EPT PREPARATION / REVISION
CELPAD
International Islamic University Malaysia
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• EPT examination : 3 hours
Reading 4 passages with 40 questions
each

1 hour 30 minutes
Writing B – Essay

1 hour
Writing A – Data Analysis

30 minutes
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ESSAY WRITING
1) Time suggested/allocated : 60 minutes
2) Number of words : 250 words
3) Paragraph : 4
1 - Introductory paragraphs
2 - Body Paragraph 1
3 - Body Paragraph 2
4 - Concluding Paragraph
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ESSAY WRITING
 ALLOCATION OF TIME :
1 HOUR 60 MINUTES ÷ 6 STEPS
OR 10 MINUTES for EACH STEP
 STEP 1 : MIND MAP / OUTLINE (to write the
Thesis Statement)
 STEP 2 : INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
 STEP 3 : BODY PARAGRAPH 1
 STEP 4 : BODY PARAGRAPH 2
 STEP 5 : CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH
 STEP 6 : EDITING AND REVISING
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Step 1 : MIND MAP / OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
1.1 HOOK
ATTENTION GETTER : FUNNEL OR
GENERAL TO SPECIFIC / RHETORIC
QUESTION / ANECDOTE / STARTLING FACT /
DEFINITION / DIALOGUE / QUOTATION
1.2 BRIDGE
1 OR 2 SENTENCES TO LINK HOOK TO
THESIS STATEMENT
1.3 THESIS STATEMENT
STAND, EMPHASIS, FOCUS AND MAIN IDEA
1 & MAIN IDEA 2
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Step 1 : MIND MAP / OUTLINE
2. BODY PARAGRAPH 1
2.1 TOPIC SENTENCE 1
2.1.1 SUPPORTING DETAIL 1
& EXAMPLE FOR SD 1
2.1.2 SUPPORTING DETAIL 2
& EXAMPLE FOR SD 2
2.2 CONCLUDING SENTENCE 1
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Step 1 : MIND MAP / OUTLINE
3. BODY PARAGRAPH 2
3.1 TOPIC SENTENCE 2
3.1.1 SUPPORTING DETAIL 1
& EXAMPLE FOR SD 1
3.1.2 SUPPORTING DETAIL 2
& EXAMPLE FOR SD 2
3.2 CONCLUDING SENTENCE 2
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Step 1 : MIND MAP / OUTLINE
4. CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH
4.1 CONCLUDING STATEMENT
4.2 SUMMARY OF SELECTED
POINTS / IDEAS
4.3 RECOMMENDATION /
PREDICTION
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QUESTION??
What is the question?
Which part is the question?
How to answer the question?
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Sample Question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Achieving advancement in technology
equates to modernity. However, this comes
with a steep price for urbanites to pay as they
have to face many prevalent problems like
gridlock and family disintegration. Therefore,
working from home provides the only
solution to these current problems.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
You should write a report of about 250 words.
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Sample Question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Achieving advancement in technology
equates to modernity. However, this comes
with a steep price for urbanites to pay as
they have to face many prevalent problems
like gridlock and family disintegration.
Therefore, working from home provides
the only solution to these current
problems.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
You should write a report of about 250 words.
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To Understand the Question
Work from home = the only solution to current
problems
Issues?
 Today – many problems but 1 solution
(work from home)
 Problems:
a) traffic congestion
b) crimes – robbery / kidnapping
c) social problems – drug abuse /
juvenile delinquency
 AGREE OR DISAGREE OR BOTH?
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Answering the Question
Agree!
Why? How?
 How working from
home IS the ONLY /
BEST solution to many
problems?
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Answering the Question
Disagree!
Why? How?
 How working from
home IS NOT the
only/best solution to
many problems?
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Answering the Question
Agree and Disagree!
Why? How?
 Work from home and
OTHER solutions
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Mind Map : Agree
Quality time
for family
Ensure safety of family > prevent
crimes from happening – always
there to protect family
Ensure the harmony of family
> Reduce / prevent problems
of juvenile delinquency
Fulfilling work
condition
Can focus on work : no distraction >
Reduce / prevent white collar crime :
bribery
Produce quality work performance
>Work condition is suitable to
family / individual lifestyle >
improve quality of life
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Mind Map : Disagree
Disadvantage of
work from home :
Lack social contact
Advantage of other
solution : financial
aids by government
Freedom : stray from
the right path >
adultery / drugs
Lessen the financial
burden > Reduce /
prevent crime
Boredom > pornography
Lessen pressure of life :
living in harmony
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Mind Map : Both (A)
Quality time for
family
Ensure safety of
family > prevent
crimes from
happening – always
there to protect family
Ensure the harmony of
family > Reduce /
prevent problems of
juvenile delinquency
Disadvantage of
work from home :
Lack social contact
Freedom : stray from
the right path >
adultery / drugs
Boredom >
pornography
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Mind Map : Both (B)
Fulfilling work
condition
Can focus on work : no distraction >
Reduce / prevent white collar crime : bribery
Produce quality work performance >Work
condition is suitable to family / individual
lifestyle > improve quality of life
Advantage of other
solution : financial
aids by government
Lessen the financial
burden > Reduce /
prevent crime
Lessen pressure of life : living
in harmony
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Ready to Write? INTRODUCTION
 3-5 sentences only.
 Essay begins with
introductory paragraph.
 Give attention to Thesis
Statement (Ths St)!
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Thesis Statement
 1 sentence (the longest!)
 The last sentence of Intro Para
 Consists of :





Stand – agree / disagree / both
Emphasis – to what extent
Focus - question
2 Main Ideas (1 for each Body
Paragraph)
Passive Voice
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Thesis Statement : Agree
It is firmly agreed that working
from home is the only solution
to many modern problems
because of the quality of family
time and fulfilling working
condition.
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Thesis Statement : Agree
It is firmly agreed that working
from home is the only solution
to many modern problems
because of the quality of family
time and fulfilling working
condition.
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Thesis Statement : Disagree
It is totally disagreed that working
from home is the only solution to
many modern problems due to the
disadvantages of working from
home and the advantages of
government financial aids.
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Thesis Statement : Disagree
It is totally disagreed that working
from home is the only solution to
many modern problems due to the
disadvantages of working from
home and the advantages of
government financial aids.
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Thesis Statement : Both (A1)
It is both agreed and disagreed that
working from home is the only
solution to many modern problems
due to the quality of family life
besides the advantages of
government financial aids.
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Thesis Statement : Both (A1)
It is both agreed and disagreed that
working from home is the only
solution to many modern problems
due to the quality of family life
besides the advantages of
government financial aids.
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Thesis Statement : Both (A2)
It is both agreed that working
from home is the only solution to
many modern problems due to the
quality of family life even though
it is disagreed on because of the
advantages of government
financial aids.
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Thesis Statement : Both (A2)
It is agreed that working from
home is the only solution to many
modern problems due to the quality
of family life even though it is also
disagreed on because of the
advantages of government financial
aids.
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Thesis Statement : Both (B1)
It is both agreed and disagreed
that many problems can be solved
when parents work from home
because they can focus on
important matters besides because
lack of social contact respectively.
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Thesis Statement : Both (B1)
It is both agreed and disagreed that
many problems can be solved when
parents work from home because they
can focus on important matters
besides because lack of social
contact.
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Thesis Statement : Both (B2)
It is agreed that many problems
can be solved when parents work
from home because they can focus
on important matters even though
it is also disagreed on because
lack of social contact.
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Thesis Statement : Both (B2)
It is agreed that many problems can
be solved when parents work from
home because they can focus on
important matters even though it is
also disagreed on because lack of
social contact.
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1. INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
1.1 HOOK
ATTENTION GETTER : FUNNEL OR
GENERAL TO SPECIFIC / RHETORIC
QUESTION / ANECDOTE / STARTLING FACT /
DEFINITION / DIALOGUE / QUOTATION
1.2 BRIDGE
1 OR 2 SENTENCES TO LINK HOOK TO
THESIS STATEMENT
1.3 THESIS STATEMENT
STAND, EMPHASIS, FOCUS AND MAIN IDEA
1 & MAIN IDEA 2
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ESSAY : INTRODUCTION
As defined by the Oxford Advanced Learner’s
Dictionary, work is a job or a task which a person does to
earn money and home is a house where people live in
usually with the family. So, work from home can be
defined as earning money by doing tasks or jobs in a
house where family resides. There are many advantages to
this type of employment and this can be the best solution
to many problems. Therefore, it is undoubtedly agreed
that working from home is the only solution to many
modern problems because it can help in fulfilling quality
family time as well as fulfilling working conditions.
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ESSAY : INTRODUCTION
Is working from home the only solution to all the
problems of today? Working from home can be a
solution to some problems but not for all. When
people work from home, they can spend more time
with their family and this creates a harmonious and
loving family unit, thus preventing crimes from being
committed. Therefore, it is totally agreed that working
from home is not the only nor the best solution to
current setbacks due to the disadvantages of working
from home and the advantages of government
financial aids as another solution.
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ESSAY : INTRODUCTION
By 2010, almost 75% of the companies in
developed countries have adopted ‘work from home’
type of employment. This way of working was
unheard of before the new millennium. However, this
has both advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it
is agreed that working from home is the only solution
to many modern problems due to the quality of family
life even though it is also disagreed because of the
advantages provided by government financial aids.
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ESSAY : INTRODUCTION
“Work from home is the best way to be
employed”, said Maria Daud, the chairperson
of an NGO for single mothers. This way of
working was unheard of before the new
millennium. However, this has both advantages
and disadvantages. Therefore, it is both agreed
and disagreed that many problems can be
solved when parents work from home because
they can focus on important matters besides
because lack of social contact.
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Ready to Write? BODY PARAGRAPHS

6 sentences only.
 Start with Topic Sentence
(TS).
 Paraphrase Topic Sentence
(TS) to make Concluding
Sentence (CS)!
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ESSAY : BODY PARAGRAPHS
To begin with, when parents work from home, they
can ensure a safe and family life. Working from home,
parents will be able to monitor their children’s activities and
therefore can prevent the children from being involved in
negative activities such as vandalism. For illustration, when
parents are constantly at home, they can ensure the activities in
and out of the home which their children are occupied with,
will always be the positive ones. Not only that, when the
parents are around, their children’s welfare will be taken care
of. To explain, the parents can guide their children from
befriending bad friends who can influence the children to
become juvenile delinquents. In short, the peacefulness and
the harmony of a family can be ensured when people work
from home.
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Ready to Write? CONCLUSION





3-5 sentences only.
Start with a Concluding Sentence (CS).
Paraphrase the Topic Sentence (TS) to
make Concluding Sentence (CS).
Summarise / highlight important points.
DON’T write any new points / ideas.
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4. CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH
4.1 CONCLUDING STATEMENT
STAND, EMPHASIS, FOCUS
4.2 SUMMARY OF MAIN IDEA 1
& MAIN IDEA 2
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ESSAY : CONCLUSION
All in all, because of the plus points of working
from home and the strength of monetary help from
the country, it can be both agreed and disagreed
that working from home is not the ultimate way
out of modern worries. After all, the priority is to
ensure happiness among the citizens because with
that, city folks have no basis to commit crime.
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Paraphrasing: Intro / Concl
Thesis Statement
Therefore, it is undoubtedly
agreed that working from
home is the only solution to
many modern problems
because it can help in
fulfilling quality family time
as well as fulfilling working
conditions.
Concluding Statement
All in all, because of the plus
points of working from home
which are fulfilling quality
family time as well as
fulfilling working conditions,
it can be firmly agreed that
working from home is the
ultimate way out of the
modern worries.
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Paraphrasing: Body Paragraph
Topic Sentence
To begin with, when parents
work from home, they can
ensure the safety of and the
harmony within their family.
Concluding Sentence
In short / In brief / To sum up,
the peacefulness and the
harmony within a family can
be ensured when people work
from home.
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Revising and Editing
 Revising
 Editing
 Revising is finding &
 Editing is finding and
correcting problems
with content; changing
the ideas in your
writing to make them
clearer, stronger, and
more convincing.
correcting problems
with grammar, style,
word choice & usage,
and punctuation.
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Revising
 This steps allows us to focus on the
fluency of our paper.
 It is important to revise any errors we see
or encounter while reading and take out
any unnecessary words.
 This is your chance to add or take out any
unnecessary parts, make sure it is easy to
follow and comprehend, ask yourself is it
written at the best level, and to make sure
no words are repetitive.
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Revising
 Revising helps to improve your writing
 Ask these questions –
 Have I used the best ideas or words?
 Am I showing others that I know
what I am writing about?
 Have I used the best examples or
words to describe my ideas or
thoughts?
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Revising
 Look for:
 Unity
 Does
everything refer back to
main point?
 Does each topic sentence refer to
the thesis?
 Does each sentence in each BP
refer back to the topic sentence?
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Revising
Look for:
Coherence
 Are
all points connected to
form a whole?
 Are transitions used to
move from one idea to the
next?
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Revising
Look for:
Details and support
 Does
each BP contain at
least two examples?
 Is each example followed
by at least one supporting
detail?
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Revising – To do list
 Take a break from your draft before
attempting to revise.
 Read your draft quietly and listen to
your words.
 Put yourself into the examiner’s
shoes.
 Look for consistent problem areas.
 Get feedback from peers.
 Get help from a tutor.
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Editing
 Keep an Error Log to help you identify
your problem areas and improve your
writing.
 When editing, review your paper for one
type of error at a time; don’t try to read
through looking for everything at once.
 Editing is much like revising in the sense
that you are making changes in structure,
punctuation, and word choice.
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Editing
 Ask these questions –
 Have I used complete sentences?
 Are there any run-ons?
 Are my language conventions correct?
 What about Spelling, Capitalization and
Punctuation and Grammar?
 Have I used editing marks to make
corrections?
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Revising and Editing
Practice makes perfect!
Revise and Edit your
work and get the
feedback from your
friends and Tutor.
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EPT BANDING / GRADING
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Overall Band 6
Address all parts of the task –
some may be more fully covered
than others.
Arranges information and ideas
coherently and there is a clear
overall progression.
Uses cohesive devises
effectively.
Uses adequate range of
vocabulary.
Attempts to use uncommon
words.
Errors do not impede
communication.
Uses a mix of simple and
complex sentences.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Overall Band 7
Address all parts of the task.
Present a clear position
throughout the response
Present, extent and support
main ideas.
Uses a range of cohesive
devises appropriately.
Uses a sufficient range of
vocabulary to allow some
flexibility and precision.
Uses less common lexical items
with some awareness of style
and collocation.
Uses a variety of complex
structures.
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Themes / Topics for EPT
 General topic – based on recent issues
 Can be answered by all Kulliyyahs
 Opinion-based
 Popular themes include:
Education, Leisure activities, Sports, Technology,
Communication, Growth / Development, Work place,
Business, Employment, Environment, Globalization
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Thank You and Wassalam.
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