You know for sure that you CAN get higher marks for essay writing in MUET Task 2. However, what you would normally get is average or below average marks for it. Is there a way to improve your writing that will ensure you will get high marks for writing? Yes, sure there is.
One way for you to improve your MUET writing in task 2 is for you to write very convincing arguments on the topic given. You must relate your ideas clearly and your content points must be answering the question.
Before we go any further, let’s first of all, understand the question that you will get in task 2 of the MUET writing paper.
As you know the MUET writing paper contains two tasks for you to complete. Task 1 is for you to write a reply to an email or a letter. And in task 2 you are going to write your views in an essay based on a statement regarding a topic.
This essay must be at least 350 words long. You would need to spend not more than 50 minutes to complete the essay writing in task 2. 50 minutes is certainly not a lot of time. This is because there are a number of things that you would need to do within that 50 minutes.
Let’s understand what they are and how to do them here. This is to ensure that you can improve your MUET writing marks for task 2.
1. Read and understand the question.
For MUET writing task 2, you will get a statement based on one topic. You can find out more about MUET writing task 2 here.
The very first thing that you must do is for you to read the question first. This is very important. Read the question carefully. Try and understand the question and what is expected of you.
Misunderstanding the question will cause you your content marks.
So make sure you read and understand the question carefully.
2. Plan your essay.
The next thing after reading and understanding the question is for you to plan your essay. Many students tend to skip this part. It is very risky for you to do so.
I normally see students who immediately dive into writing without planning. These students would later have a tough time continuing their writing. These students would stop in the middle of the essay simply because they do not know what to write next. Don’t be this person. A smart candidate will plan his essay first.
Because you only have 50 minutes to complete your essay in task 2, you will not have a lot of time for planning.
I would advise you to use only five minutes for planning. Then you would have the next 45 minutes to complete your writing with elaboration.
During this five minutes, you would need to do these three things:
- Brainstorm three content points to support or disagree with the statement
- Write ideas for the elaboration of the content points
- Think of some low frequency words (LFW) for the different content points
3. Write a strong introduction
The introduction will be the first paragraph of your essay. This paragraph introduces the topic and your stand regarding the topic.
From the introduction examiners will be able to identify arguments on whether you support or disapprove of the statement made which is the main topic of the essay.
In this paragraph is where you should write the thesis statement. This is the statement which acts like a map of your essay. The thesis statement tells the examiners, the three contain points that you will be writing about in the body paragraphs.
Interestingly, this is also the paragraph where examiners would have a rough idea on whether your essay will fall in the lower band or the higher band in MUET. So naturally, your introduction must be very good.
It should be clear, concise and contains some background information about the topic. You should write your essay in such a way that the examiners would want to continue reading because they find it interesting.
4. Explain your content points clearly.
You will write your three content points in the body paragraphs. There should only be one content point with elaborations in one paragraph. Never combine two content points into one paragraph.
The body paragraphs are the central part of your essay. And they are rightfully so.
This is because they will carry the three arguments that you will make. Therefore, when writing each point, you would need to write it in such a way that it is complete and at the same time fulfils the task.
There is a correct way of writing the content paragraphs.
Spend some time watching this video where I explain to you how to write the content paragraphs the correct way.
5. Use relevant examples.
Another way for you to improve your writing in task 2 is for you to use relevant examples. These relevant examples will make the argument you are writing about become clearer.
Apart from this, the argument you are making will also become stronger. This is even more so if you are using examples that are taken from the current happenings around us.
After giving the relevant examples, you would then have to explain why you have used that example in your essay. This is to ensure that the examples you give have a direct connection with the points you’re making.
The readers will then be able to see the link the examples that you have mentioned to the point you’re making. Ultimately, doing this will give your paragraphs clarity.
6. Stay on topic
s you are writing your essay, it is easy to get carried away with your ideas. One thing you need to be careful for you not to go off topic.
Being off topic in your writing will for sure not fulfil the task. Your body paragraphs in general do not answer the question.
As a result you will get very low marks for content.
So as a teacher, I would like to advise you to do these two things as you are writing your body paragraphs. First, you must always refer back to the key phrase found in the question.
By checking the key phrase you will keep on reminding yourself of what you should be writing on.
Second is for you to actually use the key phrase found in the question, in your sentences. Use the key phrase several times in your body paragraphs. The phrases will frame your arguments so that the points you are making are always related to the topic.
7. Write clear sentences.
The sentences that you use can help improve your marks for the essay. Therefore your sentences should be clear, yet concise. Concise sentences are sentences that are short but enough to relate your message in a clear way.
Clear sentences would also include writing grammatically correct sentences. Take care of your grammar and avoid making basic grammar mistakes.
The basic grammar errors are such as wrongly using the verbs to be such as am, is, are, was and were. Other instances students tend to simply drop these verbs to be completely.
Because using these correctly is basic grammar, making mistakes here would immediately cause the examiner to think that you do not have a basic understanding of the English language. So try to avoid making basic grammar errors.
At the same time, I would like to advise you to use different types of sentences. Try using simple, complex and compound sentences in your paragraphs.
Using these types of sentences will provide more details in your writing.
8. Use transition words.
Transition words are sometimes known as sequence connectors and linking words. These are words and phrases that will connect different parts of the sentence. These words will also connect paragraphs together.
Using these transition words or sequence connectors will make your essay have a natural flow. Your essay will have coherence as the connectors will show the reader how your points relate together.
Using transition words like firstly, secondly, next etc. will add clarity to the point that you are making. Also, using furthermore, moreover, and in addition, for instance signals to the reader that there will be some added information in the next sentences.
So, using these transition words, will result in your essay becoming easy to read. Most importantly, it will show that you as a candidate have flair in the language.
9. Re-read your essay
Once you have completed your response to the question, you would then need to read your essay carefully. It is very important for you to recheck your work.
By re-reading your essay, you are checking for careless errors that you could have made. By re-reading and re-checking your essay, you would be able to identify spelling mistakes, errors in punctuation and in grammar.
This therefore would allow you to make the necessary corrections. By re-checking your work and improving and correcting some errors that you may find, can significantly increase your language marks in your essay.
So these are the steps that you can teach to help you improve your marks for MUET, writing task 2.
