Analyzing Writing Prompts
Often tests contain writing prompts that you must respond to. Your first step is to understand the writing prompt. Use the PAST questions.
- Purpose? Why am I writing? (To analyze? To entertain?)
- Audience? Who will read my writing? (Tester? Classmates?)
- Subject? What subject should I write about? (Story? Poem?)
- Type? What type of writing should I create? (Essay? Story?)
Sample Writing Prompt
In “The Most Sensible Car” by Carolyn Asher, Coup is looking for a practical owner. In the end, Coup says, “Nobody wants a truly sensible car these days.” Is he right? What evidence from the story supports your conclusion. Write an essay explaining Coup’s problem with finding an owner, and show what the story says about life.
Answers to PAST Questions
- Purpose?
Explain Coup’s problem with finding an owner and show what the story says about life
- Audience?
Any other reader
- Subject?
“The Most Sensible Car” by Carolyn Asher
- Type?
Essay
Note: Some writing prompts do not answer all of the PAST questions. If an answer is not given, infer one (come up with a reasonable answer based on the rest of the information).
Analyze writing prompts.
Read each writing prompt that follows. Answer the PAST questions about it. If the prompt doesn’t answer a question, infer an answer.
In “Glenda of the Giraffe People” by Leslie Fields, Glenda works hard to grow taller. A mean dog changes her ideas. How does Glenda change? What kind of hard work will she do in the future? Write an essay using evidence to explain what Glenda learns.
- Purpose?
- Audience?
- Subject?
- Type?
Robert Lewis Stevenson’s poem “Winter Time” uses strong imagery to capture the feeling of winter. What imagery is your favorite? How does it make you think of winter? Write an essay that examines the imagery and sounds in the poem “Winter Time.”
- Purpose?
- Audience?
- Subject?
- Type?
In his poem “Robin Redbreast,” William Allingham describes how a bird adjusts to the end of summer and the coming of winter. What similes, metaphors, and symbols does he use? Write an essay that identifies the figures of speech and shows how they add to the ideas.
- Purpose?
- Audience?
- Subject?
- Type?
Teaching Tip
The PAST questions help students quickly analyze the parts of the rhetorical situation: purpose, audience, subject, type. These questions can also help students analyze any text, such as an article or a short story.