TELPAS writing prompts and practice for 6th and 7th grade

Question

Prompt 1 of 4 — Express Ideas in Writing — suggested time about 20 minutes

Read the prompt. Write your answer in complete sentences.

Write about a time you learned how to do something new outside of school. In your writing: - tell what you learned and who helped you - describe what was hard at first - explain how you felt when you were finally able to do it

Ready to write

0:00

0 words0 characters0 paragraphsSuggested time: 20 min

View the practice scoring rubric

Level	What it looks like
4 — 4 points on each trait (12 in all)	Vocabulary: consistently uses a variety of grade-appropriate academic and social language; precise word choice; infrequent spelling errors Usage: correctly uses simple and complex tenses; expanded compound and complex sentences; grammar comparable to grade-level native English-speaking peers Completeness: uses words, phrases and clauses that sequence events and link ideas; clearly fits the genre; addresses the task completely, with specific detail
3 — 3 points on each trait (9 in all)	Vocabulary: generally uses a variety of social language; sometimes precise, may struggle with academic or newly introduced words; occasional spelling errors Usage: many simple sentences, but simple tenses are used successfully; emerging compound and complex sentences; some errors that do not seriously interfere Completeness: some linking words used inconsistently; narrates, describes or explains in some detail; mostly effective but lacks some specificity
2 — 2 points on each trait (6 in all)	Vocabulary: repetitive or limited, especially when writing is academic; may talk around unknown words; some spelling errors that may interfere Usage: mostly simple present-tense sentences; frequent grammar errors that sometimes interfere with meaning Completeness: limited or repetitive linking words; narrates, describes or explains in a limited way with few details
1 — 1 point on each trait (3 in all)	Vocabulary: some high-frequency or routine words and phrases; may include words from the home language; widespread spelling errors Usage: some simple sentences with errors in tense; grammar errors that interfere with meaning Completeness: may copy the prompt or contain no English; minimally effective in communicating the message

Show a strong sample response

Last summer my uncle Rogelio taught me how to change a flat tire on his truck. We were driving back from my cousin's quinceañera in Laredo when we heard a loud pop, and the truck started shaking. My uncle pulled over on the side of the highway and said, "Okay, today you are going to learn something useful." He showed me where the spare tire was hidden under the truck and how to use the jack to lift it up.

The hardest part was loosening the lug nuts. They were so tight that I had to stand on the wrench and bounce on it, and my uncle laughed at me the whole time. I also put the jack in the wrong place at first, and he made me move it before I lifted anything because he said the truck could fall. After about thirty minutes the new tire was on, and my hands were black and my shirt was all sweaty. I felt really proud, because now if it ever happens to my mom, I know I can help her instead of just waiting for someone to come.

This response answers all three parts of the prompt in order: what was learned and who helped, what was hard, and how the student felt. It tells about one specific time with concrete details (standing on the wrench, the jack in the wrong place), uses past-tense verbs correctly and consistently, and joins ideas with words such as at first, also, after and because. The vocabulary (spare tire, jack, lug nuts, loosening) is precise for the topic.

What to look for

Check that all three bullet points are answered. Students often describe the skill and skip how they felt, or end with one short sentence for it.
Look for one specific occasion with details, rather than a general statement like "my uncle taught me many things."
Past-tense verbs should stay in the past throughout. Irregular verbs (taught, felt, put, made) are where errors usually appear.
Notice transition words that show order and cause (at first, then, after, because). These are what separate a well-developed response from a list of sentences.
Specific words for the topic count toward vocabulary. Praise a student who uses an exact word instead of "thing" or "stuff."

TELPAS writing prompts and practice for 6th and 7th grade

What to look for

Questions with an answer key

Use Standard Grammar, Usage, and Spelling to Edit

Every answer, explained

Use Standard Grammar, Usage, and Spelling to Edit

Read next