Tips for Writing a Wonderful Extended Response Answer

1. Tips for Writing a Wonderful Extended Response Answer

2. Tip 1 • Write Neatly! • It would be a shame to write a terrific answer and spend a lot of time working on it and then no one is able to read it. • Remember, your teacher is used to deciphering your handwriting, but on standardized tests, your answer is graded by a stranger. • Make sure they can read what you wrote by using clear, neat letters with good size and spacing.

3. Tip 2 • Spell the best you can. • It is ok if a word is misspelled, but make sure you use your phonics and spelling rules to get it as close as possible. Then someone can figure out what you are writing. • Remember, many of the words you need are in the question and the text. Take a second to look back and you will see exactly how to spell them. • Don’t be afraid to write a great response just because you aren’t sure how the words are spelled.

4. Tip 3 • Reread your answer. • Our brains often work quicker than our hands can write. It is easy to get ahead of ourselves and leave out words or to forget word endings. • Reread your answer to see if it makes sense. • Your sentence should sound smooth like something you would read in a book or a sentence your teacher would say.

5. Tip 4 • Answer all parts of the question. • Reread the question when you are finished and make sure you have answered all the parts.

6. Tip 5 • Check that you answered what was asked. • Often, students write correct information from the text, but it doesn’t match the question that was asked. • For example: If someone asked you what color your shoes are, would you say, “I have 2 shoes”? That may be true, but it is not what was asked. • Reread the question and answer together to make sure they are a match.

7. Tip 6 • Give examples and evidence from the text. • The best support for your answer is to use information from the passage or selection. • You should be able to support your answer with at least 2 pieces of evidence. • Using evidence from the story shows that you understood what you read.

8. Tip 7 • Use vocabulary. • A great way to demonstrate that you understand the question is to use the vocabulary you have learned. • For example: This sentence is an ok answer that might earn 1 point. “The shapes are alike because they have 4 sides.” • But this sentence is a wonderful answer that would earn 2 or more points. “The polygons are alike because they are quadrilaterals and have right angles.”

9. Tip 8 • Your answer should be so strong that it could stand alone without the question. • If the question was erased off the page and someone read just your answer, would they understand what you are saying. • If your answer is clear and complete, someone who has never read the selection should be able to read your answer and understand what you are talking about. • You can do this by restating the question in your answer. That means using some of the question words to start your sentence.

10. Tip 9 • Take a hint from the lines on the page. • If the test maker gives you a whole page to write your answer, then you can tell that they are looking for a longer response. • Writing one or two words would not be enough. • But make sure you are writing a response that explains the answer completely. • Be careful. Some students start to make up information and begin adding silly extra sentences just to fill the space and make their answers look longer.

11. Tip 10 • Never leave an answer blank. • It is better to at least try. • Writing something is better than writing nothing. • If you skip the question and write nothing, then you are guaranteed to get 0 points. • Extended response questions are like the big money questions on a game show. They are worth the most. They are the best way to show how much you have learned.