Writing On-Demand Essays
A writing assessment gives you a short time to write a response to a prompt.
You’ve read about the origin of pizza. What is your favorite food? How is it made? Why do you like it? Write an essay that names your favorite food, describes the ingredients, explains how it is made, and gives sensory details about it. Make your readers’ mouths water!
To do so, you should use a shortened form of the writing process:
Prewriting (5 Minutes)
Answer the PAST questions.
Purpose? Explain how it’s made
Audience? New person
Subject? A favorite food
Type? Essay
Write a focus statement.
Most Americans like tacos, but they haven’t had Mexican tacos.
List supporting details.
—Using cilantro, goat cheese, homemade white corn tortilla
—Making tortillas
—Cooking meat, cutting cilantro
—Putting taco together
Writing (Most Time)
Write a beginning that leads to the focus statement.
Tacos are probably the perfect food. Just fill a hard shell with seasoned ground beef, shredded cheddar, tomatoes, and lettuce. Wait! That’s an American taco. Most Americans like tacos, but they’ve never had Mexican tacos.
Write a middle paragraph to develop each supporting point.
A Mexican taco starts with different ingredients. First of all, instead of lettuce, Mexican tacos have spicy cilantro. . . .
Write an ending paragraph to wrap up the essay.
So, if you want a real taste of Old Mexico, try Mexican tacos. They’re spicier and better for you than tacos the American way . . .
Revising and Editing (5 Minutes)
Add, cut, rewrite, and rearrange to fix errors.
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Sentence Before Edits
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Spelling errors were fixed.
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Sentence After Edits
Respond to a writing prompt.
Read the writing prompt that follows and create an essay response.
Read the writing prompt.
Purpose?
Audience?
Subject?
Type?
Write a focus statement.
List supporting details.
Draft your essay.
Teaching Tip
This prompt asks students to activate prior knowledge to write an essay. Prompts in the unit "Practice Test for Reading and Writing" ask students to draw ideas and evidence from texts in a simulated research environment. Both types of prompts appear on high-stakes assessments.
Revise and edit your essay.
Read your essay and ask yourself the following questions. Correct any problems you find.
- Is my essay on target with the prompt and the PAST questions?
- Do I have a clear focus statement and topic sentences?
- Do I support them clearly with a variety of details?
- Are my beginning, middle, and ending paragraphs effective?
- Have I checked my spelling?
- Are all of my sentences complete (no fragments or run-ons)?