4 This response demonstrates advanced success with the narrative writing task. The essay:

• focuses consistently on narrating a single incident or a unified sequence of incidents
• shows effective narrative sequence throughout, with smooth transitions
• offers a thoughtful, creative approach to the narration
• develops the story thoroughly, using precise and vivid descriptive and narrative details
• exhibits mature control of written language

3 This response demonstrates competent success with the narrative writing task. For the most part, the essay:

• focuses on narrating a single incident or a unified sequence of incidents, with minor distractions
• shows effective narrative sequence, with minor lapses
• offers a mostly thoughtful approach to the narration
• develops the story adequately, with some descriptive and narrative details
• exhibits general control of written language

2 This response demonstrates limited success with the narrative writing task. The essay may:

• include some loosely related material that distracts from the writer’s narrative focus
• show some organization, with noticeable gaps in the narrative flow
• offer a routine, predictable approach to the narration
• develop the story with uneven use of descriptive and narrative detail
• exhibit limited control of written language

1 This response demonstrates emerging effort with narrative writing. For the most part, the essay:

• shows little awareness of the topic and the narrative purpose
• lacks organization
• offers an unclear and confusing narrative
• develops the story with little or no detail
• exhibits major problems with control of written language

Unscorable This response is unscorable for one or more of the following reasons. The paper may be:

• so unusual that it cannot be scored by the computer
• off-topic
• a paraphrase of the prompt
• written in a foreign language
• incomprehensible
• too brief to determine whether the student has responded to the task
• a written refusal to write

Because your essay cannot be scored by our system, it is not possible to provide more detailed feedback. For ideas that can help you improve your writing, click on Writing Activities.