7/31/2019 MUET Writing Question 2

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NR2012

MUET Writing Question 2

Test candidates ability to:

Present a solution to a problem Discuss both sides of a problem Compare and contrast an opinion Justify an opinion by providing relevant examples.

Understanding the question

Read the question given and find out what the question requires you to do. Look for

keywords in the rubric that will alert you to what you must do.

No. Purpose What you need to do

1. Describe Give an account of something by giving details of its characteristics and

attributes.

E.g. Write an article to your school magazine entitled The Tourism

Industry in Malaysia.

2. Compare and

contrast

Examine the similarities and the differences between two things, people

or issues.

E.g. Write an essay on how your generation differs from that of your

parents generation. Compare and contrast the differences.

3. Explain Give an explanation or make something clear and easy to understand

with details and examples.

E.g. Write an article of at least 350 words for your hostel newsletter

entitled The Meaning of Common Courtesy

4. Argue for or

against

Debate about something in detail. Take a stand based on analysis of

solid evidence and explain this stand by clear reasoning. Present an

argument with the pros (supporting ideas) and the cons (opposing

ideas). Convince the reader that your argument has merit.

E.g. Should government spend money on space exploration? Give your

opinion.

5. Present cause

and effect

Explain how something happens and its impact on another, the results

and consequences of an action on another.

E.g.More and more people own cars these days. What are some of thecauses and effect of this problem?

6. Justify an

opinion

Rationalize or defend a statement or an opinion with logical reasoning

and viable examples.

E.g. Watching movies at home is preferable to watching movies at the

cinema or Cineplex. Give your opinion.

7. Discuss the

pros and

cons

Consider something thoroughly from different points of views.

Emphasis on areas of conflict or controversy.

E.g. Social networking sites such as Facebook and blogging can hinder

or promote learning. What is your opinion?

7/31/2019 MUET Writing Question 2

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NR2012

Ways to Start an Essay

How to write an introductory paragraph?

Example

Hook: Son, when I was your age, life was so different. We had no privacy within the family

unit. Life then and life now are like opposite ends of the spectrum.

Background: My father was probably right about this.

Thesis Statement: The life styles in terms of how we live as a family unit and the quality of

our lives differ so much from that of our parents generation.

A factual Statement

A wet market is a rare scene in

big towns but it is very popular

in small towns. A wet marketusually starts very early and

closes by midday

An action

Desperately, my brother and I

filled sandbags and passed

them on to my father. We wereprotecting our shop from the

rising water.

A dialogue

"Mother, I want that latestSmartphone!"

A Proverb

The saying that 'The hand that

rocks the cradle rules the

world' is surely true where

mother is concerned.

A question

If you look around these days,

do you notice that manychildren are overweight?