Most, if not all, twelfth grade and college standardized tests include a writing portion. Students are provided a writing prompt and must then write an essay on the topic. Writing for standardized tests can strike fear within the hearts and minds of students of all ages, but it doesn’t need to. You will be prepared to tackle any essay writing prompt if you know what to expect and understand how to write a five paragraph essay.
Types of Essays on Standardized Tests
When you begin to publish your essay for a standardized test, you need to first decide what kind of essay you will be being asked to write. There are lots of types of essays, including narrative, expository, argumentative, persuasive, comparative, literary, and so on. The sort of essay should determine your thesis and topic. Essays for standardized tests are typically either persuasive, in which you will answer a relevant question, or literary, where you will write on something you read.
For standardized tests, students usually have to write a five paragraph essay, which will be 500 to 800 words long and include an introductory paragraph, three supporting paragraphs and a paragraph that is concluding.
The Very First Paragraph: The Introduction
The first paragraph will introduce your topic. The introduction is the most important paragraph given that it provides direction when it comes to essay that is entire. It also sets the tone, and you like to grab the reader’s attention with clarity and interest. The easiest way to tackle the introduction will be:
- Describe your idea that is main what the essay is all about, within one sentence. You are able to usually use the essay writing prompt or question to create this sentence.
- Develop a thesis statement, or what you would like to state concerning the idea that is main. When the writing prompt is a question, your thesis is normally the response to the question.
- List three points or arguments that support your thesis in an effort of importance (one sentence for every single).
Voila! You’ve just written your introductory paragraph.
The next, Third and Fourth Paragraphs: Supporting Details
These three paragraphs form the physical body of this essay. They supply details, such as for example facts, quotes, examples and concrete statistics, when it comes to three points in your introductory paragraph that support your thesis. Make the points you listed in your introduction and discuss each in one single body paragraph. Here’s how:
- First, write a topic sentence that summarizes your point. This is basically the sentence that is first of paragraph.
- Next, write your argument, or why you feel the subject sentence does work.
- Finally, present your evidence (facts, quotes, examples, and statistics) to guide your argument.
So now you have a body paragraph. Repeat for points two and three. The best part about introducing most of your points in the first paragraph is the fact that it offers a plan for your body paragraphs and eliminates the need to write in transitions between paragraphs.
The Fifth Paragraph: The Conclusion
The concluding paragraph must summarize the essay. This could be the most difficult paragraph to write. In your conclusion, you really need to restate the thesis and connect it utilizing the body of the essay in a sentence which explains how each point supports the thesis. Your final sentence should uphold your main idea in a clear and manner that is compelling. Be sure you do not present any information that is new the conclusion.
When writing an essay for a test that is standardized outline your essay and acquire through each paragraph as soon as possible. Think of it as a draft that is rough. When your time is up, a complete essay will score more points than an incomplete essay considering that the evaluator is expecting a beginning, middle and a finish.
When you yourself have time for you review your essay before your own time is up, by all means achieve this! Make any revisions that you think will strengthen your draft that is“rough be sure to look for any grammatical errors or misspellings.
Online instruction just like the essay that is time4Writing courses for elementary, middle and senior high school students might help children get ready for state and college-entrance standardized writing tests. These interactive writing classes build basic writing skills, explain essay types and structure, and teach students how to organize their ideas.
For general recommendations on test preparation and information regarding each state’s standardized tests, please visit our standardized test overview page.
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