Paper 2 · Booklet B · 10 Marks

PSLE Synthesis & Transformation: A Complete Guide

All 6 question types explained with grammar rules, worked examples, and practice questions — based on the 2025 SEAB syllabus. No partial marks, so every rule counts.

📋 2025 SEAB syllabus ⚠️ 5 questions · 2 marks each · No partial marks

What You Need to Know First

Synthesis and Transformation is found in Booklet B of Paper 2. There are 5 questions, each worth 2 marks — making it a 10-mark section. Crucially, there are no partial marks: every part of the answer must be correct to score. A single grammatical error means zero for that question.

⚠️ No partial marks — what this means for your child

Unlike comprehension or grammar cloze where one blank is one mark, each S&T question is all-or-nothing. Getting 4 out of 5 correct gives 8/10, but a careless tense change in the last word of a reported speech answer can cost the full 2 marks for that question. Accuracy and checking are everything.

The 6 Question Types

Type 1
Combining with Conjunctions
Join two sentences using a conjunction that shows the correct relationship — cause/effect (because), contrast (although/but/even though), addition (and/not only…but also), time (when/while/after/before), or condition (if/unless).
Original
She was tired. She stayed up to finish her homework.
✓ Transformed (keyword: although)
Although she was tired, she stayed up to finish her homework.
Watch out: When using although/even though, place a comma after the subordinate clause if it comes first. Meaning must not change — do not add or remove ideas.
Type 2
Relative Clauses (who / which / that)
Combine two sentences about the same person or thing using a relative pronoun. Use who for people, which for things/animals, and that for either (in defining clauses).
Original
The man is a famous chef. He appeared on TV last night.
✓ Transformed (keyword: who)
The man who appeared on TV last night is a famous chef.
Watch out: Check the position of the relative clause — it should be placed immediately after the noun it describes. Removing the subject pronoun (he, she, it) from the relative clause is required.
Type 3
Reported (Indirect) Speech
Change direct speech (with quotation marks) into reported speech. Remove quotation marks, use that, change pronouns (I→he/she), and backshift tenses (is→was, will→would, am→was, can→could).
Original
Mary said, "I will visit you tomorrow."
✓ Transformed (keyword: that)
Mary said that she would visit me the next day.
Key tense changes: am/is/are → was/were · will → would · can → could · may → might · "tomorrow" → the next day · "today" → that day · "yesterday" → the previous day
Type 4
Active and Passive Voice
In active voice, the subject performs the action. In passive voice, the subject receives the action. Structure: Object + was/were/is/are + past participle + by + subject.
Original (Active)
The teacher marked the essays.
✓ Transformed (keyword: by)
The essays were marked by the teacher.
Watch out: Match the tense of to be (was/were/is/are/has been) to the original. The object becomes the new subject. Use the past participle — not simple past — of the verb.
Type 5
If-Conditionals
At PSLE level, the main conditional tested is the First Conditional (real/possible situations): If + present simple, will + base verb. Also tested: Unless (meaning "if not").
Original
You do not hurry. You will miss the bus.
✓ Transformed (keyword: If)
If you do not hurry, you will miss the bus.
Original
You do not study. You will fail.
✓ Transformed (keyword: Unless)
Unless you study, you will fail.
Remember: Use a comma after the if/unless clause when it comes first. Unless = If…not, so do not use "not" again in the clause.
Type 6
Inversion and Emphasis
For emphasis, move a negative adverb (Never, Seldom, Rarely, Little) or a limiting expression (Not only, Hardly) to the front, then invert the subject and auxiliary verb.
Original
I have never tasted such delicious food before.
✓ Transformed (keyword: Never)
Never have I tasted such delicious food before.
Structure: Negative adverb + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb. The most commonly tested at PSLE: Never have I… · Seldom did he… · Rarely does she…

Practice Questions

Try these questions before looking at the answers:

#Original SentencesKeywordAnswer
1She was nervous. She performed brilliantly.AlthoughAlthough she was nervous, she performed brilliantly.
2The girl is my classmate. She won the spelling competition.whoThe girl who won the spelling competition is my classmate.
3Tom said, "I cannot come to school today."thatTom said that he could not come to school that day.
4The cleaners swept the floor after school.byThe floor was swept by the cleaners after school.
5You do not wear sunscreen. You will get sunburnt.UnlessUnless you wear sunscreen, you will get sunburnt.
6I had never heard such strange news.NeverNever had I heard such strange news.

4-step checking routine

  • Step 1: Identify the question type from the given keyword
  • Step 2: Apply the correct grammar structure for that type
  • Step 3: Check that the meaning is the same as the two original sentences — no ideas added or removed
  • Step 4: Check grammar details: tense, subject-verb agreement, pronouns, and punctuation (comma placement)

Get Guided Practice in Small Classes

At Clever Corner, students work through S&T systematically — learning each type until it becomes instinct, with real-time corrections from their teacher.