How to Make Sense of the PSLE Chinese Language Syllabus in Singapore

PSLE Chinese Language syllabus for Singapore families: a plain guide to SEAB code 0005, the three papers, how the 200 marks are shared, the oral and listening components, and how to read an official document written almost entirely in Chinese.

The SEAB document is the official description of the PSLE Chinese examination.

It is short, precise and dense, and almost all of it is in Chinese.

Some families may find it hard to read, especially when Chinese is not their strongest language.

Once you know how it is organised, it becomes a useful map.

This guide is useful for families who need to:

understand the three PSLE Chinese papers and what each one tests;
see where the marks come from, component by component;
plan practice for oral and listening, not only the written papers; or
check what the SEAB document actually says, even if their own Chinese is limited.

At eduKateSG, we read the SEAB syllabus before planning lessons in the subjects we teach. This guide applies the same careful reading to PSLE Chinese.

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PSLE Chinese Language Syllabus at a Glance

Syllabus: PSLE Chinese Language
Code: 0005
Who takes it: pupils studying the primary Chinese Language course (SEAB lists Higher Chinese Language, 0015, and Foundation Chinese Language, 0025, separately)
Examination year of this document: 2026 (listed on SEAB’s PSLE Formats Examined in 2026 page; the cover reads “For Examination from 2017”)
Language of the document: Chinese, apart from the English title and year line on the cover
Papers: three (Writing; Language Use and Reading Comprehension; Oral and Listening Comprehension)
Total marks: 200 (40 + 90 + 50 + 20)
Written papers: 50 min (Paper 1) and 1 h 40 min (Paper 2)
Oral: about 10 min, after 10 min of preparation
Listening: about 30 min
Dictionary: a dictionary specified by SEAB may be used in Paper 1
Where to download: SEAB: PSLE Formats Examined in 2026

This guide is based on the SEAB syllabus document examined in 2026. SEAB can update syllabuses, so always check the latest version on the SEAB website. SEAB has not yet published the 2027 PSLE formats at the time of writing.

What the Syllabus Is For

Section 1 of the document explains who the examination is for and what it is based on.

It is for pupils studying the primary Chinese Language course. It is set according to the teaching objectives and content of the primary Chinese curriculum standards (《小学华文课程标准》).

That course aims to give pupils a firm foundation in the language: listening and speaking, recognising and writing characters, reading, writing, using language skills together, and oral and written interaction, drawing on pupils’ own experience.

It also stresses passing on Chinese culture and building good character.

So there are two documents. The curriculum describes what pupils learn. This SEAB document describes how that learning is examined.

The document does not describe what comes before or after the PSLE. SEAB’s listing page shows Higher Chinese Language and Foundation Chinese Language as separate syllabuses with their own codes.

How the Examination Is Structured

The document sets out three papers. Oral and Listening Comprehension both sit under Paper 3, each with its own time and marks.

Paper 1: Writing (写作)

Duration: 50 min
Marks: 40
Weighting: 20%
Choice: one of two, a composition on a given title or a picture composition
Length: at least 100 characters
Dictionary: a dictionary specified by SEAB may be used while writing

Paper 2: Language Use and Reading Comprehension (语文应用与阅读理解)

Duration: 1 h 40 min
Marks: 90, from 40 questions
Weighting: 45%
Language Use: 15 multiple-choice questions, 30 marks, covering Hanyu Pinyin, characters, words, phrases and sentences
Passage Cloze: 5 multiple-choice questions, 10 marks
Reading Comprehension 1: 5 multiple-choice questions, 10 marks
Completing a Dialogue: 4 multiple-choice questions, 8 marks
Reading Comprehension 2: 11 open-ended questions, 32 marks, on two texts, a practical text and a passage; this part includes written interaction

Paper 3: Oral (口试)

Duration: about 10 min
Preparation: 10 min before the examination to read the passage silently and watch a video clip, as many times as the time allows
Marks: 50 (Reading Aloud 20, Conversation 30)
Weighting: 25%
Part 1, Reading Aloud: one short passage, read aloud
Part 2, Conversation: a conversation with the examiner, based on the video clip

Paper 3: Listening Comprehension (听力理解)

Duration: about 30 min
Marks: 20, from 10 multiple-choice questions
Weighting: 10%
Texts: dialogues, announcements, advertisements, explanations, introductions and stories, among others

SEAB’s listing page adds that, from 2017, the oral examination for Standard and Foundation Mother Tongue Languages is conducted in the e-Examination format.

In practice, Paper 2 carries the largest share at 45%.

Oral and Listening together carry 35%, more than the composition paper.

What the Syllabus Covers

The document has no topic list. Instead, section 1.4 lists eight language abilities that the examination mainly assesses. We group them under three headings.

Characters, Words and Sentences

recognising the form, sound and meaning of Chinese characters;
knowing and using words, including idioms and common expressions; and
knowing and using sentence structures.

Reading and Writing

reading comprehension; and
writing and written interaction.

Speaking and Listening

reading a passage aloud;
oral interaction; and
listening comprehension.

What the Examiners Are Looking For

The document does not give assessment objectives with their own weightings. It lists the abilities above, and the blueprint gives a weighting to each component:

Paper 1, Writing: 20%
Paper 2, Language Use: 15%
Paper 2, Passage Cloze: 5%
Paper 2, Reading Comprehension 1: 5%
Paper 2, Completing a Dialogue: 4%
Paper 2, Reading Comprehension 2: 16%
Paper 3, Reading Aloud: 10%
Paper 3, Conversation: 15%
Paper 3, Listening Comprehension: 10%

In plain terms, the examination looks for accurate characters, words and sentences, understanding of what is read and heard, and the ability to interact in speech and in writing.

Section 1.5 adds that the papers follow the blueprint but may be adjusted as needed.

How to Read the Syllabus Document

The document is short. Read it in this order:

Cover: the subject name, the code 0005 and the line “For Examination from 2017”
Section 1, examination objectives (考试目标): who the examination is for, the curriculum it follows, the course aims and the eight abilities assessed
Section 2, paper format (试卷格式): each paper’s time, marks and weighting, with a short description of every part
Section 3, paper blueprint (试卷蓝图): tables giving the format, number of questions, marks and weighting of each component
Useful words: 多项选择式 means multiple-choice and 开放式 means open-ended; in section 2, 约 means about

If Chinese is not your strongest language, start with the tables.

The numbers need no translation.

Common Misunderstandings

PSLE Chinese has four papers, like PSLE English

The document sets out three papers. Oral and Listening Comprehension both sit under Paper 3, with separate times and marks.

The composition carries most of the marks

Paper 1 is 40 of the 200 marks. Paper 2 is worth 90, and the Oral and Listening add another 70.

The composition must be a picture composition

Candidates choose one of two: a composition on a given title or a picture composition. Either way, the minimum is 100 characters.

A dictionary can be used in every paper

The document mentions a dictionary only for Paper 1, where a dictionary specified by SEAB may be used while writing.

The oral is mostly reading aloud

Reading Aloud is 20 marks. The Conversation, based on a video clip, is 30 marks.

How Students Can Use the Syllabus

1. Map the marks

Copy the blueprint tables onto one page, with English labels. Mark the strongest and weakest components.

2. Practise Paper 2 by component

Language Use, Passage Cloze, the two Reading Comprehension parts and Completing a Dialogue each carry their own marks. Track them separately.

3. Write to time and length

Practise both composition types within 50 minutes, and check that each piece reaches at least 100 characters.

4. Rehearse the oral routine

Spend 10 minutes reading a short passage silently and watching a short clip. Then read the passage aloud and talk about the clip with someone.

5. Listen to everyday Chinese

Dialogues, announcements, advertisements and stories are all on the document’s list. Short, regular listening builds familiarity.

6. Keep an error log

Note each mistake under its component name, such as Hanyu Pinyin, cloze or written interaction. Patterns appear quickly.

How Parents Can Help

read the blueprint tables together once, even if your own Chinese is limited;
ask which component lost marks in the last test, not only the total;
make room for spoken Chinese at home, such as a short chat about the day;
invite your child to talk about a short video and give a view;
keep a calm, steady routine for Chinese alongside the other PSLE subjects; and
remember that Oral and Listening carry 35%, so speaking and listening practice counts.

How eduKateSG Uses the PSLE Chinese Language Syllabus

our core classes are in English, Mathematics and Science, and we will say honestly whether we are the right fit for a Mother Tongue need;
we wrote this guide so families can read the official Chinese document with confidence;
we read every syllabus the same way: purpose first, then format, then marks; and
the same diagnostic habit applies to Chinese: find which component is losing marks before deciding what to practise.

Getting Support

Every student starts from a different place.

Speak with us about your child’s level, subject and recent results. If our 3-pax classes are the right fit, we will explain how they work. If they are not, we will say so honestly.

Format: Premium 3-pax small-group tutorials, 1.5 hours weekly

The usual first step is a parent–student consultation.

What Parents Can Bring to the Consultation

Useful materials include:

a copy of the syllabus, or its code;
recent test papers and weighted assessments;
the latest report book;
the school’s assessment schedule; and
examples of questions the student finds difficult.

We are not only looking at the score.

We are looking for patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many papers are there in PSLE Chinese Language?

There are three papers. Paper 1 is Writing (40 marks, 20%), Paper 2 is Language Use and Reading Comprehension (90 marks, 45%), and Paper 3 has an Oral (50 marks, 25%) and Listening Comprehension (20 marks, 10%). The marks add up to 200.

How long is each PSLE Chinese paper?

Paper 1 is 50 minutes and Paper 2 is 1 hour 40 minutes. The Oral takes about 10 minutes, with 10 minutes beforehand to read the passage and watch the video clip. Listening Comprehension takes about 30 minutes.

Can my child use a dictionary in PSLE Chinese?

The document allows a dictionary specified by SEAB in Paper 1 (Writing). It does not mention dictionaries for the other papers.

What happens in the PSLE Chinese oral?

Before the examination, candidates have 10 minutes to read a passage silently and watch a video clip, and may do both several times. They then read the passage aloud (20 marks) and hold a conversation with the examiner based on the clip (30 marks).

Is the SEAB syllabus the same as what my child’s school teaches?

They are linked. The SEAB document describes the examination, not the lessons. It states that the examination is set according to the teaching objectives and content of the primary Chinese curriculum standards.

Where do I download the PSLE Chinese Language syllabus?

It is on the SEAB page PSLE Formats Examined in 2026, listed under Chinese Language with code 0005. The document is in Chinese, apart from the English title and year line on the cover.

Helpful Reading

The eduKateSG Syllabus Series

Plain-language guides to SEAB syllabuses, from PSLE to A-Level. More guides are being added.

Mother Tongue guides

PSLE Chinese Language (0005) (this guide)
PSLE Malay Language (0006)
PSLE Tamil Language (0007)

More Primary (PSLE) guides

PSLE Chinese Language Syllabus: Three Papers, One Map

The PSLE Chinese Language syllabus is short.

It is written in Chinese, but its tables are clear.

Three papers. Two hundred marks.

Oral and Listening carry 35% of them.

Read the blueprint once, carefully.

Then let every piece of practice point to a part of it.

Arrange a Parent–Student Consultation

Speak with us about your child’s level, recent results, learning gaps and the dates ahead.

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How to Make Sense of the PSLE Chinese Language Syllabus in Singapore | SEAB 0005 Papers, Skills and Marks