Writing Prompts
What type of essay is this prompt asking you to write?
You have just read two passages about the journalist Nellie Bly. Write a fictional story describing a day of traveling, writing, and reporting from the perspective of Nellie Bly. Use details from both passages.
Narrative
What is the word for the attitude or feeling that an author or narrator has toward a subject?
Tone
Fill in the blank: When given a passage with multiple choice questions, always read the ___________ first.
questions
Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
A. You asked for; forgiveness. He granted it to you
B. You asked for forgiveness; he granted it to you.
C. You asked for forgiveness, and; he granted it to you
B. You asked for forgiveness; he granted it to you.
What is it called in narratives/stories/texts when characters speak to each other? Most narrative essays should have this.
Dialogue
What type of essay is this prompt asking you to write?
Each text discusses a different relationship between behavior and the brain. Write an essay explaining these relationships and how they are different from each other.
Informational
This is term for the idea or emotion/feeling that an author's word choice invokes. (Hint: You usually start by determining if the feeling is positive, negative, or neutral)
Connotation
This is a strategy that involves marking out answer choices that are ridiculous or that cannot be the answer.
Use process of elimination
Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly?
A) The American flag has three colors; red, white, and blue.
B) The American flag has three colors: Red, white, and blue.
C) The American flag has: three colors. Red, white, and blue.
D) The American flag has three colors: red, white, and blue.
D) The American flag has three colors: red, white, and blue.
Name three different phrases that can be used to introduce a quote.
Answers will vary (The author states, According to the text, As seen on page ____, etc)
What type of essay is this prompt asking you to write?
At the end of the passage, the author creates suspense about what the narrator will do. Write a multi-paragraph continuation of the story that describes what happens next.
Narrative
What does it mean to infer?
Conclude from evidence and prior knowledge or determine based on what has been stated in the passage
Name two strategies for determining the meaning of a word you do not know.
Answers will vary: look for prefixes and suffixes, look for context clues, think about what the passage is about, think about the connotation of words, etc.
Which of the following sentences uses proper parallel structure?
A. Global warming affects humans, the environment, and is scary.
B. Bruce Wayne enjoys donning his Batman costume, answering the Commissioner's phone calls, and saving Gotham City from cruel villains like the Penguin.
C. John Taylor Gatto criticizes public schools because they are compulsory, funded by the government, and destroy students' humanity.
B. Bruce Wayne enjoys donning his Batman costume, answering the Commissioner's phone calls, and saving Gotham City from cruel villains like the Penguin.
True or false: Looking at how and why a character changes from beginning to end can help you determine the theme.
True
You have just read two passages about superstitions and rituals. Write an essay explaining why people believe in the power of superstitions and rituals.
Informational
Anecdote
Before writing an essay, what two steps should you take? (Hint: It is the first two things we do before writing in this class)
1. Break down the prompt
2. Outline/plan your essay
Which of the following sentences uses punctuation correctly?
A. The order was requested six weeks ago; therefore, I expected the shipment to arrive by now.
B) The order was requested six weeks ago, therefore. I expected the shipment to arrive by now.
C) The order was requested: six weeks ago, therefore, I expected the shipment to arrive by now.
D) The order was requested six weeks ago: therefore, I expected the shipment, to arrive by now.
A. The order was requested six weeks ago; therefore, I expected the shipment to arrive by now.
Which word is closest in meaning to infusing as it is used in paragraph 5?
These gains in mental efficiency free up resources for other tasks: infusing the music you’re playing with greater emotion and passion, for example, or keeping closer track of your opponent’s moves on the other side of the tennis court.
A. accomplishing
B. sharing
C. filling
D. producing
C. filling
What type of essay is this prompt asking you to write?
"You have just read two texts about the benefits and drawbacks of high school students with jobs. Write an essay supporting or opposing teens working a job. Be sure to use evidence from the text"
Argumentative/Persuasive
What does it mean to have good syntactic variety?
A good mix of sentence lengths and types.
"What does the phrase “quick staccato” mean as it is used in paragraph 7?"
What is the first thing you should do in order to answer this question?
Re-read paragraph 7
What is the best way to write this sentence?
A. When the process of freeing a vehicle that has been stuck results in ruts or holes, the operator will fill the rut or hole created by such activity before removing the vehicle from the immediate area.
B. If you make a hole while freeing a stuck vehicle, you must fill the hole before you drive away.
B. If you make a hole while freeing a stuck vehicle, you must fill the hole before you drive away.
Name 3 boxes on the Big Six poetry analysis tool and what each box asks you to do
Tools - figurative language
Turns - Shifts in the poem
Title - Explain what title mean and if it comes up anywhere else in the poem
Theme - What is the theme
Paraphrase - What does each line mean?
Speaker - tone/attitude of speaker, who is it