EPISODE 1 - PAPER 1: QUESTIONS 1-10 (VOCABULARY) TIPS

Questions 1-4 in the UPSR English exam test your vocabulary at the word level. Four sentences are given. Each sentence has one blank. You have to choose the best word to complete each sentence. Read and understand each sentence and the situation it describes. Cross out the options that do not relate to the situation. Then choose the best option.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistakes in the Use of Prepositions Good at He is good in Mathematics. He is good at Mathematics. The use of the preposition 'in' in the first sentence is wrong. The correct preposition to use is 'at'.

EPISODE 2 - PAPER 2: SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION TIPS

Section A, Paper 2 of the UPSR English paper tests you on sentence construction. This section tests your ability to write using correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. A picture and ten words are given for this question. You have to write five sentences to describe the situation given. You may use the ten words to help you write your sentences. After you have read the instructions, look at the picture carefully. Determine the situation. You can do this by: 1. 2. 3. Identifying the location - look for clues from the background scene Identifying what the people in the picture are doing Read the words given - use word association to help you determine the situation. For example, 'classroom', 'field' and 'canteen' are words associated with school, while 'curtain', 'bedroom' and 'porch' are words associated with 4. home.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistakes in the Use of Prepositions Good with (ones hands, feet, etc) He is good on his hands. He is good with his hands.

The use of the preposition on in the first sentence is wrong. The correct preposition to use is with. He is good with his hands means he is capable when using his hands or that he can draw, make things, etc.

EPISODE 3 - PAPER 1: QUESTIONS 11-15 (SOCIAL & LANGUAGE EXPRESSIONS) TIPS

Questions 11-15 in Section A, Paper 1 of the UPSR English paper are questions on social expressions. This section tests your ability to provide suitable or appropriate responses or expressions in different types of situations and for various purposes. There are five questions based on five situations in this section. You have to choose a suitable response from four options to complete each dialogue.

SOME HELPFUL TIPS:

5. 6. 7. 8. Look at the picture and guess the situation. Read the sentence provided in the speech bubble. Next, read all the options given and choose one which fits the situation. After that, read the sentence given and your answer again.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistakes in the Use of Prepositions Good with (children, cats, fish, etc) He is very good in children. He is very good with children. The use of the preposition in in the first sentence is wrong. The correct preposition to use is with. He is very good with children means he is capable when dealing with children or that he can look after children well, amuse them, etc.

EPISODE 4 - PAPER 2: INFORMATION TRANSFER TIPS

In the UPSR English Paper, information transfer is tested in Section B ofPaper 2. The aim of this section is to test your ability to:

transfer information from a given stimulus make choices or decisions give reasons for your choice or decision This section will consist of:

a stimulus - pictures and notes a table with blanks - you must fill in the blanks with info from the stimulus a section for short written response - make a choice based on the stimulus and give reasons for the choice made

SOME TIPS
1. 2. Study the stimulus carefully. Read the information given and understand it.

3. 4. 5.

Now, study the table given. Then, look for the information you need in the stimulus. Fill in the blanks in the table carefully. Finally, check to see if you have filled in the blanks correctly.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistakes in the Use of Prepositions Good to He was very good with me when I was jobless. He was very good to me when I was jobless.

The use of the preposition with in the first sentence is wrong. The correct preposition to use should be to. He was very good to me when I was jobless means he was very kind to me or he was willing to help me when I had no job.

PAPER 1: QUESTION 16-20 (GRAMMAR) TIPS

In the UPSR English Paper 1, six questions (Questions 16 21) will test you on your grammar knowledge. What you will need to do is to choose the correct answers from the options given to form grammatically correct sentences. Notes:

In order to score well in this section, you should know all the important grammar items, their rules and how they function to make grammatically correct sentences. You should also have enough practice to give you the confidence to choose the correct answers.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistakes in the Use of Prepositions

Good for
This medicine is good to your cough. Eating more vegetables is good to one. This medicine is good for your cough. Eating more vegetables is good forone. x x

The preposition to used in the first two sentences is wrong and should be replaced with for. Good for means having a useful effect or beneficial for something or someone.

EPISODE 6 - PAPER 2: NOTE EXPANSION TIPS

In the UPSR English Paper, Note Expansion is tested in Section C of Paper 2. The aim of this section is to test your ability to: a. b. use given notes to write a composition elaborate on the notes using your own words to make your composition interesting This section will consist of: a. b. Visual stimulus - usually three pictures which are related. These three pictures tell a story or describe an event. Notes - each picture in the stimulus is accompanied with notes. These notes are based on the pictures. They help you to write the composition. Notes: 1. 2. 3. 4. First, read the instructions and understand the requirements of the question. Study each picture carefully. Then, read and understand the notes below the pictures. Expand the notes by writing out sentences using the given words. Example: Encik Amin family bird park Last Saturday, Encik Amin and his family visited the bird park.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistakes in the Use of Verbs

Take, Send
Every day, I send my son to school. Every day, I take my son to school x

The first sentence is wrong because when you send someone somewhere, you do not go with him or her. The word should be take. When you take someone somewhere, you go with him or her. More examples: I send the letter to the headmaster. I take the letter to the headmaster.

When you send the letter to the headmaster, you do not personally hand it to him. Someone has to deliver it to him for you. However, when you take the letter to him, you hand it to him. You have to go with the letter.

EPISODE 7 - PAPER 1: QUESTION 21-25 (GRAMMAR) TIPS

In the UPSR English Paper, synonyms and antonyms are tested in Question 21of Paper 1 Synonyms and Antonyms are an integral part of the English Language. A synonym is the similar meaning of a particular word or its semantic relation. So, it is a word or a phrase that means the same as another word or a phrase in the same language.

An antonym is the negative connotation of a particular word. It is a word or phrase that is opposite in meaning to a particular word or a phrase in the same language.

SOME TIPS:
Knowledge of English vocabulary is important for effective expression either in the written or in the oral form. To score in Question 21, you have to improve your English vocabulary by reading, listening, speaking, etc. in English. Merely memorising synonym and antonym word lists will not be as effective or as useful as mastering the English language in the long term.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistakes in the Use of Verbs

Honk, Horn
The lorry driver horned at the taxi driver. The lorry driver honked (his horn) at the taxi driver.

The word horned in the first sentence is wrong. Horned means having horns like those of a goat or buffalo. To make the sound like that of a goose or car horn is tohonk. The word horned should be replaced with honked.

EPISODE 8 - PAPER 2: SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION TIPS

Section A, Paper 2 of the UPSR English paper tests you on sentence construction. This section tests your ability to write using correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. A picture and ten words are given for this question. You have to write five sentences to describe the situation given. You may use the ten words to help you write your sentences. Some helpful tips:

When you have an idea of the situation, describe the picture. Use the words to help you form the sentences. With the help of the picture, add more information to make your sentences complete and interesting.

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistakes in the Use of Verbs

See Watch
I was seeing TV last night. I was watching TV last night.

The first sentence is wrong because of the word seeing. To look at something that is changing or moving for a period of time is to watch.

EPISODE 9 - PAPER 1: QUESTION 26-30 (TEXT COMPLETION) TIPS

In the UPSR English Paper 1, Section D (Questions 26 30) tests you on your understanding and usage of grammar and vocabulary. You will be provided with a picture to guide you to choose your answers correctly.

NOTES:
Remember to first look at the tense used in the passage. This will help you to choose the correct answers. You may also be tested on the following: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Subject-verb agreement Prepositions Articles Conjunctions Modals Nouns Pronouns h. Adverbs i. Adjectives

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistakes in the Use of Verbs

Hear Listen
She enjoys hearing all kinds of music. She enjoys listening to all kinds of music.

The first sentence is wrong because of the word hearing. A better word islistening which means to give your attention to something or someone that you

EPISODE 9 - PAPER 1: QUESTION 26-30 (TEXT COMPLETION) TIPS

In the UPSR English Paper 1, Section D (Questions 26 30) tests you on your understanding and usage of grammar and vocabulary. You will be provided with a picture to guide you to choose your answers correctly.

NOTES:
Remember to first look at the tense used in the passage. This will help you to choose the correct answers. You may also be tested on the following: a. b. c. d. Subject-verb agreement Prepositions Articles Conjunctions

e. f. g. h. i.

Modals Nouns Pronouns Adverbs Adjectives

COMMON MISTAKES
Mistakes in the Use of Verbs

Hear Listen She enjoys hearing all kinds of music.

She enjoys listening to all kinds of music.

The first sentence is wrong because of the word hearing. A better word islistening which means to give your attention to something or someone that you can hear.

PISODE 10 - PAPER 2: INFORMATION TRANSFER TIPS

In the UPSR English Paper, information transfer is tested in Section B of Paper 2. The aim of this section is to test your ability to:

transfer information from a given stimulus make choices or decisions give reasons for your choice or decision This section will consist of:

a stimulus pictures and notes a table with blanks you must fill in the blanks with info from the stimulus a section for short written response make a choice based on the stimulus and give reasons for the choice made

SOME IMPORTANT TIPS FOR PART (B):

Read the question in Part (b) carefully. Look at the stimulus again and make your choice according to the question. Write out your choice clearly in the answer section of part (b).

COMMON MISTAKES

Mistakes in the Use of Verbs

Lend, Borrow
Many Malaysian students use the word borrow almost exclusively for both the words borrow and lend. In fact, they almost never use the word lend. For them, either giving or taking something as a loan is borrow. This is an example ofonly one word for both borrow and lend. I borrow him my book. She wants to lend ten ringgit from her father. The sentences should be written as: I lend him my book. She borrows ten ringgit from her father.

To help you recall the correct word to use, you can remember it like this: Lend to (someone) Borrow from (someone) mother tongue interference. In the three major languages of the country, there is