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Malaysian University English Test or commonly known as MUET is used as one of the minimum requirements for students to enrol into local tertiary education level. As for now, MUET Malaysia is only accepted in Malaysia, Singapore and some universities worldwide.
With the current format changes, there may be a positive chance that MUET will be accepted and recognized globally. The Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia MUET is established to evaluate four language skills, which are listening, speaking, reading and writing.

MUET Malaysia Marking Scheme
To tackle high marks for each paper, you need to know the marking scheme for them. There is no official marking scheme released at the time this article is being written. But, do not worry. Let’s take a look at the general information that we have gathered about each of the papers.
Paper | Number of Questions | Total Mark | Assessment Weightage |
---|---|---|---|
Listening | 30 | 90 | 25% |
Speaking | 2 | 90 | 25% |
Reading | 40 | 90 | 25% |
Writing | 2 | 90 | 25% |
Total | 360 | 100% |
Currently, each of the MUET papers highest mark is 90 marks. They make up an aggregated score of 360.
Each of the papers has an equal weightage which is 25%. These equal changes provide a great opportunity for students who have different strengths and weaknesses in the four assessed skills.
The MUET result is graded in a nine-band with Band 5+ being the highest and 1.0 is the lowest. Below is the table showing the aggregated score and respective bands.
Aggregated Score | Band | CEFR Level | User |
---|---|---|---|
331 – 360 | 5+ | C1+ | |
294 – 330 | 5.0 | C1 | |
258 –293 | 4.5 | B2 | |
211 –257 | 4.0 | ||
164 – 210 | 3.5 | B1 | |
123 – 163 | 3.0 | ||
82 – 122 | 2.5 | A2 | |
36 – 81 | 2.0 | ||
1 – 35 | 1.0 |
We break down the marks, assessment weighting and the number of questions for each paper below.
MUET Listening Paper 1 Marking Scheme
The listening paper consists of five parts. Each part consists of recording audio that you will be listening to.
You will be allowed to read the questions when the test begins. Then, you will be listening to the audio recording twice. You can answer the questions as you listen to the recorded audio. Be sure to mark your answers in the answering sheet.
The highest mark you can obtain for this paper is 90 marks. It carries a 25% assessment weighting of the overall MUET result.
Section | Type of Audio | Question Type | Number of Questions |
---|---|---|---|
Part 1 | 1 dialogue between 2 people | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs - 3 options) | 7 |
Part 2 | 1 monologue consisting of a talk, lecture or a briefing | MCQs - 3 options | 7 |
Part 3 | 3 monologues from three people | Multiple matching - 5 options | 3 |
Part 4 | 1 dialogue | MCQs - 3 options | 7 |
Part 5 | 3 short dialogues between 2 people | MCQs - 3 options | 6 |
Total | 9 audios | 30 questions |
The latest MUET listening paper is solely assessing your listening skill because all the questions are in form of multiple-choice questions. You have a time limit of 50 minutes to complete all parts.
It is wise to have a MUET listening practice at least once a week before the examination day. It will help you prepare and get used to listening to English conversations.
MUET Speaking Paper 2 Marking Scheme
In the MUET speaking test, there will be two parts - Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 is for the individual presentation and Part 2 is for group discussion.
There are not many changes in the MUET speaking questions except that in Task 2, you will be given points to help you with your group discussion. You will also have an extra minute of preparation time for Task 2.

The total mark for this paper is 90 marks. It contributes 25% of the whole MUET examination result.
Section | Number of Questions | Preparation and Presentation Time |
---|---|---|
Part 1 | 1 individual presentation | 2-minute preparation 2-minute presentation |
Part 2 | 1 group discussion | 3 minutes preparation 8-12 minutes discussion |
Total | 2 questions | Approximately 30 minutes |
The current speaking test MUET format will focus on the language, discourse and delivery of your speech. The time allocated for the speaking test is 30 minutes.
You may want to read further on the new MUET 2021 format to get used to them.
MUET Reading Paper 3 Marking Scheme
The MUET reading paper relatively looks similar to the old format. There will be 7 parts in the paper which includes 10 texts and 40 questions.
The texts provided in the test booklet can be short texts of the same text type and thematically linked, amounting to a total of 100 to 150 words. Some of them can be independent texts based on the same theme, amounting to a total of 700 to 800 words.
Section | Text | Question Type | Number of Questions |
---|---|---|---|
Part 1 | Three short texts of the same text type, thematically linked, amounting to a total of 100 to 150 words | Multiple matching Three texts preceded by 4 multiple matching questions | 4 |
Part 2 and 3 | Two texts each of 300 to 450 words | MCQs - 3 options | 10 |
Part 4 | Two independent texts based on the same theme (not necessarily of the same text type) amounting to a total of 700 to 800 words | Two MCQs based on Text 1, two MCQs based on Text 2, and two MCQs comparing the two texts (3 options) | 6 |
Part 5 | One text of 500 to 600 words | A gapped text with 6 missing sentences (7 options) | 6 |
Part 6 and 7 | Two texts of 700 to 900 words each | CQs - 4 options | 14 |
Total | 10 texts | 40 questions |
The total time for you to answer all MUET reading questions is 75 minutes. The highest mark that you can obtain is 90 marks. The marks you gain from this paper carries a 25% weighting assessment of the whole MUET marks.
Although the format for this paper has changed a bit, you can practice your reading comprehension using past year papers or other MUET assessment papers that you can find on the internet.
MUET Writing Paper 4 Marking Scheme
The MUET writing paper consists of two parts - Task 1 and Task 2. Each of the tasks contributes 30 and 60 marks respectively. The maximum mark you can get from this paper is 90 marks. It has an assessment weighting of 25% of all MUET marks.
The time allocated for this paper is 75 minutes. You are advised to spend 25 minutes on Task 1 and 50 minutes on Task 2.
Section | Number of Questions | Marks |
---|---|---|
Task 1 | 1 guided writing (A letter or an email) | 30 |
Task 2 | 1 extended writing (discursive, argumentative, or problem-solution) | 60 |
Total | 2 questions | 90 marks |
In this paper, you will be evaluated on the task fulfilment, organization, structure and also lexis. There is no exact format to follow. As long as you answer the question accordingly and write your essay using appropriate writing requirements.
Usually, the hardest part to score is the writing paper. This is where a tutor could be helpful. Having a tutor will assist you to gain the best outcome in your coursework. He or she can offer you guidance, advice and feedback that you can use to improve your MUET essay writing.
Where to find a tutor, you ask?
Looking out for a tutor is super easy these days. With the advance of technology, everything is at your fingertips. You can find your English tutor on an online tutoring website such as Superprof.
Superprof offers a wide selection of tutors in various subjects. With more than 16 million tutors available in over 1000 subjects, you will be sure to find your ideal tutor.

Since many students and parents are opting for online lessons these days, you can take advantage of this too. Going for an online lesson has so many benefits.
- Save your money
- Believe it or not, online learning sessions cost you less than a traditional in-person lesson. Why? Because you can avoid transportation expenses such as gas for cars or public transport fares.
- You can avoid other unnecessary expenses when you go out such as buying snacks and other impulsive expenditures.
- The teacher can charge you less because they do not have to pay for premise expenses.
- Bonus tips: Most of the Superprof’s tutors offer their first 1-hour lesson for free.
- Less time investment
- Online learning sessions let you be flexible with your timetable. You can have your online learning session just about anytime - before going to school, during lunchtime, after school or late at night. Just discuss with your tutor regarding your availability.
- With online tutoring sessions, you can save time too. You don’t have to go out and stuck in a traffic jam to physically meet up with your tutor. You could just set the time, turn on your computer and immediately connect to your tutor.
- Convenience
- You can learn from the comfort of your own bedroom.
- Superprof provides wide options of tutors to choose from worldwide. So you have a broader option to work with just about any tutor that has high expertise and experience.
Having a great tutor to help you out with your MUET examination is nothing if you do not prepare yourself enough. You should have a strong understanding of what is MUET all about to get you started. When you understand the MUET examination thoroughly, it is easy for you to tackle each paper.
Do take note that there will be different minimum MUET requirements for a different selection of courses and tertiary institutions. Whatever course and local university you are planning to pursue, try your best to score the highest band in the MUET test.
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