Test-Taking Tips
What should you do if you are struggling with a question for too long?
Bookmark the question so you can return to it later and skip ahead
Name at least three elements of a narrative.
Characters
Setting
Dialogue
Conflict
Resolution
What should you never include in an essay?
Personal pronouns - I, me, my, we, our, us, etc.
What does writing conventions include?
Spelling
Punctuation
Capitalization
Grammar
What does it mean to compare and contrast?
To identify similarities and differences
Test tools:
What tool is available to you on the test to reduce the number of options in a multiple choice question?
What tool can help you identify parts of the reading passages and/or directions that you want to stand out?
Answer Eliminator and the highlighter
What types of words and phrases can you use to show a change in time, action, or setting in a story?
Transition words/phrases
What is a claim?
The writer’s opinion, the main argument, the main idea
What tool is available to you on the test to help with your writing conventions?
Spell check
The words: passage, selection, text, source, article, etc. all refer to what?
The readings and/or videos provided on the test
What are two things you can do before the test to give yourself the best chance at success?
1. Get a good night's sleep
2. Eat a healthy breakfast
What types of details can you include to enhance the description and imagery in your story?
Figurative language, sensory details, thoughts, emotions, powerful adjectives and verbs
What types of words and phrases can you use to show that you are moving on to a new idea or topic in your essay?
Transition words/phrases
Name at least 3 capitalization rules.
First letter of a sentence
Pronoun ‘I’
Proper nouns (people, places, things)
Titles
The first word inside of quotations
What is theme?
The message of the piece, the lesson learned, the moral, etc.
What should you do first when you begin the test?
Correct the following dialogue so that it is properly formatted:
“Tag! You’re it!” Mrs. Yak shouted to Mr. Hofer. No fair! I wasn’t ready. Mr. Hofer whined.
“Tag! You’re it!” Mrs. Yak shouted to Mr. Hofer.
"No fair! I wasn’t ready," Mr. Hofer whined.
What does it mean to use evidence to support your response?
Include text evidence/data that supports the claim of the essay
*The evidence should include a transition phrase such as, According to ______, and should always be placed in quotation marks.
When should a writer use a comma and a FANBOYS?
When the writer is making a compound sentence made of two simple sentences such as:
Team A students will dominate the NJSLA, for they are incredibly smart and talented!
What is author’s purpose?
The author’s reason for writing: to entertain, to persuade, to inform, to describe
What is the most important thing you can do for yourself on a piece of scrap paper before beginning the writing piece? Why?
Prewrite and plan! This will help you to organize your thoughts which will help prevent you from going off-topic or forgetting important details to include in your writing.
How would you prewrite/plan a story on the NJSLA?
Multiple Answers:
Make a list of elements to include: characters, setting, conflict, resolution, dialogue
Draw a picture
Create an organizer
Make an outline of events
How do you format an essay? Sing the essay song!
An intro paragraph has three pieces:
The hook, the bridge, followed by the thesis!
Claim, data, warrant in the body
Sum up so your work’s not shoddy,
End with touch back, heart, future, and a zinger!
Correct the following sentence:
i am a grate writer i am so redy to take this test i feel extremly confident in my abilities
Multiple options:
I am a great writer, and I am so ready to take this test, for I feel extremely confident in my abilities!
Because I am a great writer, I am so ready to take this test since I feel extremely confident in my abilities.
Since I am a great writer, I am so ready to take this test; I feel extremely confident in my abilities.
I am a great writer. I am so ready to take this test. I feel extremely confident in my abilities.
How do you write an original story that continues where the passage ends? What do you, as the writer, have to do?
This means that you have to use what the writer has already set up in terms of characters, setting, and plot and continue on in a logical way from where it stopped. The story should be properly formatted and include narrative elements.