Primary 6 PSLE English Weighted Assessment 3 (Term 3) Paper 1

TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - English Primary 6 PSLE – ANSWER KEY

Paper: WA3 (Grammar) – Version 1 Total Marks: 20

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Section A: Grammar MCQ (10 marks)

1 mark each

1. Answer: C (were)

• Explanation: This is a Type 2 conditional sentence expressing an unreal or hypothetical situation in the present. The correct structure is "If I were... I would..." The verb "were" is used for all subjects (I, he, she, it) in this type of conditional to express unreality. Option A (am) is used for real situations. Option B (was) is sometimes used informally but "were" is the standard form in formal English and PSLE. Option D (be) is the base form and is incorrect here.
• Common mistake: Students often choose "was" because it sounds natural with "I". However, in conditional sentences expressing unreality, "were" is the correct choice.

2. Answer: B (had finished)

• Explanation: The sentence describes an action (finishing homework) that was completed before another past action (mother came home). This requires the past perfect tense ("had + past participle"). Option A (have finished) is present perfect, used for actions connecting to the present. Option C (were finishing) is past continuous, suggesting the action was ongoing when the mother arrived. Option D (finish) is simple present, which is incorrect for a past context.
• Key concept: The past perfect tense shows which of two past actions happened first.

3. Answer: C (were)

• Explanation: When using "neither...nor...", the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. Here, "the students" is plural, so the plural verb "were" is correct. Options A and B (is, was) are singular. Option D (has been) is singular present perfect and does not fit the past tense context of the sentence.
• Key concept: Subject-verb agreement with "neither...nor..." and "either...or..." follows the proximity rule.

4. Answer: B (had gone)

• Explanation: This is a reported speech question. The direct question was "Where did you go yesterday?" When converting to reported speech, the simple past ("went") shifts back to the past perfect ("had gone"). Option A (have gone) is present perfect, which does not shift back from a past tense. Option C (went) is the simple past from the direct speech, but it must shift back in reported speech. Option D (go) is simple present and incorrect.
• Key concept: In reported speech, tenses usually shift one step back into the past.

5. Answer: B (which)

• Explanation: The relative pronoun refers to "the cake", which is a thing, not a person. "Which" is used for things. Option A (who) is used for people. Option C (whom) is used for people as the object of a verb or preposition. Option D (what) is not a relative pronoun used in this way.
• Key concept: Use "who/whom" for people and "which" for things in relative clauses.

6. Answer: B (should)

• Explanation: "Should have + past participle" is used to express regret or criticism about a past action that did not happen. The speaker is saying that the person ought to have told him earlier. Option A (must) expresses strong obligation or deduction. Option C (would) expresses a conditional or habitual action. Option D (could) expresses past ability or possibility.
• Key concept: "Should have" is used for past obligations that were not fulfilled.

7. Answer: C (studying)

• Explanation: "Despite" is a preposition and must be followed by a noun, pronoun, or gerund (verb + -ing). "Studying" is a gerund. Option A (to study) is an infinitive and cannot follow a preposition. Option B (study) is the base form of the verb. Option D (studied) is the past tense or past participle.
• Key concept: Prepositions like "despite", "in spite of", "without", "after", "before" are followed by a gerund or a noun.

8. Answer: B (is)

• Explanation: When the subject is followed by phrases like "together with", "along with", "as well as", the verb agrees with the main subject, not the words in the phrase. The main subject is "The manager" (singular), so the singular verb "is" is correct. Options A and C (are, were) are plural. Option D (have been) is plural present perfect.
• Key concept: Ignore intervening phrases like "together with" when determining subject-verb agreement.

9. Answer: B (was he)

• Explanation: When a sentence begins with "Not only", the subject and verb are inverted (question word order). The correct structure is "Not only + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb". Option A (he was) does not use inversion. Options C and D use the present tense, but the sentence is in the past tense ("forgot").
• Key concept: Negative adverbials at the beginning of a sentence require subject-verb inversion.

10. Answer: B (told)

• Explanation: The structure "would rather + subject + past tense" is used to express a preference about another person's action in the present or future. Even though the meaning is present/future, the past tense is used. Option A (tell) is the base form. Option C (telling) is a gerund. Option D (will tell) is future tense.
• Key concept: After "would rather" + a different subject, use the past tense to talk about present or future preferences.

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Section B: Grammar Cloze (5 marks)

1 mark each

11. Answer: had looked

• Explanation: The sentence describes an action (looking) that happened before another past action (could not find). The past perfect tense ("had + past participle") is required to show this sequence. The simple past "looked" would not clearly show which action happened first.
• Marking: Accept "looked" with a 0.5 mark deduction if the student shows understanding but uses the wrong tense. Full mark for "had looked".

12. Answer: check

• Explanation: After verbs of suggestion like "suggested that", "recommended that", "insisted that", the subjunctive mood is used. The subjunctive uses the base form of the verb (check) regardless of the subject or tense. "Suggested that he check" is correct, not "suggested that he checks" or "suggested that he checked".
• Key concept: The subjunctive mood after "suggest" uses the base form of the verb.

13. Answer: must have left

• Explanation: "Must have + past participle" is used to make a logical deduction about a past event. The man is concluding that the only explanation is that he left the keys there the night before. "Must" alone ("must leave") would express a present obligation, not a past deduction.
• Key concept: "Must have" expresses certainty about a past action.

14. Answer: had been

• Explanation: This is a Type 3 conditional sentence, which expresses an unreal situation in the past. The structure is "If + subject + had + past participle, subject + would have + past participle." The correct form is "If he had been more careful..." Option A (was) is incorrect for Type 3 conditionals.
• Key concept: Type 3 conditionals use the past perfect tense in the "if" clause.

15. Answer: would always put

• Explanation: The sentence describes a habitual action in the past that was decided upon after a past event. "Would" can be used to describe past habits or repeated actions. Alternatively, "always put" (simple past) could be used, but "would always put" emphasises the habitual nature and the decision made at that time.
• Marking: Accept "always put" for full marks. Accept "would put" for full marks. Do not accept "will always put" as it is future tense.

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Section C: Synthesis and Transformation (5 marks)

1 mark each

16. Answer: The boy was so tired that he could not finish his homework.

• Explanation: The structure "so + adjective + that + clause" is used to show cause and effect. The adjective "tired" is placed between "so" and "that". The second sentence becomes the result clause.
• Common mistake: Students may write "so tired to finish" which is incorrect. The correct structure requires "that" and a full clause.

17. Answer: Mary said that she would help me with my project.

• Explanation: In reported speech, the pronoun "I" changes to "she" (referring to Mary). The modal verb "will" changes to "would" (backshift). The word "that" is optional but commonly used. The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, so the verb in the reported clause shifts back.
• Key concept: In reported speech, "will" becomes "would", and pronouns change according to the context.

18. Answer: After the students had finished their project, they went home.

• Explanation: "After" shows the sequence of events. The action that happened first (finishing the project) can be in the past perfect ("had finished") to emphasise the sequence, or in the simple past ("finished"). Both are acceptable. The main clause "they went home" is in the simple past.
• Marking: Accept "After the students finished their project, they went home" for full marks. The past perfect is more precise but not strictly required with "after".

19. Answer: Despite the heavy rain, the match continued. OR The match continued despite the heavy rain.

• Explanation: "Despite" is a preposition and must be followed by a noun or gerund. "It was raining heavily" (a clause) must be changed to "the heavy rain" (a noun phrase). Alternatively, "Despite raining heavily" (using a gerund) is also acceptable.
• Key concept: "Despite" is followed by a noun/gerund, not a clause. "Although" is followed by a clause.

20. Answer: The teacher said that we had to submit our assignments by Friday. OR The teacher told us to submit our assignments by Friday.

• Explanation: When reporting a command or request with "please", there are two common methods: (1) Use "said that" + "had to" (backshift of "must/have to"), or (2) Use "told + object + to + infinitive". Both are correct. The pronoun "your" changes to "our" (referring to the students).
• Marking: Accept either version for full marks. Ensure the pronoun change is correct.

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