Pre-AP English II: Writing Test Tips

Due to test security issues, I will be unable to update this post after 6:30am on April 3rd. New tips will be loaded directly below this paragraph and will be preceded by the time I added the tip. Enjoy!

[3:40pm] Grammar Girl has "quick and dirty" tips covering:

• Grammar (duh),
• Punctuation, and
• Word Choice

[3:20pm] The Oatmeal has several web-comic/poster guides to better spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Some include vocabulary of questionable appropriateness. Fair warning.

[3:00pm] Write your essay on the proper page. Remember that the prompts and the answer documents are symbol-coded. If the prompt has triangles at the top, be sure to write your response in the 26-line box with triangles at the top. Likewise circles, squares, diamonds, horseshoes, rainbows, four-leaf clovers, etc.

[2:55pm] Graphic organizers are powerful tool. Use them!

• Expository Graphic Organizer
• Persuasive Graphic Organizer

[2:50pm] Make sure you write the correct essay based on the prompt. Remember:

• Position = Persuasive
• Explain = Expository

English Students: Graphic Organizers

If you need to practice with more copies of the graphic organizers we used in class (and you do), please download and print them:

• English I Literary Selection (short story)
  
  
• English I/II Expository Essay
  
  
• English II Persuasive Essay

Enjoy!

English Students: "Moving" Expository Essay Prompt

Read the information in the box below.

Why are you reading the information in this box? You are wasting time. Even if there were something relevant in this box, it would not help you write your essay successfully. It would only result in your essay sounding like everyone else’s essay, and that will hurt your score.

Did you read the information in the box above? Think carefully about your shame, and your shame for reading this paragraph, too.

Write an essay explaining the effect moving to a new place can have on a person’s life. Be sure to —

• clearly state your thesis
• organize and develop your ideas effectively
• choose your words carefully
• edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

English I (Pre-AP): Timed Expository Writing (Fear in Society)

Read the information in the box below.

In 1933, when taking office for the first time, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced in his inaugural address, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Sometimes fears become overblown, while other times they’re justified. Think carefully about this statement.

Write an essay explaining the role fear plays in society.

Be sure to —

• clearly state your thesis
• organize and develop your ideas effectively
• choose your words carefully
• edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

Maximum length: 26 lines

Pre-AP English II: Timed Expository Writing (Tienanmen Square)

Read the information in the box below.

In 1989, when the Chinese government declared a protest in Tienanmen Square illegal, one man chose to stand in front of a column of tanks to stop them from advancing on the protesters.

Although many people obey all laws, some people choose to disobey those they feel are unjust. Think carefully about this statement.

Write an essay explaining whether people should follow the law regardless of whether they feel the law is right or wrong.

Be sure to —

• clearly state your thesis
• organize and develop your ideas effectively
• choose your words carefully
• edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

Maximum length: 26 lines

Pre-AP English II: Final Draft of Expository Essay

If you weren't in class yesterday, please complete the final draft of your essay. Use this 26-lined page rather than numbering 1-26 on a lined sheet of paper.

Remember to shoot for a score point 3 or higher. Revisit this blog post for the criteria.

All Pre-AP English Students: EOC-Style Expository Essay Prompt

If you weren't in class today, please write an expository essay responding to the following prompt:

Write an essay explaining the importance receiving a good education has in today's society.

Please number the lines on your paper 1-26. This is about the space you'll have available for your final draft on Friday. Feel free to go beyond the 26th line on your draft. You'll need to revise it anyway.

All Pre-AP English Students: EOC Essay Rubric

In class today we looked at the End-of-Course (EOC) rubric for the Expository Essay. Good times.

If you missed class or would like a complete rubric of your own, please download a copy.

We looked at the information for Score Point 3 and considered the "Big Ideas" of each bullet point as follows:

• You must write an expository essay!
• You must have a clear thesis statement that is focused on the topic of the prompt.
• Your essay must "flow."
• You support your thesis with "specific and appropriate" details.
• Your response is "original" rather than "what everyone else is going to write about."
• Your essay has a "sophisticated" tone and demonstrates an advanced vocabulary.
• You use a variety of sentence types appropriately.
• Spelling, grammar, punctuation, usage, and other mechanics/conventions are all employed properly.

If you want to see the examples of essays we looked at in class -- including the TECHNOLOGIE! essay -- and dig deeper into what make an essay "worth" a score point 3 or 4, please download this document.