Say No To Band One: 6 Simple Ways to Improve Your English

Monday 23 April 2012

6 Simple Ways to Improve Your English

Watch English movies with subtitles. This would be my favourite way of learning English. Not only do I get to have a fun time watching the movie, I’d be learning new words at the same time and knowing how to pronounce them! Usually, you can get movies with English subtitles on DVDs.

Listen to English songs. Read the lyrics as you listen to the songs. Listen to your favourite songs and sing along to them.

Start a blog in English. This is one way for you to practice your writing. Blog on something that you love. If you are a fan of movies, start a blog and write about your favourite movies, your favourite characters, what you think could be improved in the movie, what new movies to expect next year, etc. Besides blogging, try joining online forums, engage in online chatting and more.

Write in your diary/journal in English. This is where you can write anything in it. But if you do write something you wouldn’t want others to read, make sure you hide it somewhere safe! Or try not to write anything offensive at all in case someone does find it. You can also write about neutral stuff like the places you went that day, what you ate, who you met, what you did, etc.

Be best friends with a good English dictionary. You can use Oxford, Collins, Cambridge, etc. Buy a dictionary that you’re comfortable with and USE it at all times. Keep it next to you when you’re reading. I always put my favourite Oxford dictionary by my side when I’m reading. So when I stumble upon a word I don’t know, I don’t have to get up and look around for it. It’s right there by my side. Thus, I have no excuse for not looking the word up!

Learn a new word a day. Keep your own vocabulary notebook and write a new word and its meaning in it every day. Refer to it as often as possible so that the new words will stick in your head. AFIQ ZAKWAN

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MUET

Malaysian University English Test (MUET) is a test of English language proficiency, largely for university admissions. The test is administered by the MPM which stands for Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia (Malaysian Examinations Council) which also runs the STPM - Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia examinations.

Most candidates who sit for MUET do so as they aspire for admissions into public universities and colleges. All prospective candidates have to register online, through the MPM Website with a registration fee of RM60.00 and the fees will be increased to RM100.00 in 2012. The MPM will administer the MUET three times a year, beginning in 2012.

Government servants currently in service also have to take the MUET for purposes such as promotions. This will ensure that their command of English will adhere to a certain credible standard.

Components, Scoring and Grading

There are four components in MUET:

Listening (800/1)-(45 marks),

Speaking (800/2)-(45 marks) ;

Reading (800/3)-(120 marks);

Writing (800/4)-(90 marks).

The maximum score for Listening and Speaking respectively is 45, 120 for Reading Comprehension and 90 for Writing. The aggregated score for the four papers is 300. The scores are then graded into 6 bands, with Band 6 the highest and Band 1 the lowest.

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:101-139) 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.