MUET Writing Revised Syllabus

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Paper 4: Writing (800/4)

DISCLAIMER: No part of this presentation may be reproduced or changed
in any form or by any means without prior permission in writing to the
Chief Executive, Malaysian Examination Council

2008 MUET Syllabus vs 2021 MUET Syllabus RESTRICTED

Current MUET Revised MUET Differences
For question 1 for the current
Question 1: Candidates are Task 1: MUET, candidates are
expected to write a report,
expected to interpret the given Candidates are expected to while task 1 for the revised
MUET requires candidates to
information on specific stimuli write a letter or an email in write a reply to a letter or an
email.
provided (report writing) reply to a prompt
The length of responses
Task type Question 2: Task 2: required for the revised MUET
Candidates are expected to Candidates are expected to is shorter than the current
write an essay based on the write an essay (discursive, MUET.
given topic argumentative or problem-
(Extended writing) solution)

Question 1: Task 1:
Between 150 and 200 words At least 100 words

Question 2: Task 2:
Not less than 350 words At least 250 words

Length of response For both tasks, there will be
no explicit penalties

associated with writing a
shorter or longer response.
Response will still be read in
whole and marked

accordingly.

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Type of stimulus Question 1: Task 1: RESTRICTED
Stimuli are given in the form Stimulus is given in a form
Duration of charts, graphs, and of a letter or an email, 3-4 The type of stimulus used
Weighting tables. 2-3 charts, graphs notes on the letter/email, for the current MUET and
and/or tables are given as and rubrics contextualizing the revised MUET for
well as rubrics the task. question1/Task 1 is
contextualising the task. different.
Task 2:
Question2: Textual, in the form of a few Duration for the revised
Textual, in the form of a few sentences and statements, MUET is shorter than the
sentences and statements. establishing the current MUET
communicative context, the
90 minutes idea/problem for the
candidates to respond to,
and the formal genre
expected.

75 minutes

30% 25% All the four skills carry the
same weighting for the
revised MUET.

3

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Sample Questions of the Current Syllabus

Menjana MAJLIS PEPERIKSAA4N
Pentaksiran Jitu MALAYSIA

5+ Description of Writing Aggregated Scores RESTRICTED

543 2

1

Menjana MAJLIS PEPERIKSAA5N
Pentaksiran Jitu MALAYSIA

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The Revised Writing Test

Weighting 25%
Duration
Number of texts 75 minutes
Basic criteria for text selection
2
Possible text types Textual stimulus in the form of a letter or an email and a few sentences and
Number of questions statements establishing the communicative context, and the text type
Possible question types expected.

Skills tested Email, letter, sentences and statements establishing an idea or a problem.

2

(i) Guided writing
(ii) Extended writing
As in Test Specification for Tasks 1 and 2

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Task Specification: Task 1

Type of stimulus Textual stimulus in the form of a letter or an email containing three or four notes, and rubrics
Standard rubrics contextualising the task.

Word count Each task comes with the following standards rubrics:
Vocabulary level
Reader-Writer relationship “You are advised to spend about 25 minutes on this task.”
Language functions …
“Using all the notes given write a reply of at least 100 words in an appropriate style.”

Excluding the standard rubrics, the stimulus contains between 100 to 135 words.
Each note is no longer than four words.

The words used in the stimulus do not exceed CEFR level B1

The target reader is an individual who may or may not be personally known to the writer. The
relationship between the reader and the writer can range from close or familiar (e.g.
classmates) to distant or unfamiliar (e.g. school official) to something in between (e.g. lecturer)
Each task should elicit some of the following functions: expressing thanks, apologies,
reactions, preferences; accepting/declining/rejecting invitations or offers; making requests;
giving precise information; describing experiences, feelings and events; providing advice,
reasons, opinions and justification.

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contd. Task Specification: Task 1

Time allowed 25 minutes

Presentation features The letter or email input and the notes are presented in different fonts.
The notes appear outside the borders of the letter or email.

Length of response Test takers are expected to write at least 100 words, although there are
no explicit penalties for shorter or longer responses. Responses will be
read as a whole and marked accordingly.

Text type A letter or an email
Register
The expected register can vary from informal to formal. Production
Level of response relates mostly to concrete matters.

The task may result in writing at a level between A2 and C1

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Task Specification: Task 2

Type of A textual stimulus, in the form of a few sentences and statements, establishing the
stimulus communicative context, the idea or problem for the test taker to respond to, and the formal
Standard genre expected.
rubrics
Each task comes with the following standard rubrics:
Word count
“You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this task.”
…
“Write at least 250 words.”

The stimulus contains between 40 and 80 words, excluding the standard rubrics.

Vocabulary The words used in the stimulus do not exceed CEFR level B2, although every effort is
level made to limit the amount of vocabulary at that level.

Reader-Writer The target reader is a general reader or belongs to a group of people (e.g. a committee)
relationship not personally known to the writer.

Language Each task should elicit some of the following functions: discussing ideas and evaluating
functions
arguments or solutions to problems; providing reasons, opinions and justification; giving

examples and supporting information 9

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contd. Task Specification: Task 2

Time allowed 50 minutes
Presentation features
The task may include information about the target reader, the
Length of response purpose of writing and the general context.

Test takers are expected to write at least 250 words, although there
will be no explicit penalties for shorter or longer responses.
Responses will be read as a whole and marked accordingly.

Genre Test takers are expected to write an essay (discursive,
Register argumentative, or problem-solution).
Level of response
The expected register is generally formal language. Production
should cover more abstract and conceptual matters.

The task may result in writing ranging from B1 to C1.

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A sample writing Task 1

Task 1 From: Armani Notes:
Subject: Oh I missed the English camp! Great!
You are advised to spend about 25
minutes on this task. Hi, Describe
How was the school English camp? I feel very sad that I could not join the camp. No, because…
Your classmate, Armani, was absent I heard that there were lots of fun things to do at the camp! What was your favourite
from school because he was sick. Read activity during the camp? Tell Armani
the email from him asking about the I also heard campers had to share tents. Did you like it?
school English camp which he missed. I heard too that the school is planning another camp soon and I want to join
it. Would you like to join me?
Using all the notes given, write a reply Write soon!
of at least 100 words in an appropriate Armani
style.

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A sample writing Task 2

Task 2

You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this task.

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.

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Thank you