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FYI, Nazri was trying to use my suggested template of I+A1+D1+A2+D2+C
(Intro + Agree 1 vs Disagree 1 + Agree 2 vs Disagree 2 + Conclusion = 6 paragraph format)
Nazri's Intro:
In this globalization era, murder and kidnap are one of the heavy crimes people most
commit. In addition, according to the articles I have read, these rate of crimes are increasing
drastically all over the world. Women and children are the most common victim of the
heartless criminals because they are weak or they look fragile. Do people commit crimes for
selfish reasons? I agree to a certain extent that people commit crimes for fun and greedy,
however, crimes may be committed because of financial problems and lack of parents' love.
Edited version:
In this globaliSation era, murderS and kidnapPING are SOME of the heavy
crimes people MAY commit. In addition, according the articles I have read, the
rate of crimes are increasing drastically all over the world. Women and children
are the most common victimS of the heartless criminals because they are weak or
look fragile. Do people commit crimes for selfish reasons? WE HAVE CERTAINLY
READ CASES OF HUSBANDS KILLING THEIR WIVES TO CLAIM THE INSURANCE
MONEY AND VICE VERSA BUT THERE ARE ALSO INCIDENCES OF CRIMES THAT HAVE
NOTHING TO DO WITH SELFISHNESS SUCH AS MURDER COMMITTED IN A RAGE OF
JEALOUSY. IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, I ONLY agree to a certain extent that people
commit crimes FOR SELFISH REASONS BECAUSE IN SOME CASES SELFISHNESS IS
NOT THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WHY CRIMES HAPPEN.
Editor's notes:
You will lose your ground as a Band 5/6 student if your grammar is inconsistent. Nazri's first
sentence itself is controversial because he uses the word 'most'. Along with 'all', 'never',
'always' and 'everyone', these words must be avoided at all costs as it draws generalisations
and sweeping statements that make the reader feel that the writer lacks critical thinking and
maturity. Instead, use 'some', 'often', 'may', 'might', 'usually' etc.. He could also have
improved the introduction by outlining some crimes that are driven by selfish reasons and
some that are not as seen in the edited version. Finally, the thesis statement must clearly
outline that you are going to discuss both sides of the coin.
First and foremost, SOME people MAY commit crimes just for fun SIMPLY
BECAUSE THEY ENJOY OTHER PEOPLE'S SUFFERING that may drag them to a world
without humanity. Why do I say so? One of the reasons is they love MAY HAVE
SELFISH REASONS TO MAKE people suffer. They MAY steal something that is
valuable in someone's life to JUST TO entertain themselves or to get revenge. For
instance, THERE ARE CASES OF heartless criminals especially men like WHO HAVE
BEEN ARRESTED FOR TAKING women's pride by raping them and ignoring their
tears and some of the unfortunate victims may HAVE EVEN BEEN killed when they
try to escape. Thus, people who commit crimes are selfish because someone's
suffering is the happiness for them.
Editor's notes:
Here you need to be really careful when making sweeping statements so I have modified the
sentences using words that can temper the effect. Using informal sentences are also not
advisable such as 'just for fun' especially when you cannot prove specifically that men rape
others 'just for fun' because they 'enjoy' it. At all costs too, avoid sentences that declare
'people love to ...' or 'people like to ...' as these statements are not well quantified and
examiners will usually have a huge frown because you did not provide concrete proof
highlighting your own opinions just doesn't cut it. Try to back up your points with some
evidence of reading such as 'there have been cases that../a local newspaper recently
reported that../from a study done on...', all of which will make your essay more credible
rather than picking out lines from thin air.
Editor's notes:
His 2nd point seems inconsequential because there is no clear LINK why he is
introducing his opposition point. Basically, to make this clear, you need to write a topic
sentence that clearly links to the first point introduced earlier. This shows the contrast with
the opposition point so you may argue contrary to the first idea introduced. When
contrasting ideas, the right vocabulary works best whereby SELFISHNESS is contrasted to
SELFLESSNESS, which makes it clear to the reader that you are still on track discussing the
LINK BETWEEN PART A & PART B. Furthermore, I had to modify the example to show a high
degree of selflessness and sacrifice because the example of a rich man's house being
burgled does not highlight the concept of selflessness. Lastly, the summation sentence
needs to really LINK back to the concept of selfish or unselfish reasons in order to make the
argument crystal.
Nazri's Conclusion:
In conclusion, people commit crimes are not only for selfish reasons but also because of
other motivation such as environmental factors. Most of them commit crimes because of
narrow minded and do not have enough money to bear the cost of living. Therefore, our
government with the help of relevant authorities should increase the safety at a place where
crimes often occur and help poor family. Besides that, parents should spend more time for
their growing children.
Edited version:
In conclusion, IT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT THERE ARE TWO FACES TO A COIN
WHEREBY people commit crimes not only for selfish reasons but also because of
other FACTORS such as their ENVIRONMENT AND UPBRINGING. Most SOME of
them commit crimes because of NARROW-MINDEDNESS OR THEY do not have
enough money to bear the cost of living, AMONG OTHER ISSUES. I STILL
ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT SELFISH REASONS ARE NOT THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING
FACTOR AND THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER REASONS FOR CRIME TO BE
CONSIDERED. OUR government HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN ENSURING the relevant
authorities increase the PUBLIC'S safety at placeS where crimes often occur. THE
SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT MAY ALSO LOOK INTO STRATEGIES TO help poor
FAMILIES SO CRIME CAN BE AVOIDED FROM THE GRASSROOTS. Besides that,
NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS SHOULD ALSO BE CARRIED OUT TO EDUCATE parents ON
SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND ENSURING A SOUND MORAL
UPBRINGING. THEREFORE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO PRODUCE A FUTURE GENERATION
THAT STEERS CLEAR AWAY FROM CRIMES OF ALL KINDS AND INSTEAD CREATING
YOUTHS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE PRODUCTIVELY TO OUR NATION'S PROSPERITY.
Editor's notes:
A good conclusion should have 3 parts, ie repeat the points in a more creative way, repeat
your stand from the introduction and outline some recommendations for this issue. It is also
wise to end on a high note because the conclusion gives the reader and examiner a lasting
impression so you might as well end with a bang!
GRAMMAR FIRST.
I've developed some basic rules. If you can follow it, i'm sure your writing will improve by
leaps and bounds.
Firstly, you must learn (memorise) all the words in the table of tenses. There are 4 columns,
all starting with 'P'.
Here are the common words in English according to the table of tenses.
P1 - P2 - P3 - P4
* if you notice P3 and P4 looks the same in smiled and explained but they are completely
different meanings.
the 4 columns in Malay actually means:
p1 - sekarang
p2 - sedang (imbuhan me-)
p3 - telah
p4 - imbuhan diso for 'kick'
kicks/kick - kicking - kicked - kicked
is actually in Malay
tendang - menendang - telah tendang - ditendang.
Get it?
1. P1: present
1 +s, >1 -s (except for sentences that start with 'You' or 'I')
1 +s
He likes to eat. (Correct)
He like to eat. (Wrong)
>1 -s
They like to eat. (Correct)
They likes to eat. (Wrong)
1 +s
She is a prefect now. (Correct)
She was a prefect last year too. (Correct)
She are a prefect now. (Wrong)
She were a prefect last year too. (Wrong)
>1 -s
They are prefects now. (Correct)
They were prefects last year too. (Correct)
They is prefects now. (Wrong)
They was prefects last year. (Wrong)
Sometimes the verb is quite far away but the rules still apply.
1 +s
The student reading the biology book is the top student.
>1 -s
The students reading the biology book are the top students.
*notice you need a combination of 2 words to make the process sentences correct!
a) Perfect tenses: 3H + P4
if you see the words Has/Have/Had, it MUST be followed by P4.
3H + P4
He has eaten the cake. (Correct)
They have eaten the cake. (Correct)
The boys had eaten the cake yesterday. (Correct)
b) Passive sentences: Be5 + P4 (Imbuhan di-) [kek dimakan, bukannya dia dimakan]
The cake was eaten by him. (Correct)
The cakes were eaten by them. (Correct)
The cake eaten by him. (Wrong)
The cakes eating by them. (Wrong)
* Passive sentences are a combination of 2 WORDS: Be5 +P4, not P3. But sometimes if the
spelling it +ed, it looks like P3, but the function is actually P4.
5. Other rules:
a) to + ori
to give (correct)
to gives, to giving, to gave, to given (wrong)
b) to + be + P4
to be taken (correct)
d) modals + be + P4
must be discussed (correct)
must be discuss, must be discusses, must be discussing (wrong)
e) by + ing
by taking the bus (correct)
by takes, by take, by took, by taken (wrong)
f) for + ing
for demonstrating (correct)
for demonstrate, for demonstrates, for demonstrated (wrong)
g)
3H + been + P2
has been taking (correct)
has been take, has been takes, has been took (wrong)
or
3H + been + P4
has been taken (correct)
Sample 1
Students should be allowed to bring mobile phones to school.
In this era of information technology and social media, mobile phones are becoming
more of a norm than a luxury item. In fact, more and more students are able to save their
money and buy mobile phones of various brands such as Samsung, HTC, Lenovo and Oppo
in order to stay connected with their friends and family. In my humble opinion, I truly believe
that students should be allowed to bring mobile phones to school because it is good to teach
them to be responsible for their own belongings. There are a few reasons for this, namely,
easier to communicate (A1), an excellent source of information (A2) and schools can control
usage of phones (A3).
Firstly, students should be allowed to bring their mobile phones to school because it will
definitely make communication easier for everyone. This means that the mobile phone is a
useful tool to make calls or send messages. Moreover, it is very convenient to inform our
parents if there are any changes to the timetable. For example, if we need to let our parents
know when to pick us up if the school suddenly has a program such as IM1S, co-curricular
activities, marching practice and so on. Therefore, if students are allowed to bring their
handphones to school it would be so much easier to keep everyone informed about our
whereabouts.
Secondly, mobiles phones are an excellent source of information and this is another factor
why we should allow students to bring them to school. This is because students who have
smartphones will have access to all the information on the internet at the tip of their fingers.
In addition, it will help them do their work better and more efficiently. For instance, they can
research online for information on projects given to them by teachers such as researching
facts on famous people, science experiments, essays, reports and many more. Thus,
allowing students to bring mobile phones to school will help them tap into the multitude of
information that exists in the world wide web today.
Finally, a final factor why I agree that students should be allowed to bring mobile phones to
school is that the usage can still be controlled by the school authorities. The main reason for
this is that the teachers have to explain the rules clearly to students that they can only use
it outside the class teaching hours such as before and after lessons and during recess.
Furthermore, it will teach students to be more responsible for their own things and make
them better adults. Take for example the rule that if they use it during lessons the teachers
can confiscate the phones, report to the discipline master, call their parents and others.
Hence, it is the schools responsibility to control the usage of the mobile phones so that it
can bring more advantages to the students especially in improving their education.
Conversely, there are other factors why mobile phones should not be allowed. This is
because some students who do not have mobile phones will feel inferior compared to their
rich friends who can afford smart phones. Additionally, handphones can be very distracting
to the students because they will constantly want to look at their phones. Some examples
are students become distracted when they play games, watch Youtube, make funny videos
of their friends and teachers, cheat during examinations and so on. Ultimately, there are
always two sides to a coin so we should realise and accept that there will be some
disadvantages of allowing students to bring their phones to school.
In short, students should be allowed to bring mobile phones to school because handphones
ease communication, allows students unlimited access to online information and the school
authorities can still control the usage so normal lessons are not disrupted even though there
are some disadvantages. I still absolutely agree that students should be allowed to bring
mobile phones to school because it is a useful learning tool. I hope that the government
through the Ministry of Multimedia and Communication should spearhead a comprehensive
strategy to provide a solution by giving smartphones and providing free Wifi connection to
all students in Malaysia.
Sample 2
Money is the most important thing in modern life.
In this era of modernisation, money seems to be the most important thing in life. In
fact, without money, life would be quite a torture because we would not be able to buy what
we want including food, clothes or even afford a safe place to stay. People would do anything
for money, hence the saying Money is the root of all evil. From my perspecctive, I totally
disagree that money is the most important thing in modern life because we cannot survive
on money alone. There are a few reasons for this, namely, family is by far more important in
life (A1) followed by religion (A2) and good health (A3).
First and foremost, money is not the most important thing in modern life because family is
much more important than money. This means that even though we are poor, we will still be
able to survive with the support of our family members. Moreover, parents who love their
children will work hard to earn money so that they can all live a better life. For example, we
will always turn to and rely on our family members for support when there is a problem,
accident, disaster and so on. Therefore, money is not the most important thing in modern
life because family always comes first.
Secondly, a strong upbringing in religion is another factor why money is not the most
important thing in life. This is because in times of problems and pain, each person normally
turns to religion for support because a strong belief will give people strength to face all
situations. In addition, it does not cost any money to have a good religious upbringing. For
instance, parents can ensure that through religion, their children can differentiate black from
white, bad from good and make the right choices in life, love, career, friends and many
more. Thus, the keyword is most and money is surely not the most important because a
family with a good religious background is by far more important than having money.
Last but not least, a final factor why money is not the most important thing in modern life is
health is wealth and no amount of money can buy good health. The main reason for this is in
comparison to money, health is definitely more important because if we do not have good
health, life would be very hard to live to the fullest. Furthermore, good health is essential if
we want to make money to support ourselves and our family. Take for example a person with
good health can get a good job like being a pilot, teacher, doctor and others. Hence, without
good health, money is meaningless and all the money earned will be spent on paying for
doctor fees and medicine.
On the contrary, there are other factors why money is important in this modern life even
though it is not the most important. This is because modern lifestyle is not cheap and there
are many bills to be paid in order to survive. Additionally, we are no longer living in the era
where we can build a house out of materials from the forest or plant food and hunt or gather
in order to eat. Some examples of a modern life are we need money to buy a house or pay
rent, purchase food and clothes, pay for school fees and buy books and stationery, travel,
eat out in fancy restaurants or fast food outlets and so on. Ultimately, it cannot be denied
that money is still very important but it is not the most important thing in this modern life.
In a nutshell, money is not the most important thing in our changing world today because
family comes first, religion provides us a solid foundation and health is wealth even though
there are some reasons why money is important for our survival in this modern world. I still
absolutely think that money cannot be the most important thing in life because family,
religion and health will always come first. I hope that the non-governmental organisations
such as Sabah Womens Association (SAWO) should organise an effective campaign to
overcome materialism and teach the community that money is not everything by conducting
Family First talks and raising awareness on Health is Wealth.
Note conclusion:
SMOKING:
The government through the Ministry of Health should implement an effective
campaign to solve the smoking problem in Malaysia by increasing the tax for all
cigarettes and increasing the punishment for illegal smuggling of cigarettes in our
country.
INTERNET:
The relevant parties such as Telekom should spearhead a strategic blueprint to
overcome this problem of poor internet connection by reducing the fees for
broadband and providing free internet broadband for all students in Malaysia.
SOCIAL ILLS:
The NGOs such as Womens Organisation should carry out a reliable strategy to
solve the issue related to social ills among girls by providing an emergency hotline
to discuss problems and providing temporary shelter for abused girls.
GANGSTERISM:
The authorities such as the Police Department should put into action a strategic
action plan to solve the gangsterism problem by carrying out a special task force
and by collaborating with Interpol.
HIGH COST OF LIVING:
The government through the Ministry of Trade and Commerce should implement a
comprehensive blueprint to provide a solution for this issue by emphasising on price
control and removing the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
BUY MALAYSIAN MADE PRODUCTS:
The relevant parties such as the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) should
spearhead a strategic action plan to overcome this problem by providing subsidies
to companies that export Malaysian products overseas and organising nationwide
buy local products campaigns.
POOR ENGLISH PROFICIENCY CAUSES UNEMPLOYMENT:
The government through the Ministry of Education should carry out a
comprehensive strategy to overcome unemployment among the graduates by hiring
better quality teachers and lecturers and providing free English language tuition for
graduates who are weak in English.
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL:
The government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports should spearhead a
foolproof blueprint to provide a solution for the lack of Olympic gold medals by
giving intensive training and incentives for the athletes and importing professional
coaches to improve the quality of our national teams.
ENVIRONMENT:
The government though the Ministry of Environment should organise an effective
action plan to overcome the issue of environmental pollution by organising more
campaigns like zero-plastic bags and increasing the awareness through various
community programs like 3R Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
VANDALISM:
The relevant parties such as the district councils should organise an effective action
plan to solve the problem of vandalism in society by setting up CCTVs in public
places and imposing stricter and heavier penalty for those who commit vandalism
of public property.
HIGHER EDUCATION:
The government though the Ministry of Education should implement a
comprehensive campaign to increase students interest and motivation to enter
higher education by providing better university facilities and conducting career and
job opportunities roadshows all over the country.
PIRATED MEDIA:
The authorities such as the Police Department should implement a strategic action
plan to solve the issue of pirated media including pirated movie and music DVDs by
tightening the laws against piracy and conducting impromptu raids especially in
night markets.
POOR QUALITY OF MALAYSIAN MOVIES:
The relevant parties should carry out an effective gameplan to overcome the poor
quality of Malaysian movies by providing training for directors and producers and
granting subsidies to local companies that want to invest in producing more local
movies with better quality.