The new format of the MUET Writing Paper is now in use. This is paper 4 of the MUET exam and this new format has only been first used in MUET session 1 in 2021. Let’s now jump into this blog and see what’s new.
MUET Writing Paper General Description
Let’s start with the general description of the paper. The main focus of the MUET writing paper is to test your ability to do these few things listed below.
These are such as to measure your ability to communicate your ideas in writing. This involves assessing your ability to write in English in the context of higher education. Because this is the Malaysian university English Test, this paper is therefore held to test your ability to produce a piece of writing that is suited for tertiary education.
The writing paper also tests whether you are able to transfer ideas in a formal and a less formal context. So, the questions would involve you writing an email or a letter to a friend in Task 1 and also an essay written in a formal way of your argument on certain topics for Task 2.
MUET Writing Exam Specification
Now let’s look into the exam specification of the MUET writing paper new format.
The duration of the writing paper is 75 minutes – which is one hour and 15 minutes. This new format of the writing paper has a weighting of 25% of the whole MUET exam. This weighting is the same as the other 3 papers namely the listening, speaking and reading papers. So, each skill has the same weighting of 25%.
The maximum mark for this paper is 90 marks. This is the same maximum mark for the other three papers as well. This means that all papers carry the same importance in the MUET exam.
New format Writing Test Overview
Let’s now look into the test overview. The MUET writing paper consists of two tasks which are Task 1 and task 2.
Task 1 of the new format
Let’s first of all look at Task 1. In Task 1, you will get a stimulus in a form of a letter or an email. It’s going to be one short letter or one short email as it’s going to be only about 100 words long.
The task here is for you to write a reply letter or an email. In this letter or email, you are going to be answering the questions or giving your response to the sentences found in the stimulus.
Your letter or email written for Task 1 will need to be at least 100 words long. Your response will be within the CEFR level of A2 to C1. If you’re not sure about the CEFR level indicated here then you can click on this link that will lead you to my blog. You can read more about the description of this CEFR level in this blog.
Task 2 of the new format
Task 2 is going to be an extended writing essay. The stimulus that you will get for this task is a statement that is made on an idea or a problem. A situation will be given where a person such as a guest speaker in an event will make a statement on a topic or an issue. The speaker will word this statement in such a way that it is going to invite some level of discussion.
This statement is going to be the basis of the task for you to write on in Task 2. You will be giving your personal opinion about the statement given. This essay will entirely be delivering your stand regarding this statement. Click this link here to see how to write your essay in Task 2.
The essay you will be writing one of these which could be a discursive essay, an argumentative essay or a problem-solution essay. Now don’t get too worried about all these three types of essay. This is because the main thing is for you to give your judgment on the statement given. Write this in a very convincing way stating your idea clearly and you will be fine.
However, saying that, you would still need to know how to correctly write each of these essays. In my blogs and YouTube videos I hope to clarify how to write these different essays to you.
I will have more blogs that will explain more on task 2 of the writing paper.
In this essay you would need to write at least 250 words. The CEFR level for this essay that you are writing will be between B1 an C1.
Get to know writing task 1
Again, Task 1 is for you to write a letter or an email. For this question the maximum marks you can get is 30 marks out of the total 90 marks for the whole of the writing paper.
You are advised to use only 25 minutes on this task which is not long. This is because the required number of words for you to write is about 100 words. What is best about Task 1 is that your writing will be based on the notes given. So, you will be guided on what to write.
The notes for your letter or your email will be given along with the stimulus. You must use all these notes in your writing.
Get to know writing task 2
For Task 2, the maximum marks that you can get is 60 marks. You are advised to use 50 minutes out of the 75 minutes given to write this essay.
This allocated time is considerably longer than the 25 minutes given for Task 1. It is so because you will be writing a longer essay of more than 250 words. The task is for you to write in continuous writing your response to the statement given.
So, for this question more is expected of you. You will need to show your ability to write well in English. You need to voice out your opinion in a clear and logical manner as you would be writing during your tertiary education.
MUET Writing Paper Assessment Criteria
Let’s now look at the assessment criteria for both Task 1 and Task 2. When you are writing your response for Task 1 and Task 2, you will be assessed in a few criteria which falls under these categories. The first is task fulfilment and the second is language and organisation.
Let’s look at the first criterion which is task fulfilment. Task fulfilment would simply mean whether you have fulfilled the task given. That is whether you have answered the question or not.
The second criterion is language and organisation. Here examiners will assess your language use. This includes how you organise your ideas and how you present your ideas in your writing. This will also include your use of low frequency words, how you deliver your points and how you write your elaboration.
You can read more about writing Task 2 in my other blogs. Happy reading!
