EDUKATE SINGAPORE · PG2 QUICK GUIDE
Find the next useful step
Build a practical PG2 subject word bank using meaning, context, examples and a fresh application, with comparisons from Mathematics and everyday English.
Understand the situation · See the worked example · Quick answers
Did you know? The word “mean” can describe an intention in conversation and an average in Mathematics. Learning the subject meaning helps a student read the question accurately before choosing a method. A small word bank can capture that difference.
Checked 25 October 2026. Examples are illustrative; follow current school instructions for individual arrangements.
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Collect words from the actual lesson
PG2 is Posting Group 2, while individual subjects have their own levels and learning demands. Build a word bank from the child’s current lessons and confirmed subject materials rather than from a generic list labelled PG2.
Choose words that affect understanding: a topic term, a command word or an ordinary word with a specific subject meaning. Ask which word prevented the student from understanding a question.
This guide offers a study routine, not a prescribed national vocabulary list. Teachers’ explanations and the task context determine the meaning needed in a particular lesson.
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Give each entry four useful parts
Record the word, its meaning in the current subject, an example and a short application. Keep the explanation accurate and readable enough for the child to use.
For a word with several meanings, label the context. A Mathematics definition of mean should sit beside a mathematical example. An English sentence using “I mean” needs a different explanation.
Avoid filling pages with copied definitions the learner cannot explain. One entry that supports a new task is more useful than several entries that remain disconnected from schoolwork.
| Entry part | Example |
|---|---|
| Word and context | Mean — Mathematics |
| Meaning | Sum of values divided by number of values |
| Worked use | 4, 7, 10: mean = 21 ÷ 3 = 7 |
| Fresh application | 6, 8, 9, 13: mean = 36 ÷ 4 = 9 |
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A worked entry for mean
In the arithmetic example here, the mean is the sum of a set of numerical values divided by the number of values. For 4, 7 and 10, the sum is 21 and there are three values. The mean is 21 ÷ 3 = 7.
Ask the student to explain both parts of the calculation: why the values are added and why the divisor is three. Then try 6, 8, 9 and 13. Their sum is 36; dividing by four gives a mean of 9.
Compare this with “What do you mean by that sentence?” Here mean concerns intended meaning, not a calculation. The word is familiar in both settings, but the task tells the reader which sense is relevant.
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Add command words through real questions
Words such as describe, explain and compare guide what a response needs to do. Read them in the full question and consult teacher guidance, because the required detail depends on the subject and task.
A comparison generally involves considering items in relation to one another. A student can ask what features should be compared and how the response should be organised. The teacher can show what a complete answer looks like in that context.
After discussing a command word, use a fresh question. Ask the learner to state what the instruction requires before answering it. This connects vocabulary to action.
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Quick answers for a manageable word bank
How many words should we add? Choose a small number that the learner can explain and use. Let current lessons guide the selection.
Should every subject share one definition? Label subject-specific meanings and keep examples with their context. Familiar spelling does not guarantee the same use.
What can we do today? Choose one word from a current lesson, explain its meaning, work through an example and try a new task. If uncertainty remains, take the entry and the original question to the teacher.
Continue the PG2 reading route
Ask a precise question when a word or step is unclear.
For the wider framework, read From PSLE to SEC: Posting Groups and subject levels.
For Mathematics support, see Secondary 1 Mathematics tutorials for Clementi students and the Bukit Timah Tutor guide to Mathematics support across secondary school.
Official references
MOE: Secondary subject syllabuses · MOE: What are Posting Groups?