What is E1119?

A lot of people have reached my blog asking me about 1119.

Okay, here's what you need to know about 1119. I don't know much myself but I know these:

1) It's SPM English Essay graded according to British standard. If you get 2A, it means your English is equivalent to grade 2A in British O-Level English paper and you perform better than a British who got a 3C for his O-Level English in the UK. I highly doubt the 1119 grade is strictly according to British standard but that is how it is supposed to be graded and perceived.

2) Grade "6C" is the de facto "passing grade". There is no actual passing grade for 6C. G is considered as a universal failure, true, but normally people take grades higher than 6C as "pass". Most universities overseas will accept 6C as the minimum grade for their English Language Requirements. There are also a lot that don't, so it's best if you check with the university you're interested in. If you get above 6C, you're quite safe. If you get below 6C, get IELTS/TOEFL. If you get 1A, you're good. If you get 7D, you failed.

3) It's a lousy indicator of your English proficiency. Your proficiency in the English language cannot be graded solely based on your essay. Writing is only part of a language. 1119 did not assess your ability in speaking, listening and reading Enlish. You can argue that 1A is going to get your accepted to many universities in the UK, but once you get accepted, you'll suffer greatly. A more reliable English test will be IELTS or TOEFL. To be frank, I believe even MUET grades better than 1119. The only sad thing MUET is not accepted overseas is because MPM is not in any way affiliated to any organisations or parties that are from English-speaking countries, unlike 1119 which is graded by the British Council, supposedly, thus MUET lacks severe credibility as English is not even an official language in Malaysia. So don't get complacent or cocky with a 1A. It's really nothing much to worth being proud of.

4) It's possible 1119 grade is much lower than your SPM English. An A+ in SPM English but 6C in 1119? Don't worry, you're not alone. It's common.

5) Proceeding from Q4, what does that mean then? One thing you need to know is that 1119 and SPM are two entirely separate things. Each of them has no bearings on the other. 1119 will have its individual certificate which you'll get much later than your SPM certificate. 1119 grade is not an independent subject hence it does not affect the number of As you get in your SPM. In fact, as mentioned, 1119 is not even part of SPM. It simply took what was part of SPM out to be graded separately for something entirely different.

6) Is it useful? Well, it depends. Overseas universities may recognise it as a valid English proficiency test, but last I heard, you still need IELTS/TOEFL for student visa application. That being said, even if you've got 1A you may still need to sit for IELTS. You may want to inquire further information about this with the universities you wish to apply for. As for local universities, as long as you're a Malaysian, you MUST take MUET. MUET is by law a mandatory subject for all Malaysians studying in universities on Malaysian soil. Branch campus universities like Monash and Nottingham are the only ones I know that receive exceptions. Other universities, regardless of IPTA or IPTS, are all bound by the law and ergo MUET is mandatory, even if you have taken IELTS/TOEFL. So, in my opinion, 1119 is not very useful. But since it costs nothing, just keep the certificate. If you get 1A, you can flatter yourself by saying the British give you the highest possible grade they have in their system for your English.

7) It has a validity of only two years. Most universities will only accept it as a valid proficiency test within the two years of its release. It is useful if you proceed straight to the UK or any foreign universities after your SPM to undertake pre-university programmes. 1119 will be useful then. But if you take A-Levels or any other equivalent pre-university courses in Malaysia and intend to apply for foreign universities, your 1119 result may by then be invalid, as completing a pre-university course in Malaysia normally requires 2 years which would render 1119 invalid.

Feel free to ask any questions if you have any. I'll do my best to answer them.

I must also stress the facts above may no longer be correct as lots of things have changed since I sat for it. Some basic facts should remain unchanged but others may vary depending on the government's regulations.