to develop ideas and control language under pressure. A rushed climax shows the examiner nothing except that the student ran out of time. A one-sentence moral ending suggests the story was never properly resolved.

How to fix it:

Spend 60 to 90 seconds on a quick plan before writing. Identify five elements: the starting situation, the problem, two or three steps where the problem develops, the turning point, and the resolution. The introduction should be efficient, not elaborate. Reserve the most writing time for the conflict and its aftermath. A useful rule: the climax and resolution together should be longer than the introduction.

Mistake 3: The "Action Movie" Plot (Logic Gaps and Unrealistic Events)

Students often believe that exciting plots score higher. They write about kidnappings, armed robberies, car chases, or buildings on fire. The problem is that these scenarios require a level of realism and logic that most Primary 6 students cannot sustain under exam conditions.

When a 12-year-old protagonist single-handedly disarms a robber, or the police arrive within seconds of a phone call, the examiner’s suspension of disbelief collapses. The story stops feeling like a narrative and starts feeling like a list of impossible events.

Why it costs marks:

Examiners look for content that is believable and well-developed. Logic gaps break the story’s credibility. When a reader thinks “that would never happen,” the emotional impact disappears, and so does the Content score.

How to fix it:

Keep the conflict within a Primary 6 child’s realistic world: school, home, the neighbourhood, a family outing, a CCA activity. A quarrel with a friend, a mistake at home, or a moment of fear during an ordinary event all provide enough tension for a strong composition without requiring implausible heroics. The smaller the setting, the easier it is to write with detail and emotional truth.

Mistake 4: The Passive Protagonist (Someone Else Solves the Problem)

A fight breaks out on the playground. The protagonist runs to find a teacher. The teacher arrives, scolds the students involved, and the problem is over. The protagonist did nothing except watch and report.

This type of story frustrates examiners because it contains no character development. The protagonist is a camera, not a person. There is no internal struggle, no decision, no moment where the character chooses to act despite fear or uncertainty.

Why it costs marks:

The examiner is assessing the student’s ability to create a protagonist who faces a challenge and responds meaningfully. When an adult solves the problem, the examiner has nothing to credit. The story may be grammatically correct, but it lacks the substance that earns Content marks.

How to fix it:

The protagonist must do something that matters. This does not mean fighting or performing heroic feats. It means making a choice: stepping between two arguing friends, admitting a mistake before being caught, speaking up when staying silent would be easier. The action can be small, but it must belong to the protagonist, and it must cost them something (embarrassment, risk, discomfort).

Mistake 5: Vocabulary Overload (Purple Prose and Misused Phrases)

Students often arrive at the exam with a mental list of “good phrases” they have memorised: dramatic weather descriptions, strings of synonyms, idioms collected from model compositions. Under pressure, they insert these phrases wherever they can, hoping that impressive vocabulary will boost their Language score.

The result is often the opposite. A horror story that opens with “the sun shone brightly and birds chirped melodiously” creates tonal confusion. A sentence containing “flabbergasted, astounded, and dumbfounded” is redundant, not descriptive. Misused idioms signal memorisation without understanding.

Why it costs marks:

Examiners reward language that serves the story. Vocabulary that contradicts the mood, clutters the sentence, or does not fit the context makes the composition harder to read. It also suggests the student is performing rather than communicating.

How to fix it:

Choose words that match the scene. A rainy day can be gloomy or refreshing depending on what the character is feeling. Use simple, accurate words most of the time, and save descriptive phrases for moments that genuinely need them. If a word feels uncertain, replace it with one the student fully understands. Precision beats ambition.

A Quick Self-Check Before Submission

In the final three to five minutes of the exam, students should run through a short checklist:

– Is the topic keyword reflected in the main conflict and resolution?
– Does at least one picture appear clearly in the story, not just in passing?
– Is the climax developed with detail, not rushed into a few sentences?
– Does the protagonist make a meaningful choice or take action?
– Are there any sentences where the vocabulary feels forced or out of place?
– Have obvious grammar errors (tense shifts, missing punctuation, run-on sentences) been corrected?

This final review catches the most common mark-losing errors before the paper is collected.

Building Habits That Stick

Recognising these mistakes is straightforward. Avoiding them under exam pressure requires practice with feedback. Students need to write under timed conditions, receive specific comments on where their structure weakened or their logic slipped, and then revise with those observations in mind.

For parents considering more structured guidance, a creative writing programme focused on STORYBANKING® builds a personalised library of plots, vocabulary, and techniques that students can adapt to any topic. This approach develops flexibility rather than dependence on memorised scripts.

WRITERS AT WORK offers creative writing classes for primary school students that address each of these common mistakes through weekly practice and targeted feedback. Our curriculum trains students to plan efficiently, develop their climax fully, and use language that serves their story rather than distracting from it.

Browse our PSLE Model Compositions to see how high-scoring students handle structure and pacing, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram for weekly tips and resources.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it ever acceptable to write an action-heavy plot?

Action plots are not forbidden, but they carry higher risk. If your child writes about a robbery or a fire, every event must be plausible, and the protagonist must still demonstrate internal growth. For most students, realistic “slice of life” scenarios are safer because they allow more space for emotional detail and character development.

How much time should be spent on planning?

Sixty to ninety seconds is enough for a simple five-point plan. This brief investment prevents the two most common structural errors: a meandering middle and a rushed ending. Students who skip planning often lose more time mid-composition when they realise they have no clear direction.

What should my child do if they run out of time?

Prioritise the ending. A composition with a slightly underdeveloped middle but a proper resolution scores better than one that stops abruptly. If time is short, write a brief but complete ending that links back to the topic and shows what the character learned or how they changed.