TIPS FOR MUET CANDIDATES

Try not to treat or think of MUET as a scary test. However, don't under estimate the preparation, time and effort required for this test either. If you have friends or classmates who have taken the test, ask them about it. You'll probably get many many different types of answers. "OMG! It's tough!" or "Actually, its not that hard." Their experiences may vary depending on the amount of preparation done as well as their background in English.

Well, MUET is a test. So, you have to put some effort and time into preparing for it. Many students ask me all the time. "How many hours do I have to study?" Then, I would ask in return. "What's your target band score? Band 6? 5? 4? 3?" If you know that you need Band 3 to pursue and continue your studies in Business Management, Marketing, Accounts etc, and you're not very confident about your English proficiency and ability, then, be prepared to work on it. If you know that you need Band 4 or 5 to pursue your education in Law, Pharmacy, Medicine etc, then, be prepared to work very hard.

The time and effort that you put into preparing for MUET also ensures that you won't struggle with English when you are pursuing your degree or Master's. Imagine the frustration of struggling with English words, vocabulary etc. It makes studying your course tedious and challenging. You should be trying to understand the concepts and ideas of your course rather than waste time on looking up almost every single word in your text book.

Ok, so once you're mentally prepared to work hard on getting your target band score for MUET. What should you do?

Tip #1
Check out the structure and format of the test.
Get your hands on model test papers or past year papers. You can obtain this easily from the bookstore or from your MUET tutor. How many papers/components do you have to take? How many questions? What type of questions? How much time do you have to complete the test?

Tip #2
Prepare a plan of action.
When do you need to take the test? When do you need to submit your results to your university? You need to decide and draw up a timeline or schedule. If its July now and MUET is in October/November, ask yourself, how much time would you have to allocate to MUET preparation for the next 3 months or 12 weeks? 3 times a week, 2 hours a day? Self-study? Form a study group? Join a class? I would suggest all three.

Tip #3
Practice, practice, practice.
Yes, its just that simple. However, easier said than done. You need to manage you time and motivation level. How badly do you want this? Think about the consequences. If you don't get the band you need, what happens? You really want to pursue tertiary education or in some cases, graduate from university. Then, practice, practice, practice. After attending sessions with your MUET tutor and study group, do the following.
 

Practice Speaking. Get MUET speaking questions and simulate the test. Speak to yourself. Pretend you are in the test. Visualise the test scenario. This is the best way to prevent going blank, panic in the REAL speaking test session.

Practice Reading. Its important to attempt model questions. You need to practice skimming and scanning for answers. You need to know that you can finish the 45 questions in 90 minutes.

Practice Listening. When attempting the listening test, DON'T listen to every single word of the recording. You need to learn the techniques of listening for meaning and gist. That takes practice. If you are struggling to spell words, don't despair, just practice even more.

Practice Writing. Yes, the questions that have appeared in past year papers will not come out again. And how likely are you able to predict the questions for writing. So, what should you do? You need to practice expressing your thoughts, views, opinion, ideas in writing on paper, in the most coherent manner and with suitable vocabulary. This, takes practice. 

Tip #4
Read, read, read.
What should you read? Be smart about it. What kind of topics are you likely to get in your test. Read articles that are relevant to those. Do you know about Plastic surgery? Social problems? Crime rates? Crime prevention? ICT updates? Work related stress? Not much? Then read about them. Read online magazines, newspapers, good quality blogs, articles from english language websites. Save them, email to your friends, share and exchange articles. 

Tip #5
Vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary.
Get a good academic workbook and work on it. Academic vocabulary which is required for MUET is different from normal everyday English. I've uploaded a vocabulary workbook on my blog. Download the pdf file, get it printed and complete it.

All the best in your MUET preparation.

WAYS TO DEAL WITH ANXIETY

Everyone has feelings of anxiety, nervousness, tension, and stress from time to time. Here are 5 ways to help manage them:

1. Become a relaxation expert. 

We all think we know how to relax. But chilling out in front of the TV or computer isn't true relaxation. (Depending on what you're watching or doing, it could even make you more tense.) The same is true for alcohol, drugs, or tobacco. They may seem to relieve anxiety or stress, but it's a false state of relaxation that's only temporary. What the body really needs is a relaxation technique — like deep breathing, tai chi, or yoga — that has a physical effect on the mind. For example, deep breathing helps to relax a major nerve that runs from the diaphragm to the brain, sending a message to the entire body to let go and loosen up. 

2. Get enough sleep, nourishment, and exercise.

Want your mind and body to feel peaceful and strong enough to handle life's ups and downs? Get the right amount of sleep for your needs — not too much or too little. Eat well: Choose fruit, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains for long-term energy (instead of the short bursts that come from too much sugar or caffeine). And exercise to send oxygen to every cell in the body so your brain and body can operate at their best.  

3. Connect with others. 

Spend time with friends or family. Organized activities are great, but just hanging out works too. Doing things with those we feel close to deepens our bonds, allowing us to feel supported and secure. And the fun and sharing that go with it allow us to feel happier and less upset about things. If you feel worried or nervous about something, talking about it with someone who listens and cares can help you feel more understood and better able to cope. You'll be reminded that everyone has these feelings sometimes. You're not alone. 

4. Connect with nature. 

Heading out for a walk in the park or a hike in the woods can help anyone feel peaceful and grounded. (Choose somewhere you feel safe so you can relax and enjoy your surroundings.) Walking, hiking, trail biking, or snowshoeing offer the additional benefit of exercise. Invite a friend or two — or a family member — along and enjoy feeling connected to people as well. 

5. Think positive. 

A great way to keep our minds off the worry track is to focus our thoughts on things that are good, beautiful, and positive. Allow yourself to dream, wish, and imagine the best that could happen.

Note: When anxiety or worry feels extreme, it may be a sign of an anxiety disorder. For someone who has an anxiety disorder, getting proper care from a health professional is important. These tips can help too, of course. But professional treatment is the only way to shake an anxiety disorder.

WRITING SKILLS

1. Keep All of your Writing in One Place
Buy a notebook or journal or start an electronic journal. By keeping your writing all in the same place, you will be able to see how much you are improving and keep it organized.

2. Practice writing in English daily
The importance of writing daily is that you start to create a new habit. Writing every day in English will soon become natural and something you look forward to. You will not see significant improvement if you are not dedicated to becoming a better writer in English. You cannot create awesome stories and papers if you never try.

3. Pick a topic to Write
Don't get stuck on figuring out what to write about. You can write about anything. You can write about what you do, things you see or hear, news, or make up a story.

4. Write more than one draft
Draft means a preliminary of piece of writing. Sometimes, your best writing becomes better after you take a break and work on a second or third draft. When you rewrite your work, you are often able to get your message across more clearly.

5. Use online resources to correct your grammar
Yes , grammar is a pain. You don't need to know everything about English grammar. Use online resources such as Google Doc or MS Word to check your spelling and grammar in English.

6. Think outside the Box
Don't write the same thing every day or you will get bored. Try writing the samestory from different perspectives or different tenses. Don't write about topics in the obvious way , be creative !

7. Have a friend edit your writing
Have a friend that knows English correct or edit your work. Having another person read your works help generate more ideas to better your writing.

8. Find the best place for you to write
You should try writing at different places or at different times of the day.      

3. Pick a Topic and WRITE!

  

READING SKILLS

1. Find something to read. 
Examples include a children's book, a newspaper article, a short story, or something on website.

2. Sound out each letter as best you can and you will notice they form some sort of word.
Some letters fit together. For example, "th" is not pronounced as t + h, but rather as one unit. This is called a 'phoneme'

3. Find a place to read where you can concentrate. 
This may be someplace secret where no one will bother you, or simply your home at a time when it is quiet.


4. Begin your reading by looking at the pictures, or listening to the music to get a feel for what you are going to be reading about.

5. Start with titles, names, or other larger print items that you may know or ever thought about.

6. Read as much as you are able. 
When you start getting bored or need a break, take one. Reading should be fun and enjoyable, don't force it. After your break, return to where you were, and continue.

7. Reread the material. 
It is okay to reread something if you do not understand it fully the first time.

8. Go to the library and pick up lots of books.
Pick books depending on your reading level, no matter what your age.

9. Read the page carefully. 
Don't rush, take your time. Most people think that skimming the page(skimming means to just scan the whole page and hardly take in a couple of words)is a way of fast reading, but this is definitely not true.

10. Use context clues to find out a word's meaning. 
Context clues are when a person figures out the meaning of a word by seeing how the word was used in a sentence. For example, you were reading the following sentence and wanted to know what 'pessimist' means:My mother is always happy and optimistic, the total opposite of my brother, the pessimist. So from the sentence, you can gather that 'pessimist' means the opposite of happy, so pessimist means being moody and angry. Good, experienced readers always use context clues! If you find a word that you're totally stumped on, use the dictionary.

11. Keep reading! 
Try to read as much as you can on your free time. Reading will help you in lots of ways; your vocabulary will become larger and more sophisticated and you will notice your grades change for the better in school. Have fun reading!
 
 

LISTENING SKILLS

1. Listen to wide range of audio materials.
Since the recorded texts in MUET may include dialogues, radio talk shows, etc, the more types of audio materials you have listened, the more prepared you are.

2. Listen to television news broadcasts.
News broadcasts are very informative and up-to-date. Try to watch and listen to news broadcasts daily at regular time, this way you will be addicted to news broadcasts.
 
3. Listen to conversation in the movies.
When watching movies, sitcoms or dramas, instead of reading the subtitles, you should listen to the conversation between the actors. If English is not your mother tongue, you may find it quite hard to start. Try to train yourself not to read the subtitles but listen carefully to what the actors are talking about in the movies.

4. Listen to radio talks show
This is another effective way to boost your listening skill. Tune in to your favourite radio station and enjoy the talk shows.
 
5. Listen to podcasts available on the Internet.
Similar to blog (weblog), podcast is something very new in the Web 2.0, even dictionaries haven’t coin these words. Download some podcasts on your preferred topics and enjoy them while upgrading your listening skill.

SPEAKING SKILLS

1. Observe the movements of those who speak English well and try to imitate them. 

When you are watching television, observe the mouth movements of the speakers. Repeat what they are saying, while imitating the intonation and rhythm of their speech.

 

2. Until you learn the correct intonation and rhythm of English, slow your speech down 

If you speak too quickly, and with the wrong intonation and rhythm, native speakers will have a hard time understanding you. 

Don't worry about your listener getting impatient with your slow speech. It is more important that everything you say be understood.

3. Listen to the 'music' of English.

Do not use the 'music' of your native language when you speak English. Each language has its own way of 'singing'. 

4. Use the dictionary.

Try and familiarise yourself with the phonetic symbols of your dictionary. Look up the correct pronunciation of words that are hard for you to say.

5. Make a list of frequently used words that you find difficult to pronounce and ask someone who speaks the language well to pronounce them for you.

Record these words, listen to them and practice saying them. Listen and read at the same time.

6. Buy books on tape.

Record yourself reading some sections of the book. Compare the sound of your English with that of the person reading the book on the tape.

7. Pronounce the ending of each word.

Pay special attention to 'S' and 'ED' endings. This will help you strengthen the mouth muscles that you use when you speak English.

8. Read aloud in English for 15-20 minutes every day.  

Research has shown it takes about three months of daily practice to develop strong mouth muscles for speaking a new language. 

9. Record your own voice and listen for pronunciation mistakes. 

Many people hate to hear the sound of their voice and avoid listening to themselves speak. However, this is a very important exercise because doing it will help you become conscious of the mistakes you are making.

10. Be patient. 

You can change the way you speak but it won't happen overnight. People often expect instant results and give up too soon. You can change the way you sound if you are willing to put some effort into it.

 

CONTENT

listening skills
reading skills
speaking skills
writing skills

INTRODUCTION

The Malaysian University English Test (MUET) is a test of English Language proficiency largely for university admissions. The test is set and run by the Malaysian Examinations Council. Most candidates who sit for MUET do so to apply for admission in public and private universities and colleges. The universities set different target band score for different courses. For instance, students who want to pursue Law would be required to obtain a Band 4 in MUET, while students who want to pursue Medicine would be required to obtain a Band 5. MUET is also compulsory for graduating from a local university. There are four components in MUET which are listening, speaking, reading and writing. The maximum scores for each components is 45 for listening and speaking, 120 for reading comprehension and 90 for writing, which an aggregate score of 300. The scores are then graded in 6 bands, with Band 6 is the highest and Band 1 is the lowest.