MUET Writing Question 1

How to tackle question 1:

A step-by-step guide

Step 1

          ·         Analyse  the task given

          ·         Study the stimulus and graphic aid. Types of stimuli are likely to be:

                  -          Single line graph

-          Double line graph

-          Bar graph (single double or triple bar graph

-          Pie chart

-          Table

-          Process

-          Short pieces of  task

Step 2

           ·         Focus on the task given

           ·         Jot down on point quickly

Step 3

            ·         Organize your point by numbering  them in logical sequence

            ·         Insert linkers/connectives

            ·         Your introduction should describe the broad/important trend (s)shown

            ·         Do not provide your opinion or the copy words from the stimulus.

            ·         Writing your report/article in full. Do not ask bullet points.

Interpretation and outline

Interpretations the bar chart (see interpretation and outline for one stimuli on page 175).

Interpretation the table. Compare and contrast the price of  both  the imported and local cars from the year  1980 to 2000

·         Title

Giver title of the essay

·         Controlling idea

State the main or controlling idea

·         Trend

State the trend

·         Analysis

Provide analysis of the data provided

·         Conclusion

Summarize main findings

Sample Essay

Different modes of commuter transport in Kuala Lumpur

The graph shows the different modes of commuter transport used in Kuala Lumpur 1980, 1990, and 2000.

            The tread indicates the  growing use of  cars  for commuting  to work between 1980 and  2000,and  the corresponding  decline in the popularity  of  buses from  being the most  popular  mode  of  transport  in  1980  to the least  popular  in  2000

            Train  commuter  numbers  rose  from just  under  20%  in  1980  to  about  27%  in 1990, but fell to  about  23%  in 2000 . motorcycle  use  has  bee relatively stable , falling from  around  27%  of  commuters  in  1980, to  22%  in  1990 , but  climbing back  to reach  25%  by 2000.  Car  use increased  steadily from  just  over  5%  in  1980  to  23%  in  1990 , reaching almost  40%  by  2000  as  prices of  imported  and  local  car  dropped  significantly . this  price drop caused  an  increase  in car  ownership, and  caused  the  popularity  of  buses  to  drop from  just  under  35%  in  1980 to  27%  in  1990 and  15%  in 2000.

            There is a  clear correlation  between  the  growing  use  of  cars  and  the  decline in popularity of  buses.  The use  of  cars  has  had  the  strongest  on  the  public  transporting  system .

	Rose (to) Increased  (to) Went up (to) Climbed (to) boomed	A rise An  increase Growth An upward trend A boom  (a dramatic rise)
	Fell(to)                 Declined(to) Decreased(to) Dipped(to) Dipped (to) Dropped (to) Went down(to) Slumped(to) Reduced(to)	A decrease A decline A  fall A drop A slump A reduction
	Leveled out  (at) Did not change (at) Remained steady  (at) Stayed constant  (at) Maintained the same  level	A leveling out No change
	Fluctuated (around) Peaked (at) Stood  at  (we use this phrase to focus on  a  particular  point , before  we mention  the  movement , for  example in  the movement  for  year  , Unemployment stood at…..)	A fluctuation reached a (of) reached at.

   

Describing the degree of change

ADJECTIVES	ADVERBS
Dramatic	Dramatically
Enormous	Enormously
Steep	Steeply
Substantial	Substantially
considerable	considerably

Adjectives	Adverbs
Significant	Significantly
Moderate	Moderately
Slight	Slightly
Minimal	Minimally

Describing the speed of change

Adjectives	Adverbs
Rapid	Rapidly
Quick	Quickly
Swift	Swiftly
Sadden	Suddenly

Adjectives	Adverbs
Steady	Steadily
Gradual	Gradually
Slow	Slowly

Useful adjectives to compare and contrast

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Cheap	Cheaper	Cheapest
Large	Larger	Largest
Good	Better	Best
Bad	Worse	Worst
Striking	More striking	Most striking
Profitable	More profitable	Most profitable

Describing one part of the chart /graph.

Starting with the adjective

The highest The greatest The lowest The most significant The smallest The largest

Percentage of Proportion of Number of

Men Cars sold Holiday makers

Are employed in the executive category. Are blue Come from Sabah

Starting with the subject

Red is the professional is the Mexico is the More Far more Much more Many more A lot more Substantially more Considerably more Significantly more Slightly more fractionally more

Most second /third most least  men holiday makers

Popular Most prevalent Common Are employed in the manufacturing sector Come from Mexico

Car colour. Employment category Holiday destination Than…

Starting with the subject

Blue cars are Men are Kajang is	As quite as just as nearly as almost as not as	Common  Popular prevalent	As
	More Much more Far more Substantially more Considerably more Slightly more Fractionally more less Much less Far less Considerably less Fractionally less		Than….

Guidelines

Dos

·         Spend about 5 minutes reading the graph (s) or chart (s) and prepare your  answer.

·         Write in your own the data is about.

·    Understand what the axes on the graph (s) or the percentage in the pie chart (s) represent.

·      Understand what the important stages of the flowchart or diagram are, and that you know order they all came in.

·         Focus on the key information or important trends.

·         Look for ways to compare data.

·     Use sequence expressions such as ‘first of all’, ‘after that’, ‘at the same time’, ‘next’, ‘finally’, etc. when describing a process or flow chart.

·         Think about tenses and time, particularly when comparing data.

·         Describe and report information.

·   Organize your information clearly. You will need an : (1) introduction (2)body (3) conclusion

·         Read through what you have written.

Don’ts

            ·         Don’t start writing immediately.

            ·         Do not copy the question or the instruction.

            ·         Don’t repeat the same words in the chart in your essay.

            ·         Do not include information that is not on the graph, diagram or chart.

            ·         Don’t give opinions.

            ·         Do not spend longer than 40 minutes on this task.

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