Analyzing Writing Prompts
Often tests contain writing prompts that you must respond to. A writing prompt is a specific set of instructions that you must follow to write a well-targeted essay. If you write an excellent response that does not answer the prompt, you will score poorly. To succeed on writing assessments, you must start by analyzing the writing prompt. You can use the PAST questions:
- Purpose? Why am I writing? (To argue for a position? To compare two concepts? To define key terms?)
- Audience? Who is my reader? (Tester? Classmates? Other citizens?)
- Subject? What topic should I write about? (A problem that must be solved? A key period or discovery?)
- Type? What type of writing should I create? (Position essay? Letter to the editor? Proposal?)
Sample Writing Prompt
"The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognised it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison."—Nathaniel Hawthorne
This single sentence has a great deal to say about human society. Unpack the ideas. What is Hawthorne saying? Do you agree or disagree? Write an essay that explains Hawthorne's position before stating your position. Argue using logic and historical evidence to convince Hawthorne of your position.
Answers to PAST Questions
- Purpose?
To explain Hawthorne's position and state and support my own position using logic and evidence
- Audience?
Hawthorne as well as readers of the test responses
- Subject?
Human societies (specifically Utopias) and the problems that they face
- Type?
Position/argument 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). If a prompt does not specify a specific audience, you can infer that the audience is the person who must read test responses.
Teaching Tip
Advanced students can practice by writing an essay response to this prompt. Give them a specific time frame (for example 45 or 90 minutes, depending on your class time) to write their responses. Afterward, have them review the PAST questions to make certain they have written on-target responses.
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.
"Just living is not enough . . . one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."—Hans Christian Anderson
In this quotation, Hans Christian Anderson provides his simple formula for the good life. Is his idea on target? Is it enough, too little, too much? Write an essay that explores Anderson's prescription and provides your own formula for living well. Support your position with facts, statistics, examples, and other evidence that you draw from your own life. Seek to convince classmates of your view.
- Purpose?
- Audience?
- Subject?
- Type?
In "The Struggle for Human Rights" Eleanor Roosevelt argues powerfully that human rights must be understood as the rights of the individual instead of the rights of the state. Do you agree or disagree with her position? What do you think "human rights" means? Write an essay that summarizes Roosevelt's argument and presents your own vision for human rights. Support your position using examples from history, politics, and/or philosophy. Try to convince Roosevelt and other citizens of your argument.
- Purpose?
- Audience?
- Subject?
- Type?
When news breaks, reporters seek to understand and tell the story. When something important happens at school, you may ask your friends to give you the "full story." Why are stories so important to understanding? What is a story, after all? Write an essay that outlines the important components of a story and explains why people use stories to understand their world. Include a few anecdotes from your own life to illustrate the importance of hearing and telling stories.
- Purpose?
- Audience?
- Subject?
- Type?
Some friends want to talk all the time. Others want to just be with you without needing to say a word. Some friends remain close only as long as you have classes or other activities together. Others remain close even when you are miles apart and have no time together at all. Pick two different types of friends and define each. Compare and contrast the two types of friends, using examples from your own life to illustrate the similarities and differences. Then reflect on which type of friend you want most and tell why.
- Purpose?
- Audience?
- Subject?
- Type?
Teaching Tip
You can ask students to respond to one or more of the prompts above. Give them a specific time frame (for example 45 or 90 minutes, depending on your class time) to write their responses. Afterward, have them review the PAST questions to make certain they have written on-target responses.