What the O-Level English Oral covers, when it runs in 2026, and how it's weighted. Sourced directly from SEAB's official syllabus and exam timetable.
By Marcus Toh · 2026-07-11
The Oral is Paper 4 of the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level English Language examination (Syllabus 1184). Every candidate sits it individually with two examiners, and it is assessed in two parts: a Planned Response and a Spoken Interaction. Both parts are based on the same stimulus, which the candidate sees for the first time at the start of the preparation period.
The English Language Oral is held across five days, from 13 to 17 July 2026, as part of the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level examination series. So which day will your child sit for it? Every candidate is assigned their own specific date and time slot, and that depends on their centre and index number.
Part 1, Planned Response, gives the candidate a short video clip and a related prompt, and after the preparation time the candidate responds for up to 2 minutes. Part 2, Spoken Interaction, is an unscripted discussion with the examiners on a topic connected to the same stimulus. The preparation time covers both parts and is not split separately per part.
| Paper | Description | Marks | Weighting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 - Oral Communication | Part 1: Planned Response (video clip + prompt, response up to 2 min) | 15 | 20% (30 marks total) | ~20 min incl. 10 min prep |
| 4 - Oral Communication | Part 2: Spoken Interaction (discussion with examiners on related topic) | 15 | (see above) | (see above) |
I prepared for my own English oral the way most students still do, memorising model answers and rehearsing them over and over until every line sounded polished. And I passed, so on paper it all worked out fine and I never thought twice about it. But looking back, I had walked into the one paper that truly tests spontaneous conversation with everything except spontaneity.
If I could turn back time, I would have spent half of that time just talking, about the news, about school, with anyone willing to throw me a follow-up question I hadn't scripted. Because that is really what the Spoken Interaction is testing, and it's what I share with every student I teach now: the examiners aren't checking whether your answer is perfect, they're checking whether you can recover when the conversation goes somewhere you didn't plan. That part you simply can't memorise.
The Oral makes up 20% of the total English Language grade, worth 30 marks out of the subject's overall mark scheme. This sits alongside the other components of Syllabus 1184: Paper 1 (Writing), Paper 2 (Comprehension), and the Listening Comprehension paper.
Sessions run across the five oral dates, with candidates grouped into morning or afternoon sittings by their centre.
| Date | Time | Component | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jul 2026 | 14:15 | English Language Oral | 20 min | Candidates take turns within session |
| 14 Jul 2026 | 08:15 | English Language Oral | 20 min | Candidates take turns within session |
| 15 Jul 2026 | 08:15 | English Language Oral | 20 min | Candidates take turns within session |
| 16 Jul 2026 | 08:15 | English Language Oral | 20 min | Candidates take turns within session |
| 17 Jul 2026 | 14:30 | English Language Oral | 20 min | Candidates take turns within session |
No. SEAB states that the Part 2 discussion is on a topic broadly related to the video clip, and that candidates will not be asked any questions about what people say in the clip. The video is a springboard for the conversation, not a comprehension test.
Part 1 carries 10 marks for the response itself, assessed on development and organisation of ideas and expression of ideas, plus 5 marks for delivery, assessed on pronunciation, fluency and intonation. Part 2 carries 15 marks, assessed on communication of perspectives and engagement in the discussion.
The syllabus sets 2 minutes as the upper limit for the Planned Response and does not state a minimum duration. Marks are awarded against the response and delivery criteria above, not against how long the candidate speaks.
Listening (Paper 3) is on 15 October 2026, 14:00 to 14:45. Writing (Paper 1) and Comprehension (Paper 2) both fall on 19 October 2026, at 13:30 and 16:05 respectively.