Write your SEC answers in the language required by the paper and the individual question. SEAB’s 2026 GCE handbook directed candidates to answer in the language of the question paper unless the question instructed otherwise.
For the 2027 Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC), read the front-cover instructions and the wording of the task itself. The language you use while studying, the language of a source and the language required in your answer can serve different purposes.
- Read the paper-level language instruction.
- Look for a specific instruction in the question.
- Distinguish a quotation from your explanation.
- Ask an invigilator if printed instructions appear unclear or incomplete.
Read the instruction at both levels
The paper cover may give a rule that applies across the paper. An individual question may then specify a translation, a particular form of response or the language required for a specific task. When practising, underline the instruction that determines how the answer must be written and separate it from the text you are being asked to analyse.
Suppose an English-medium question shows a sign that includes a word in another language and asks you to explain what the sign is trying to achieve. If the task requires an explanation in English, develop the explanation in English. Quote the relevant word only where the task permits and it helps identify your evidence.
Keep technical notation and prose distinct
A chemical symbol, mathematical expression or unit can be part of a response without changing the language of the surrounding explanation. For instance, an equation can show a calculation, while an English sentence explains what the result means. Follow any requirement to show working or use terminology from the paper.
If a translation task specifies a target language, check that you have actually produced a response in that language. Copying the original phrase may identify the source but does not complete a request to translate it.
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Check uncertainty before it spreads
If an instruction is illegible or seems to be missing, raise your hand and identify the affected page or task. An invigilator can check the material and explain the procedure for reporting the problem. The invigilator is not there to choose your answer or translate examination content for you.
During final review, check a long response for any draft phrases you intended to replace. Concentrate on the answer required by the task, and stop writing when instructed.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I switch languages halfway through an explanation?
Use the language required by the question for the explanation. Include other-language material only as the task allows or requires.
Should I translate a title quoted as evidence?
Follow the question. Preserve the source wording if it requests a quotation, and supply a translation if the task asks for one.
Does the language I use in revision determine the exam language?
Use the language specified for the examination response.