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 trend 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 been 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) A rise

Increased (to) An increase
Went up (to) Growth
Climbed (to) An upward trend
boomed A boom (a
dramatic rise)
A decrease
Fell(to) A decline
A fall
Declined(to) A drop
Decreased(to) A slump
Dipped(to) A reduction
Dipped (to)
Dropped (to)
Went down(to)
Slumped(to)
Reduced(to)

Leveled out A leveling out

(at) No change
Did not change
(at)
Remained
steady (at)
Stayed
constant (at)
Maintained the
same level
 Fluctuated A fluctuation
(around) reached a (of)
Peaked (at) reached 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..)

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 Percentage of Men Are employed in

the executive
The lowest category.
Proportion of Cars sold
The most Are blue
significant
Number of Holiday makers
The smallest Come from
Sabah
The largest
 Starting with the subject
Car colour.
Red is the Most Popular Employment
professional is the second /third Most prevalent category
Mexico is the most Common Holiday
least destination
More men Are employed in
Far more holiday the manufacturing
Much more makers sector
Many more Come from Mexico
A lot more Than
Substantially more
Considerably more
Significantly more
Slightly more
fractionally more

Starting with the subject

As
Blue cars are quite as
Men are just as As
Kajang is nearly as Common
almost as Popular
not as prevalent

More
Much more
Far more
Substantially more Than.
Considerably more
Slightly more
Fractionally more
less
Much less
Far less
Considerably less
Fractionally less

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.

Donts
Dont start writing immediately.
Do not copy the question or the instruction.
Dont repeat the same words in the chart in your essay.
Do not include information that is not on the graph, diagram or chart.
Dont give opinions.
Do not spend longer than 40 minutes on this task.