MUET Make Over: What’s up with the new MUET?

The Malaysian University English Test, better known as MUET, has been a staple bane or boon for our tertiary-level students. MUET result is used as one of the minimum requirements for either entering or graduating from higher-level education. Though students have been introduced to English language subjects from primary to secondary level and taken the assessments that comes with it, the MUET test seems a bit more intense, more comprehensive, and definitely more nerve-racking (trust me, I took it last year). MUET comprises an assessment of the four primary skills, which are Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening. Each skill is individually assessed thoroughly and stands on its own. 2021 marks a change in the MUET setup as Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia (MPM) rolled out a brand new format that aligns with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) specifications. The changes are notable as it affects the scoring band, the marks, the questions and the time limit.

For starters, the changes could be seen as a boost to the candidates as the new marking provides equal weightage on each of the four skills compared to the old format. In the old format, a big chunk of the marks was allocated to the Reading paper. If a candidate fails to perform well in that particular paper, it would significantly bring down their entire test score. Kudos to MPM for listening to the teachers and students’ concern on this, and the new equal weightage for all the skills provides a balanced opportunity for students who might be struggling on certain skills but could excel on other skills. The aggregated score or bands has also been revamped as it now ranges from Band 1 to Band 5+ and includes 9 levels of band. It is probably to streamline MUET to cater to the international standards similar to IELTS. It is another positive step in the process of getting MUET globally recognised and accepted. As of now, MUET is accepted in Malaysia and Singapore. International students who enroll in Malaysian universities are also given the option to choose either MUET or IELTS as their entry requirement. Increasing the range in MUET band definitely provides a better option for candidates’ to categorise their proficiency level.

As for the questions, it’s good news all around, especially for the listening paper. It used to be a combination of multiple-choice questions and fill-in-the-blanks. Writing the answers for a listening skill paper seemed challenging since candidates were penalised for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Mind you, there were also restrictions on writing the response as it should not be more than three or five words depending on the questions. The old format also required a combination of skills to excel in the listening paper, and most of the candidates with an average proficiency level struggled to get good marks for the test. However, the new format is a bit more direct and assesses the candidates listening skills as all the questions are multiple-choice questions. The time limit has also been increased from 30 to 50 minutes. The trick is to read the questions given and understand what it demands before you start listening, and that would help you identify the key points in the audio. My top tip: try to answer without the audio; use common sense and logic so that when you do get to listen to the audio, it becomes at least 50% easier. You’re welcome.

The changes to the writing paper are also a sigh of relief. Question 1 in the old format was writing a report based on the given stimulus. The stimulus was a combination of various types of graphs, charts, and tables. It was very format-based and required knowledge of a particular type of writing. Even if the candidates have a good command of writing in English, they would not excel in the writing paper if they didn’t follow the required format. The new format tackles a more realistic approach to the application of language in the real world. In the new format, Question 1 or Task 1 is replying to an email or a letter. There is no strict format to follow, and candidates will be assessed solely on the language and the fulfilment of responding to the content of the email or the letter. My top tip: focus on the key points of each paragraph in the text given and address those key points. You will not even have to bring in new points, and as long as you address those issues, your response should be satisfactory. Plus, there is no minimum or maximum word count. Question 2 is still the same as the old format, extended writing, or a standard full-fledged essay. However, the time limit for the writing paper has been decreased from 90 minutes to 75 minutes.

The reading paper relatively looks similar to the old format. However, an interesting change or good riddance are the questions with the “true, false, not stated” answer options. Those who have taken MUET in the past could reminisce the delusional struggle that they faced in deciding whether the statement given was true, false, or not stated in the text. It may look simple but trust me, the ten questions with those three answer options were ‘baby-faced booby trap.’ The new format consist of seven texts, five standard reading comprehension texts, and one text with multiple matching questions, which looks easy and should be a bonus for the candidates. There is also a gapped text with six missing sentences that could be challenging at first but doable with practice. Since there would be five fewer questions in the new format, the time has also been reduced from 90 minutes to 75 minutes. My top tip: time management is crucial for the reading paper as, on average, you have less than 2 minutes to spend on each question. Most candidates would waste time reading the text, reading the questions, and then finally rereading the text to find the answer. However, it is advisable to read the questions first, understand what exactly you need to find, and skim or scan the text to the part with the information regarding the particular question.

Last but not least, the speaking test has not changed much. However, candidates will be pleased to know that for task B or the group discussion, points are given to help discuss the topic given so they would not have to rack their brains to come up with the points. They will also be given an extra minute to prepare. In the old format, candidates were merely given the situation, and they were allocated 2 minutes to prepare the points. 2 minutes may seem long when you are listening to a lecture, but it goes by so quickly in the exam room preparing for the points. Most candidates struggled to come up with even one solid point, let alone three. The tweak in the format by providing the points for discussion allows candidates to focus on elaborating and providing relevant examples to support their explanation. So now, the focus will be on the language, discourse, and delivery. Thus, candidates could not blame the lack of understanding of the situation given or the inability to come up with points as the reason for their failure in their speaking test. My top tip: Practice makes perfect, it is a bit of a cliché, but truth be told, a speaking test is all about managing the stress and anxiety of having to prepare and talk within the time limit given. With practice, you will be able to train yourself to acclimatise to that scenario and stay calm and collected during the actual test.

Overall, the new format is the fruit of the labour of a hard-working and attentive team from MPM. They have been responsive to the concern of the teachers, instructors, and students. The new format certainly guides the students to a more applicable language function and will definitely prepare them for their tertiary level education as well as the working environment. The importance of exposure to the format and sample questions shall not be undermined. Taking MUET without an understanding of its specification and format is akin to going to a war blindfolded. You would merely be depending on your luck. My final top tip: Don’t take MUET for granted.