MUET Writing Question 1

MUET Writing Question 1 How to tackle question 1:

A step-by-step guide

Step 1 ·

Analyse the task given

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Study the stimulus and graphic aid. Types of stimuli are likely to be: -

Single line graph

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Double line graph

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Bar graph (single double or triple bar graph

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Pie chart

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Table

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Process

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Short pieces of task

Step 2 ·

Focus on the task given

·

Jot down on point quickly

Step 3 ·

Organize your point by numbering them in logical sequence

·

Insert linkers/connectives

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Your introduction should describe the broad/important trend (s)shown

·

Do not provide your opinion or the copy words from the stimulus.

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Writing your report/article in full. Do not ask bullet points.

Interpretation and outline

Interpretations the bar chart (see interpretation and outline for one stimuli on page 175). Interpretation the table. Compare and contrast the price of both the imported and local cars from the year 1980 to 2000

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Title

Giver title of the essay ·

Controlling idea

State the main or controlling idea ·

Trend

State the trend ·

Analysis

Provide analysis of the data provided ·

Conclusion

Summarize main findings

Sample Essay

Different modes of commuter transport in Kuala Lumpur

The graph shows the different modes of commuter transport used in Kuala Lumpur 1980, 1990, and 2000. The tread indicates the growing use of cars for commuting to work between 1980 and 2000,and the corresponding decline in the popularity of buses from being the most popular mode of transport in 1980 to the least popular in 2000 Train commuter numbers rose from just under 20% in 1980 to about 27% in 1990, but fell to about 23% in 2000 . motorcycle use has bee relatively stable , falling from around 27% of commuters in 1980, to 22% in 1990 , but climbing back to reach 25% by 2000. Car use increased steadily from just over 5% in 1980 to 23% in 1990 , reaching almost 40% by 2000 as prices of imported and local car dropped significantly . this price drop caused an increase in car ownership, and caused the popularity of buses to drop from just under 35% in 1980 to 27% in 1990 and 15% in 2000. There is a clear correlation between the growing use of cars and the decline in popularity of buses. The use of cars has had the strongest on the public transporting system .

Rose (to)

A rise

Increased (to)

An increase

Went up (to)

Growth

Climbed (to)

An upward trend

boomed

A boom (a dramatic rise) A decrease Fell(to)

A decline

Declined(to)

A fall

Decreased(to)

A drop

Dipped(to)

A slump

Dipped (to)

A reduction

Dropped (to) Went down(to) Slumped(to) Reduced(to)

Leveled out (at)

A leveling out

Did not change (at)

No change

Remained steady (at) Stayed constant (at) Maintained the same level

Fluctuated (around) Peaked (at) Stood at (we use this phrase to focus on a particular point , before we

A fluctuation reached a (of) reached at.

mention the movement , for example in the movement for year , Unemployment stood at…..)

Describing the degree of change

ADJECTIVES ADVERBS Dramatic

Dramatically

Enormous

Enormously

Steep

Steeply

Substantial

Substantially

considerable

considerably

Adjectives

Adverbs

Significant

Significantly

Moderate

Moderately

Slight

Slightly

Minimal

Minimally

Describing the speed of change

Adjectives

Adverbs

Rapid

Rapidly

Quick

Quickly

Swift

Swiftly

Sadden

Suddenly

Adverbs Adjectives Steady

Steadily

Gradual

Gradually

Slow

Slowly

Useful adjectives to compare and contrast

Positive Comparative

Superlative

Cheap

Cheaper

Cheapest

Large

Larger

Largest

Good

Better

Best

Bad

Worse

Worst

Striking

More striking

Most striking

Profitable

More profitable

Most profitable

Describing one part of the chart /graph. Starting with the adjective

The highest

The greatest

Percentage of

Men

Are employed in the executive category.

Proportion of

Cars sold

Are blue

Number of

Holiday makers

Come from Sabah

The lowest

The most significant

The smallest

The largest

Starting with the subject Car colour. Red is the professional is the Mexico is the

Most

Popular

second /third

Most prevalent Common

most More Far more Much more Many more A lot more Substantially more Considerably more Significantly more Slightly more fractionally more

least men holiday makers

Employment category Holiday destination

Are employed in the manufacturing sector Come from Mexico

Than…

Starting with the subject

As Blue cars are

quite as

Men are

just as

Kajang is

nearly as

Common

almost as

Popular

not as

As

prevalent

More Much more Far more Substantially more Considerably

Than….

more Slightly more Fractionally more less Much less Far less Considerably less Fractionally less

Guidelines

Dos · Spend about 5 minutes reading the graph (s) or chart (s) and prepare your answer. ·

Write in your own the data is about.

· Understand what the axes on the graph (s) or the percentage in the pie chart (s) represent. · Understand what the important stages of the flowchart or diagram are, and that you know order they all came in. ·

Focus on the key information or important trends.

·

Look for ways to compare data.

· Use sequence expressions such as ‘first of all’, ‘after that’, ‘at the same time’, ‘next’, ‘finally’, etc. when describing a process or flow chart. ·

Think about tenses and time, particularly when comparing data.

·

Describe and report information.

· Organize your information clearly. You will need an : (1) introduction (2)body (3) conclusion ·

Read through what you have written.

Don’ts ·

Don’t start writing immediately.

·

Do not copy the question or the instruction.

·

Don’t repeat the same words in the chart in your essay.

·

Do not include information that is not on the graph, diagram or chart.

·

Don’t give opinions.

·

Do not spend longer than 40 minutes on this task.