For PSLE Listening Comprehension, practise shading each answer on the Optical Answer Sheet (OAS) while the paper is in progress. SEAB’s published 2026 instructions require a 2B pencil and say there is no extra shading time at the end of the broadcast. Check the 2027 candidate instructions when they are issued.
Make it a habit to check the printed question number just before shading. This matters most when you leave one question blank and the recording moves on. The first empty row may belong to the previous question.
- Use the question number to find the correct row.
- Shade the chosen oval fully with a 2B pencil.
- If you change an answer, erase the old mark completely before shading the new one.
- Tell the invigilator immediately if the broadcast is unclear.
CHAPTER 1 OF 4 · Back to contents
Keep up with the current question
When you are unsure about an item, use the time the paper gives you to make your best decision. Once the recording moves to the next question, shift your attention to that question. Carrying the earlier uncertainty into the next passage can make you miss a fresh clue.
Put your pencil near the printed row number before shading. Check the number on the question booklet against the number on the answer sheet. Repeat the check whenever you skip a row or return to a question.
CHAPTER 2 OF 4 · Back to contents
Worked example | Question 7 is blank when Question 8 begins
In a practice recording, Rina is unsure of Question 7. When Question 8 begins, she reads its number and listens for the new information. She decides on option 3. On her practice answer sheet, she finds row 8 and shades option 3 there. Row 7 stays blank while she works on Question 8.
Later, during permitted time, Rina returns to Question 7 and checks its number again before recording a choice. If the invigilator tells her to stop, she stops immediately. Her practice goal is to finish recording answers during the paper itself.
Contents · Previous chapter · Next chapter
CHAPTER 3 OF 4 · Back to contents
Practise with a short recording
A parent can read six short practice items with the child using a separate answer grid. Include one item the child finds difficult so they can rehearse moving on without shifting the remaining rows. At the end, compare the intended choices with what was actually shaded. If the child understood the recording but marked the wrong row, practise the number check on a fresh grid.
If the sound is genuinely unclear during the exam, raise your hand immediately. The invigilator can follow the official procedure for the venue.
Contents · Previous chapter · Next chapter
CHAPTER 4 OF 4 · Back to contents
Frequently asked questions
Can I wait until the recording ends to transfer all my answers?
SEAB’s published 2026 rules say shading must be completed within the listening examination, with no extra time at the end of the broadcast. Practise recording your choices as you go and follow the 2027 instructions.
Where can I check the current rules?
See the SEAB PSLE page and section 6 of the published 2026 PSLE candidate booklet.