RES LEARN · PAPER 1 · CU 2

2.4 Negligence

Negligence concerns a failure to meet a legally required standard of care that causes recoverable harm.

2.4 · Negligence

Duty of careBreachCausation

Decoded in 30 seconds

Negligence concerns a failure to meet a legally required standard of care that causes recoverable harm. Ask whether the defendant owed the claimant a duty in the circumstances.

What you will learn

Duty of care
Breach
Causation
Remoteness and damage
Negligent misstatement
Remedies

Core concepts at a glance

Concept	Explanation
Duty of care	Ask whether the defendant owed the claimant a duty in the circumstances.
Breach	Compare conduct against the applicable standard of reasonable care.
Causation	The claimant must connect the breach to the alleged loss.
Remoteness and damage	Not every loss is legally recoverable.
Negligent misstatement	Careless factual statements can raise separate questions of reliance and duty.
Remedies	Damages aim to address legally proven loss, subject to applicable limits and defences.

1. Duty of care

Ask whether the defendant owed the claimant a duty in the circumstances.

2. Breach

Compare conduct against the applicable standard of reasonable care.

3. Causation

The claimant must connect the breach to the alleged loss.

4. Remoteness and damage

Not every loss is legally recoverable.

5. Negligent misstatement

Careless factual statements can raise separate questions of reliance and duty.

6. Remedies

Damages aim to address legally proven loss, subject to applicable limits and defences.

Visual guide: Negligence analysis

A topic-specific diagram to help you connect the concepts, rather than memorise isolated keywords.

Negligence analysis: Duty — Was a duty of care owed?; Breach — Was the standard not met?; Causation — Did breach cause the loss?; Damage — Is the loss legally actionable? — Original ExamDecoded learning diagram · Unit 2.4

How to read this diagram

Duty: Was a duty of care owed?.
Breach: Was the standard not met?.
Causation: Did breach cause the loss?.
Damage: Is the loss legally actionable?.

Exam takeaway: Work through each element; a mistake alone does not establish every requirement of negligence.

Apply it to a Singapore property scenario

Scenario

A salesperson gives an unchecked factual assurance about a property and a client relies on it.

How to approach it: Identify the representation, duty, reliance and resulting loss; do not assume every inaccurate statement establishes negligence.

Common exam trap

An error automatically proves negligence.

Remember: Duty, breach, causation and damage must be examined.

Exam tip: Identify the parties, interest or legal relationship first. Then apply the relevant concept to the stated facts rather than choosing an answer based on a familiar keyword alone.

Quick revision

Duty of care: Ask whether the defendant owed the claimant a duty in the circumstances.
Breach: Compare conduct against the applicable standard of reasonable care.
Causation: The claimant must connect the breach to the alleged loss.
Remoteness and damage: Not every loss is legally recoverable.
Negligent misstatement: Careless factual statements can raise separate questions of reliance and duty.
Remedies: Damages aim to address legally proven loss, subject to applicable limits and defences.

Practice MCQs

Choose one answer per question, check your score and review the explanations.

Official resources

For current Singapore legislation and agency guidance, refer to Singapore Statutes Online, CEA. Check the requirements applicable to your examination sitting.