O-Level English: Complete Guide to Paper 1 & 2

O-Level English trips up more students than you'd expect. It's not that they can't write—most Sec 4 students can string sentences together just fine. The problem is they don't know what examiners actually want.

If you're preparing for the O-Level English exam (Syllabus 1184), you're probably wondering how to tackle Papers 1 and 2 effectively. These two papers make up the bulk of your written assessment, and getting them right can make or break your final grade. This guide breaks down exactly what each paper tests, common mistakes to avoid, and practical strategies that actually work. Whether you're a student revising for your O-Levels or a parent trying to understand what your child is up against, this is the overview you need.

Understanding the O-Level English Exam Structure

The O-Level English exam consists of four papers:

Papers 1 and 2 together account for 70% of your total score—that's why they deserve the most attention during revision. If you're still planning your O-Level subject combination, keep in mind that English is compulsory and affects your L1R5 score directly.

This guide focuses specifically on the written papers. Paper 1 tests your ability to write clearly and persuasively, while Paper 2 tests how well you understand and analyse written texts. Both require different skills, but they share one thing in common: examiners want to see that you can use English accurately and appropriately.

Paper 1: Writing

Paper 1 has three sections, and you'll need to complete all of them within 1 hour 50 minutes. Time management is crucial here—many students spend too long on one section and rush the others.

Section A: Editing

This section gives you a short text with grammatical errors. Your job is to spot and correct them.

Common error types include:

• Subject-verb agreement ("The team of players are" should be "is")
• Tense consistency (mixing past and present tense)
• Wrong prepositions ("different from" not "different than")
• Article errors ("a" vs "an", missing "the")

Quick tip: Read the passage aloud in your head. Errors often become obvious when you "hear" them rather than just read them silently.

Section B: Situational Writing

You'll write 250-350 words based on a given situation. The format could be an email, formal letter, report, or speech.

The key here is PAC—Purpose, Audience, Context:

• Purpose: Why are you writing? To persuade? To inform? To complain?
• Audience: Who are you writing to? A principal needs formal language. A friend doesn't.
• Context: What's the situation? Use the details provided in the stimulus.

Examiners specifically look for whether you've addressed all the bullet points in the question. Miss one, and you'll lose marks regardless of how beautifully you write.

Common mistakes:

• Using the wrong tone (too casual for a formal letter, too stiff for an email to a friend)
• Ignoring visual information in the stimulus
• Writing too little or too much (stick to the word limit)

Section C: Continuous Writing

This is your essay—350-500 words based on one of four topics. You'll choose the topic that suits you best.

Topics usually fall into these categories:

• Personal recount (telling a story from your experience)
• Descriptive (describing a place, person, or event vividly)
• Expository (explaining or arguing a point)
• Argumentative/discursive (presenting different viewpoints)

The essay-writing skills you developed for PSLE compositions still apply here—but O-Level expects more sophistication in your arguments and vocabulary.

What examiners want:

Under Syllabus 1184, continuous writing is assessed on both content and language. Content means your ideas need to be relevant, developed, and well-organised. Language means your grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structures need to be accurate and varied.

Planning matters. Spend 5 minutes outlining your essay before you write. A clear structure with a beginning, middle, and end will always score better than a rambling piece with brilliant vocabulary.

If you're looking for ways to sharpen your revision approach, try active recall techniques—they're far more effective than passive re-reading.

Paper 2: Comprehension

Paper 2 lasts 1 hour 50 minutes and tests your reading and understanding skills. Under the current syllabus, you'll encounter two main sections.

Visual Text Comprehension

You'll analyse two texts that include visual elements—these could be advertisements, infographics, posters, or even social media posts. The questions test whether you can:

• Identify the purpose and target audience
• Explain how visual and textual elements work together
• Compare the two texts (this is new under Syllabus 1184)

Comparative questions are where many students stumble. You need to clearly explain similarities and differences between the two texts, not just describe each one separately.

Text-Based Comprehension

This section includes a longer written passage followed by questions testing:

• Literal comprehension: What does the text say? (Usually easier marks)
• Inference: What does the text imply? (Read between the lines)
• Vocabulary in context: What does this word mean in this passage?
• Summary writing: Condense key points into about 80 words

The summary question is worth 8 marks and trips up many students. Here's the approach that works:

1. Identify the specific focus (the question tells you what to summarise)
2. List relevant points from the passage
3. Paraphrase in your own words—copying chunks of the original text loses marks
4. Keep it concise and check your word count

Common Mistakes Students Make

After years of tutoring O-Level students, these are the patterns I see again and again:

Misreading situational writing requirements. Students write a beautiful letter but forget one of the three points they were asked to address. Always tick off each requirement as you write.

Ignoring the marking scheme. Each question has a specific mark allocation. A 2-mark question doesn't need a paragraph-long answer. Match your effort to the marks available.

Poor time management. Paper 1 and Paper 2 both require you to balance multiple sections. Students who spend 45 minutes perfecting their continuous writing often rush their editing and situational writing—losing easy marks.

Overthinking inference questions. The answer is always in the text. If you find yourself inventing elaborate explanations, you've probably misread the passage.

If your child is struggling with exam anxiety, our guide on supporting your child through exam stress offers practical strategies for parents.

How to Prepare Effectively

Practice with past papers—but do it properly. Don't just write answers and move on. Check them against the marking scheme. Understand why certain answers score full marks and others don't.

Time yourself. Every practice session should simulate exam conditions. Use a timer. Don't let yourself run over.

Build vocabulary systematically. Keep a notebook of useful phrases and sophisticated vocabulary. But here's the catch: only use words you actually understand. Examiners can tell when students throw in impressive-sounding words incorrectly. Using spaced repetition to review new vocabulary helps it stick long-term.

Read widely. This is the most underrated advice. Students who read newspapers, novels, and essays naturally absorb good sentence structures and vocabulary. Even 15 minutes of reading daily makes a difference over time.

Get feedback on your writing. You can't improve your essays in isolation. Someone needs to read them and point out your blind spots—whether it's a teacher, tutor, or parent with strong English skills.

When to Get Extra Help

Some students pick up these skills naturally. Others need more structured guidance. If your child has been stuck at the same grade despite practising, or if they're losing marks on the same types of questions repeatedly, it might be time to consider targeted support.

A good English tutor can identify specific weaknesses—whether it's essay structure, comprehension strategies, or grammar gaps—and address them directly. The difference between a C6 and a B3 often comes down to technique, not ability.

Need help finding the right tutor?

Request a tutor →