What the examiner sees
Photograph description
The photograph shows a living room in an older Singapore HDB flat on a Sunday afternoon. A primary school boy is sitting on a sofa beside his elderly grandmother, showing her something on a photo album — not a phone. She is smiling and pointing at one of the photos. On the coffee table are cups of tea, cut fruit on a plate, and an old-fashioned biscuit tin. A wall clock and family photographs fill the room.
Three questions the examiner might ask
What is happening in this photograph? How can you tell they have a close relationship?
Do you spend time with your grandparents or other older relatives? Tell me about what you do together.
Do you think young people today spend enough time with their grandparents? Why or why not?
Q1 tests what you see in the photograph. Q2 tests a personal experience. Q3 tests your opinion — the hardest of the three since 2025.
A model opinion answer (P.E.E.L.)
Point
I think spending quality time with family is more important than doing many activities.
Explain
Quality is about how present we are, not how packed the schedule is.
Example
For example, on Sundays my family just has breakfast together at the kopitiam below our block. We don't do much else, but that hour is when I tell my parents about my week.
Link
Without that routine, we'd probably go days without a real conversation — which is why I value the quality over the quantity.
Swap in your own example — the structure stays the same. Examiners reward concrete detail over polished phrasing.
Common mistakes on this topic
- Talking about family 'in general' instead of your family. The point of Q2 is your experience.
- Listing every family member in Q1. Focus on two people and what they're doing in the photograph.
- Saying 'my family is perfect'. It sounds rehearsed. Real details — even small friction — are more believable.
Vocabulary that works for this topic
bond— a close connection
“I share a strong bond with my grandmother.”
quality time— time spent fully with someone
“We try to have quality time every weekend.”
tradition— something a family does regularly
“Sunday dim sum is our family tradition.”
appreciate— to value
“I appreciate my parents more now that I'm older.”
responsibility— a duty
“Feeding the dog is my responsibility.”
cherish— to hold dear
“I cherish the time I spend with my grandparents.”
For parents
Open the family photo album on your phone and ask your child to describe a random photo to you in 60 seconds. That's the most realistic Q1 drill there is.
Practise this topic now
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More topics in Family & Home
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Caring for Pets
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Helping at Home
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