TELPAS writing prompts and practice for 8th and 9th 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 at least two paragraphs.

Write about a time you learned something that was hard for you. It could be a sport, an instrument, a language, a skill at home or a job. In your writing, be sure to: - tell what you were learning and why - explain what made it hard - describe how you kept going and what happened in the end

Ready to write

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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

When I was in seventh grade, my dad decided it was time for me to learn how to make tortillas from scratch. My grandma used to make them every Sunday, but she moved back to Monterrey, and my dad said if nobody learned, the recipe would leave with her. I thought it would be easy because I had watched her a hundred times.

It was not easy at all. The first problem was the dough. Grandma never measured anything, so when she sent me the recipe on a video call, she said things like "add water until it feels right." My first dough was so sticky it stuck to the counter, my hands and the rolling pin. The second time I added too much flour and the tortillas cracked like crackers. The hardest part was rolling them round. Mine came out shaped like the map of Texas, and my little brother made fun of them every time.

I kept going because every Sunday my family still ate them, even the ugly ones. I started writing down exactly how much water and flour I used, so I could fix one thing at a time. After about two months, I made a batch that was soft and almost round. I took a picture and sent it to my grandma, and she said they looked like hers. Now I make them every Sunday, and my brother is the one asking me to teach him.

All three parts of the prompt are answered in order, one per paragraph. The difficulty is shown through specific details (the sticky dough, the cracking, the Texas-shaped tortillas) rather than just stated, and the student explains a real strategy for improving. Sentences vary in length and use linking words such as because, so and after. There are no errors that slow a reader down.

What to look for

Check that the student answers all three bullet points. The third one, how they kept going, is the one students most often leave out or cover in a single sentence.
Look for specific details a reader could picture. "It was hard" is weaker than describing exactly what went wrong.
Notice whether the student uses past tense consistently, including irregular verbs such as made, took, sent and kept.
Paragraphs should each have a job. If the response is one long block, talk about where a new paragraph could start.
The TELPAS rubric scores vocabulary, usage and completeness separately. Use the sample to talk about each, not to give a score.

TELPAS writing prompts and practice for 8th and 9th 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

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