1. The document provides tips and techniques for answering the PT3 English paper, which consists of 7 sections worth a total of 100 marks over 120 minutes. 2. It emphasizes the importance of planning one's time according to the time allocated for each section, keeping track of time while answering, and practicing keeping to the time limits. 3. Tips are provided for each question type, including how to identify errors, transfer information, answer comprehension questions, understand poems, and respond to composition and novel literature questions. Drafting, using examples, and making responses interesting are stressed.

1. PT3 ENGLISH PAPER
HOW TO ANSWER? TIPS & TECHNIQUES
Mdm. Jasidah R.Idang
SMK Lohan
Ranau Sabah
088-875241

2. GENERAL TIPS
• BIG MISTAKE = immediately starting to
answer the first question!
• EXAM PAPERS REQUIRE PLANNING:
• The planning:-
1. Scan the whole paper quickly, to get
overview of all the questions.
2. Look at the time allocated for each section
and set your clock according to allocation.

3. GENERAL TIPS
Q Number Marks
Time
Allocation
1 10 15 MIN
2 10 15 MIN
3 20 25 MIN
4 15 15 MIN
5 5 5 MIN
6 30 30 MIN
7 10 15 MIN
TOTAL 100 MARKS 120 MINUTES

4. GENERAL TIPS
• KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE CLOCK!
• STAY TRUE TO THE ALLOCATED TIME!
• PRACTICE KEEPING TO YOUR TIME IN
ANSWERING THE PAPER. (With practice
comes perfection)

5. Q1: ERROR CORRECTION
• Read the passage carefully and
understand it. While reading, you need to:
– identify tense used throughout the text [same
tense used consistently in each writing.
– identify the subject and its verb in every
sentence. Underline them.
• The errors are grammatical (Nouns,
Pronouns, Articles, Adjectives, Verbs,
Tenses, Modals, Adverbs, Prepositions,
Connectors, Conjunctions, Subject-Verb
Agreement, etc.) - There are no spelling/
punctuation errors in the text.

6. Q1: ERROR CORRECTION
• The errors are almost always in the same
grammatical form as the correct ones.
Example: if the error is 'are', the correct
word should be 'were' or vice versa
depending on the text overal tense use.
The correct words usually would not
steer away completely from the errors.
• A lot of grammar practices will surely help
you answer the question.

7. Q1: ERROR CORRECTION
• REMEMBER to read the text BEFORE
and AFTER you find the answer. Make
sure the sentences read well with the
chosen words.
• Wrong spelling is not accepted.
• Spelling only in British English

8. Q2: INFORMATION TRANSFER
• Read the text/pic properly.
• Scoring is easy because the answer is
given and you just need to correctly
identify them in the text and then transfer
them (either the exact phrase or not) to
the graphic form given.
• You just need to give 1-3 words in each
blank (do not write more than that). If you
think the sentence is too long, rephrase it.

9. Q3: COMPREHENSION OF A LINEAR TEXT
• Questions (a) to (d): TRUE OR FALSE
– The answers are in the text
– Highlight the sentences for confirmation of T/F
• Question (e), (f), (h) and (i)
– Answers can be found in the text
– Highlight the key word in the questions so that
you know what is specifically asked.
• Question (g) - word/phrase meaning [from
text]

10. Q3: COMPREHENSION OF A LINEAR TEXT
• Question (j) - opinion, short email, note,
postcard
– READ INSTRUCTION CAREFULLY
[IDENTIFY THE CORRECT FORMAT!!]
– you can refer information in the text as
reference for your writing
– you can add your own opinion/saying/ideas
– the key word is INTERESTING - make your
writing as interesting as possible
– Write more than 50 words (the more the
better) always check time & the limit set.

11. Q4: READING COMPREHENSION
• Read through the entire passage and the
questions before you do anything.
• Read the questions and then underline/
highlight key words - keep reviewing the
key words while reading.
• Read the text carefully & thoroughly -
highlight the mainpoint in each paragraph.
• Answers from Qa - Qh can be found in the
text. Qi (hots) - your own opinion

12. Q5: UNDERSTANDING THE POEM
There are only 3-5 questions given, with
some questions require you to give two or
more answers.
• Only 5 marks given for this part but
REMEMBER THAT EVERY MARK IS
IMPORTANT! IT DOES MAKE A
DIFFERENCE!
• Please answer all. Do not leave them
blank. Better try than feel sorry after.

13. Q5: UNDERSTANDING THE POEM
• Make sure you have done your revision on
the two poems "Leisure" and "A Fighter's
Lines".
• All answers can be found in the poem
itself and also based on the literary
elements you have studied before
EXCEPT LAST QUESTION (d)
• Question (d) is based on your own
opinion.

14. Q6: COMPOSITION
INSTRUCTION & TIPS:
• Spend 30 minutes on this task.
• If pictures are included, study them
carefully.
• Identify the main question: what the
question ask you to do
• Identify the type of essay you need to do:
formal/informal letter, story/narrative,
report, speech, etc.

15. Q6: COMPOSITION
• Always elaborate your points no matter
how short they are.
• Add extra information (your own ideas/
points - not given in the question)
• Make sure you write NOT LESS THAN
120 WORDS.The more the better! BUT
within the time limit!!!
• THE MOST IMPORTANT PART = Write
your draft (will be explained later).

16. Q6: COMPOSITION
HOW TO WRITE YOUR COMPOSITION:
• INTRODUCTION
– Depending on the essay type, use correct
format.
– State the MAIN REASON of your essay
– ONE paragraph only.
• BODY
– Include all the points given.
– Write ONE POINT IN ONE PARAGRAPH

17. Q6: COMPOSITION
• How to elaborate points??
– WH Questions [what, where, when, who, why,
how]
– Give examples where necessary.
• Add at least two more points that you can
think of, and elaborate as above.
• Write short, simple sentences. MAKE
SURE you understand what you write. If
you do not, rewrite them!

18. Q6: COMPOSITION
CONCLUSION
• Depending on the format/question
requirement:
– If it is a story/narrative, write a moral/lesson
learned.
– If it is formal letter, write about your hopes
and necessary details.
– If it is a report, write suggestion and/or
recommendation.

19. Q6: COMPOSITION
HOW TO BEGIN YOUR WRITING:
• Prepare your draft - spend your first 5-10
minutes doing this!
• Allocate 1 extra paper to write all the ideas
you think of into this paper.
• Divide your ideas and elaboration
according to the intro, body, conclusion.
• While you are drafting, answer all the WH
questions as your elaboration.

20. Q6: COMPOSITION
• Add examples/details on each points.
• When you have finished with your draft,
look through the points again, add details
where necessary.
• Redo all these again and again, adding/
refining them until you are satisfied.
• Finally, put all those points into your
FINAL ESSAY.
• If you suddenly have extra details while

21. Q6: COMPOSITION
• you are writing, add them too but make
sure they are appropriate.
• When you are done with your final essay,
read them again and make amendments
where necessary (spelling, grammar, etc.)
KEY WORD: INTERESTING!! Make your
writing as interesting as possible~

22. Q7: NOVEL LITERATURE
INSTRUCTION:
• Spend the last 15 minutes of your time on
this question.
• Read the instruction given and underline
the thing you are asked to do [write about
event, character(s), quality/ies of a
character, theme(s), setting(s) - all the
literary elements you have studied before]
• Write MORE THAN 50 WORDS!!!!!!

23. Q7: NOVEL LITERATURE
HOW TO WRITE YOUR RESPONSE:
• Since this is also in an essay form, make
sure you have introduction, body and
conclusion.
• Spend the first 5 minutes to brainstorm
your ideas + details & elaboration +
specific examples from the novel.
• Draft your ideas (above) in a MINDMAP
• After you done your brainstorming,
proceed to the essay part.

24. Q7: NOVEL LITERATURE
Phileas Fogg
EXAMPLE: Write about a character you like most
showed great
courage
showed
selflessness
showed
determination
- rescued Aouda
- rescued his
butler & other
passenger
- determined
to finish the bet
- willing to do
anything, even
at the expense
of spending too
much money
- instead of focusing on
solely winning the race, he
risk himself for others
CONCLUSION: Those are
the qualities I really admire
and because Phileas Fogg
showed such qualities, he is
the character I like the most.

25. Q7: NOVEL LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
Write your introduction like this:-
Based on the novel "Around the World in 80
Days" written by Jules Verne, the most
interesting event I found in the story is when
Phileas Fogg meets Aouda.

26. Q7: NOVEL LITERATURE
BODY:
Reasons why you think this event is
interesting:-
• Your reason should be the significant of
the event (whether it bring changes to the
main character or the story, it foreshadows
what comes next, etc.)
• You can give as many reasons as you
want, with sufficient elaboration + specific
examples from novel as support/evidence.

27. Q7: NOVEL LITERATURE
CONCLUSION
• Restate your STAND
• End your essay with something like this:-
"Those are the reasons why I think this event is
interesting."
GOOD LUCK AND TRY THE BEST
YOU POSSIBLY CAN~
JcRi@SMKL2015