Visual Text Comprehension

5 MCQ questions on a multimodal text — advertisement, poster, brochure or infographic — that uses both words and images. Tests ability to read visual elements as well as written content together.

multimodal textsadvertisementsvisual + text meaning
Visual text comprehension — what it tests: You read a multimodal text (a text that uses both words and visuals — advertisements, posters, brochures, infographics, notices). Questions test whether you can read the whole text — including layout, images, colours, symbols and written content — to answer questions at literal, inferential and evaluative levels. A key skill: understanding the purpose of visual elements, not just the words.

Exam note: In PSLE Paper 2, Visual Text Comprehension is 5 MCQ questions worth 5 marks. This practice session includes two sample texts (10 questions total) to give broader exposure across text types.
Practice score
0 / 10
2 texts · 5 questions each
Text 1 — Advertisement (Q1–Q5)
Singapore Water Authority · Public Health Campaign
Every Drop Counts.
Starting With Yours.
Did you know? The average Singapore household wastes up to 30 litres of water daily through leaking taps and long showers — enough to fill 150 drinking glasses.
Fix leaking taps immediately — a dripping tap wastes 20,000 litres a year
Shorten your shower by 2 minutes and save up to 15 litres per wash
Use a pail instead of running water when washing your car
Collect cool-down water from the tap for watering plants
Take the 30-Day Water Challenge → SaveWater.sg
Brought to you by the Singapore Water Authority in partnership with schools and community centres island-wide.
Share this message. Every drop saved today is a drop secured for tomorrow.
Q1 Literal

According to the advertisement, how much water does the average Singapore household waste daily?

A20 litres
B30 litres
C150 litres
D20,000 litres
Correct: B — 30 litres. The "Did you know?" panel states "up to 30 litres of water daily." 150 is the number of drinking glasses (not litres), 20,000 litres is the yearly waste from a leaking tap (not a daily figure), and 20 litres is a distracter — it does not correspond to any figure stated in the advertisement.
Q2 Inferential

What is the most likely reason the advertisement compares 30 litres of water to "150 drinking glasses"?

ATo explain how drinking glasses should be used to save water.
BTo show that Singapore households use too many drinking glasses.
CTo make the amount of wasted water feel more concrete and relatable to readers.
DTo compare the cost of water in Singapore to the cost of buying glasses.
Correct: C. Converting an abstract volume (30 litres) into a familiar, visual quantity (150 glasses) makes the scale of waste more tangible and emotionally impactful for the reader. This is a common persuasive technique in public health advertisements.
Q3 Inferential

The advertisement uses the phrase "Every drop saved today is a drop secured for tomorrow." What does this suggest about Singapore's water situation?

ASingapore currently has a shortage of drinking water.
BWater conservation now will help ensure adequate water supply in the future.
CDrinking water in Singapore will become too expensive in the future.
DSingapore imports all of its water and must save more to reduce costs.
Correct: B. The phrase implies a forward-looking concern — present conservation habits protect future supply. A and C go further than what the text states (no current shortage or price issue is mentioned). D introduces a detail (imports) not supported by the advertisement.
Q4 Evaluative · visual element

The advertisement ends with a call to action: "Take the 30-Day Water Challenge → SaveWater.sg". What is the purpose of including a website address?

ATo prove that the advertisement was created by a real organisation.
BTo show that the Singapore Water Authority has a modern digital presence.
CTo provide readers with a next step so they can take action beyond reading the advertisement.
DTo allow readers to report households that are wasting water.
Correct: C. A website address in an advertisement serves as a call-to-action bridge — it moves the reader from passive awareness to active participation. The purpose is engagement and behaviour change, which is the goal of public health campaigns. A is too narrow; B and D read too much into what the text supports.
Q5 Evaluative · overall purpose

What is the main purpose of this advertisement?

ATo inform readers about how Singapore's water supply is managed by the government.
BTo entertain readers with interesting facts about water consumption in Singapore.
CTo persuade readers to change their daily water habits and take part in a conservation challenge.
DTo warn readers that their water bills will increase if they do not save water.
Correct: C. The advertisement gives specific tips, uses emotive language ("Every drop counts"), and ends with a direct call to action — all hallmarks of a persuasive text designed to change behaviour. "Inform" (A) is secondary to persuasion here. "Entertain" (B) is incorrect. "Warn about bills" (D) is not mentioned anywhere in the text.
Text 2 — Infographic bar chart (Q6–Q10)
Most Popular After-School Activities
Survey of 400 Primary 6 students in Singapore · 2024
Boys
Girls
Sports
75%
75%
Sports
42%
42%
Reading
35%
35%
Reading
68%
68%
Gaming
82%
82%
Gaming
38%
38%
Arts/crafts
22%
22%
Arts/crafts
61%
61%
*Percentages represent proportion of each gender who regularly participate. Students could select multiple activities. Survey conducted across 8 schools.
Q6 Literal · reading the chart

According to the infographic, which activity is most popular among boys?

ASports (75%)
BGaming (82%)
CReading (35%)
DArts/crafts (22%)
Correct: B — Gaming (82%). Looking at the blue bars (boys), gaming has the highest percentage at 82%. Sports is second at 75%. This is a straightforward chart-reading question — identify the correct bar colour and find the highest value.
Q7 Inferential · comparing data

Which activity shows the greatest difference in popularity between boys and girls?

ASports (difference of 33%)
BGaming (difference of 44%)
CReading (difference of 33%)
DArts/crafts (difference of 39%)
Correct: B — Gaming (44% difference). Gaming: 82% boys − 38% girls = 44%. Sports: 75% − 42% = 33%. Arts/crafts: 61% − 22% = 39%. Reading: 68% − 35% = 33%. This question requires calculating the difference for each activity — not just reading a single bar.
Q8 Inferential · reading the footnote

The footnote states that "students could select multiple activities." Why is this important for understanding the infographic correctly?

AIt explains why the survey was conducted across 8 schools.
BIt shows that the survey was not conducted fairly.
CIt means the percentages for each gender do not need to add up to 100%.
DIt suggests that most students do not have a favourite activity.
Correct: C. If students could choose more than one activity, each student's choices would contribute to multiple bars — so the percentages across activities do not sum to 100%. Without this note, a reader might think the data was wrong. Reading footnotes carefully is an important visual text skill.
Q9 Evaluative · drawing conclusions

A student concludes: "Boys are more active than girls after school." Does the infographic fully support this conclusion? Explain your answer.

AYes — boys have higher percentages in physical activities like sports and gaming.
BYes — boys clearly prefer outdoor activities, which makes them more active.
CNot fully — the infographic only covers four activities and does not measure physical activity levels directly.
DNo — the infographic shows girls are equally active because they read more.
Correct: C. The infographic shows preferences, not activity levels, and covers only 4 activities. Gaming (a sedentary activity) is boys' most popular choice. A fair evaluation must acknowledge what the data does NOT show — and recognise that "gaming" is not "active." This is a classic evaluative question testing whether students can identify the limits of evidence.
Q10 Evaluative · purpose of infographic

Why might a school counsellor find this infographic useful?

ATo identify which activities are the most expensive for students to participate in.
BTo better understand students' interests when planning programmes or conversations about well-being.
CTo decide which activities should be banned for students who are not performing well academically.
DTo write a report proving that boys spend more time gaming than girls.
Correct: B. A school counsellor's role involves supporting student well-being and development. Understanding what students enjoy doing after school provides context for building relationships and designing relevant programmes. A, C, and D either introduce purposes not supported by the infographic or misuse the data inappropriately.