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Identifying Writing Purpose
There are five different kinds of writing that the Virginia state SOL test may ask you to use to respond to a writing prompt. They are:
DESCRIBE
EXPOSITORY (EXPLAIN or INFORM)
NARRATE or TELL A STORY
PERSUADE
RESPOND TO A QUOTE
If a prompt wants you to respond to a quote, it will say so outright. Figuring out the others can be a little tricky. This is especially true when it comes to persuasion, because that type of writing will include one or more of the others. For each of the prompts below, I have listed the type of writing that would best be used to score well on the Virginia SOL writing test.
| 1 | Tell about your favorite season. |
| | DESCRIPTIVE -- While you would be persuading the reader to agree with your choice, your focus should be on making the reader fell as though he/she were there, which means senspry description. |
| 2 | Write a letter to City Council asking for a change in your city that would benefit teenagers. |
| | PERSUASIVE -- Your purpose is to get City Council to do what you want. As you persuade them, you will also use facts and reasons, which means that you would include expository writing. You might describe the way things are now or what the result of the changes would be, as well. You might even include a short narrative to make your point. |
| 3 | Should animals be used in medical research? |
| | PERSUASIVE -- You are asked to choose one side of an issue. That will always be a persuasive prompt. Again, you will be able to use expository, descriptive, or even narrative writing to make your point. |
| 4 | How are your different from your best friend? |
| | DESCRIPTIVE -- you will use TALOS to describe both yourself and your best friend. You will organize your information using one of the two compare & contrast methods. |
| 5 | Tell about a funny thing that happened to you. |
| | NARRATIVE -- anything that happens is going to be a story. Be sure to include the minimum of story parts. You will also want to use description to make your reader really 'get' the experience. |
| 6 | Name your favorite game or sport and tell why you like it. |
| | EXPOSITORY -- You are explaining your own preference, not persuading your readers to change theirs. |
| 7 | If you could re-live one day in your life, what day would it be? |
| | NARRATIVE -- Most likely you will tell the story of the day you would re-live -- either keeping it just the same as it was or with the changes you would make in the day. Description would be a strong tool to use here. |
| 8 | What are the most necessary characteristics of a good parent? |
| | EXPOSITION -- You are explaining your own opinions, not persuading your readers to change theirs. |
| 9 | What invention or discovery has brought the most positive changes to our civilization? |
| | EXPOSITORY -- You are explaining your own opinions, not persuading your readers to change theirs. |
| 10 | Should school uniforms be required in Roanoke City schools? |
| | PERSUASIVE -- You are asked to choose one side of an issue. That will always be a persuasive prompt. Use expository, descriptive, or narrative writing to make your point. Quotes you have researched (from individuals on both sides of the issue) can be used effectively. |
| 11 | If you were forced to live without television, how would you spend the time you now spend watching TV? |
| | EXPOSITORY if you explain what you wuld do; NARRATIVE if you tell about yourtime in the forom of a story. |
| 12 | What advice would you give to a new high school freshman? |
| | PERSUASIVE -- in this case you wuld be looking to change the freshman's point of view or actions so that they could be more successful. |
| 13 | Choose something that you do very well. Tell someone else how to do this same thing. |
| | EXPOSITORY -- any step-by-step process is explaining how. Description can make the explanation of a process more clear. |
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