MUET is quite a good english paper, it is not easy to score a band 6.

If you apply for competitive courses from Singaporean Universities, they usually only accept students with band 5 or 6.

So no, i do not think it is a waste of time. Try your best to score well in MUET


PS: The government has limited funds to improve their public school teacher's English. How would you expect them to import teachers from Overseas to teach Cambridge level English.

This post has been edited by pinknotebook: May 3 2009, 09:30 PM

Hello there!

It would be lovely if you could explain these magical standards and formats which give automatic Band 6's, you know, for the benefit of future MUET takers.

I sat for the mid-2008 MUET paper and the format was:

Reading/Comprehension: Objective (Choose the best answer, shade it in with a 2B pencil)
Listening: Objective (Choose the best answer, shade it in with a 2B pencil) << I heard there's a new format, but it still sums up to the same thing)
Speaking: They give you a topic, you have very limited time to elaborate your topic individually and then debate it among your group and agree with the best opinion. Marks given not only on content and eloquence but also body language, active communication (they minus marks if you dominate the conversation) and eye contact.
Writing: (1) Read the essay, understand it and summarize it based on what you think the key content is. (2) Write an essay on a given topic - Content, Elaborate, Example + Creativity.

I personally feel that yes, this format is useful for students to know exactly what they look for in the marking scheme. Yet, I highly doubt that there is a step-by-step guide to teach students the "format" of getting a band 6. This is not SPM's EST paper..

As far as my understanding goes, MUET is not judged by the flamboyance of one's vocabulary nor their creativity with the language. MUET judges a person's ability to use the English language to carry a subject/point across clearly and accurately.

I agree with ISFJ that it is a sweeping statement to say that MUET is just a format based question which 'english speakers' can't score in.

My personal observation is that most 'natural English speakers' underestimate the MUET paper .This thread alone is proof (from earlier comments) that MUET is not as important as STPM etc to aim for the highest possible result. Most people are content with anything above band 3 to get inside a University. So they would do their best, but would not go through the hassle of many practices, exercises and exposure to MUET questions and work extremely hard for their band 6.

Most of these good-command-in-English Band 5'ers also mostly loose marks in the Objective section. Mainly out of carelessness because the objective answers are quite tricky if you don't do it slowly and carefully enough. I base this fact after comparing my friend's MUET results, all of whom speak English on an everyday basis.

This is just a general statement - and oh sometimes they just have bad luck too (fierce looking examiner, nerves etc)

My 2 sens