Do plural endings matter in note-taking?

Yes, a misspelling or a dropped plural usually scores nothing for that blank.

Should an unsure blank be left empty?

Write the most likely word first and check later, because an empty blank always scores zero.

Is it worth guessing a multiple-choice item?

Always answer, since four options give a one in four chance.

S4 English: Paper 3 Listening Practice Paper 1

2026-11-01

Tutor Prep Guide · Secondary English

Paper one begins with the mark structure of the listening paper, then note blanks, time per question and guess probability, then speech rate and percentages, ending with the error of adding scores from parts with different full marks.

Quick answer　70 marks, 24, 30, 80 minutes, 24, 30 minutes, 25 per cent, 100 words per minute, 42 marks, and 52 out of 70 which is 74.3 per cent.

01　Paper details (check answers afterwards)

Item	Detail
Questions	10 questions
Suggested time	25 minutes
Difficulty mix	Foundation 4 · Intermediate 3 · Challenge 2 · Error redo 1
Chapter	Chapter: S4 English: Paper 3 Listening – Tutor Lesson Plan
Level	S4

02　Questions (10 items)

FoundationPaper 3 Part A carries 30 marks and Part B carries 40 marks. What is the total?
FoundationThere are three tasks, each worth 8 marks. What is the total?
FoundationThere are 15 questions worth 2 marks each. What is the full mark?
FoundationThe paper lasts 90 minutes and 10 minutes are given for reading. How long is left for answering?
IntermediateA note-taking task has 12 blanks worth 2 marks each. What is the maximum score?
IntermediateTwenty questions at one and a half minutes each take how long?
IntermediateWith four options and one correct answer, what is the chance of a correct guess?
ChallengeA speaker says 250 words in two and a half minutes. What is the words-per-minute rate?
ChallengeThe paper is out of 70. What is 60 per cent of it?
Error redoPart A scores 24 out of 30 and Part B 28 out of 40. How should the total be written?

03　Answers and one-line notes

#	Answer	One-line note
1	70 marks	Add 30 and 40 to get 70.
2	24 marks	Three times eight is 24.
3	30 marks	Fifteen times two gives 30.
4	80 minutes	Ninety minus ten leaves 80.
5	24 marks	Twelve blanks at two marks each give 24.
6	30 minutes	Twenty times 1.5 equals 30.
7	One in four, that is 25%	Only one of four options is right, so the chance is 1 over 4.
8	100 words per minute	Divide 250 by 2.5 to get 100.
9	42 marks	Seventy times 0.6 gives 42.
10	Fifty-two out of 70, about 74.3 per cent, not 52 per cent	The two parts have different full marks, so add the scores first and divide by 70.

04　What to do after marking

After marking, redo only the wrong items and write down which step went wrong (formula, unit, or misread number).
Repeat the same item two days later; move to the next paper only when both attempts are correct.
Parents only need the answer and note columns; there is no need to explain every item.

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