MUET WRITING

A GUIDEBOOK TO SIMPLIFY
THE WRITING PROCESS

PRAVINDHARAN BALAKRISHNAN

SPM2MUETWRITING.SUBSTACK.COM
 MUET WRITING: A GUIDEBOOK
TO SIMPLIFY THE WRITING PROCESS

WRITTEN BY
PRAVINDHARAN BALAKRISHNAN

FRONT COVER GENERATED BY

MUHAMMAD KHAIRUL ABIDIN BIN MAJID

SPM2MUETWRITING.SUBSTACK.COM
MUET WRITING: A GUIDEBOOK TO SIMPLIFY THE WRITING PROCESS
ISBN: 978-629-98192-1-9

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25 JULY 2023
 PREFACE
Welcome to the intriguing world of the Malaysian University English
Test (MUET)! This concise yet comprehensive 21-page guide has been
thoughtfully crafted to navigate you through the intricate landscape
of MUET Writing.

In the realm of Malaysian higher education, MUET holds a significant

position as a crucial requirement for university admission. A strong
performance in this examination not only opens doors to academic
opportunities but also prepares students for the challenges of
higher learning and beyond.

Inside these pages, you will find invaluable insights, tips, and
practice materials meticulously curated to enhance your English
language skills. Whether you are a student preparing for the test or
an educator seeking to support your students, this book aims to
empower you with the knowledge and confidence needed to excel in
your writing test.

Embrace the challenge with enthusiasm, determination, and an open

mind, for it is through the process of learning and growth that we
truly evolve. I sincerely hope this free e-book will serve as a catalyst
for your success in MUET and propel you towards a brighter future.

Remember, every step you take towards mastering the Malaysian

University English Test brings you closer to unlocking your full
potential and becoming a proficient writer.

Wishing you the best of luck, and may your endeavors in MUET lead
you to a world of endless opportunities and achievements!

Curated and written by Pravindharan Balakrishnan

For more writing material, go to

https://spm2muetwriting.substack.com/
 CONTENT

1. Overview of MUET Writing

a. Goal
b. Overview of Tasks
c. Understanding Writing Tasks
2. Task 1
a. Expressing Feelings
b. Describing Situations
c. Providing Opinions
d. Offering Suggestions
e. Closing
3. Task 2
a. Flow of Task 2
b. Identify Subject Matter
c. The different essay 'formats'
d. Writing Introduction
e. Writing Body
f. Writing Conclusion
 1.0 OVERVIEW OF MUET WRITING
1.1 Goal
Task 1: Candidates respond to an email in an organized
and authentic manner

Task 2: Candidates respond to a prompt in a critical,

logical, and mature manner

Task 1 30m
MUET 75 minutes 90m
Writing
Task 2 60m
25%

Overview of Tasks
Task 1: Task 2:
Responding to a message Developing Arguments
Lead-in
Context
Opening Introduction Stand
Thesis Statement

Expressing Argument 1/
Feelings Point 1
Topic Statement
Describing Argument 2/ Development
Example
Situations Point 2 Tie Up

Providing Argument 3/
Opinions Point 3
Restate Thesis Statement
Offering Conclusion Wrap Up Main Points
Suggestions Call for Action

Conclusion
01
 UNDERSTANDING WRITING TASKS

TASK 2:
TASK 1:
Write an essay of at least
NATURE OF TASK Write an email/letter of at least 100
250 words based on a given
words based on a given stimulus
topic

Expressing thanks, apologies,

reactions, and preferences Discuss ideas, evaluating
Accepting/ declining invitations or arguments or solutions
offers to problems
LANGUAGE Making requests Providing advice,
FUNCTIONS Giving precise information reasons, opinions, and
describing experiences, feelings, and justifications
events Giving examples and
Providing advice, reasons, opinions, supporting information
and justifications

Content - Understand and address the tasks accurately

Organization - Use of cohesive devices to organize ideas
EVALUATED
Structure - A range of simple, compund, and complex structure
Vocabulary - Precise and effective use of vocabulary

02
 2.0 TASK 1
2.1 EXPRESSING FEELINGS
2.1.1 Positive Feelings

2.1.2 Negative Feelings

2.2 DESCRIBING SITUATIONS

Generally, there are 4 types of situations:
a. physical : activity/event/occasion
b. recollection: memory/time/experience/flashback
c. presentation: show/performance
d. scene: incident/episode/scenario

2.2.1 Happy Situation

2.2.2 Exciting Situation

03
2.2.3 Boring Situation

2.2.4 Stressful Situation

2.2.5 Enlightening Situation

2.3 PROVIDING OPINIONS

04
2.4 OFFERING SUGGESTIONS

2.5 CLOSING

05
3.0 TASK 2
3.1 FLOW OF TASK 2
What route will you choose to write
identify the main subject this essay? Argumentative?
and what it is being linked to Discursive? Problem-solution?

IDENTIFY
DETERMINE
SUBJECT
'FORMAT'
MATTER

use WH-questions )WHY & HOW)

think of cause and effect
impact and effect?

BRAINSTORM WRITE
'POINTS' INTRODUCTION

WRITE
WRITE
BODY
CONCLUSION
PARAGRAPHS

06
3.2 IDENTIFY SUBJECT MATTER
Task 2 requires you to write your opinion on a certain subject matter. In many cases,
most students struggle with correctly identifying the subject matter. It is important to
realize that the subject matter is not a single word, rather it is either a phrase or an
entire sentence. Many students often mistake the instruction for the subject matter.
And in many cases, students attempt to answer the WHY and HOW based on the
prompt, completely overlooking the subject matter. This often leads to Off-Tangent
essays.

So, how do we ensure you remain on track, always identify the subject matter first. In
order to expand on this, let's identify the subject matter in the questions below.

Question 1
You attended a talk by a famous fashion designer, which was recently
organised during your school’s Career Week. The following comment was
made by the guest speaker:

Fashion defines a person’s character.

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

In this question, the subject matter is obvious - fashion defines a person’s character. So,
you are going to write HOW and WHY fashion defines a person’s character.

Question 2
'Face to face learning provides better learning environment than online
learning’

In this question, the prompt suggests that face-to-face learning is BETTER than online
learning. So, in order to answer this, first you need to make a stand. Do you agree or
disagree? If you agree, you will write HOW AND WHY FACE-FACE-TO LEARNING IS
BETTER THAN ONLINE LEARNING, if you disagree, you will be writing HOW AND WHY
ONLINE LEARNING IS BETTER THAN FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING.

07
Now, let’s look at the third question.

Question 3
You watched a documentary on the effect of the global pandemic. The
following comments were made at the end of the show. " We become
stronger when we are faced with difficult times in life" Write an essay
expressing your opinion on the statement.

The third question wants you to develop your own argument on how humans become
stronger when faced with problems. So, first, make your stand:

AGREE - HOW & WHY WE BECOME STRONGER WHEN FACED WITH DIFFICULT TIMES IN
LIFE

DISAGREE - HOW & WHY WE DO NOT BECOME STRONGER WHEN FACED WITH DIFFICULT
TIMES IN LIFE

Now, let’s look at the fourth question.

Question 4
You have watched a documentary about the growing concern of reliablility of
online information to the society. The following remarks were made in the
documentary:- "ONLINE INFORMATION IS DECEIVING AND UNRELIABLE".

In this question, the subject matter is ONLINE INFORMATION IS DECEIVING AND

UNRELIABLE. Hence, after making your stand:

AGREE - ‘HOW AND WHY ONLINE INFORMATION IS DECEIVING AND UNRELIABLE’

DISAGREE - ‘HOW AND WHY ONLINE INFORMATION IS NOT DECEIVING AND

RELIABLE’

I hope the examples above give you an insight to identify the subject matter in your
question before writing.

08
3.3 The different 'essay' formats
It is important to first understand that MUET Task 2 Writing really depends on how you
want to develop it. The question is open and it is you who decide the format that you
wish to develop your writing. Typically, there are 3 ways you can structure your essay
for MUET Task 2.

Problem-Solution
Expository/ Discursive
Argumentative

The table below gives you an overview of the ‘formats’.

Now, let's look at some questions and how you can approach it.

Question 1
“Civic-mindedness is lacking in our society today”. Do you agree with the statement?

09
Question 2
“Kindness is disappearing in society today”. Do you agree with the statement?

I hope this helps you to better understand how to tackle the writing task in Task 2. It
really depends on you to construct your arguments. You can choose which ‘format’
suits best for your writing style, and depending on the question, you should be able to
construct a meaningful piece of writing.

10
3.4 WRITING INTRODUCTION
A great introduction is essential if you want to make sure your essay is on track. In this
section, I will teach you how to write a strong introduction. Firstly, a strong introduction
has 4 elements - (1) Lead-in, (2) Context, (3) Stand, and (4) Thesis Statement. Below is a
visual summary of what I am going to teach you.

Definition

Fact

Question

Statistics
Lead-in
Contradiction

Anecdote

Quotation

Introduction
Time Period &
Location
Context
Significance

Agree

Stand Disagree

Partially Agree/
Disagree

Thesis Statement Main Points

11
To show how to write an introduction, I will use the question below to contextualize it:
The lack of appreciation for our culture has caused Malaysians to lose their identity

3.4.1 Lead In

LEAD IN
A good lead-in has 2-3 sentences that attempt to hook the
readers.
There are many ways to start a lead-in - offering statistics,
providing definitions or facts, an anecdote, or a quote.

7 STRATEGIES OF LEAD-IN

1. DEFINITION
The lack of appreciation for our culture can be defined as the lack of
awareness of our heritage. Meanwhile, losing one's true identity is
when someone is unable to associate with themselves. Putting this
together, the argument that the lack of appreciation for our culture
has caused Malaysians to lose their true identity holds some truth.

2. FACT
It has become common knowledge that Malaysians these days lack of
cultural appreciation. As a matter of fact, this has resulted in
Malaysians losing their true identity.

3. QUESTION
How does one lose their true identity? Rather, are Malaysians today
lacking appreciation of their own culture? These questions continue to
linger as Malaysians today are unaware of their own culture

4. STATISTICS
Almost two-thirds of Malaysians today are unaware of their local
celebrations and traditions. This is a worrying trend that has resulted in
the erosion of the Malaysian identity among our citizens.

12
 7 STRATEGIES OF LEAD-IN

5. CONTRADICTION
In a globalised world, one is expected to embody global values that
promote diversity and unity. However, this is not the case as
globalization has resulted in a lack of interest in one's own culture. In
the case of Malaysia, it is revealed that Malaysians today lack of
cultural appreciation which results in losing their identity.

6. ANECDOTE
Growing up in a Malaysian village, I have always encountered culture in
all aspects of my life. In fact, all of us deeply respect and appreciate
our culture as it is ingrained in our everyday routine. However, the
situation differs today, as Malaysians today lack of cultural
appreciation, resulting in losing their true identity.

7. QUOTATION
Nancy Shukri, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, recently commented
that culture is the bedrock of national development. She added that
without culture, we will not live a holistic life. This is certainly true as
Malaysians today struggle to appreciate their own culture, resulting in
losing their own identity.

3.4.2 Context

2-3 sentences that provide background information on the topic. Background

information here consists of the time period and significance of the topic. Make sure
when you write the context, focus on the subject matter. Below is an example based on
the topic:

The lack of appreciation for our culture has caused Malaysians to lose their identity

Time period Evidently, in the era of modernity and globalization, Malaysians

& Location take their local culture for granted.

It is pivotal for us to appreciate our culture because it signifies

Significance
our identity.

13
One of the biggest problems students face is how to start their background. So, here are
some key phrases to stimulate your writing.

3.4.3 Stand

Based on the prompt, you will need to make your stand. You can agree, disagree,
partially agree (2 points support, 1 point oppose), or partially disagree (2 points oppose,
1 point support)

A typical stand will look something like this:

Personally, I agree with the statement that ….
I disagree with the statement as I do not think it is accurate.
Based on the statement, I partially agree due to several reasons.
I partially disagree with the statement based on several grounds.

14
3.4.4 Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is written at the end of your introduction. Essentially, it is the last
line of your introduction. This section will focus on how to write a good thesis
statement.

Before writing a thesis statement, we must first know what it is. A thesis statement is a
roadmap of your arguments. It presents the main arguments/ main points of your essay.
And most importantly, the main arguments/ main points should be written specifically.

Now, let us look at some specific examples.

First, start with the question. Second, brainstorm your answers. Finally, develop your
answers. Below is a workflow to help you visualize:

So, a strong thesis answers a HOW or WHY question about your topic through specific
language. To help you think through this, here is a formula to help you formulate your
thesis statement.

Specific noun + verb/ adjective

declining parental role + in emphasizing cultural values

growing sense of modernization
cultural campaigns + to increase the appreciation of Malaysian culture

A good thesis statement is specific and precise. In some cases, it is difficult to write a
thesis statement in a single sentence, you can opt to parse your thesis statement in 2-3
lines. But keep it concise - don’t make it long and winded. To strengthen your thesis
statement, make sure it is coherent - supported and explained in your essay.

15
By putting these 4 elements together (Lead in, Background, Stand, Context), you will be
able to write a strong introduction! Let’s look at a finished introduction:

Almost two-thirds of Malaysians today are unaware of their local celebrations and
traditions. This is a worrying trend that has resulted in the erosion of the Malaysian
identity among our citizens. The lack of appreciation for our culture can be defined as
the lack of awareness of our heritage. Meanwhile, losing one's true identity is when
someone is unable to associate with their cultural upbringing. It is important for
Malaysians to know their roots as culture drives a society. Based on my observations,
Malaysians today do not emphasize on their cultural values. Putting this together, I
agree with the statement that the lack of appreciation for our culture has caused
Malaysians to lose their true identity. In order to support my stand, this essay first
explores the key reasons that contribute to the lack of cultural appreciation among
Malaysians, which are the declining parental role in emphasizing cultural values and a
growing sense of modernization. Then, this essay suggests cultural campaigns as a way
to increase the appreciation of Malaysian culture to ensure Malaysians do not lose their
identity.

I hope you find these strategies helpful in writing your own introductions!

16
3.5 WRITING BODY
Having a structure helps you to write better, this section suggests one method to write
your body paragraphs.

A body paragraph comprises a topic statement, elaborations, examples, and a tie-up.

Hence, the acronym TEET. The TEET framework is essential in helping you to map your
writing.

A clearer understanding of the TEET framework is as below:

TOPIC STATEMENT
You will start your body paragraph with a topic statement

A topic statement will inform the readers about the topic you will
discuss in the paragraph

ELABORATION
Provide elaborations on your main idea. Elaborations are meant to
unpack your main idea
Use WH-questions to expand your elaboration. Expand critically

EXAMPLES
Upon unpacking your ideas, now you got to prove your point, you
will need to give some solid, real-world examples
You can give a universal example, a popular example, or even draw
from your own experience

TIE UP
The most underrated element in writing - is the
tie-up. A tie-up solidifies your entire paragraph
Strengthens your arguments and package your
entire paragraph as one key argument/idea

17
However, having the framework alone is not enough, you will now need to know how to
generate ideas on what to write. The table below helps you to generate ideas for each of
the TEET elements.

3.6 WAYS TO GENERATE IDEAS CRITICALLY

It is extremely important to have mental frameworks to help you guide your writing in a
critical way.

In this section, I will introduce two ways - the first is to think in terms of time (short-
term, mid-term, and long-term) which are called time horizons and the second is to
think according to human categories (individual, society, and country).

Time Horizons

Human Categories

Country/ Global
Society/ Country
Individual/Family

18
3.6.1 Time Horizons
Firstly, one of the best ways to incorporate critical thinking in your writing is to think in
terms of short-term, mid-term, and long-term.

Let’s look at this question - Sports bring people together.

Short term
Creates a sense of community. When people come together to support a team or
athlete, they feel a sense of shared identity and belonging. This can be especially
important for people who feel isolated or marginalized.
Provides a distraction from everyday problems. Sports can provide a welcome
escape from the stresses of everyday life. For a few hours, people can forget about
their problems and focus on something they enjoy.
Promotes healthy competition. Sports can teach people the importance of fair play,
sportsmanship, and teamwork. These are all valuable skills that can be applied to
other areas of life.

Mid term
Builds relationships. Sports can provide a great opportunity to meet new people
and make friends. When people share a common interest, it can be easier to build
relationships.
Promotes physical activity. Sports are a great way to get exercise and stay healthy.
Regular physical activity has been shown to have a number of benefits for both
physical and mental health.
Encourages healthy living. Sports can teach people the importance of eating a
healthy diet and getting enough sleep. These are all important habits for a healthy
lifestyle.

Long term
Promotes peace and understanding. Sports can help to break down barriers
between people of different cultures and backgrounds. When people come together
to compete in sports, they learn to appreciate each other's differences.
Creates a sense of hope. Sports can inspire people to overcome challenges and
achieve their goals. When people see athletes achieve great things, it gives them
hope that they can achieve their own dreams.
Leaves a legacy. Sports can create a lasting legacy. When people come together to
celebrate a sporting event, it creates a sense of community and unity. This legacy
can last for generations.

By thinking in terms of short term, mid-term, and long-term, you’ll be generate main
points along with supporting details that sound critical.

19
3.6.2 Human Categories
Another way to generate ideas is to think of your points in terms of how it impacts
individuals, society, and country.

Let’s look at the same question: Sports bring people together.

Individual level
Provides a sense of identity and belonging. When people participate in sports, they
often feel a sense of pride and belonging to their team or community. This can be
especially important for people who feel isolated or marginalized.
Promotes physical and mental health. Sports are a great way to get exercise and
stay healthy. Regular physical activity has been shown to have a number of benefits
for both physical and mental health.
Teaches valuable life skills. Sports can teach people valuable life skills such as
teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. These skills can be applied to other areas of
life, such as school, work, and relationships.

Society level
Promotes peace and understanding. Sports can help to break down barriers
between people of different cultures and backgrounds. When people come together
to compete in sports, they learn to appreciate each other's differences.
Creates a sense of community. Sports can help to create a sense of community and
unity. When people come together to support a team or athlete, they feel a sense of
shared identity and belonging.
Encourages healthy living. Sports can encourage healthy living by promoting
physical activity and a healthy diet. This can lead to a reduction in obesity, heart
disease, and other chronic diseases.

Country level
Promotes national pride. When a country's team wins a major sporting event, it can
boost national pride and unity. This can be especially important in countries that
are divided by conflict or other challenges.
Provides a distraction from everyday problems. Sports can provide a welcome
escape from the stresses of everyday life. For a few hours, people can forget about
their problems and focus on something they enjoy.
Raises awareness of important issues. Sports can be used to raise awareness of
important issues such as poverty, hunger, and disease. This can help to mobilize
people to take action to address these issues.

Once again, a sense of criticality emerges when you think about your points from the
perspective of an individual, society, and country.

I hope this helps you to write in a more critical manner.

20
3.7 WRITING CONCLUSION
The purpose of the conclusion is to remind the reader of the main points by
summarizing your subtopics or restating your thesis statement.

Conclusion Structure:
1. Restatement of Thesis Statement
2. Wrap up the Main Points
3. Demonstrate the importance of your ideas

Below are some techniques to demonstrate the importance of your ideas in order to
write a memorable conclusion:

21
 MUET WRITING
A GUIDEBOOK TO SIMPLIFY
THE WRITING PROCESS
PRAVINDHARAN BALAKRISHNAN

A HIVE PUBLICATION
HIVE-EDUCATORS.ORG