[MUET] NOV 2008 MUET

Due to the limited resources..i'm not able to confirm it..it is advisable to use it as reference only..until you hav assurance form ur tcher..

Band Score for MUET

Band 6 – Very good user (Aggregated Score: 260 – 300)
Very good command of the language. Highly expressive, fluent, accurate and appropriate language: hardly any inaccuracies. Very good understanding of language and contexts. Functions extremely well in the language.

Band 5 – Good user (Aggregated Score: 220 – 259)
Good command of the language. Expressive, fluent, accurate and appropriate language but with minor inaccuracies. Good understanding of language and contexts. Functions well in the language.

Band 4 – Competent user (Aggregated Score: 180 – 219)
Satisfactory command of the language. Satisfactory expressive and fluent, appropriate language but with occasional inaccuracies. Satisfactory understanding of language and contexts. Functions satisfactorily in the language.

Band 3 – Modest user (Aggregated Score: 140 – 179)
Modest command of the language. Modestly expressive and fluent, appropriate language but with noticeable inaccuracies. Modest understanding of language and contexts. Able to function modestly in the language.

Band 2 – Limited user (Aggregated Score: 100 – 139)
Limited command of the language. Lacks expressiveness, fluency and appropriacy: inaccurate use of the language resulting in breakdown in communication. Limited understanding of language and contexts. Limited ability to function in the language.

Band 1 – Extremely limited user (Below 100)
Poor command of the language. Unable to use language to express ideas: inaccurate use of the language resulting in frequent breakdowns in communication. Little or poor understanding of language and contexts. Hardly able to function in the language.

You also need to add what has been added in new format too,I think the report writing will replace the summary writing.

How to Get Band 6 in MUET


This article on Malaysian University English Test (MUET) preparation, tips and experience was written by Michelle Tam, one of the 176 candidates who got band six in MUET April/May 2007.
MUET Preparation

The only things I did was read up on how to do the summary section as I always find cutting down on words the tricky part. As a former debater and public speaker, I needed no preparation for the speaking section, but only took part actively in class discussions and since I'm quite a chatterbox (and 99% of the time I converse in English, so that helps.)

As for the writing section, once again I did not prepare or look out for 'hot' topics, but I am an avid reader, having started at the tender age of 3. I devour books, finishing an average of 2-3 novels/fiction pieces a week. That helped me build a tremendous vocabulary bank and also helped me with the subtle nuances of the English language, allowing me to add flair and flavour to my writing.

As for the objective section, I got a perfect score here (135/135, I think?) by simply being careful and using every minute I had to go over the questions.
MUET Tips

The only tips I have would be :

1. Read as much as you can, not just for the exam, but for your own enrichment and enjoyment. This is seriously the best way to prepare yourself for MUET, as it helps you understand the finer nuances of the language and the subtle meanings and slight but critical differences in the meanings of similar words.

2. Speak English as much as you can. I speak English all the time (and I mean ALL the time) and this has helped me to speak clearly and confidently. Even if you're weak in it, persist at it. There is no better way to better yourself in this area than by speaking the language.

3. Participate in the UNSW (University of New South Wales) International Competitions for Schools, English. It is an international competition that I participate in every year, and I find it extremely useful as they give you detailed descriptions of your mistakes, how proficient or accurate you are compared to the rest of the country, and how you rank amongst the students in your country.

I've been taking part in it for 3/4 years now, and every year I rank among the top 2% of the country, getting a Distinction. I find it to be very useful as it is MUCH TOUGHER than MUET, and is great help for your objective section, although it does focus on literature and 'deeper' pieces compared to MUET.

4. Get involved in English based activities. I was actively involved in public speaking and debating in my secondary school, and this helped to further refine and polish my English speaking skills (plus it helps with the counter arguments during the speaking test - quick rebuttals always save the day!). Also get involved in drama as this helps you think creatively and also to express all sorts of emotions/convince the audience etc.

MUET Experience

My MUET experience was pretty ordinary. I missed my Band 6 the first time by a mere 4 points and that was pretty upsetting - I breezed through the objective part too quickly, I think, causing me to lose those much needed marks.

Second time around, I was more careful. I made sure I went through my objective session thoroughly and also drew on my National Service experience and knowledge to make my essay on firearms convincing. I practiced the speaking section with a group of people on the same level of eloquence and intelligence (such as other national level best speakers + drama champions), ensuring that I wasn't just out talking the rest, but actually facing a challenge with answering their sharp and incisive questions and also thinking on my feet.

When I got my Band 6, I was elated, as it wasn't just a scrape through but a comfortable score of 273. I knew I could do it, and I wish I had been more serious during my first try as it would have saved me RM 60, hee.

All in all, it was a pleasant journey that was not taxed by arduous preparation. technically, I had been getting ready for it all along, as I read a lot, speak English all the time, enter English related competitions and get involved in English related school activities. I'm glad that it has all paid off - the Band 6 truly was the icing on the cake.

About the Author
Michelle Tam is currently an Upper Sixer in St. Paul's Insititution, Seremban. She is an outgoing, creative person who is highly enthusiastic about all life has to offer, yet practical, sensible and mature when occasion calls for it, due to the many responsibilities shouldered in the past (Asst Head Prefect, Editor of the The Paulian, Sports House Captain, Cheer Team Captain etc etc).

She is also an avid reader and writer, as she loves anything and everything to do with the English Language. She takes part in as many writing competitions as she can, garnering Highly Commended's in the international Royal Commonwealth Essay Competition and emerged as runner up in the Oxford-Cambridge Essay Writing Competition in 2005, am the school's drama team's script editor (they are going to the nationals in Langkawi!) amongst a few achievements.[u]

Thanks for your precious effort....

Scoring Band 6 in MUET on your first try

by Manager for Writing Contest 2008

Scoring Band 6 in MUET on your first try is not that hard. Here are some tips on how to do exactly that.

Listening test
This is one of the tests in MUET which you could possibly get a perfect score. You should get a perfect score here, it is important for you to get a Band 6 because you will lose points in other tests.

Listening does not really indicate your level of English, especially if the speaker is English! So if you do lose points here, don't worry. Just try not to lose too many points here, practise many times with your MUET teachers before the actual test, try to listen to as many tapes as you can get your hands on. During the test, please look to your friends for help if you could not catch the questions or remember the correct answers. I am not encouraging you to be dishonest, but you could always pay attention to your friends gestures, read their lips, spot the blink of an eye, the touch of an ear, etc. Having a system before the actual tests does help.

Speaking test
If you can speak English naturally, please do all you can to convince the examiners that you have a good command of English during you individual presentation. Otherwise, use short sentences, put forward your main ideas in simple grammatically correct sentences. Do not just harp on a single point, try a few points, the positive side and negative side of an issue, etc. to show that you are not a narrow-minded student.

In the group discussion, you would be able to get a good score if you could lead the discussion. Be warned though, do not overdo it. Give others the opportunities to speak too. You should be polite, try to keep the flow of the discussion and help out should any of the fellow students got stuck in mid-sentence or is stammering. Remember, lead the discussion, keep its flow ("What do you think about this issue?") but do not be extravagant! Like it or not, this test is subjective and you will most probably not get a perfect score here.

Reading test
There are not many tips to share in this test, it is similar to Form 5 SPM English exam, just do your best. There are some tricky questions with similar answers. If you are lucky, you could get a perfect score here but usually the better students would be able to get near perfect scores, making a few mistakes here and there.

Writing test
Seriously, I have always told people that the writing test in MUET is even easier than SPM GCE 'O' Level. In this test, it is important to keep to the rules, follow the recommend length of essays and finish them in allocated time.

Even if you are a good English user, do not attempt to write beyond the recommended length. Concentrate instead on presenting your main ideas, this test papers are marked by Malaysian teachers, so don't bother having too many idioms, figurative meanings, etc.

For students who are not too comfortable with English, this may be one of the tests which you would tend to lose many points. To avoid that, keep your sentences short, check your grammars, try to compensate for your lack of flowery language with good ideas, mature arguments and logical explanations.

To be honest, it is not so easy to score a Band 6 in MUET after all. It is not the perfect test, but it is indicative of one's command of English, mainly because it includes listening and speaking tests. Good luck scoring a Band 6 in MUET on your first try, do let me know if my tips are useful.

thx ~

MUET is coming..good luck guys!!