Oral · Past-year topics
Past-year PSLE Oral topics, 2015 to 2026: every reported topic, and the patterns behind them
Twelve years, 24 exam days. Here is what candidates reported for each one, what changed when the photograph replaced the poster in 2025, and the handful of themes that keep coming back.
On this page 7 sections
Key takeaways
- Since 2015, the PSLE Oral topics have come from everyday life: school, family, neighbours, food, getting around and free time. Not one has needed specialist knowledge.
- The first question is always about the picture; the next ones move to your child’s own life, then to a wider opinion.
- In 2025 a real photograph replaced the poster, and the conversation became three main questions. The themes did not change.
- The best preparation is not memorising topics but having real stories ready for the themes that repeat.
How to use this list
Every year, the PSLE English Oral is held over two days, and each day has its own topic. That gives us 24 exam days from 2015 to 2026. Put them side by side and the pattern is hard to miss: the topics come from ordinary life, and the questions follow the same three steps.
Use the list for two things. First, to practise: each set of questions below makes a good ten-minute conversation at home. Second, to plan: the themes that repeat are where your child should have real, specific stories ready.
About these topics. SEAB does not publish Oral papers. What follows is as reported by candidates and collected by tutors, described in our own words; question wording is close rather than exact. We show no exam pictures or passages. Mustard Seed is an independent tuition provider and is not affiliated with SEAB or MOE.
What changed in 2025
2015–24
A poster or drawn picture, often with words, and three questions with follow-ups
2025 on
A real photograph with no words, and three main questions
40marks
Reading Aloud 15 and conversation 25, up from 30 in total before 2025
With a poster, the first question was usually “Would you be interested in this?” or “Is this poster effective?”. With a photograph, it became a judgement about what is happening: “Is this a good place to sell ice cream?” The questions after that work the same way they always did. Our guide to the Oral format explains the two parts and the marks in detail.
Every topic, 2026 to 2015
Newest first. The questions are listed in the order candidates reported them.
2026Photograph
Day 1
Children playing at a neighbourhood playground
- Is this playground a good place to spend your free time?
- How do you relax?
- Do students have enough time to relax?
- What would you like to do after the PSLE?
Day 2
A crowded public bus
- Are the people in the photo comfortable?
- What is your favourite way to travel around Singapore?
- Is it easy to find your way around Singapore?
- Have you ever been on a train that broke down?
2025Photograph
Day 1
A long queue at an ice cream cart outside a mall
- Is this a good place to sell ice cream?
- Would you queue for a long time for something?
- Are people in Singapore orderly?
Day 2
A busy hawker centre
- Why might these people choose to eat here?
- Do you prefer home-cooked food or food from outside?
- Should children learn to cook?
2024Poster
Day 1
The opening of a new park
- Would you visit this park when it opens?
- Do you like spending free time outdoors?
- How should people behave in shared places such as parks and void decks?
Day 2
A week to thank the school attendants
- Are these activities meaningful?
- Tell us about a time you helped an elderly person, or saw someone do so.
- Would you like to spend time with the elderly?
2023Poster / picture
Day 1
A science exhibition at the Science Centre
- Would you visit this exhibition?
- Tell us about a place of interest in Singapore you have visited, or would like to.
- Are the school holidays long enough?
Day 2
A girl writing in her diary beside a birthday cake, a card, a soft toy and a family photo
- What do you think she is writing about?
- Tell us about something you treasure.
- Do you like taking photos to remember your experiences?
2022Poster / picture
Day 1
A drive to recycle old sports shoes
- Would you take part in this recycling drive?
- Apart from shoes, what could you donate or recycle?
- Is it important to take care of the environment?
Day 2
A boy playing a game on his tablet when his timetable says it is homework time
- Should he be playing a game now?
- Do you like using devices for learning?
- What should students be careful about when using devices?
2021Poster / picture
Day 1
A girl still asleep while her alarm rings on the morning of a competition
- Are you like the girl in the picture?
- If you could choose, when would school start and end?
- Do you get enough sleep?
Day 2
A talk on caring for pets
- Would you attend this talk?
- Is listening to a talk a good way to learn?
- What do you think of projects as another way to learn?
2020Poster
Day 1
An invitation to a gathering for neighbours
- Would you go to this event?
- What do you like about your neighbourhood?
- What does being a good neighbour mean to you?
Day 2
A ticket to a school graduation concert
- Would you invite someone to this concert?
- Would you rather perform on stage or help backstage?
- Tell us about a performance you watched.
2019Poster / picture
Day 1
A library shelf with book recommendations
- Would you read these books?
- Do you visit your school library often?
- Do you prefer listening to stories or reading them?
Day 2
A reminder on a computer lab door about what to do before leaving
- Is this reminder useful?
- Tell us about a time you lost or forgot something.
- How would you help a forgetful friend or family member?
2018Poster
Day 1
A secondary school banner inviting P6 pupils to join
- Does this banner make you want to join the school?
- What would you consider when choosing a school?
- How would you make friends in a new school?
Day 2
A call to sign up for a speech contest
- Would you sign up?
- Tell us about a presentation you watched or gave.
- Would you rather speak to strangers or to people you know?
2017Poster
Day 1
A call for Teachers’ Day poems
- Would you take part?
- How does your school celebrate Teachers’ Day?
- Who else would you like to thank, and why?
Day 2
A cleanest-classroom contest
- Would this poster help keep classrooms clean?
- How else could a school encourage this?
- Do your school’s cleaners have an easy job?
2016Poster
Day 1
Nominations for a “supportive friend” award
- Would you like a schoolmate like this?
- Do you like making new friends?
- Would you like to be a buddy to a younger pupil?
Day 2
A baking activity for children
- Would you join this activity?
- What do you usually eat at recess, and why?
- Do you have good eating habits?
2015Poster
Day 1
A weekend storytelling and reading activity
- Would this weekend activity interest you?
- Do you have enough time to relax at weekends?
- What new thing would you try at weekends?
Day 2
A school fun run for families
- Would you take part?
- What do you enjoy doing with your family?
- Tell us about a special occasion your family celebrated.
The themes that repeat
We grouped the 24 topics by their main theme. Some topics touch two themes, so treat the counts as a guide, not a rule.
- School life and school events 5
- Community and shared places 4
- Free time and outings 4
- Food, health and habits 3
- Kindness and appreciation 2
- Family and memories 2
- Technology and ways of learning 2
- The environment 1
- Responsibility 1
Three things stand out:
- The topics are ordinary on purpose. A queue, a bus, a playground, a hawker centre. The exam is testing how well your child talks, not what they know.
- “Shared spaces” has become more common. Parks and void decks (2024), queues (2025), playgrounds and buses (2026). Expect questions about how people should behave around others.
- The opinion question widens the lens. It moves from “you” to “people in Singapore”, “students” or “children”. Practise giving a view about a group, with a reason and an example.
The three-step pattern in every year
| Step | What it asks | Example from the list |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The picture | A judgement about what is shown | Is this a good place to sell ice cream? (2025) |
| 2. Your life | A real experience or preference | Tell us about something you treasure. (2023) |
| 3. Your view | An opinion about people in general | Should children learn to cook? (2025) |
Each step has its own guide: photo questions, personal-experience questions and opinion questions. For all three, the PEEL method helps your child turn a short reply into a full answer.
What to practise for 2027
A story bank, built over one term
One real story for each theme above
- Week 1List one true memory for each of the nine themes: a school event, a time in a park or void deck, a meal, a family occasion, and so on.
- Week 2Tell each story aloud in under a minute: what happened, how you felt, what you learnt.
- WeeklyPick one year from the list above and answer its questions out loud. Use each story where it fits.
One story can answer many questions. A memory of helping a neighbour carry groceries works for community, kindness, the elderly and shared spaces. That is why a small bank of real stories beats a long list of memorised answers. For 30 more questions to practise with, grouped by theme, see our Oral conversation question bank.
Questions parents ask
Where do these topics come from?
SEAB does not publish PSLE Oral papers. The topics and questions below were reported by candidates and their parents after each exam, and collected by tutors, including us. The wording is close rather than exact, and we describe each one in our own words.
Will 2027 repeat one of these topics?
No one knows, and it is not worth guessing. What does repeat is the kind of topic: everyday Singapore life, with questions that move from the picture to your child’s experience to an opinion. Prepare for the themes, not the exact topics.
Are the older poster topics still useful for practice?
Yes, for the conversation. The format of the first question has changed, since there is now a photograph rather than a poster, but the personal and opinion questions from 2015 to 2024 are excellent practice.
Is the Reading Aloud passage on the same topic as the photo?
Not since 2025. The two parts of the Oral are no longer linked by theme, so your child cannot predict the conversation from the passage.
Mustard Seed is an independent tuition provider and is not affiliated with or endorsed by SEAB, MOE or Cambridge Assessment. No tutor can guarantee a particular grade.
