Majlis

UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL SUPPORT MATERIAL FOR CONTINUOUS WRITING SECTION OF
SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119

ESSAY TYPE

THEME:

Instructions:
1. This module is divided into 6 sections: Let’s Recall, Let’s Discover, Let’s Learn, Let’s Replace,
Let’s Expand and Let’s Create.
2. You MUST attempt each section in sequence. DO NOT skip any section.
3. READ and understand all the instructions given.

English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC)
Ministry of Education Malaysia
2018

QUESTION: Describe how to maintain a healthy body.

Look at this picture. Think of any words or phrases that are related to it.
Write your words or phrases in the Circle Map below.

Image source: https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/color-poster-elements-sport-healthy-lifestyle-vector-14995230

Example: exercise, food

exercise Healthy
food Lifestyle

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Read the sample essay below.

QUESTION: Describe how to maintain a healthy body.
Maintaining a healthy body is neither easy nor difficult. There is a need to be

healthy. Here, we will give some tips on how to have a healthy life.
One of the most important tips for a healthy body is to have a healthy diet. Avoid

junk food. Your diet should contain food which has nutrients. Try to include leafy
vegetables, fresh vegetables, fruits, milk, and fish in your daily diet. Make sure you have
your breakfast every day. Skipping your breakfast regularly will definitely affect your
health. You need to drink enough water so that you will not get dehydrated. Therefore,
make sure you drink eight glasses of water daily.

Exercise also plays a vital role in keeping your body healthy. Regular exercise will
keep you fit. You can jog or cycle daily. Find some free time to exercise. It is nice to
have a medical check-up to get an idea about your health.

Apart from these, you should always try to manage your stress. Most people have
health problems due to stress. By managing your stress, you can maintain a healthy body.
Bad habits like smoking and staying up late at night should be avoided. These habits have
side effects on your health. Your body should get sufficient rest. Make sure you sleep at
least 8 hours daily. A good sleep is very important to maintain a healthy body.

The tips above can help you to have a fit and healthy body. You must be
determined to practise a healthy lifestyle to get a healthy body.

(258 words)

Adapted from Essays, UK. (November 2013). How to Keep Yourself Healthy Essay. Retrieved from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/physical-education/how-to-keep-
yourself-healthy-physical-education-essay.php?vref=1

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Table I:

Read the information in the table below. The information in the table is from the
sample essay in Let’s Discover.

A BC D E
No.
Meaning in Synonyms Phrases/ Examples of use
Words context Idiomatic
Expressions I would like to share
1. tips a piece of • suggestions with you a free bit
advice • advice • a free bit of of advice on how to
advice be healthy.

2. diet food and • selection of • on a diet I didn't eat any cake
3. nutrients drink food and because I'm on a
frequently drink • an apple a diet.
eaten day keeps
vitamins that • supplements the doctor You must have heard
are obtained • vitamins away that an apple a day
from the • mineral keeps the doctor
food we eat away; so, take some
fruits with you and
follow a healthy
diet.

4. skipping to miss out • ignoring • skip out on I should not skip out
doing • missing out • skip over on having breakfast.
something • leaving out
She always skips
over lunch to lose
weight.

5. dehydrated losing water • dried out When you are
drained, you should
from the • drained drink water
immediately.
body

6. daily every day • everyday Raha eats breakfast
• each day at seven o’clock in
the morning every
day.

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A BC D E
No.
Meaning in Synonyms Phrases/ Examples of use
Words context Idiomatic
7. vital Expressions Losing 20 kg is vital
to be healthy.
8. manage necessary • important
• essential If you think you
to be in • necessary cannot handle
charge of • handle stress, you should
• control see the counsellor
before it gets worse.

9. sufficient enough • enough Drinking eight
• ample glasses of water
• adequate every day is
• plenty of adequate to keep
you going.

10. determined to make up • persistent • determination She worked hard to
your mind • perseverant is the key to lose weight to win
success
to do the contest;

something determination is

the key to success.

Her determination
was the key to her
success in losing
weight.

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Fill in the blanks with suitable words or phrases from Column C in Table I of Let’s Learn.

QUESTION: Describe how to maintain a healthy body.
Maintaining a healthy body is neither easy nor difficult. There is a need to be

healthy. Here we will give some ______________ on how to have a healthy life.
One of the most important tips for a healthy body is to have a healthy

______________. Avoid junk food. Your diet should contain food which has
______________. Try to include leafy vegetables, fresh vegetables, fruits, milk,
and fish in your daily diet. Make sure you have your breakfast every day.
______________ your breakfast regularly will definitely affect your health. You
need to drink enough water so that you will not get ______________. Therefore,
make sure you drink eight glasses of water ______________.

Exercise also plays a ______________ role in keeping your body healthy.
Regular exercise will keep you fit. You can jog or cycle daily. Find some free time
to exercise. It is nice to have a medical check-up to get an idea about your health.

Apart from these, you should always try to ______________ your stress. Most
people have health problems due to stress. By managing your stress, you can
maintain a healthy body. Bad habits like smoking and staying up late at night
should be avoided. These habits have side effects on your health. Your body should
get ______________ rest. Make sure you sleep at least 8 hours daily. A good sleep
is very important to maintain a healthy body.

The tips above can help you to have a fit and healthy body. You must be
______________ to practise a healthy lifestyle to get a healthy body.

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Read the essay you have completed in Let’s Replace. Expand the essay in Column 2 by
answering the questions in Column 1.

Parts Column 1 Column 2

Introduction Questions/Notes Practice
for Expansion
Maintaining a healthy body is neither
1. Replace with another describing (1) ______________ nor (2) __________________
word/phrase. There is a need to be healthy. (3) ___________
Example: simple _________________________________________
Here we will give some advice to have a happy
2. Replace with another describing and healthy life.
word/phrase.
Example: complicated/hard/
complex

3. Add a sentence.
Why is it important to be
healthy?

1. Add two sentences. One of the most important tips for a
a. Give examples of junk food. healthy body is to eat a healthy selection of
food and drinks. Avoid junk food. (1a) ________
b. Why is junk food unhealthy? ________________________________________
(1b) ____________________________________
Body 1 ________________________________________
Your diet should contain food which has
supplements and vitamins. Try to include leafy
vegetables, fresh vegetables, fruits, milk, and
fish in your daily diet. Make sure you have your
breakfast every day. Ignoring your breakfast
regularly will definitely affect your health. You
need to drink ample water so that you will not
get dehydrated. Therefore, make sure you drink
eight glasses of water every day.

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Parts Column 1 Column 2

Body 2 Questions/Notes for Practice
Expansion
Exercise also plays an important role in
1. Add four sentences. keeping your body healthy. Regular exercise
a. List another two exercises. will keep you fit. You can jog or cycle daily.
b. How frequently should you (1a) ___________________________________
exercise? ________________________________________
c. How long should each (1b) ____________________________________
session be? ________________________________________
d. How many times a year Find some free time for you to exercise. (1c) __
should you go for a medical ________________________________________
check-up? ________________________________________
It is advisable to have a medical check-up to
get an idea about your health. (1d) __________
________________________________________

1. Add three sentences. Apart from these, you should always try
a. What causes stress? to reduce your stress. Most people have health
b. Suggest two ways to problems because of stress. (1a) ____________
________________________________________
manage stress. By managing your stress, you can maintain a
c. Suggest two other healthy body. (1b) ________________________
________________________________________
unhealthy habits. Bad habits such as smoking and staying up late
at night should be avoided. (1c) _____________
Body 3 ________________________________________
These habits have side effects on your health.
Your body should get sufficient rest. Make sure
you sleep at least eight hours daily. A good
sleep is very essential to maintain a healthy
body.

Conclusion 1. Add one or two sentences to The tips above can help you have a fit
conclude. and healthy body. You must be committed and
a. Add another advice to have perseverance to practise a healthy
lifestyle to get a healthy body. (1a) __________
conclude ________________________________________
(1b) ____________________________________
b. Add an idiom to conclude. ________________________________________

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Now you are ready to write another essay. Do your best!

Instructions: Write a composition of about 350 words on the following topic. You are advised
to spend about one hour to complete this task.

Describe how healthy habits are important in our life. You should write about the healthy
habits and explain why they are important.

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