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Write your comments about the individual presentation of this candidate.

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Based on this Band 5 candidate's individual presentation, write your comments.

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Write down the tips that you managed to collect from their sharings.

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MUET BAND 6 ACHIEVERS (Kolej Matrikulasi Labuan) | INTERVIEW | ENGLISH LANGUAGE UNIT, KML

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An essay about leisure time and academic pressure

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Look at the question and problem and solution essay and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

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April 15th                                          

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April 15th                                          

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"Nothing is free"

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April 15th                               5 minutes of thought:

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April 15th                               5 minutes of thought:

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Watch this motivational video by Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, and jot down all the keys to success that you may collect from his speech.

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Jack Ma Motivational Video | Believe In Your Dreams | Inspirational Speech | Startup Stories

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Anaphoric Reference

When we speak or write, we refer back to something that has already been mentioned or make a connection with it.

The word in a text that refers back to other ideas in the text for its meaning is called anaphoric reference.

I went out with Jo on Sunday. She looked awful. (' She' clearly refers to 'Jo', there is no need to repeat her name.)

Cataphoric reference means that a word in a text refers to another later in the text and you need to look forward to understand.

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Anaphoric Reference When we speak or write, we refer back to something that has already been mentioned or make a connection with it. The word in a text that refers back to other ideas in the text for its meaning is called anaphoric reference. I went out with Jo on Sunday.

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How to Write an Effective Essay: The Introduction

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Vague expressions - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionary

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Vague expressions - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

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Menu

Preparing an outline

You are ready to write an essay after you have done these steps:

Identified all the components that you must cover so that you address the essay question or prompt

Conducted your initial research and decided on your tentative position and line of argument

Created a preliminary outline for your essay that presents the information logically.

Most essays follow a similar structure, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, as shown in the diagram below.

Click on the plus icons for more information.

Note

There is no set requirement for the number of paragraphs in an essay. The important point is that the argument is logically developed through a series of well-structured paragraphs.

Writing an introduction

The purpose of the introduction is to give your reader a clear idea of what your essay will cover. It should provide some background information on the specific problem or issue you are addressing, and should clearly outline your answer. Depending on your faculty or school, 'your answer' may be referred to as your position, contention, thesis or main argument. Whatever term is used, this is essentially your response to the essay question, which is based on the research that you have undertaken or the readings you have analysed.

An essay is not like a mystery novel which keeps the reader in suspense; it should not slowly reveal the argument to the reader. Instead, the contention and supporting arguments are usually stated in the introduction.

When writing an introduction, you should typically use a general to specific structure. This means that you introduce the particular problem or topic the essay will address in a general sense to provide the context before you narrow down to your particular position and line of argument.

Key elements of an introduction

Click on each of the elements to reveal more.

Sample introduction

[1]Business leadership has been described as the 'ability to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute to the effectiveness and success of the organisations of which they are members' (House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman & Gupta, 2004, p. 63). Whether this ability is something a person is born with, or whether it is something that a person can learn, has been the subject of considerable debate. Kambil (2010) has outlined two categories of leadership attributes that help to frame the discussion: 'traits' (mostly innate) and 'skills' which can be developed through experience or training. [2] This essay will draw on the trait theory of leadership to argue that that leaders are first born, but then must be made. [3] While good business leaders share certain traits that are essential to success, including 'curiosity, courage, perseverance, personal ethics and confidence' (Kambil, 2010, p.43), they also need learnable skills, such as communication, negotiation and conflict resolution, that are only developed through practice. A potential leader should develop their natural traits as well as learn and practise skills which will help them to persuade, equip and inspire others to realise their vision.

Legend: [1] Background / Context ; [2] Position / Contention ; [3] Structure or main point of essay

Writing a body paragraph

The body of the essay is where you fully develop your argument. Each body paragraph should contain one key idea or claim, which is supported by relevant examples and evidence from the body of scholarly work on your topic (i.e. academic books and journal articles).

Together, the body paragraphs form the building blocks of your argument.

How do I structure paragraphs?

The TEECL structure provides an effective way of organising a paragraph. TEECL stands for Topic sentence, Explanation, Evidence, Comment, and Link. You may find it helpful to add C for Comment before Link. A paragraph structured this way would contain the following:

Topic sentence - the first sentence in a body paragraph that tells the reader what the main idea or claim of the paragraph will be.

Explanation - Explain what you mean in greater detail.

Evidence - Provide evidence to support your idea or claim. To do this, refer to your research. This may include: case studies, statistics, documentary evidence, academic books or journal articles. Remember that all evidence will require appropriate citation.

Comment - Consider the strengths and limitations of the evidence and examples that you have presented. Explain how your evidence supports your claim (i.e. how does it 'prove' your topic sentence?).

Link - Summarise the main idea of the paragraph, and make clear how this paragraph supports your overall argument.

Sample paragraph

[1] One of the main obstacles to reaching international consensus on climate change action is the ongoing debate over which countries should shoulder the burden. [2] Because the developed world has historically been responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions, it has been argued that they should reduce emissions and allow developed nations to prioritise development over environmental concerns (Vinuales, 2011). [3] The notion of 'common but differentiated responsibility' (CBDR) was formalised in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (UNFCCC, 1992). Article 3.1 explicitly states 'Accordingly, the developed country Parties should take the lead in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof' (p. 4). [4] However, because CBDR outlines a principle and not an actionable plan it has remained problematic. For example, it does not stipulate the extent to which, under the principle of CBDR, developing nations should be exempt from specific emissions targets. This has continued to be a point of contention in global negotiations on climate change, with developed countries such as the USA arguing that developed nations should do more to reduce emissions (Klein et. al., 2017). [5] Fairness and equity need to be pursued in reaching a global agreement on climate change, but transforming this into an actionable strategy is problematic.

Legend: [1] Topic sentence [2] Explanation [3] Evidence / Example [4] Comment [5] Link

The function of a conclusion is to draw together the main ideas discussed in the body of the essay. However, a good conclusion does more than that.

You may choose to also:

reflect on the broader significance of the topic

discuss why it is difficult to arrive at a definitive answer to the question posed

raise other questions that could be considered in a subsequent essay

make a prediction or a caution or a recommendation about what will happen to the phenomenon under investigation

When writing a conclusion, a specific to general structure is usually recommended. Yes, this is opposite to the introduction! Begin by re-stating or re-emphasising your position on the topic, then summarise your line of argument and key points. Finish off by commenting on the significance of the issue, making a prediction about the future of the issue, or a recommendation to deal with the problem at hand.

Sample conclusion

[1] No single theory can adequately explain the relationship between age and crime, and the debate over their correlation is ongoing. Instead, each theory provides valuable insight into a particular dimension of age and crime. [2] The emergence of the criminal propensity versus criminal career debate in the 1980s demonstrated the importance of both arguments. It is now believed that the age-crime curve created by Gottfredson and Hirschi is a good basic indicator for the age-crime relationship. However, the criminal career position has stood up to stringent empirical testing, and has formed an integral part of developmental theories such as Thornberry's interactional theory. [3] These theories provide important insight into the complex relationship between age and crime, but, more than this, are useful for developing strategies for delinquency and crime prevention.

Legend: [1] Specific contention ; [2] Specific summary of main points ; [3] Broader and general significance

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Menu You are ready to write an essay after you have done these steps: Identified all the components that you must cover so that you address the essay question or prompt Conducted your initial research and decided on your tentative position and line of argument Created a preliminary outline for your essay that presents the information logically.

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21/10/2020: SPEAKING- VIDEO REVIEW.                                            Hi, hope everyone is safe and healthy! This is something for you to do for the MCO-task that needs to be submitted via Telegram (as I don't think I can manage to conduct any virtual classes while having my babies all around aha!). Submit by next Tuesday. Till then, God bless! 

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21/10/2020: SPEAKING- VIDEO REVIEW.                                            Hi, hope everyone is safe and healthy! This is something for you to do for the MCO-task that needs to be submitted via Telegram (as I don't think I can manage to conduct any virtual classes while having my babies all around aha!). Submit by next Tuesday. Till then, God bless! 

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SPEAKING (VIDEO REVIEW)
Watch this video on Covid-19, and give your review for about three minutes. Your review can be anything regarding this topic of Covid-19. Send your audio file to me via telegram.

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Join an activity with your class and find or create your own quizzes and flashcards.

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Please do Model Test 1 from page 251 to 262 from the MUET Ace Ahead text book. Write the answers on an A4 paper so that u can submit as proof.
#StaySafe
#MissU

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Journal writing: Oct 12th. Write about someone/ something you find special. 

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Journal writing: Oct 12th. Write about someone/ something you find special. 

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Westlife - Flying Without Wings (Official Video)

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In Summary

Connect ideas, sentences and paragraphs using a variety of cohesive devices:

logical bridges (parallel construction)

carry the same idea of a topic over from sentence to sentence, i.e. successive sentences are constructed in parallel form

e.g. In the first stage, an idea can be generated by using a mind-map and some discussion. In the next stage, a clear plan of action can be produced in the form of a list.
verbal bridges (back referencing/linking words)

key words/phrases might be repeated in a number of sentences, or synonyms utilised instead to avoid exact repetition.

e.g. There are three stages to the pre-writing process: one to effect the generation of ideas, another to facilitate an action plan, and the third to research the information to be included in your text. In the first stage, an idea can be generated by using a mind-map and some discussion.
words/phrases to link ideas between sentences for smooth transition
e.g. writing is a process, which can take a long time and involve many obstacles. However, when you are finished, you'll see that it was worth the effort.

Coherence and cohesion are essential for aiding readability and idea communication. Coherence is about the unity of the ideas and cohesion the unity of structural elements. One way to do this is through the use of cohesive devices: logical bridges (repetition), verbal bridges (synonyms), linking words, and clear back referencing. If these types of devices are missing in the text, it not only becomes more difficult to read the text, but also to understand its contents since the reader must guess how the various parts of the paragraph or text are connected, which will involve re-reading sentences or larger sections more than once.

With logical bridges, the same idea of a topic is carried over (repeated) from sentence to sentence, and successive sentences can be constructed in parallel form. With verbal bridges, key words or synonymous words can be repeated, pronouns can replace nouns and transition words (as shown below) can be used. In the paragraph below, words and phrases that serve to increase the coherence of the paragraph are highlight and underlined. As this sample paragraph indicates, coherence and cohesion in a paragraph is established by combining more than one device.

There are three components to a typical modern catalytic converter: one to effect the reduction of nitrogen oxides, another to facilitate the oxidation of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, and the third to maintain the correct abundance of oxygen. In the first stage the nitrogen oxides are reduced using a platinum catalyst, which facilitates their decomposition into nitrogen and oxygen. In the next stage the carbon fragments are oxidized over a platinum/rhodium catalyst. Finally, the correct amount of oxygen is ensured by monitoring the amount of oxygen passing into the engine, and by incorporating into the catalyst a metal oxide that absorbs oxygen (by reacting with it to form a higher oxide) when the fuel mixture has too much oxygen and reverts to the lower oxide, releasing oxygen, when the mixture has too little (Atkins. P.W, 1991)

The topic sentence introduces the three stages which are then explained in more detail.

Verbal bridge: The second sentence includes a key word "reduced", linking the idea to the previous sentence though in a different form from earlier ("reduction"). A similar repetition occurs in the third sentence.

Logical bridge: The processes of the first two stages are described in parallel form.

The final sentence sums up this process, clearly signalled by "finally".

A more direct way of emphasizing the inherent logic of a paragraph is through the use of linking words and phrases which mark transitions within and between sentences. The table below gives a sample of such linking words and groups them based on the connection they illustrate/indicate.

Back referencing is another effective device for creating coherence, but this device must be used carefully because it can cause confusion rather than create clarity. Consider whether or not the use of back referencing is clear in the following example.

It is perfectly acceptable to use back referencing, just be sure to make it clear. One way to do this, as exemplified in the remarks above, is to add a summary word to the back reference (e.g. this situation, where situation is the summary word). Using a summary word specifies the back reference, often making it much clearer.

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In Summary Connect ideas, sentences and paragraphs using a variety of cohesive devices: logical bridges (parallel construction) carry the same idea of a topic over from sentence to sentence, i.e. successive sentences are constructed in parallel form e.g. In the first stage, an idea can be generated by using a mind-map and some discussion.

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Today, many students still believe that it is better to study abroad than at a local university.  

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Today, many students still believe that it is better to study abroad than at a local university.  

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Write an essay expressing your opinion on the statement. Write at least 250 words.

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"Today, many students still believe that it is better to study abroad than at a local university." Write an essay expressing your opinion on the statement. (Page 237, Task 2, Practice 1). Please write your introduction in the comments area below:

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How to write a good essay: Paraphrasing the question

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When you believe (Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston) - lyrics

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Ed Sheeran - Photograph (Official Music Video)

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Good reading materials with the CEFR levels can be found on this website. 

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Good reading materials with the CEFR levels can be found on this website. 

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Practise and improve your reading skills for your school studies and your English exams. There are activities for different levels, so find your level and make a start.

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(DISCLAIMER: I do not represent MPM, all opinions are my personal commentary and are not influenced by any person specifically, I have included documents from MPM's official new test specs and official sample questions available from their own website (links given below) and have taken screenshots/pics and uploaded here because most teachers from rural areas have approached me and told me that they find it hard to download or access info online due to various existing issues including lack of accessibility to highspeed data. All my thoughts and notes here are meant to help both teachers and students so they may face the MUET examination both current and future to their best potential. Kindly save me a good word, or none at all if you have nothing sweet to offer. Have a pleasant day!)

Ah... and now we have reached the core of my distress. Ok, I'm just being overly melodramatic. Right, so I am actually in favour with the change as I have come to detest the report question over the years as honestly, it has morphed into some kind of monstrosity that was crippling both the weak ones as well as the good ones. Basically, over the years, to make marking more standardised and streamlined for every marker, rigid marking schemes were introduced which shaped the format of the report. The concept of successful and attempted analysis or synthesis became extra technical and even the most proficient B6 student would not achieve B6 if he or she was unaware of the format outlined by the team of examiners every test. Right... so out it goes and rightfully so. However, I was initially aghast with the introduction of such an elementary question compared to the current one in the form of answering a letter or an email, WITH notes on how to answer on the right hand side, which was indeed a nosedive in terms of quality and 'academic-ness' if there is such a term. I now accept that the Cambridge committee was right in throwing it out because it was pitched too high (C1) when actually the first task should be at an entrance level which would allow the lower bands to be able to respond appropriately rather then scare them off at first glance. I still feel that the content in the sample was overly simplistic and does not suit the content of entering tertiary education (English Camp? Living in a tent? Hmmmm.. questionable!)

FYI: Documents can be downloaded here.

The New Test Specs : http://portal.mpm.edu.my/documents/10156/3fd4da51-7768-4be2-ace5-5021ed73d9ad

The Sample Questions: http://portal.mpm.edu.my/documents/10156/8fbcb4bc-8f7a-4670-8b3a-f47781839974

Overall the paper has been reduced to 25% and time reduced to 75 minutes.

Task 1: Guided Writing
The task it itself looks rather easy and what makes it a little different from your conventional essay is that there are notes to be followed on the side which will determine how you should respond to the info. The language in the question itself must not exceed the B1 level. The presenter said that the task is pitched at a specific level but the response of the candidate to the task will determine the proficiency level of the student. I do agree that if the task is pitched too high, it will not be able to gauge the level of the lower bands accurately because they would not be able to respond to the question not because they don't know the language, but because they don't understand the question (as in the case of the current mutated Report Question with the rigid secret format/answering formula). Apparently in the new test, there will be no exact and specific format because the focus is more on the writing content as opposed to a rigid adherence to specific formats. Students are just required to respond to what is required, and do avoid prescribing templates so do be very careful of this. The running advice is to teach them informal writing where apt or switch to a more formal piece, conversational if necessary, definitely descriptive writing including the use of adjectives and a sound command of grammar with a flair for fluency. Easier said than done.

One of the issues already highlighted is that the instructions on the right hand side is not entirely consistent as some notes are the language required itself (Great! Yes,../No,..) but some were language functions (Describe./ Tell him/her!) Apparently, MPM has taken note of this and will further tweak future questions to be more consistent. It should be at least 100 words, and as mentioned, there will be no penalty for writing more if we are to take this phrase at face value. No news on marking scheme, so we will have to wait n see what will be revealed about marking in future.

Task 2: Extended Writing
2nd task is at least 250 words long and revolves around a commentary based on the featured statement. Safe to highlight that conventional academic essays with thesis statements, topic sentences, elaboration, exemplification and effective conclusions will help the students score better. I am going to assume that writing more is not an issue so some of my worksheets for this can still be salvaged, I presume but don't take my word on this.
The question is set at B2, so that it is not pitched too high but again the students' response can surpass this and easily go into the C1 or C2 range.
At this point, we are still unclear about the marking scheme, so we do not know how the marking criteria will be developed. If you are familiar with the PT3 writing marking scheme, we can sort of expect the same but again, I am not at liberty to draw far-fetched conclusions for fear of misleading readers. Anyway, we shall sit pretty and play the waiting game with utmost patience.

In future, I will endeavour to write sample responses to the writing tasks as we have been advised that the samples shown to us by MPM should not be reproduced and distributed. (Read: which is a shame because the whole idea is to share the knowledge and cascade it down to all teachers who are the frontliners so that at the end of the day the stakeholders stand to benefit in one way or another).

Bah, happy teaching!

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(DISCLAIMER: I do not represent MPM, all opinions are my personal commentary and are not influenced by any person specifically, I have included documents from MPM's official new test specs and official sample questions available from their own website (links given below) and have taken screenshots/pics and uploaded here because most teachers from rural areas have approached me and told me that they find it hard to download or access info online due to various existing issues including lack of accessibility to highspeed data.

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Jonah Mowry  'Whats goin on" Subtitulado en español

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The greatest glory in living lies in not never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

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Let's analyse the song today and find all the grammar items used.

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Westlife - Seasons In The Sun (Official Video)

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The MUET speaking test is one of the four areas which will be tested apart from reading, writing and listening. This test evaluates the student's fluency as well as their level of command in the English language.

Exam paper code: 800/2
Exam duration: 30 minutes
Total weightage: 15%

Unlike the other exams, the MUET speaking test is the only one which will require you to interact with three other students. It is aimed at testing your ability to:

Effectively convey your message and opinion across to others

Think critically

Keep a conversation going

Use the English language in a fluent and confident manner

During the test, all four students will be given the same scenario but each of you is given different questions. There are two parts to the speaking test - Task A and Task B.

Check out universities and colleges in Malaysia that accept MUET.

Below is a sample question obtained from the website I Like English, to help you practice your speaking skills.

Sample question:

A person's character is often influenced by other people around him/her. Who has the greatest influence on a person's character? Discuss which of the following has the greatest influence on a person's character:

Candidate A: Parents
Candidate B: Teachers
Candidate C: Friends
Candidate D: Famous Personalities

Given the situation, you now have:

· 2 minutes to prepare your responses

· 2 minutes to present

Tips:

· Study the scenario or topic given carefully

· Double check which candidate you are (A, B, C, D) to make sure you don't prepare another candidate's speech

· Make sure you don't run out of topics

· Prepare 2 to 3 points to present on

· You MUST agree with the point that is given to you (you can disagree or favour another point in Task B)

· Make full use of the 2 minutes that you have. Don't go less than 1 minute 45 seconds / more than 2 minutes.

· If you don't have as many points to speak about, talk slower.

· Don't relax after your turn! Keep an attentive ear to what the other candidates are talking about.

· Write down the other students' answers as they present their 2-minute speech (to prepare yourself for Task B)

Sample answer: Candidate A

Hi, a very good morning to the examiners and my fellow friends. As we are talking about how a person's character can be influenced by another person, the persons whom I think have the most influence in a person's life are - parents. There are three reasons why I think so.

Firstly, parents are the people whom know us since birth. We become like the person whom we spend the most time with. Parents are the people whom we see every day from the moment we are born, till the day we are adults. Hence, very naturally, they become the people whom we look up to and start imitating the way they talk, act, and even think.

My second reason is because parents are the first educators to their child before anybody else. Table manners and basic etiquettes are taught at home, by the parents. This gives an influence so vast that we ourselves fail to recognize it sometimes.

Thirdly, parents are the ones who impart values into our lives. Values are assets which we hold on to for the rest of our lives - and this is the greatest influence of all. Values are what we make our decisions upon, and it is what shapes our character.

In conclusion, I think that though there may be many others who can influence a person's character - ultimately, parents are the greatest influencers of all. With that, I conclude my speech. Thank you very much.

​

Task B - Group discussion

You are given:

· 2 minutes to prepare your points to either support or oppose the other candidates' views

· Decide on which of the 4 points you think is the best (Note: it is perfectly fine to agree with another candidate's points just as long as you explain "why" and "how it is the best point")

Example: "I think that parents play a big part in influencing their child's character, but after listening to Candidate D I would have to agree that famous personalities have more influence in a person's character. The reason is because (add on one point to Candidate D's answers)."

· The entire group is given 10 minutes for this discussion

Tips:

· NEVER keep silent

· It is a plus point when you initiate the discussion. (Example: "To kick start the discussion, after listening to all of the other candidates' answers I still stand by my own point that parents can influence a person's character the most.")

· Ask other candidates questions to keep the discussion alive (Example: "How about you, Candidate B? What do you think?" "What do you mean by that, Candidate C? Could you elaborate more on that point?")

· If you want to interrupt when someone is speaking, do it politely. (Example: "I'm sorry, may I interrupt?")

Overall tips:

· Speak loudly and clearly so that the examiners can hear you.

· Don't be so nervous that you can't speak properly. Take a deep breath, and speak slowly and clearly.

· Make eye contact with the examiners and the other candidates - especially during Task B as it is a group discussion.

· Use good language. Good choice of words and sentence structure are plus points.

· Don't be rude. Always say "excuse me" when you wish to interrupt, and "thank you" after giving your speech in Task A.
Check out other useful tips for MUET using the interactive image below:
Don't forget to download your free prospectus. It's everything you need to know from choosing a course to finance.

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The MUET speaking test is one of the four areas which will be tested apart from reading, writing and listening. This test evaluates the student's fluency as well as their level of command in the English language.

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Discourse markers ( so, right, okay ) - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionary

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Discourse markers ( so, right, okay ) - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary