Writing Assessment: Responding to the Task

Methods in this video

Tap a time to jump to where the video teaches that method.

1. 1

   Reading the task: what about, why, what form, who for

   ▶ 0:43

   When to use it: Any writing task, before you start: the task sentence joins several things with and, the scenario states a purpose, or a 'you could' list follows.

   • Before you write, find four things in the task: what about, why, what form, and who for.
   • The little tail after "and" is the easiest part to miss. Read the task to the last word.
   • Do what the task says you must; the 'you could' list is advice. Following it to plan your paragraphs saves time and keeps you on task.
2. 2

   Staying on task: check against the four things, and tell partly off from off task

   ▶ 3:38

   When to use it: When you finish (or halfway), check the four things you found; or when you want to reuse a piece you wrote before. In the score report: a required or central point marked partial or missing, or paragraphs that answer no requirement.

   • Doing all four things is what being on task means.
   • Writing about the right task but missing one thing is partly off task: you lose marks but stay in the same band.
   • Writing about something the task did not ask for is off task: you drop to the low bands, however good the words are.
   • Don't reuse a piece you wrote before; when you finish, check the four things one by one and add what is missing.