North Carolina 10th Grade Writing Test

March 9, 2010

EVERY ESSAY:

INTRODUCTION

BODY PARAGRAPHS (3 OR MORE)

CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION

HOOK Get the audience’s attention

Quote, thought-provoking question, a description, anecdote, etc.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION Information that connects the hook to

the thesis THESIS

Gives the main idea of the essay and the points covered in the body paragraphs

BODY PARAGRAPH

TOPIC SENTENCE Tells the main idea of the paragraph

SUPPORT At least three sentences: use personal experiences,

examples from ANY readings [literary, newspapers, magazines, other courses], famous people/events, prompt information provided [quotes, statistics, etc.]

Elaboration Writer’s explanation of how the support is

important to proving the thesis CLINCHER/TRANSITION SENTENCE

Sums up the paragraph, speaks to the audience, and moves the reader to the next paragraph

CONCLUSION

Restate thesis Differently from the way the thesis is used in

the introduction Impact Statement

Leave your audience with something to remember such as a vision, thoughtful question, short anecdote, meaningful quote, or call to action. The conclusion should come full circle by giving closure to discussion started in the introduction.

Remember, the conclusion is the last chance to make a good impression upon the reader.

COMPONENTS OF AN ESSAY

INTRODUCTION Hook Background information Thesis

BODY PARAGRAPHS Topic sentence Support (3 or more) Elaboration Clincher or transitional sentence

CONCLUSION Restate thesis Impact statement

INFORMATIONAL WRITING

DEFINITION

CAUSE AND EFFECT

FIRST TASK

READ THE PROMPT AND IDENTIFY: PURPOSE

(WHY ARE YOU WRITING THE ESSAY? WHAT IS YOUR POINT?)

AUDIENCE(TO WHOM IS THE ESSAY DIRECTED?)

CONTEXT(LETTER? ESSAY? SPEECH?)

TOPIC(THIS IS THE KEYWORD THAT SHOULD BE REPEATED IN EVERY PARAGRAPH.)

If you have identified PACT, and your essay addresses these elements, you have kept your agreement, or pact, with your audience.

DEFINITION ESSAY

Good Judgment

FIRST TASK

Throughout a teenager’s life, he or she is faced with making good judgments. This value is an important part of being productive as an individual or as a part of a group. Consider the times in your life when you have had to make decisions which influenced how others would see you, when you chose to use good judgment. Then, using the information provided above, your own experiences, observations, and readings, write a speech to inform incoming freshmen of the meaning of good judgment.

Purpose:Define good judgment

Audience:Incoming freshmen

Context:Speech

Topic:Good judgment

CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY

Extracurricular Activities

FIRST TASK

The board of education in your community is considering cutting the budget for extracurricular activities. Write a letter to the board, describing the positive effects of extracurricular activities. You may use the information presented, your own experiences, observations,

and/or readings.

Purpose:Describe the positive effects

of extracurricular activities

Audience:The board of education

Context: Letter

Topic:Extracurricular activities

MAKE SURE TO USE:

Dialogue: conversation (assists in showing, not telling) Don’t forget to use quotations marks.

Rhetorical question: Question that does not require an answer but makes the reader think

Analogies: comparisons; similes, metaphors Personal experiences, readings, and

observations (famous person, event, literature)

Examples: give SPECIFIC examples to support each topic sentence

Statistics: facts using percentages

Elaboration

Who? Have you explained to whom the event occurred?

Where? Have you made clear where the event took place?

When? Is it relevant that you include when the event happened?

Why? Why is this information included in your essay? Is it important to the topic?

PLAGIARISM

If you use the exact words, you must use quotations and give the source. Example: Time magazine states, “42%

of Americans…” If you use the idea or information,

exact words or not, you must give the source. Example: Time magazine argues that

many Americans…

Other Words for “Said”

Stated Warranted Claimed Explained Announced Questioned Included Acknowledged

Explained Instructed Mentioned Pleaded Proclaimed Requested Observed Suggested

How to Add Quotes

Mahatma Gandhi proclaimed, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

OR“Live as if you were to die tomorrow.

Learn as if you were to live forever,” Mahatma Gandhi proclaimed.

How to Add a Portion of a Quote

Michelle Weiner claims in her article “The Case for Extracurricular Activities” that students who participate in extracurricular activities “tend to have higher GPAs and are less likely to drop out.”

Punctuating Titles

All books, magazines, and movies should be underlined. To Kill A Mockingbird Time The Devil’s Arithmetic

All short stories, magazine articles, newspaper articles, or short works should be enclosed with quotation marks. “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” “Effects of Television”

Possible Openers (Audience)

Fellow Cavaliers: Future Cavaliers: Graduating Class: Class of 2010: Dear Editor: Board of Education Members: Chamber of Commerce Directors: Concerned Citizens:

SHOW NOT TELL

Use “I” and “you” sparingly. Use “I” and “you” only when you are

speaking to the audience directly or if you are giving a personal experience.

Do not say, “I am going to tell you…” OR

“This essay is about…”

Dead Words

Eliminate verbs that do not “show.” All linking verbs: am, is , are, was, were,

have, has, etc. All sensory verbs: look, see, touch, smell,

etc.Eliminate words that do not “show.” thing, stuff, a lot, good, bad, got, etc.Be careful about overuse of pronouns: it, its, their, them, he, she, etc.

“Showing” words

Instead, use words that “show” the point you are making.

She is going to the store.Sally strolled past the old barn to Wilson’s BP.

Students have lots of problems with things that take too much of their time after school.

Students experience enormous problems with activities that absorb too much of their time after school.

Transition Words and Direct References

Use transitional words to connect ideas within and between sentences and paragraphs.

Initially, furthermore, moreover, however, additionally, alternately, similarly, on the contrary, conversely, etc.

Use direct references by repeating key words.

If the following sentence is a clincher for a body paragraph:

One of the most important parts of having integrity is being willing to do what is right regardless of the sacrifice or cost to one’s self.

An effective use of direct reference in the topic sentence of the next body paragraph would be:

Beyond the willingness to sacrifice for what is right, integrity involves making model decisions when no one will be aware of your decision.

CONVENTIONS

Complete sentences/no run-ons Capitalize the first word in the

sentence, I, and all proper nouns. End punctuation Commas (If in doubt, leave it out!) Do not use slang, such as

contractions (doesn’t or can’t), abbreviations (& or 4), or inappropriate words (hisself or thing)

Sample Essay – Definition: Good Judgment

Sample Essay--Cause and EffectExtracurricular Activities

Guiding Questions for Reviewing Rough Draft Focus:1. Does the writer maintain focus throughout the entire

paper?2. Does the paper accomplish its purpose?3. Are all aspects of the prompt completely addressed?Organization:1. Is the paper written in the proper format?2. Does the writer have a strong introduction?3. Does the writer have a strong conclusion?4. Can the reader understand this writing from beginning

to end? 

Support and Elaboration: 1. Is the topic developed with specific, relevant details? 2. Does the composition have enough elaboration to be convincing? 3. Has the writer used support from their readings? 4. Has the writer used support from personal experiences? 5. Has the writer used support from personal observations? Style: 1. Is the audience appropriately addressed? 2. Does the writer use words that are precise, engaging, and well

suited to the purpose, audience, and context? 3. Does the writer use a variety of well-crafted sentences that

establish relationships between and among ideas and statements?

 4. Does the writer avoid repetition by using a variety of transition words, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs?

  

Conventions: 1. Is the reader distracted by inappropriate/incorrect sentence

structure? 2. Does the writer have a strong command of appropriate grade

level vocabulary? 3. Does the writer use correct punctuation, capitalization, and

spelling? Short Answer: 1. What is the focus of the paper?2. What is the purpose of the paper?3. What factors make this a good introduction? (Anecdote,

unusual statement, startling fact, quote, question, etc.) 4. What factors make this a good conclusion? (Scenario, visual

image, looping, etc.) 5. Who is the audience? 6. What makes the writing effective and convincing?

Tips for Scoring Extra Points

(1)Use descriptive language.(2)Current movies, shows, etc. (3) Memorable clinchers. (4) Sophisticated vocabulary.

The moment I step onto a tennis court with my hair in a ponytail and wearing my dress, I can feel the hot sun bear down on me as my shoes stomp on the hard texture of the tennis court. The thrill of a challenge excites me the most and adrenaline pulses through my veins when I view my opponent. Tennis provides me with the opportunity to demonstrate my athletic ability and also have a great time. In the movie She’s the Man, the main character’s high school soccer team is cut, causing her and the other players to become completely despondent. Their hopes of getting their chance to shine on the soccer field were crushed entirely. Whenever the main character played soccer, she felt the same as I do when I play tennis: free, happy, and content.

A Closer Look

(1) Call out appropriate audience. (2) Good imagery in hook. (3) Thesis that identifies author’s stance and points discussed in the essay. (4) Sophisticated vocabulary.

Dear Board of Education:Sure, school can be fun; you have quadratic

equations, Bunsen burners, and grammar. Going home to watch television, download music to your iPod, and play the latest Halo game on Xbox are also entertaining. However, extracurricular activities provide numerous challenges and opportunities for students outside of school. The activities elicit students to make new friends, stay in school to achieve prominent grades, and build character to enhance college applications.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!