Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School 2024 Pure Chemistry Paper 2
- Yao Le Chen
- Aug 3
- 2 min read
This is the short summary of the Prelim Paper Review I've done for
My 3 matrices:
Relevance: 4/10
Insightfulness: 7/10
Difficulty: 8.5/10
Overall: 5/10
Expectation: 60%
Questions worth trying in the paper:
Question 2 - Atomic Strucure, Redox
Question 3 - Energetics, Rate of Reaction, Chemical Bonding
Question 8 - Data Based, Organic Chemistry
Short writeup:
The 2024 PLMGS Pure Chemistry Paper: A Test Meant for the Best, Not the Rest
The 2024 Pure Chemistry paper from Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School is, without doubt, one of the most polarising O-Level prelim papers we’ve seen. At first glance, it welcomes students with fair and interesting questions. But as you move past the halfway mark, the paper begins to shift into unfamiliar territory—grey areas that border on A-Level standards, specifically H3 Chemistry, a subject reserved only for top-performing JC students.
A standout moment comes in Question 8, the classic data-based question. While students are no strangers to long passages filled with scientific jargon, this particular question dives into IR spectroscopy—something not even taught in H2 Chemistry prelims, let alone the O-Level syllabus. Yes, a clever student might be able to piece together enough to attempt a decent answer. But the difficulty isn’t just in the content. It's in the intimidation. The kind of mental freeze that sets in when you realise you’re being tested on something no textbook prepared you for.
And this wasn’t a one-off. Scattered throughout the paper were questions that nudged students towards extrapolating A-Level concepts based on O-Level fundamentals. While O-Level Pure Chemistry has, in recent years, embraced more application-heavy questions, this paper feels like it tips the scale a little too far. It tests boundaries rather than consolidating understanding, often favouring students who have been exposed to higher-level thinking, whether in school or via strong mentorship.
That said, it would be wrong to dismiss this paper entirely. It does carry valuable insights, especially for students aiming for distinction. But for the average student, the insights may not just be inaccessible—they may also be easily forgotten without the right guidance.
This paper doesn't reward effort alone—it rewards preparation at a very high level. It’s best attempted only after working through other challenging prelim papers and solidifying your conceptual fundamentals. And for those truly looking to gain from the depth of this paper, having a mentor makes all the difference. Not just to explain the answers, but to spotlight the real learning moments hidden in every curveball.
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