A Useful Guide For SPM English Essay Extended Writing (a.k.a Continuous Writing)
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So, you’re sitting for SPM soon, and English is one of the papers you need help with. Whether it is for the SPM extended writing (continuous writing) essay or other sections of the paper, don’t fret - we go into detail about the SPM English Essay so you will know what to expect before you sit for it!
But first, let us introduce the entire SPM English Writing Paper format. The SPM English essay writing paper consists of three parts: Part 1 (Short Communicative Message), Part 2 (Guided Writing), and Part 3 (Extended Writing Task).
To summarise the format, each section is worth 20 marks, and you are given 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the paper. You can also view the complete structure by clicking here!
The SPM Extended Writing (Continuous Writing) Essay Format
To help you get started, let’s look at the structure of the Part 3 essay:
Wordcount: 200 to 250 words
Suggested time: 40 minutes
You will be given a choice of the following tasks: article, report, review, or story.
You must answer only one task in this part.
Let’s look at a sample of the SPM extended writing (continuous writing) essay from the SPM trials in 2021. We’ll use this sample question as an example throughout this article, so follow along!
Based on the given questions above, the writing formats in this section consist of an article, review, and story. You must choose one of the three tasks and use the guided questions to help you write your essay.
Tips And Tricks To Write The SPM Extended Writing (Continuous Writing) Essay
Choosing the right question for your essay can be daunting, so don’t panic! We’ll guide you through our easy-to-follow tips to help you start writing your essay.
Tip 1: Read the questions carefully
As this is an SPM extended writing essay, you must be clear about each task and read the questions carefully. It is essential to take note of the writing format as it varies for each task.
You could also highlight the main key points in each question. At this stage, you might have an early idea of which topic and format you would like to write for your essay.
Tip 2: Outline your ideas
The next step is to choose the question you feel most confident writing an essay for. You could also consider the writing format and ensure you have sufficient points and elaborations to help you get started. Here’s how:
Identify the writing format for the task
Write your points for each question
Elaborate your points and provide strong reasons and advantages
The next step is to outline your ideas based on the questions in the sample above. For example:
First question: What other types of food would you like to be served?
Serve balanced meals
Offer nutritious options
Second question: What other facilities should your canteen have?
Comfortable seats
Consider seat planning
Third question: How can you improve your canteen?
Promote the ‘No Plastic Bag Campaign’
Bring your own containers from home
Tip 3: Draft your essay
Now that you have some ideas for your essay, it’s time to start drafting! Drafting your essay provides an overview of what your essay would look like.
Like the SPM guided writing essay, the SPM extended writing (continuous writing) essay also shares the same structure: an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Here are the ways to get started:
Introduction
To begin the introduction for your SPM extended writing (continuous writing) essay, you could include background information about the task; refer to the notes and questions. Your opening paragraph should not be longer than two to three sentences.
Body
To write the body paragraphs, you need to address the questions given. You can separate the questions into separate paragraphs. Here’s how:
Body paragraph 1: List the type of food you like to be served at the canteen and provide your reasons
Body paragraph 2: Suggest other facilities you would like to have at the canteen
Body paragraph 3: Propose a solution to improve your canteen
Conclusion
To conclude your article, summarise the main points you have identified. Similar to the introduction, keep your conclusion two to three sentences long.
Tip 4: Write Your SPM Extended Writing (Continuous Writing) Essay
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Now, it’s time to write your essay!
Another helpful tip: If you encounter any problems elaborating your points, you can use the PEEC framework, which stands for P(point), E(explanation), E(example), and C(conclusion). It helps to expand your points and make your essay exciting and well-structured! We’ve covered the PEEC framework in more detail, so click here to find out more!
Here’s an example:
● Point: The school canteen should serve balanced meals to the students.
● Explanation: It encourages students to eat a balanced diet that helps them improve their memory and development.
● Example: The school canteen should also offer nutritious food options like fresh fruits and healthier snacks on their menu.
● Conclusion: The canteen should implement a healthy eating policy to help the students lead a healthier lifestyle.
Final checklist!
Before you submit your final draft essay, here’s a final checklist you can use:
Make sure you are writing in the correct format.
Don't forget to count and write the total number of words.
Re-read your essay and ensure it’s free from any grammatical and spelling errors.
We’ve used all the steps and tips, and now it’s time to reveal the full sample essay. Check it out below!
The SPM Extended Writing (Continuous Writing) Essay Sample Answer
My School Canteen
by GuruLab
A school canteen is the heart of the school and the place where students buy food during recess. Students should have access to a high-quality canteen in the school that provides healthy, quality food and improved facilities.
The school canteen should serve balanced meals to the students. It encourages students to eat a balanced diet to improve their memory. The canteen should offer nutritious food options like fresh fruits and snacks. The canteen should also start a healthy eating policy to help students lead a healthier lifestyle.
The school canteen needs comfortable seats and tables for students to have their break. The students should be able to easily find an available seat at the canteen. The seating should be enough for all students during recess time. It is also important to consider seat planning so it does not take up too much space.
Another way to improve the school canteen is by promoting the “No Plastic Bag” campaign to reduce excessive plastic usage. Students should be encouraged to bring their containers from home. This way, we can lessen plastic and food wastage significantly, and no food will go to waste.
All the above are suggestions to improve and upgrade our school canteen. Every student should have a good experience at the canteen that meets their needs.
(221 words)