The NMET impact on the English writing of mainland Chinese students

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of the writing component in the NMET (National Matriculation English Test) on the development of learners’ writing skills in China. By analysing the results of three types of data, a writing test (WT) taken by 83 participants who received considerably high scores on the NMET, a questionnaire survey and three focus-group interviews, the study finds the NMET has had a major negative impact on the writing of this group of learners. Factors attributed to this impact include the test design, and the implicit and explicit marking criteria of the NMET.