In the published 2026 PSLE Foundation Science format (0039), candidates receive a word list during the exam. SEAB says the list is not exhaustive. Use it to check a relevant science term after reading the question. When the task asks you to explain an observation, use the term in a sentence that connects it to the evidence.
Booklet B in the published format contains short-response and structured questions. It carries 30 of the paper’s 70 marks. Try the invented word list and four original questions below for PSLE 2027 preparation, then check the official format for your sitting.
- Read the instruction to see whether to fill a blank, match or explain.
- Choose the term that fits the direction of the change or the property described.
- Use evidence from the question if it asks for a reason.
Practise with an original word list
Use these words for practice: evaporation, condensation, melting, freezing, conductor, insulator. This is a teaching list. The examination word list may differ.
1. A thin layer of water on a plate gradually disappears as it changes to water vapour. Name the process.
2. Water vapour in the air changes into liquid droplets on the outside of a cold cup. Name the process.
3. In a simple circuit, replacing a gap with a strip of metal lets the bulb light. Which word describes the metal in this test?
4. A dry cloth is wrapped around the metal handle of a warm cup. Explain how the cloth helps reduce the transfer of heat from the handle to a hand.
Check the answers and their clues
1. Evaporation. The clue is liquid water changing into water vapour.
2. Condensation. The clue is water vapour changing into liquid droplets. Check the direction of the change to distinguish it from evaporation.
3. Conductor. The metal strip completes the circuit and allows electric current to flow. The circuit context tells you that the question concerns electrical conduction.
4. The cloth is a thermal insulator. It reduces the rate of heat transfer from the warm handle to the hand. The word “insulator” names the property and the rest of the answer explains its effect in this situation.
Give the kind of answer the question asks for
If the question asks you to name a process, a single correct term may answer it. If it asks you to explain, check that your sentence says what happens and why it matters to the observation.
When you hesitate between two words, say what each means using the objects or materials in the question. The cold cup example starts with water vapour in the air and ends with droplets. That order identifies condensation.
Some questions may require a comparison or a result from a diagram. Use the information supplied in that question. The general word list may help with spelling or recall, while the diagram tells you what actually happened.
Try the same skill with a new example
An ice cube changes into a puddle on a plate. Which process describes this change? The answer is melting, because the change is from solid water to liquid water. If the puddle later changes to water vapour, that later process is evaporation.
A parent can ask the child to name the starting and ending states before looking at the list. Try changing the question from “Name the process” to “Explain your answer.” Listen for the evidence that turns the term into an explanation.
Frequently asked questions
Does the word list include every answer?
SEAB describes the list as non-exhaustive.
How many questions are in Booklet B?
The 2026 format lists 9–11 short-response and structured questions. Check the information for the 2027 sitting.
Can I use these examples for Standard Science?
The science concepts can help with revision. The word-list and booklet details in this guide refer to Foundation Science 0039.
Official information
SEAB’s published 2026 PSLE Foundation Science examination format (0039), Examination Format and Provision of Word List. Checked 8 November 2026.