STRAIGHT A+

ENGLISH 1119

COMPILED BY :

DR ZURAINEE ARIFFIN
PUAN NANI AFEDA MOHAMED ISMAIL
PUAN NIK NORHAYATI NIK HASHIM
PUAN NOORZILAH AB GHANI
ENCIK MOHD ZAIMIN HARIS FATHILLAH

DIFFICULT ROADS OFTEN LEAD TO

BEAUTIFUL DESTINATIONS

1
Continuous Writing : Marking Criteria for Band A & B

Mark Range Description of Criteria

 Language is entirely accurate. Very occasional first draft slips.

 Sentence structures are varied.
 Vocabulary is wide and used with precision.
A  Punctuation is accurate and helpful.
44 – 50  Spelling is entirely accurate.
 Paragraphs are well-planned, have unity and are linked.
 Topic is addressed with consistent relevance.
 Interest of the reader is aroused and sustained throughout the writing.

 Language is accurate. Occasional errors are minor or first draft slips.

 Vocabulary is wide enough with some precision.
 Sentences show some variation of length and type with some complex
sentences.
B  Punctuation is almost always accurate.
38 – 43  Spelling is nearly always accurate.
 Paragraphs show some planning, have unity and are usually appropriately
linked.
 Writing is relevant to the topic.
 Interest of the reader is aroused and sustained through most of the time.

Tips For Scoring High Marks

Here are the tips on how to write a good essay, based on each criterion:

1) Hardly any mistakes in grammar (including spelling and punctuation)

Good essays should be without any major grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors. So, focus on
these key aspects. Make sure that you know the grammar rules well and apply them when you write.

2) Effective use of varied sentence structures

Many students face problems with the sentence structure of the English language. The problem can be
solved through plenty of reading. When you read, your mind is fed with the correct sentence structures
over and over. In time, you will be able to write sentences with the right structure. When you write an
essay, use a variety of sentences - simple, compound, complex sentences, in both the active voice and
passive voice, etc. Thus, it is advisable to make good use of as much variety of reading material as
possible - storybooks, magazines, newspapers, etc. to expose yourself to different types of sentence
structures.

2
3) Wide vocabulary used expressively/precisely

Reading helps to increase your vocabulary. When you see a new word, look it up in a dictionary to learn
its meaning. To score high marks, you need to show that you have a wide vocabulary. For example, you
can use 'delighted' or 'overjoyed' instead of 'happy'. Instead of using 'sad', use 'upset' or 'downhearted'.
Try not to use the same word repeatedly. Use different words with the same meaning to impress the
examiner. It is also important that you use a word precisely or accurately. Wrong use of words will result
in mark deduction. So, make sure that a word is suitable to be used in a sentence or a particular
situation before using it. Reading helps you understand the meaning of a word accurately. When you
read extensively, you tend to be familiar with words and know when to use them and when not to. Look
it up in a dictionary again when you forget the meaning of a particular word.

4) Good and relevant points

When writing an essay, it is important to write about relevant points, or write about what the question
ask for. For example, for the title 'Describe an outing with your friends', the whole essay should be
about the outing. If you write about other things such as your friends' hobbies, that would be irrelevant.
As long as you understand the title and write relevant points, you will be safe. The lack of points or ideas
is a common problem faced by students when writing essays. Reading model essays helps a lot, since it
gives you plenty of ideas.

5) Coherence in paragraphing & 6) Well-organised paragraphing

An Oxford dictionary defines 'coherence' as 'the situation in which all the parts of something fit together
well'. For instance, when writing an essay entitled 'My Hero', it is advisable to write about things that
are of the same nature in a paragraph. For example, after the introduction, you can write about the
childhood of your hero in the first paragraph. Then, in the second, third, fourth and fifth paragraphs, you
can write about his educational background, occupation, personalities and accomplishments
respectively. It is unwise to mix them up as it lacks coherence and is not well-organised.

7) Essay is very interesting and shows originality

An interesting essay does not talk about the boring stuff. For example, you decide to write an essay
entitled 'Describe an enjoyable weekend you have experienced' or ‘Describe a camping trip at the beach
with your family.’ Avoid including stuff like:

"When I woke up that morning, I went to the toilet to brush my teeth and wash my face. After that, I
dressed up and went downstairs to have my breakfast. I had bread and butter for breakfast..."

You can put it this way:

"When I woke up that morning, I was excited as my whole family would be going on a camping trip at
the beach. After getting everything ready, we set off for the beach in my father's van..."

You can continue the essay by describing all the interesting things that you and your family saw and did
at the beach. It is a good idea to write about your own experience, since it shows originality. When

3
writing essays, it is also important to write about logical things.

Stated above are the important points to note. Apart from those based on the criteria, other points to
take note of include:

i) Practise writing essays, since 'practice makes perfect'. Besides school assignments, try to write more
essays and have someone qualified to correct them for you. When you make mistakes, learn from them
and make it a point not to repeat them , in order to improve your writing skills effectively. When
practising, learn to finish an essay within the time frame given. For instance, in SPM, you have about an
hour to complete an essay. Spend about 10 minutes, 35 minutes and 15 minutes on planning, writing
and checking the essay respectively.

ii) Remember, there are no short cuts to success. Essay writing skills take time to develop. There goes
the saying, 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. Diligence and perseverance are the keys to success. Do not give
up until you succeed.

iii) Look at the past year papers and study the examination format. Then, refer to the model answers
and familiarise yourself with the answering techniques in order to score high marks.

In short:

1 Learn and know the grammar rules well.

2 Do more reading, as it helps in all aspects of writing good

Adopted from JABATAN PENDIDIKAN JOHOR, 5 STARS SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE MODULE, 2016

4
WAYS TO START A COMPOSITION To captivate the reader right from the start!
1 – Dialogue

“Pete! Where are you?” My mother’s cries penetrated the fire that surrounded me. She was the person
I loved most, yet showed it least to. As the reality that I might lose her slowly sank in, memories of the
events that led to this flashed through my mind…

2 – A Proverb

Blood is thicker than water. There are so many acts of kindness that we so often take for granted and
willfully let pass by, but there are few that can surpass the love of a family member…

3 – A Question

Have you ever been in a brush with dangerous so perilous you could have lost your life?

4 – A startling fact

My reckless actions nearly caused the death of my best friend. I remember it like it was yesterday…

5 – A description

The alley was dark and silent, but it was not dank like I would have expected. An unusual warmth
permeated the place, like as if there were a source of something hopeful and expectant.

6 – A sound

“Beep, beep, beep…” The repetitive beeping resounded in my head. I wondered if it was the alarm clock
that I so dreaded imprinting itself subconsciously in my head. Still, I ignored the distant signal and
carried on with the errand my mother had tasked me.

7 – Complication + Flashback

Fear and trepidation seized the crowd. There were hushed whispers and stifled sobs as they dreaded the
worst in things to come. It did not help that the victim was in complete hysteria, which fuelled the
robber’s arm to tighten around her neck. The knife he wielded got dangerously close to piercing her
skin. Thoughts raced through my mind. Oh, how I wish I had not ignored that instinct to inform the
police before all this even started…

8 – Outcome + Flashback

Paramedics rushed to my side and gingerly lifted me onto the stretcher. It was nowhere near the instant
relief I had expected. Instead, the very fact that I was about to be transported away from the proximity
of my parents, whose whereabouts were still unknown, worried me further. It all started like this…

9 – Conclusion + Flashback

Even on the most weary of days, I make it a point to spend time talking to my mother. As she sits on a
wheelchair silently and stares ahead of her, something in her eyes tells me that she still recognizes me. I
tell her I love her and the words seem to sink in past those glassy eyes, causing her tears to brim past

5
her unflinching pupils. That is all I need. I close my eyes and am instantly transported to the memory of
her selfless act of love…
GOOD PHRASES THAT DESCRIBE EMOTIONS
FEAR
...frozen with terror...
...a shiver ran down her spine...
...was horrified by ...
...felt a sense of dread...
...all hairs on her body stood on
their ends...
...could feel the impending
danger...
...trembling with fear...
SAD
...felt wretched with grief...
...felt gloomy...
...filled with misery...
...broke down into tears...
...was heart-rending to see
her...
...gloomy and depressed...
TIRED
...worn out with fatigue...
...could not muster up a single
ounce of strength any more...
......dog tired...
...could not bring herself to
meet his eyes...
...dragging himself on limply...
...his body felt as if it was made
of lead...
HAPPY
...he was ecstatic over...
...was over the moon...
...jumping with joy...
...head was dizzy with delight...
...elated to ...
...in high spirits...
SHOCK
...was surprised to...
...amazed to find...
...unexpected
...astounded...
...flabbergasted...
...was astonished...
HUNGRY
...ravenous for...
...feel the stomach twisting and
turning in agony...
...stomach growling...
...as hungry as a wolf...
...wolfed down his food...
...stomach was begging for
food...
6
ANGER
. ...furious over/with...
...fuming mad...
...he saw red...
...mind was engulfed by rage...
...boiling mad...
...livid with rage...
EMBARRASSMENT
...face turned beet red with...
...dig herself a hole and hide...
...mortified to see...
...could not bring herself to
meet his eyes...
..ashamed...
...feel herself shrivel up into a
dried prune...
NERVOUS/EXCITEMENT
...hands felt clammy…
...butterflies in the stomach...
...tingling with
anxiety/excitement...
...could hear his heart throbbing
loudly...
...swallowed down a gulp and...
...jittery...
...beads of cold sweat were
dripping down...
...pumping with adrenaline...
 PAIN
...writhing in agony...
... knife was pierced through the
heart...
...stabbed forcefully with a
blunt knife...
...keel over in gut wrenching
pain...
.. ...sharp pain sear through...
.filled with agony...
...felt the pain shoot right to his
head...
...the pain was excruciating...
PRIDE
...sense of pleasure...
...surge of pride well up...
...chest stuck out proudly...
...conceited...
...as proud as a peacock...
TEMPTATION
.could not resist...
...felt as if he was being pulled
over by an invisible thread...
...unconsciously gravitating
towards...
...irresistible...
...helplessly drawn
into/towards...

ENVY
...green with envy...
...felt a pang of jealousy...

Useful Essay Words and Phrases

Adding more to a point already made

moreover; furthermore; again; further; what is more; in addition besides; above all; as well (as) either;
neither…nor; not only…but also; similarly; correspondingly; in the same way; indeed in fact; really; in
reality, it is found that… as for; as to; with respect to; regarding

Writing in lists

first(ly); second(ly); third(ly) another; yet another; in addition; finally to begin with; in the second place
moreover; additionally; also next; then; and to conclude; lastly; finally

Putting the same idea in a different way

in other words; rather; or; better; in that case to put it (more) simply in view of this; with this in mind to
look at this another way

Introducing examples

that is to say; in other words for example; for instance; namely; an example of this is and; as follows; as
in the following examples; such as; including especially; particularly; in particular; notably; chiefly;
mainly; mostly

7
Introducing an alternative viewpoint

by contrast; another way of viewing this is; alternatively; again; rather; one alternative is; another
possibility is on the one hand…on the other hand conversely; in comparison; on the contrary; in fact;
though; although

Returning to emphasise your earlier viewpoint

however; nonetheless; in the final analysis; despite x; notwithstanding x; in spite of x while x may be
true, nonetheless although; though; after all; at the same time; on the other hand; all the same; even if x
is true; although x may have a good point

Showing the results of something

therefore; accordingly; as a result so, (then,) it can be seen that the result is; the consequence is
resulting from this; consequently; now we can see, then, that; it is evident that because of this; thus;
hence; for this reason; owing to x; this suggests that; it follows that in other words; otherwise; in that
case; that implies

Summing up or concluding

therefore; so, my conclusion is in short; in conclusion; to conclude; in all; on the whole to summarise; to
sum up briefly; in brief; altogether; overall; thus; thus we can see that

DIFFERENT SENTENCE STARTER

1 Start with a gerund a. Running down the stairs, she tripped.

b. Swimming in the pool, he almost drowned himself.
c. Anticipating a peaceful evening, Sam and I relaxed in the shade

2 Start with a prepositions a. Outside the house stood a menacing figure.

b. On Monday, the shops are closed.
c. For the large crowd attending the party, we should prepare
more food.

3 Start with an adjective a. Fearful, he approached….

b. Surprised of the warm welcome he received, he blushed.
c. Cold and hungry, they could do anything to get out of the
situation they were in)

4 Start with a past participle a. Asked to comment, he found that he was tongue-tied.
b. Taken aback by the sound, he hid behind the door.
c. Thrown carelessly out of the house, the rubbish scattered and
dirtied the road.

5 Start with an adverb 5 a. Slowly, he turned his head.

b. Quickly, they scrambled out of the hole.
c. Exhaustedly, they continued without a word of complaint

Template for Excellent Essays

8
1. Write down the topic you are writing about – simple, straightforward

Example: Amazing Grades

2. Brainstorm ideas that someone interested in your topic would also be interested in. This helps you
think of related ideas.

Example: Motivating yourself instantly

Cut learning time in half; higher grades in 14 days

High Performance Memory Strategies

3. Select a title for your essay – like, Tips for x, or Top 10 Things You Must Do If You Want Y, etc.

Example: How to Create Higher Grades in 14 Days Using Your Child’s Personal Learning Style

4. Pretend your reader knows absolutely nothing about your topic. What is the first sentence you would
use to give them peak their interest? Perhaps it might be a question, or a simple statement.

Example: Would you like to have higher grades in 14 days?

5. Keeping in mind your title, explain why you are taking the position you take, or why you believe your
title to be true. This is the part where you use as many facts to support your idea as possible. Write
several sentences, using some of the brainstorms you had in step 2.

Example: Learning can be tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Many learning experts say that
learning is not about being smart – it’s about strategy. These experts show you how with xxx…

6. After you’ve written your supporting ideas and facts, go back and ask yourself if you would like to write
a short introductory paragraph.

7. Then ask yourself if you would like to write a conclusion tying everything together.

8. Congratulate yourself – you’ve just written an excellent essay!

9 More Easy Steps to Perfect Essays Every Time

a. First, create a Picture Perfect Summary. Put your title/main idea in the center of the page, make a circle
around it and write down all the ideas and key words about your topic that you can think of. Use one
branch off the circle for each main idea. You’re brainstorming at this point so just write down any ideas
that come into your mind. (That’s how I write magazine and news articles and books too)!

b. Look over your Summary of ideas and key words. Organize them into groups. Make sure that each
group reflects the topic or question that you’re writing about.

c. Divide your groups into the three main parts of the essay – the beginning, middle and the end. Your
beginning has to be snazzy to make your reader want to read more. The middle develops and supports
your main topic. Back everything you say up with facts, quotations, evidence. The end will give a clever
answer or summary to the original question or idea that you started with and tie up those loose ends.

9
d. Draft your essay – get on the computer and start in the middle. That’s how I wrote this book! Give
each idea it’s own paragraph, don’t worry about style and spelling at this point. You can check this
later. Your Picture Perfect Summary is your guide. Use all the ideas that you decided were important.

e. Now proceed to write the ending. Make sure it sums up your answer/summary to the main
topic/question. Look back at the draft of the middle. Write down the 5 or 10 most important key
words. Find the shortest way to link them together – this is called your ending.

7. Now, draft the beginning. It will be the overall – big picture of what you’re going to say. There’s an old
saying from my college days English class: Tell em what you’re going to say, tell em, tell em what you
said! This beginning is very important to set the stage – make sure it’s catchy and makes the reader
interested in what you have to say.

8. Now, go to bed and get some rest. Give the ideas a chance to process in your brain. Tomorrow you’ll
notice a few more points to talk about and think of additional ways to say things.

9. Author, Colin Rose, says, “EDIT – Excellent Draft, Inspirational Text”… read the whole essay aloud to
yourself. Tape record it if you can. Does it sound logical and convincing? Your are on your way to
understanding how to write the perfect essay.

Are your examples bringing your ideas to life? Check the beginning – is it awesome – does it make
sense? Edit the beginning, middle and end – check spelling and grammar. Have someone else proofread
it too. Now check the middle. Did everything you said relate to the main topic or question? Is it
convincing? Go to your ending. Edit it – is it punchy? This is the place to really put on your thinking
cap. Did you really convince your reader??

Polish up how the essay looks – Is it neat, organized, well written? Are you satisfied that it does the job
you started out to do? Only you can be the judge of this. Your essay reflects how you think – do you like
the way it came out? If so, turn it in and you now know how to write the perfect essay.

https://www.howtolearn.com/2011/08/how-to-write-the-perfect-essay-in-9-easy-steps/

SENTENCE TYPES

10
 • The best way to improve your writing is to use a variety of sentence structure

• Variety of sentence structure is used to avoid monotony and to make the writing more
interesting and meaningful

• How do you do that? By using

– simple sentences

– longer sentences

– sentences with joining words

– sentences with different beginnings

• Simple sentences

– There is one main idea and one verb

• It was raining heavily.

• I was frightened.

• I started running fast.

***Writing a long series of short sentences will make your writing jerky and choppy. It will also tire
the reader thus make the reader lose interest towards your writing.

• Longer sentences

– Aini was not allowed to leave the classroom. The teacher was busy in the office. She
had to get permission from the prefect on duty.

– As the teacher was busy in the office, Aini was not allowed to leave the classroom
unless she got the permission of the prefect on duty.

– I was on my way home from school. I saw thick black smoke. It was coming from a
burning house. I saw people rushing out with their belongings.

– While I was on my way home from school, I saw thick black smoke coming from a
burning house. People were rushing out with their belongings.

• Construct sentences with joining sentences such as conjunctions to make ideas flow smoothly
and combine two independent thoughts, giving both equal strength and importance.

11
 • Linking a whole string of complete sentences with conjunctions will make the paragraph
monotonous and boring to read, so it is advised to have varied paces in your writing as some
parts can be slow moving while others might be fast paced.

• Short sentences for action and excitement

– I sensed that someone was following me. I turned around. There was no one there.
Again, I heard the thud of boots. So, I quickened my steps. My heart started beating
fast.

• Longer sentences for slow-moving events

– Only an hour ago I had celebrated my twenty-first birthday and now he was gone. I
knew that I would never see him again but why was I still waiting for his phone call? I
hugged my mother and cried uncontrollably. We will never see him again but the
memory of those wonderful times we had would forever be embedded in my mind.

• Using sentences with different beginnings :

– Using one / two adverbs

– Using verb-part openers

– Using the …..ing opener ( Gerund )

– Using infinitives as openers

SHOWING SENTENCES VS TELLING SENTENCES

• “Show Me, Don’t Tell Me“ is an approach to writing a more vivid paragraph as it breathes life
and energy into any story.

• A reader would want to see how the characters in a story come alive and controls the
attention of the reader. When you ‘tell’ a story…it may seem mundane or boring.

• Telling sentences tell us something and gives general, non-specific and often vague ideas

• They do not involve the reader and these type of sentences are written in a dull and lifeless
manner.

• Telling is the wrong way of communicating facts to the reader.

• So if “telling” is not an effective way of writing…a good writer should use “showing”
sentences.

• “Showing” sentences show us - they describe the scene and actions, they help us see by using
clear, specific details to create clear, strong pictures in our minds.

12
• “Showing” sentences will get the reader to experience the story as if the reader is there
participating in the story.

• Now…let’s look at some examples touch

Telling Sentence Showing Sentence

Jack was afraid. As the footsteps tapped closer and closer, Jack felt
his stomach muscles tighten. He flattened himself to
the wall, the gritty bricks against his cheek. Jack was
afraid.

hear touch

• In the “telling” sentence, we are given information but in a way that doesn’t involve the
reader

• In the “showing” sentence however, the reader is brought in the scene along with Jack. Here
the 5S ( sense of touch, smell, feel, see, hear ) factor is used

Smell touch feel see hear

Jack was afraid.

• So the secret of a showing sentence is it’s beautifully simple with specified details that brings
life and stimulates the reader’s imagination so that the reader could project him or herself
into the scene and become part of the story.

13
LET’S TRY

Change the telling sentences below into showing sentences

Telling Sentence Showing Sentence

Hassan thought Zarina was acting

secretively.

Julia was a pretty girl, with blue eyes

and blonde hair.

It was very dark inside.

The pizza was delicious.

The house was haunted

14
Practices: Before & After

Improve on the following paragraphs for a better piece of writing.

Write a story ending with: "If only I had been more careful, that wouldn't
have happened."
Before After
Last Saturday, my mother asked me to take One Saturday afternoon, I had to babysit my
care of my little sister. She was three years three-year-old little sister. My mother was going
old. My mother was going out. My father out to run some errands while my father had to
work overtime. They were both extremely busy.
was working overtime. They were very
busy.

My sister was cute. She had big eyes and a

nice face. Though I loved her, she was also
very annoying. Once she tore up my
Mathematics project and I became very
angry.

After a while, my friend, Sani, phoned me.

He invited me to his house. I went and
decided to bring Angie along.

Victor came from a rich family. His father

was a wealthy businessman. Then we went
to his big house. It was a large mansion. His
servant brought us to meet Victor. Then

15
Victor took us up to his big bedroom on the
second floor.

Victor offered us some drinks. Then we

started to play a computer game. We kept
playing and playing and forgot about Angie.
About fifteen minutes later, we heard a
scream from the staircase.

Angie was missing.

We were very scared. We went to look for

Angie. She was lying at the bottom of the
stairs. She was not moving. Victor called
the ambulance. Angie was sent to the
hospital.

Angie was injured. She had to stay in the

hospital. My parents scolded me because I
was not responsible. I felt very sorry. If only
I had been more careful, that wouldn't have
happened.

If only I had been more careful, that wouldn't

have happened.

Adopted from JABATAN PENDIDIKAN JOHOR, 5 STARS SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE MODULE, 2016

16
 SYNONYMS FOR COMMONLY USED WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

1 Amazing incredible, unbelievable, fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, astonishing,

astounding, extraordinary

2 Anger Annoyance, exasperation, irritation, resentment, pique, wrath

3 Angry mad, furious, enraged, excited, wrathful, indignant, exasperated, aroused,

inflamed

4 Answer reply, respond, retort, acknowledge

5 Ask question, inquire of, seek information from, put a question to, demand,
request, expect, inquire, query, interrogate, examine, quiz

6 Awful dreadful, terrible, abominable, bad, poor, unpleasant

7 Bad evil, immoral, wicked, corrupt, sinful, depraved, rotten, contaminated,

spoiled, tainted, harmful, injurious, unfavourable, defective, inferior,
imperfect, substandard, faulty, improper, inappropriate, unsuitable,
disagreeable, unpleasant, cross, nasty, unfriendly, irascible, horrible,
atrocious, outrageous, scandalous, infamous, wrong, noxious, sinister,
putrid, snide, deplorable, dismal, gross, heinous, nefarious, base, obnoxious,
detestable, despicable, contemptible, foul, rank, ghastly, execrable

8 Beautiful pretty, lovely, handsome, attractive, gorgeous, dazzling, splendid,

magnificent, comely, fair, ravishing, graceful, elegant, fine, exquisite,
aesthetic, pleasing, shapely, delicate, stunning, glorious, heavenly,
resplendent, radiant, glowing, blooming, sparkling

9 begin start, open, launch, initiate, commence, inaugurate, originate

10 big enormous, huge, immense, gigantic, vast, colossal, gargantuan, large,

sizable, grand, great, tall, substantial, mammoth, astronomical, ample,
broad, expansive, spacious, stout, tremendous, titanic, mountainous

11 brave courageous, fearless, dauntless, intrepid, plucky, daring, heroic, valorous,

audacious, bold, gallant, valiant, doughty, mettlesome

12 break fracture, rupture, shatter, smash, wreck, crash, demolish, atomize

13 bright shining, shiny, gleaming, brilliant, sparkling, shimmering, radiant, vivid,

colourful, lustrous, luminous, incandescent, intelligent, knowing, quick-
witted, smart, intellectual

14 calm quiet, peaceful, still, tranquil, mild, serene, smooth, composed, collected,
unruffled, level-headed, unexcited, detached, aloof

17
15 come approach, advance, near, arrive, reach

16 cool chilly, cold, frosty, wintry, icy, frigid

17 crooked bent, twisted, curved, hooked, zigzag

18 cry shout, yell, yowl, scream, roar, bellow, weep, wail, sob, bawl

19 cut gash, slash, prick, nick, sever, slice, carve, cleave, slit, chop, crop, lop, reduce

20 dangerous perilous, hazardous, risky, uncertain, unsafe

21 Dark shadowy, unlit, murky, gloomy, dim, dusky, shaded, sunless, black, dismal,
sad
22 decide determine, settle, choose, resolve

23 definite certain, sure, positive, determined, clear, distinct, obvious

24 Delicious savoury, delectable, appetizing, luscious, scrumptious, palatable, delightful,

enjoyable, toothsome, exquisite

25 Describe portray, characterize, picture, narrate, relate, recount, represent, report,

record

26 Destroy ruin, demolish, raze, waste, kill, slay, end, extinguish

27 Difference disagreement, inequity, contrast, dissimilarity, incompatibility

28 Do execute, enact, carry out, finish, conclude, effect, accomplish, achieve, attain

29 dull boring, tiring„ tiresome, uninteresting, slow, dumb, stupid, unimaginative,

lifeless, dead, insensible, tedious, wearisome, listless, expressionless, plain,
monotonous, humdrum, dreary

30 Eager keen, fervent, enthusiastic, involved, interested, alive to

31 end stop, finish, terminate, conclude, close, halt, cessation, discontinuance

32 enjoy appreciate, delight in, be pleased, indulge in, luxuriate in, bask in, relish,
devour, savour, like

33 explain elaborate, clarify, define, interpret, justify, account for

34 fair just, impartial, unbiased, objective, unprejudiced, honest

35 fall drop, descend, plunge, topple, tumble
36 False fake, fraudulent, counterfeit, spurious, untrue, unfounded, erroneous,
deceptive, groundless, fallacious

18
37 Famous well-known, renowned, celebrated, famed, eminent, illustrious,
distinguished, noted, notorious

38 Fast quick, rapid, speedy, fleet, hasty, snappy, mercurial, swiftly, rapidly, quickly,
snappily, speedily, lickety-split, post-haste, hastily, expeditiously, like a flash

39 Fat stout, corpulent, fleshy, beefy, paunchy, plump, full, rotund, tubby, pudgy,
chubby, chunky, burly, bulky, elephantine

40 Fear fright, dread, terror, alarm, dismay, anxiety, scare, awe, horror, panic,
apprehension

41 Fly soar, hover, flit, wing, flee, waft, glide, coast, skim, sail, cruise

42 Funny Funny — humorous, amusing, droll, comic, comical, laughable, silly

43 Get acquire, obtain, secure, procure, gain, fetch, find, score, accumulate, win,
earn, rep, catch, net, bag, derive, collect, gather, glean, pick up, accept, come
by, regain, salvage

44 Go Go — recede, depart, fade, disappear, move, travel, proceed

45 Good Good — excellent, fine, superior, wonderful, marvellous, qualified, suited,

suitable, apt, proper, capable, generous, kindly, friendly, gracious, obliging,
pleasant, agreeable, pleasurable, satisfactory, well-behaved, obedient,
honourable, reliable, trustworthy, safe, favourable, profitable,
advantageous, righteous, expedient, helpful, valid, genuine, ample,
salubrious, estimable, beneficial, splendid, great, noble, worthy, first-rate,
top-notch, grand, sterling, superb, respectable, edifying

46 Great Great — noteworthy, worthy, distinguished, remarkable, grand,

considerable, powerful, much, mighty

47 Gross Gross — improper, rude, coarse, indecent, crude, vulgar, outrageous,

extreme, grievous, shameful, uncouth, obscene, low

48 Happy Happy — pleased, contented, satisfied, delighted, elated, joyful, cheerful,

ecstatic, jubilant, gay, tickled, gratified, glad, blissful, overjoyed

49 Hate Hate — despise, loathe, detest, abhor, disfavour, dislike, disapprove,

abominate

50 Have Have — hold, possess, own, contain, acquire, gain, maintain, believe, bear,
beget, occupy, absorb, fill, enjoy

51 Help aid, assist, support, encourage, back, wait on, attend, serve, relieve, succour,
benefit, befriend, abet

19
52 Hide conceal, cover, mask, cloak, camouflage, screen, shroud, veil

53 Hurry rush, run, speed, race, hasten, urge, accelerate, bustle

54 Hurt damage, harm, injure, wound, distress, afflict, pain

55 Idea thought, concept, conception, notion, understanding, opinion, plan, view,

belief

56 Important necessary, vital, critical, indispensable, valuable, essential, significant,

primary, principal, considerable, famous, distinguished, notable, well-known

57 Interesting fascinating, engaging, sharp, keen, bright, intelligent, animated, spirited,

attractive, inviting, intriguing, provocative, though-provoking, challenging,
inspiring, involving, moving, titillating, tantalizing, exciting, entertaining,
piquant, lively, racy, spicy, engrossing, absorbing, consuming, gripping,
arresting, enthralling, spellbinding, curious, captivating, enchanting,
bewitching, appealing

58 Keep hold, retain, withhold, preserve, maintain, sustain, support

59 Kill slay, execute, assassinate, murder, destroy, cancel, abolish

60 Lazy indolent, slothful, idle, inactive, sluggish

61 Little tiny, small, diminutive, shrimp, runt, miniature, puny, exiguous, dinky,
cramped, limited, itsy-bitsy, microscopic, slight, petite, minute

62 Look Look — gaze, see, glance, watch, survey, study, seek, search for, peek, peep,
glimpse, stare, contemplate, examine, gape, ogle, scrutinize, inspect, leer,
behold, observe, view, witness, perceive, spy, sight, discover, notice,
recognize, peer, eye, gawk, peruse, explore

63 Love like, admire, esteem, fancy, care for, cherish, adore, treasure, worship,
appreciate, savour

64 Make create, originate, invent, beget, form, construct, design, fabricate,

manufacture, produce, build, develop, do, effect, execute, compose,
perform, accomplish, earn, gain, obtain, acquire, get

65 Mark Mark — label, tag, price, ticket, impress, effect, trace, imprint, stamp, brand,
sign, note, heed, notice, designate

66 Mischievous Mischievous — prankish, playful, naughty, roguish, waggish, impish, sportive

20
67 Move plod, go, creep, crawl, inch, poke, drag, toddle, shuffle, trot, dawdle, walk,
traipse, mosey, jog, plug, trudge, slump, lumber, trail, lag, run, sprint, trip,
bound, hotfoot, high-tail, streak, stride, tear, breeze, whisk, rush, dash, dart,
bolt, fling, scamper, scurry, skedaddle, scoot, scuttle, scramble, race, chase,
hasten, hurry, hump, gallop, lope, accelerate, stir, budge, travel, wander,
roam, journey, trek, ride, spin, slip, glide, slide, slither, coast, flow, sail,
saunter, hobble, amble, stagger, paddle, slouch, prance, straggle, meander,
perambulate, waddle, wobble, pace, swagger, promenade, lunge

68 Moody temperamental, changeable, short-tempered, glum, morose, sullen,

modish, irritable, testy, peevish, fretful, spiteful, sulky, touchy

69 Neat clean, orderly, tidy, trim, dapper, natty, smart, elegant, well-organized,
super, desirable, spruce, shipshape, well-kept, shapely

70 New fresh, unique, original, unusual, novel, modern, current, recent

71 Old feeble, frail, ancient, weak, aged, used, worn, dilapidated, ragged, faded,
broken-down, former, old-fashioned, outmoded, passé, veteran, mature,
venerable, primitive, traditional, archaic, conventional, customary, stale,
musty, obsolete, extinct

72 Part portion, share, piece, allotment, section, fraction, fragment

73 Place space, area, spot, plot, region, location, situation, position, residence,
dwelling, set, site, station, status, state

74 Plan plot, scheme, design, draw, map, diagram, procedure, arrangement,

intention, device, contrivance, method, way, blueprint

75 Popular well-liked, approved, accepted, favourite, celebrated, common, current

76 Predicament quandary, dilemma, pickle, problem, plight, spot, scrape, jam

77 Right correct, accurate, factual, true, good, just, honest, upright, lawful, moral,
proper, suitable, apt, legal, fair

78 Run race, speed, hurry, hasten, sprint, dash, rush, escape, elope, flee

79 Scared afraid, frightened, alarmed, terrified, panicked, fearful, unnerved, insecure,

timid, shy, skittish, jumpy, disquieted, worried, vexed, troubled, disturbed,
horrified, terrorized, shocked, petrified, haunted, timorous, shrinking,
tremulous, stupefied, paralyzed, stunned, apprehensive

80 Show display, exhibit, present, note, point to, indicate, explain, reveal, prove,
demonstrate, expose

21
81 Slow unhurried, gradual, leisurely, late, behind, tedious, slack
82 Put place, set, attach, establish, assign, keep, save, set aside, effect, achieve, do,
build

83 Quit silent, still, soundless, mute, tranquil, peaceful, calm, restful

84 Stop cease, halt, stay, pause, discontinue, conclude, end, finish, quit

85 Story tale, myth, legend, fable, yarn, account, narrative, chronicle, epic, sage,
anecdote, record, memoir

86 Strange odd, peculiar, unusual, unfamiliar, uncommon, queer, weird, outlandish,

curious, unique, exclusive, irregular

87 Take hold, catch, seize, grasp, win, capture, acquire, pick, choose, select, prefer,
remove, steal, lift, rob, engage, bewitch, purchase, buy, retract, recall,
assume, occupy, consume

88 Tell disclose, reveal, show, expose, uncover, relate, narrate, inform, advise,
explain, divulge, declare, command, order, bid, recount, repeat

89 Think judge, deem, assume, believe, consider, contemplate, reflect, mediate

90 Trouble distress, anguish, anxiety, worry, wretchedness, pain, danger, peril, disaster,
grief, misfortune, difficulty, concern, pains, inconvenience, exertion, effort

91 True accurate, right, proper, precise, exact, valid, genuine, real, actual, trusty,
steady, loyal, dependable, sincere, staunch

92 Ugly hideous, frightful, frightening, shocking, horrible, unpleasant, monstrous,

terrifying, gross, grisly, ghastly, horrid, unsightly, plain, homely, evil,
repulsive, repugnant, gruesome

93 Unhappy miserable, uncomfortable, wretched, heart-broken, unfortunate, poor,

downhearted, sorrowful, depressed, dejected, melancholy, glum, gloomy,
dismal, discouraged, sad

94 Use employ, utilize, exhaust, spend, expend, consume, exercise

95 Wrong incorrect, inaccurate, mistaken, erroneous, improper, unsuitable

22
MORE WRITING PRACTICES

EXPANDING A SENTENCE WITH ADJECTIVE PHRASES

A sentence may also be expanded with ADJECTIVE PHRASES which also tell us more
about the nouns and pronouns in the sentence.

An adjective phrase may begin with either:

a) a PREPOSITION (from, in, over, behind, under, near, of, etc)

b) or a PARTICIPLE (taken, spoken, called, eaten, painted, stood)

In the example below, ‘a’ is a simple sentence and ‘b’ is the same sentence expanded with the
use of an ADJECTIVE PHRASE (underlined). The adjective phrase describes the noun ‘boys’.

a) The boys broke a window.

b) The boys in my class broke a window.

You can expand further by adding a phrase to the noun ‘window’ :

The boys in my class broke a window beside the door.

EXERCISE

Expand each sentence below with a suitable adjective phrase or phrases describing the noun or
nouns underlined. Use the given phrase for the first sentence and your own phrase for the
second sentence.

1. The woman was very attractive. (in the red and white dress)
The woman in the red and white dress is very attractive.
The woman standing behind the counter is very attractive. (your own phrase)

2. The soldiers were sent home. (injured in the battle)

3. A policeman chased the robber. (wearing civilian clothes)\

4. Jimmy spoke in a rude manner. (arguing with his parents)

5. The tourist bought a sarong from me. (puffing a cigar)

6. The purse belongs to the girl. (on the desk/sitting next to Asmawi)

23
7. The fruits were meant for the children. (stolen by the monkeys/in the orphanage)

8. A dog was found in the car park. (tagged ‘Sam’/outside the supermarket)

9. The picnickers put their things on a table. (arriving in a school bus/under a huge tree)

10. A man came into the shop. (wearing sunglasses)

11. Furniture sells very well in Europe. (made in our country)

12. The house has been sold. (being painted)

13. Mr. Jamal gave a talk. (on stamp-collecting)

14. We wore warm clothes. (made from wool)

15. The thieves were caught by the security guards. (trapped in the lift)

24
COMPOUND SENTENCES

1. When two or more simple sentences are joined by a co-ordinating conjunction or

conjunctions, they become a COMPOUND SENTENCE.

2. These are some examples of co-ordinating conjunctions (which are used to combine
independent clauses of the same rank) :

and but
both…and still
not only…but also yet
as well as nevertheless
but however
or therefore
neither…nor so
either…or for

3. Here are some examples of how simple sentences are combined to become compound
sentences :
a) Night came.
The house grew dark.
Night came and the house grew dark.

b) He is a fool.
He is a rascal.
He is a fool and a rascal.
He is both a fool and a rascal.
He is a fool as well as a rascal.

c) I was angry.
I kept quiet.
I was angry but I kept quiet.
I was angry still I kept quiet.
I was angry yet I kept quiet.

d) Come in.
Go out.
Come in or go out.
Either come in or go out.

e) He was naughty.
He was punished.
He was naughty so he was punished.
He was naughty therefore he was punished.

f) I cannot go.
It is raining.
I cannot go for it is raining.

25
EXERCISES

Combine each set of simple sentences into a compound sentence.

1. The sea was rough.

The wind was cold.

2. He is good in English.
He is also good in Mathematics.

3. The picture are good.

The story is bad.

4. We cannot see.
It is very dark.

5. It rained.
We stayed home.

6. He is slow.
He is sure.

7. He is taller.
He is younger.

8. He is not stupid.
He is not lazy.

9. Hassan knew.
He did not tell us.

10. They did not eat.

They did not drink.

26
 NOW, LET’S READ SOME SAMPLES.
HIGHLIGHT THE GOOD EXPRESSIONS AND WORDS.
UNDERLINE ALL THE ERRORS.
DECIDE ON THE BAND.

SAMPLE 1

‘A simple act of kindness could lead to a million things’.

Describe how a kind act has given a big impact in your life.

“Alright, class. As promised, you will be receiving individual assignment today.” I groaned
quietly when I heard the words spilled from my Geography teacher’s lips. “Not another
assignment.” I whined under my breath. The teacher paid no mind at the distressed looks her
students were making.

“This is an out of the classroom project,” she continued, “You are supposed to report on
the pollution that is going on here in Malaysia.” Miss Sarah smiled in glee. “You only have a
week to complete it starting today.”

“WHAT!!!” The whole classroom shook from the uproar of the students shouting in protest.
I could only blink dumbfoundedly at her sly, grinning face. God, why had you bestowed upon me
a crazy teacher?

I was pretty chilled though, despite the pilling assignment. It was an individual project, it
couldn’t be hard, right?

I quickly went to work, gathering information on the pollution that was happening at my
hometown. By the sixth days into the deadline, I was ready to put together my portfolio. I was
coming back from the computer laboratory after I finished printing all my items.

As I walking through the corridor, a stack of papers clutched to my chest, I bumped into a
group of students that I recognised as my classmates.

“S-sorry.” I stuttered out an apology, averting my eyes to the ground as I tried to quickly
scurried away from the scene. However, a hand on my shoulder stopped me ftpm escape. I

27
turned my head only to be met with the devious grin of Emily, with her eyes crinkling with mischief.
I gulped nervously, feeling a dreaded feeling inside me.

“What?” I asked bluntly but my question did nothing to shake Emily’s had off my shoulder.

“What’s that you are holding, Lucy?” She asked in a rather squeky voice that never failed
to get under my skin.

“N-nothing.” I sputtered out a reply, holding my assignment papers protectively.

Emily’s eyes only seemed to sparkle brighter. “Is that our Geography assignment papers?
Wow, you’re working hard aren’t you, Lucy?” There was almost a jeer in her tone but I tried to
ignore it.

I nodded my head and offered a nervous smile. “Thanks. I really wanted to ace this one.”
I told her politely, shaking her hand off my shoulder. “I am going to the binding store now. I’ll see
you later, Emily.” Quickly, I made my second escape attempt and this time, I succeded. Once I
made sure they were out of earshot, I let out a sigh of relief. I was never fond of them, it was as
if they were planning something evil. Shaking the thoughts away, I quickly dashed my way to the
shop, glad to be able to finish this assignment at last.

The next day left me buzzing excitedly. Why wouldn’t I? I was going to hand in my
assignment today and relished in all the hard work I had invest in. With a skip in my step, I greeted
all my teachers and friends with enthusiasm and even told Miss Sarah that I would hand in my
assignment after I retrieved it from the store. Miss Sarah had a beautiful smile on her youthful
face when she listened to what I said.

However, my world shattered and was flipped 180 degrees up side down when my
portfolio wasn’t there. My knees buckled under my weight and I kneeled on the floor, numbed to
my surrounding. All the effort that I put into was gone, stolen by someone who I did not even
want to think about. What was worse was the fact that I forgot to put a credit there so no matter
what I said, I had no concrete evidence to back me up.

I was going to fail!

The word fail rang through my head like a broken record. Even if I tried to reprint
everything, there was a risk that I might be charged with plagiarism.

28
 I felt wetness on my cheeks and realised that I was crying. I felt so pathetic. Suddenly, I
felt a hand on my shoulder that had me jerk my head back.

“Oh my, why are you crying, girl?” An old lady asked me. I recognised her as the school
garderner. I wiped my tears away and stood on my feet with my head bowed.

“Someone stole my work, mam. I don’t know what I am supposed to do now.” I found
myself telling her my situation, which was odd. The old lady only gave me a gentle smile that
melted my heart. Her wrinkled, calloused hand touched my cheek.

“God is fair, my dear,” she told me. “You should do what your heart wants to. God will
lead you.”

That was the only thing she muttered to me before she left rather hurriedly but her words
had strike a chord inside me that had me running back to the computer laboratory.

I quickly reprinted my assignment, this time with the credit on, only to realised that the
papers were different. I did not have much time to dwell though as I hurried back to the store to
put together my work together.

This time I waited, making sure there was no mysterious figures trying to steal my work.
By the time I reached Miss Sarah, I was panting heavily.

“You made it, Lucy!” Miss Sarah turned around in her chair to face me and there was a
relief in her voice. “Did something happen?” Her brows burrowed together in worried but I flashed
her a dazzling smile.

“Sorry I am late, Miss Sarah. My initial work was stolen but I managed to reprint it.” I
handed my portfolio over to her and stole a glance at the clock. I was just five minutes before the
last bell. Whew, thank god I managed to make it before the deadline.

It turned out there was a sliver lining. I really managed to ace the assignment, scoring the
highest mark in the class. The person who stole my work, well, she flopped the assignment and
the reason was because my first work was a mistake. Instead of the topic of pollution, it was a
topic about marine life. That should teach her not to steal other people’s works next time. Despite
that, I was so thankful for the old lady. If she was not being kind and concerned to ask me about
my condition, I might actually gave in to the voices in my head and admit defeat.

29
 Thankfully, God was really fair and because of that, my whole life had changed. I had
faced through many difficulties and came out victorious by holding onto that motto. It was true, a
simple act of kindness, could lead to million things.

SCORE GIVEN:

COMMENTS:

SAMPLE 2

Darkness. That was the only thing she could see after opening her eyes. Rachel heard
her mother’s voice calling her name over and over again. Her mother sounded like she was just
next to her, but no matter how hard she looked, how hard she blinked, she could only see
darkness. Terrified, she started screaming. Had she died? What happened?
She was about to break into tears when she felt her mother’s grip on her hand. Her mother
calmed her down but somehow Rachel was still confused. Then, the thought came to her. Was
she blind?
“Mum, what happened? Where am I?” Rachel asked her mother. The smell of anaesthesia
was strong, but she wanted to confirm that she was in a hospital.
There was a long pause before her mother started talking.
“Rachel, don’t be scared when you listen to this….” and her mother continued to tell her
about the tragedy that befalled her. And then, she remembered everything.
Rachel was on her way to a class gathering. It was not very far, just around 4 km from
home. It was a curvy road, and the vehicle in front of her was extremely slow. She had to be there
by eight p.m and there was only 25 minutes more to spare. She tried overtaking the vehicle in
front of her when all of a sudden an oil tanker came out of nowhere. She turned the wheel, trying
to avoid it but instead, she hit the vehicle that she was overtaking instead. The oil tanker tried to
break, but failed to do so and ended up hitting her car. All she could remember after that was how
painful the pain was. The car was crushed, so she could not move. Not to mention the fact that
both of her legs were broken. And then, everything blacked out.
After that, she was taken to a hospital and she just lied, unconscious for weeks. But how
she turned blind, that was unexplainable. There were not any severe injuries on her head, but
somehow her eyes were affected.
A week after she woke up, she was finally discharged. She went home and tried living like
how she used to, but everything was not the same. Not being able to see made her feel useless.
Even though her limbs were still attached to her body, without her eyes, everything was
just harder. When picking clothes, she needed her mother to make sure that she was not wearing
them inside out. She could not cook, or even pour water without spilling it everywhere.

30
 Day by day, she just felt more and more depressed. She could not do anything that she
wanted and if she really had to do something, she needed someone’s help. Having surgery to fix
her eyes was not an option, since doctors could not identify the source of her blindness. So, she
decided to end it all.
Later that night, she went to the roof of the building she lives in. She used the stairs, as
she did not want anyone to know. It was difficult, when you could not see anything. She barely
avoided tripping.
She was only one floor away from reaching the roof when she heard a sound. It was a
beautiful, harmonious sound of the piano. All her thoughts of killing herself were somehow lost
from her mind. Instead, she sat there listening to the beautiful notes played by this particular
person. She loved classical music, but had stopped listening to it because she did not have as
much time anymore. The beautiful sound of music made her want to know about the person
playing it. Never has Rachel heard such melodious piano playing before.
She carefully searched for the source of the sound. She was thankful that she had not lost
her hearing as well. After searching for so long, she founded it. The room that was the source of
the beautiful music. She wanted to knock the door, but too afraid that it will bother the person
playing so she just decided to stand outside the door, enjoying the music.
All of a sudden, the door opened.
“Um, excuse me miss, but can you please move out of the way? I need to go home.” A
voice said. The voice sounded like it was from a boy around 10 to 12 years old.
“Oh, sorry.” Rachel said, moving out of the way. “I was enjoying your piano playing,”
“Okay, then ” the boy replied. Rachel heard the sound of his footsteps fading away.
“Do you like classical music, miss?” another voice spoke. Rachel turned to the direction
of the voice.
“Very much. In fact, can I come and listen to it everyday?” I don’t really have much to do
at home and it’s a bit boring.” Rachel asked.
“Sure, why not. Feel free to come here. I’m sure no one minds “ The voice replied.
“Thank you.”
Rachel goes to that place everyday. The sound of music made her glad that she was alive.
Although she could see, being able to hear beautiful music was wonderful. She was glad she
founded the room or not she would have not existed anymore. Music saved her life, and she was
happy it did.
(875 WORDS)

MARKS GIVEN:

COMMENTS:

31
 SAMPLE 3

There was once a time when music played such an important role to her. Music was able to
change Thalia from a zero to a hero of her own. Music was able to play such a significant role in
her life that it helped her escape her shell that had been bonding her the rest of her life, the shell
of fears and anxiety and everything bad in between. It all started in Thalia’s early years of high
school.
Thalia was an extremely shy person. She was so shy that she would only walk by the sides of the
corridor looking down. One time while walking, she even hit a wall as she was too busy trying to
avoid everyone. The slim redhead figure would always walk with earphones placed in her ear, as
music was her only way to escape the reality she was struck in.
This girl goes through the same routine everyday. After school, she would straight away go
upstairs to her room and sits there, quietely. No one knows what she had been doing.
Thalia Jenson was actually a secret DJ. She had her own radio channel and would express her
heart out the world, anonymously. Her talent was in music and making mash-ups. Referring
herself to as ‘Radio Rebel’, she was never shy. That name made her confident and able to talk
through her own radio channel without any feelings of anxiety as the real Thalia would have. Well
that was just the beginning.
Couple of months had passed and Thalia’s mother re-married her father. They were divorced 6
years ago. Back then, her father was not able to support them both as he had no job and money.
Her mother on the other hand, her business was flourishing. Therefore the father felt that he was
being a burden so they divorced. Mr Anderson was new reunited with his family and even had his
own radio company.
The Radio Rebel craze had been spreading out like wild fire across the city, especially amongst
teenager who enjoyed listening to her problems in school and in life. Everyone back then was
looking for the real identity of this mysterious DJ that only went by the name Radio Rebel.Thalia
intended on keeping her identity a secret as she was simply too shy and refuses to show herself
out to the world. It was difficult for her to keep it a secret specifically from her father who had
been searching Radio Rebel’s true identity as well.
Mr Anderson would like to have Radio Rebel as one of his official DJs at his radio company. One
day, he came into Thalia’s room where she was playing music on her laptop and his phone was
turning on Radio Rebel’s channel. While they were talking, the music on her laptop stopped and
so did the music on her radio channel. Mr Anderson was curious then he was able to figure out
that her daughter was the Radio Rebel he was looking for.
Thalia had no choice but to move into an official radio studio at her father’s workplace. Although
she was moved to an official radio studio, her identity remained a secret to the world except her
parents and the workers at the station. Thalia still refused to share her true identity as she was
still scared of interacting with other people and terrified by what they might say about her.

32
School prom was approaching that weekend. By that time, people already knew that Radio Rebel
was among them, that the DJ was someone from that school. Following school traditions, the
students would have to vote for a homecoming queen. Thalia was starting to get terrified as Radio
Rebel’s name was on the list of candidates to be chosen for homecoming queen.
Somehow, her true identity was leaked to Amanda, the diva of the school. Worried of her
reputation being ruined by this radio rebel, she threatened Thalia to promote herself on Radio
Rebel’s channel. Thalia being the shy and scared person she was, she said nothing in response
and just obliged. Things seemed to be getting back in order, Amanda getting her votes back to
be homecoming queen and Thalia still wanted to remain as she was, an anonymous. Well things
were not as they seemed.
It was the night that everyone was hyped for, prom. Though Thalia was still as shy as she was,
she showed up for prom. Her red dress was perfectly placed against her slim pale self. Her wavy
hair was tied up into a bun while a long butterfly pin held it in place. Amanda, being the diva she
was showed up in a striking pink dress while her blonde hair was left untied on her shoulders.
None of them knew what was ahead.
When it was time to announce the homecoming queen, everyone was quiete to listen to the name
being announced. The silence was broke by the announcement of Radio Rebel as the
homecoming queen. Everyone was cheering yet no one was walking up on stage to receive the
crown. Silence was starting to take over the room. With a deep breath, Thalia climbed up the
stairs to the stage to take her crown.
Everyone was cheering and chanting Thalia’s name while Amanda burst into tears and ran out
the door. Thalia was now confident as she realised that she had nothing to be scared of from the
start. She was only fearful of herself.
Music had definitely changed Thalis’s life. It was amazing how her passion for music started a
charm of unexpected events. From a nobody to the homecoming queen of East High., music was
definitely useful in her life. Not only that, music became a weapon for Thalia to become someone
new, someone who was more confident and definitely a hero to herself.

(927 WORDS)
MARKS GIVEN:
COMMENTS:

33
 SAMPLE 4

Languages can be seen as a very intricate tool utilized by humanity to connect, to convey and to
communicate. In a progressive society that continues to flourish and grow with multiple cultures,
races and identities, a common language that exists to bridge the gap between all our differences
is extremely vital in order for the world to unite and come to a sense of understanding together as
a whole. Except, what is that common language? Unfortunately, we do not yet have an answer to
that question.
The English language is assumed by most people to be somewhat of the ‘lingua franca’ of the
twenty-first century. But to debunk that myth, there are still millions of individuals who do not
speak a word of English, therefore it is unfair to claim that English is a ‘universal’ language.
Here is the catch- due to the fact that we, as humanity as a whole, have yet to find a single
language that can be spoken by literally everyone on planet earth’s existence the absolute
necessity of being able to converse in multiple languages comes into light. Even in Malaysia itself,
our demographics are composed of a multitude of races and identities that each speak in distinct
tongues. Although the official language is Malay, there are still a minority of individuals who are
unable to speak it. This problem cannot be saved entirely, yet one of the ways to reduce the
stratification between the people of our country is through an education system that enforces
bilingualism. It means that all the students in Malaysia are to be taught at least two languages,
which are English and Malay.
The necessity of English and Malay are blatant enough. But what about the idea of all Malaysian
students learning three languages? Is it a necessity? It is an attempt to garner and harness more
intellectual individuals who can communicate and connect to even more people of other races
and identities once they possess the ability to speak more than two languages? Will the
enforcement of least three languages in the Malaysian educational syllabus help to improve our
country’s relationship with that of others in this vast world? Will it open up significantly many more
doors of opportunity? Those are the questions that necessarily be asked, before taking into
consideration the idea of all Malaysian students learning at least three languages.
On a superficial level it might seem like a good idea, a utopian one, at best but there are a whole
lot of other factors to take into consideration if that policy were to ever be implemented. Personally,
I think it is a good idea on an individual basis for one to learn as many languages as possible, but
to enforce a minimum three languages on Malaysian students through the national curriculum is
not one I agree with.
One of the reasons is solely due to the lack of manpower. Looking at status quo, Malaysia itself
already lacks quality educators in the field of languages. Our country does not possess enough
good teachers to teach Malay and English, yet alone a third language like Mandarin, Arabic,
French, Spanish and Tamil. It is undeniable that an abundance of Malaysians are fluent in three
languages (and perhaps even more). Yet the ability to speak and the ability to teach a language
are two entirely distinct things. Not only that, but to implement a third-language as a necessity in
the Malaysian syllabus will also be very costly for the Ministry of Education as they will eventually
be required to fork out an exhorbitant amount of money to provide training, teaching and equip

34
the future educators with the necessary skills required to teach a foreign language. Instead, the
money could probably be spent to better the nation’s existing education system in a multitude of
other ways.
Secondly, the teaching of Malay and English as of now in itself is not fully maximized to its utmost
potential. Despite the fact that these two languages are on essential element of the national
syllabus, there are still many many individuals who are unable to speak and write in either
language. This is commonly seen in extremely rural and remote areas, where sometimes, in
places like Sabahian and Sarawakian villages, students are unable to converse in both languages
despite being taught them in school. The current implementation of English and Malay is
genuinely not efficient enough as most students merely learn the languages as a necessity for
SPM, and pray that they eventually obtain results that are enough for them to proceed with their
further education. To implement a compulsory third language will mostly be burdensome to the
students instead, as a lot of them are struggling enough to cope with merely two.
Thirdly, despite the necessity of being able to speak many languages in an increasingly globalised
world, the level of necessity still stands on varying degrees for different individuals. At the end of
the day, it is in one’s personal opinion to decide if a third on a second language is important to
them as an individual, because everyone has different outlooks on life. In my personal opinion, if
a certain individual does not see the necessity of acquiring a third language for themselves, then
he or she should not be forced to learn it, as different individuals have defined their needs and
desires in their personal ways. For example, a student who intends to pursue a carrier that
requires little to no communication with people from different communities would not have the
necessity to learn a third language in comparison to a student who intends to pursue international
diplomacy which will require them to work with multiple individuals from around the globe.
Implementing an additional language as a compulsory component of the syllabus will do more
harm than good to the students who are certain of its lack of necessity in their lives, as they are
already struggling enough with many other subjects they are currently taking.
In conclusion, on a personal level, I see languages as a pivotal tool that humans use to
communicate, and that by learning more languages, one will be able to unlock on abundance of
pathways of opportunity in many parts of the world. Language fosters understanding and helps
people to unite. However, languages are not an easy thing to learn, yet alone master and perfect
language is definitely more complex than Science and Mathematics, because in languages, two
plus two does not necessarily equal to four, and the rules of grammar, syntax and morphology
are definitely much more challenging than understanding Newton’s Second Law of Balanced
Forces or The Law of Definite Integrals when performing calculus. The only reason why most
people are fluent in a certain language or two is because it is all that they have been taught to
speak since infancy, hence for most people to achieve a native-like fluency in a language that is
entirely foreign to them would be an incredibly massive achievement.
I have come to understand that not many people see the necessity of an additional language in
their lives, and to take into consideration the difficulty of mastering even a single language on its
own would mean that it is unfair and unwise for us to enforce a policy of all students in Malaysia
to learn at least three languages, because different people see the world through different
perspectives and are capable of entirely different things. At the end of the day, if one still wishes
to equip themselves with the ability of speaking in another language, there are still many other
places to go to and many different ways for them to eventually learn. After all, as people often
say, when there is a will, there is always a way

35
(1200 words)
MARKS GIVEN :
Comments:

CW Compilation for 2017 State Trials

36
State Questions Remarks
1. Describe a busy event in school and how you felt about it.
2. Examinations should be banned. Do you agree?
3. The influence of K-Pop on teenagers’ spending habit.
Johor 4. Write your experience of helping a friend who was in trouble. Begin
(Set 1) your story with:
“It all started with a look...”
5. ‘No pain, no gain.’
Describe how you overcome difficult moment in your life in order
to achieve success.
1. Describe your previous birthday party and how you felt about it.
2. Alternative Energy Sources are effective. Do you agree?
3. Teenagers are having difficulties in social interaction because of
Johor smartphones.
(Set 2) 4. Write your experience of helping a friend who was in trouble. Begin
your story with:
“It all started with a look...”
5. ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’
Describe how you overcome difficult moment in your life in order
to achieve success.
1. Describe your dream home.
2. Online shopping brings more disadvantages. Do you agree?
3. Teenagers should start saving from now. Write your saving plans.
Johor 4. Write an experience of helping a friend during a flood. Begin your
(Set 3) story with:
“It was the beginning of the wet season...”
5. ‘Time is Gold.’
Describe how you manage your time in order to prepare for
examination.
1. Describe how one can study smart.
2. What is the best way for teenagers to release stress?
3. Everybody has weaknesses and strengths. Discuss.
4. Write a story about a determined single mother. End your story
Kedah with:
(Set 1) “The children would have never achieved anything without their
mother’s sacrifice.”
5. Teenagers and gadgets are inseparable. Write about why teenagers
are into gadgets these days and possible effects on them.
1. English is important for your future. What do you think?
2. Describe about an incident you wish to forget.
Kedah 3. Write about a scary moment at a park beginning with,
(Set 2) “I could not believe my eyes when...”
4. Write your experience with a strict but kind teacher.
5. ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover.’
Describe an experience when this was true for you.

State Questions Remarks

37
 1. Write a story about someone whose hobby had made him
famous.
2. Why do people bully?
3. Teenagers’ life nowadays is greatly influenced by social media.
Kelantan Discuss.
4. Write about a girl who had lost her parents but managed to
achieve success in life. Begin your story with:
“Amelia’s plans shattered into a million pieces when...”
5. Should children follow their dreams or fulfil their parents’
wishes?
1. Describe some activities you and your family indulge in as a
pastime.
2. E-shopping will one day take over the conventional method of
Melaka shopping. How far do you agree?
(Set 1) 3. How can students carry out recycling in school?
4. Write a story about a smart kid beginning with:
“Ever since I was a child, I have wanted to...”
5. ‘Never put of until tomorrow what you can do today.’
Describe an experience when this was true for you.
1. My wish for Malaysia.
2. Smartphone as an educational tool. Discuss.
3. Describe how you and your classmates spent a day performing
acts of kindness.
Melaka 4. Write about a hardworking but quiet young woman who lives
(Set 2) alone in a house near your school. Begin your story with:
“Every day I would walk pass a grey house on my way to
school...”
5. Write a story with this message: ‘Knowledge is power.’
1. Write a story about how false information spread on social media
affected someone’s life.
2. Some people believe being fluent in English can determine
students’ success in their future. What do you think?
3. There are many types of charity work in Malaysia.
MRSM Write about a charity programme that you want to be a part of
and why.
4. Write about your experience with a taxi driver named Sudin.
Begin your story with:
“The taxi stopped in front of me...”
5. What are the ways to encourage students to love reading?
1. If you had a time machine, what day would you travel back to?
Describe that day.
2. ‘Failure is the stepping stone to success.’
Negeri Write about someone’s experience that reflects this saying.
Sembilan 3. My problems as a teenager and how I dealt with them.
4. Write a story beginning with:
“I entered the hall nervously, expecting to be greeted with angry
faces. However...”

38
 5. What are the ways to help students to stay focused in their
studies?

State Questions Remarks

1. Describe a time when something totally unexpected happened.
2. How should parents discipline their children?
3. Teenagers should be encouraged to be involved in social work.
How far do you agree?
Pahang 4. Part of growing up is facing your fears. Write a story when you
did something you were afraid to do. Begin your story with:
“I still could not believe my eyes when…”
5. ‘To err is human, to forgive is divine.’
Write about an incident when you forgave someone for hurting
or disappointing you.
6. Describe the best vacation you have ever had in your life.
7. Students should be allowed to bring mobile phones to school.
What do you think?
8. If you could make one wish, what could it be and why?
Penang 9. Write a story when friendship played an important part in
someone’s life. Begin your story with:
“I woke up with a headache and remembered what had
happened last night...”
10. ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’
Write about your experience of knowing someone who has
succeeded in life because of his/her determination.
1. Describe your plans for the future.
2. How modern inventions have helped mankind.
3. Habits of Young Malaysians today.
Perak 4. Knowledge VS Experience. Which guarantees a better future?
5. Write a story about someone who has returned home after many
years. End your story with:
“...welcome home, my child.”
1. Describe an interesting character you met on a journey back to
your hometown.
2. Discuss how social media harms our society.
3. The lack of interest in reading among students has caused many
Perlis problems. Do you agree?
4. Write about your experience as a volunteer helping a charity
home. End your story with:
“...I shed tears of joy seeing the fruit of my labour.”
5. ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder.’
Describe an experience when this was true for you.
1. Does school prepare us for life? Discuss.
2. Write a story about a time in your life when a sad situation
turned out with a positive result.
3. Some people feel that watching television is not beneficial for
Sarawak students. What do you think?

39
 4. Write a story about how Nabil was determined to achieve his
dream despite many obstacles. Begin your story with:
“The alarm had just rung. It was five in the morning...”
5. What are some of the ways to help teenagers to have a healthy
body and mind?

State Questions Remarks

1. A pleasant surprise.
2. Describe a scene after a tragic accident and your feelings about
what had happened to the victims.
SBP 3. Should students bring smartphones to school? Discuss.
4. Write a story about a man who came home one day after a long
day at work. End your story with:
“...he prayed to God and hoped that the moment would last.”
5. Benefits of online shopping.
1. Cyberbullying has become rampant. Discuss.
2. What are the ways to stay safe on the road?
Selangor 3. ‘When there is a will, there is a way.’
(Set A) Write a story on how your friend, Adam succeeded in achieving
his dream.
4. Write about a place that inspires you.
5. How do you spend your holidays meaningfully.
1. Write a story about a time in someone’s life when love played an
important role.
2. Describe an event in school that was meaningful to you.
Selangor 3. How do we take care of our environment?
(Set B) 4. Write a story about how you helped a sibling overcome a difficult
situation. End your story with:
“...blood is thicker than water.”
5. Some people believe that many students in Malaysia spend too
much time playing online games. What do you think?
1. Describe a visit to a night market and how you felt about it.
2. Building a nation is important to one’s country. How can
teenagers contribute towards this?
3. Having a Facebook account is beneficial for school students.
Terengganu What do you think?
4. Write a story about an unexpected incident that happened to
you during a holiday trip and how it affected you. Begin your
story with:
“It was 6.30 in the morning. Everyone in the family was busy
preparing for the trip...”
5. What are the benefits of having many friends?

40
"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being
wrong." –Anonymous

"If you are not willing to risk the usual you

will have to settle for the ordinary." --Jim Rohn

"Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less

traveled by,and that made all the difference."
--Robert Frost

"Success does not consist in never making mistakes

but in never making the same one a second time." --
George Bernard Shaw

41