caution: this post is filled with bahasa rojak. do not use it in your karangan.

i thought i'd try do something beneficial for the mass...since many aff peeps are school kids...and i've seen more than once or twice...peeps complaining that they're not good in BM/Malay language subject at school n they're better in english.....pshh...if you're in my generation/my school....you say that n prepare to get bashed to death. haha. i got called names just for speaking english to english teacher during english period (i thought it was only polite n appropriate to do that. no? lol) ....anyway....that's old story...many things have changed....although i guess it depends on what kind of school you're in n what demographic the majority of population is made of...now that i think of it...i've encountered school where the students are better in english than bm(still find it amusing/weird, lol).anyway, i used to be bad in BM too, in primary school...but i guess i found the love for language in secondary school...n there's a great BM teacher that taught basic things we never learnt like some legit basic tatabahasa i never knew all my life...n after i was forced(well, everyone was forced) to enter a boring essay competition...n i surprisingly won, beating all those BM geniuses...there's no looking back.

anywho...enough of me...and let's get on with my...err... tips. they won't be all that great but they worked for me. n some if not most work for English subject as well...since they're general...both are languages anyway...

- Always remember that your essays need to be structured from the 5 Wives 1 Husband technique which is the trigger question...Who/What/Where/When/Why/How (Siapa/Apa/Di mana/Bila/Mengapa/Bagaimana), when you write your paragraphs, make sure to include the answers to the questions when you're constructing your paragraphs. That way, your essay will be organized n structured n not tunggang langgang.

- Make sure for each paragraph, you have the main idea, the elaboration-(statistics/facts make your points stronger) and the example.

lemme give 'ya an example.

Tajuk - Bincangkan kelemahan penggunaan laman sosial di kalangan remaja.

Example of paragraph:

Antara tujuan utama kewujudan laman sosial adalah untuk menghubungkan manusia dan mengeratkan silaturrahim di kalangan keluarga dan rakan taulan namun sebaliknya ia telah mendatangkan impak negatif terhadap kemahiran berkomunikasi para remaja. Menurut akhbar Harian Metro, Kira-kira 60,000 pelajar berusia antara 12 hingga 18 tahun di negara ini dikesan menghabiskan sekurang-kurangnya empat jam sehari melayari Internet terutama laman sosial Facebook. Walaupun situasi ini melahirkan golongan celik IT dan dapat mengikuti perkembangan semasa, namun ia mengakibatkan golongan remaja semakin kurang berkomunikasi secara lisan dan lebih cenderung untuk terlalu bergantung pada laman sosial untuk bertukar komentar dan mesej. Keadaan ini menyebabkan kemahiran sosial di alam nyata semakin terhakis akibat kurangnya aplikasi dalam kehidupan seharian. Misalnya, remaja yang terbiasa menggunakan bahasa pasar di laman sosial sesama rakan pelbagai usia, mungkin terbawa-bawa dan menggunakan bahasa pasar terhadap guru dan ibu bapa.

Okay, please ignore the crappy paragraph because it's been ages since i last did a karangan BM...do not nitpick on the points. If you look into it though, there are partitions in the paragraph. the bold is the main idea, blue-fact/statistic, green-elaborations, red-example.

Now, about statistic, i know it's impossible to memorize those boring stuffs cuz c'mon...how do we know what topic is gonna come out....that's why, you need to read/watch news a lot, and...if you can, memorize something general you learnt from the news...and manipulate it to fit the topic. sometimes, the statistic is so random n has nothing to do with the topic....but if you can somehow make relation to the topic....then i don't see why you can't use such a random information. the point is to tunjuk pandai.

another thing, is when the title ask for negative or positive points, do not ever only give what the question ask for. Give more. Use kata banding like walau bagaimanapun/namun begitu, etc. to show that you have depth. When you state your negative point(if that's what the question ask for), it'd make you look smarter if you can also state the positive thing about it...but in the end, reinstate your stand...if you're going to focus on negative...you have to make your point clear. this especially apply in question that ask you to decide whether something is good or bad. for me, i will choose one, but i will make sure to explain for both sides. because nothing is ultimately good or bad. there's always two sides of the bread.

Peribahasa/bahasa canggih/bombastik....this is easy way to get points. c'mon....peribahasa ain't that hard (you can find peribahasa book...there are even books with compilation of short stories based on peribahasa...). even better if you include a few simpulan bahasa too. but consider if you have one peribahasa, you're in the safe zone. my teacher used to say if you have one peribahasa, they'll overlook the rest n you're secured an A....but i forgot for which form it was....n that was ages ago anyway...but from what i see...it's not like the education system is getting better anyway.....sorry to say. or bahasa canggih...during my final year of studying BM(you're not gonna assume it's spm rite? :p), my BM teacher who hardly go into the class n barely teached anything...gave us a piece of paper containing all the frasa-frasa canggih/bombastik....all those clever phrase together with the meanings(i've lost the paper long ago though...sorry)...and he told us, to get A....just include as many...i think i only remembered one(anjakan paradigma - one of the easiest/lamest that most other kids remembered as well...lol)...and just used it...whatever....but yeah...it helps to use bombastic words...just make sure you know where to include it...

One good way to learn language, go watch Osman Baku on TV2(or tv1? idk) if you're Malaysian(not sure of the time n day of airing since i haven't got to catch it though i want to...but yeah....find it out yourself)...okay, it looks so much better n beneficial (n looks funny n creative too from the ads) than all those stupid novel-adaptation that are taking over the majority of mainstream malay drama...like ugh....sorry, but the repetitive/lame plot n unrealistic characters really just.....ugh....i caught the last episode of a novel adapted malay drama recently...n i almost died of the torture n i can't believe i was just watching it for 10 minutes. it felt like forever...n the dialogues...i just.... (this is why i prefer those understated dull TV2 dramas that actually has some quality...than mainstream glamourized ones that are often just....)

Your language. i've read a novel my sister bought because we watched a drama some years ago based on the novel n it wasn't bad compared to other novel-based dramas these days...but surprisingly...the language in that novel is so poor n the spelling....wrong spelling all over the place...n the editing just look horrible....so, if you want to strengthen your BM...read sasterawan novels...like A Samad Said, Usman Awang, etc. (i think any old novels/story books would do, not just sasterawan ones) it wasn't that bad/hard. i read Salina when i was a kid...like...below ten years old. / n if you're learning to write English composition instead...try reading Adibah Amin-As I Was Passing. it's a compilation of short stories...written wittily and it has a very Malaysian/local feel so most likely you'll not get uncomfortable by the language n context n able to grasp it.

Your tatabahasa....okay, seriously...i'm bad at explaining this...grammar thingy....but yeah...i can correct basic/obvious kesalahan tatabahasa if you show me the examples of sentences(maybe not all...but yeah a lil)

I'm not sure if this works...but...i tried it with English essay n it worked....i include a Malay language quote/peribahasa/saying/etc in inverted comma, and use it to explain/elaborate about the topic (okay, the main point is just to tunjuk pandai..really...cuz impression plays a huge role in language, it's not like science/maths/history/etc where it's all about facts) ...i'd say you can try use English idioms/quote/etc. in inverted comma and explain it in Malay in your karangan n how it's relevant to the issue...but....i'm...not too sure what your teacher is gonna say about it...so....you can try if you want to, but i take no responsibility...lol.

The type of your karangan. you know in exam you're given a few options of various types of karangan rite? Unless your narrative/fictional writing is really strong, it's better to go for karangan perbincangan/fakta. bcuz it definitely is way harder to get points for karangan fiksyen than perbincangan. i tried once, and that's how i found out. my teacher explained that eventhough the fictional piece is excellent, they're just more rigid with points for fiksyen/karangan cerita...than those damn boring perbincangan where you can score much easier. so it's up to you if you want to take the risk...

practice makes perfect....you know....if you want to get good results in exam....practice quality use of bm....sudah2 with those bahasa sms/bahasa pasar/gedik/rojak/dsb...n if you're rajin....you can try write karangan based on question from any revision book/past year question n ask any of your bm teacher whose skills you trust to mark for you...i mean, c'mon...we know there are legit teachers n bleh teachers...they're humans...not perfect angels*coughslilinmembakardiricoughs* as always publicized.. so you can experiment all you want during your own 'exercise' n you don't have to risk during real exam. 

well...i can't think of anything else for now...hope this can somehow help a little on students who are struggling with BM....i'm nowhere near being a master on languages...but i think my tips can help you at least cross over the 'fail' n 'below average' kinda marks...but to get into 'excellent'  is up to you...sorry that i'm teaching BM in english here n there's bahasa rojak all over the place. osman baku will chase after me for this kinda language use but whatever. i'm already too used to write post in eng eversince i stopped schooling n use internet all the time.......at least i'm trying to do something good for the community?....uhh...yeah.......if you feel any of the tips useful....feel free to share with others in need...any question feel free to ask in the comment. i will try my best if you trust me, that is... :p

if in doubt of word to use...whether they're really legit or not....refer HERE 

to those sitting for important exams, all the best~