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Document Sample
Accuplacer Writing Test
Essay
Sentence Skills
Accuplacer Essay
The ACCUPLACER writing test that UTEP
administers for placement purposes and
Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements is
called WritePlacer Texas.
When you take a WritePlacer test, you will be
given a topic and asked to write an essay
about it. You will have to plan, write, review,
and revise your essay in 60 minutes. Essays
are scored on the overall quality of your
writing and scores range from 0 to 8.
Instructions for the Essay
You will be asked to prepare a multiple-paragraph
essay of 300-600 words on a specific topic. You
should use the time available to plan, write, review,
and edit what you have written. You must read the
assignment carefully before you begin to write.
Your writing sample will be scored on the basis of
how effectively it communicates a whole message to
the readers for the stated purpose. Your score will
be based on your ability to express, organize, and
support your opinions and ideas, not the position you
take on the essay topic.
Characteristics Considered
The following five characteristics of writing will be considered:
Focus
The clarity with which you maintain your main idea or point of view.
Organization
The clarity with which you structure your response and present a
logical sequence of ideas.
Development and Support
The extent to which you elaborate on your ideas and the extent to
which you present supporting details.
Sentence Structure
The effectiveness of your sentence structure.
Mechanical Conventions
The extent to which your writing is free of errors in usage and
mechanics.
Instructions for the Essay
Be sure to write about the topic indicated and
use multiple paragraphs. You may not use
any books or papers or other reference
materials during the test. Remember to
review your writing and make any changes
you think will improve what you have written.
Tips on Writing the Essay
You will be given 60 minutes to write your essay.
Proctors will go through the instructions and then tell
you to put your cursor in the box. Time will then
begin to count down from 60 minutes.
You will not be able to draft an outline on paper after
you read the prompt and before you put your cursor
in the box. You will be able to use scratch paper
once you have started your essay to draft an outline
or brainstorm ideas.
You can also draft an outline or brainstorm ideas on
the computer but be sure to erase all writing except
your finished essay before your time is up.
Tips on Writing the Essay
Topics are described in such a way that you
must take a position either for or against an
issue. Often you are given one pro and one
con to get you started. Remember to take
just one side (for or against) and support it.
The best way to approach an Accuplacer
essay is to prepare a basic five paragraph
essay.
Six Steps for Writing a Basic Five
Paragraph Essay
(From Del Valle’s Six Steps for Passing a TASP Essay)
1. Analyze the assignment. (Identify SOAP elements [we will
review on a separate slide] and all specific instructions.)
2. Write a Thesis Statement which answers the assignment’s
question.
3. Decide on three points to support your thesis statement.
4. Write an introduction which includes the thesis statement and
demonstrates awareness of SOAP elements.
5. Turn each of your three points into a well-developed
paragraph.
6. Write a conclusion which restates your main points in
different words. Do not introduce new points in your
conclusion.
SOAP Elements
S = Subject (What you are going to be
writing about)
O = Occasion (What format you going to use
– i.e., letter, speech, or essay)
A = Audience (Who are you writing for – i.e.,
a teacher, your peers, a committee)
P =Purpose (What you hope to achieve with
your writing – i.e. persuade, entertain,
describe, inform or argue)
Just Start Writing
If you cannot get started writing, sometimes
you just need to get ideas flowing. Just start
writing and KNOW that you will allot yourself
time at the end of your 60 minutes for
revision and editing. You will be typing your
essay in a basic word processing program.
You will be able to make changes.
Note: To leave a blank line between paragraphs,
press the Enter key. Do not use the Tab key.
Sample Essay Topic
Some schools require each student to participate in an
organized school sport chosen by the student. People at these
schools argue that athletics is an important part of the
educational experience and that there should be a rule requiring
participation. Others argue that students should be free to
decide whether or not they wish to participate in organized
school sports.
Write an essay for a classroom instructor in which you take a
position on whether participation in organized school athletics
should be required. Be sure to defend your position with logical
arguments and appropriate examples.
Outlining a Basic
Five Paragraph Essay
Your position - pro or con (Your introductory paragraph
will include a statement of each of your supporting points.)
Supporting point #1 (In your second paragraph you will
develop this point.)
Supporting point #2 (In your third paragraph you will
develop this point.)
Supporting point #3 (In your fourth paragraph you will
develop this point.)
Conclusion (In your fifth paragraph, you will include a
restatement of each of your supporting points as well as a
restatement of your position – pro or con.)
Outlining Exercise
At this point in the presentation, each
student will outline a basic five
paragraph essay for the sample topic
previously given. (5 minutes)
One student then will be asked to
volunteer their outline – so that it can
be written on the board and discussed
and revised.
Watch Your Time
Watch your time for when you have about 15
minutes left. It is CRUCIAL to your score to carefully
review what you have written and amend your
introduction if necessary so that it matches the body
of your essay. This means that you must introduce
each of your supporting points in your introduction.
Also make sure that your conclusion restates your
introduction in different words.
It is also very important to your score that you do a
separate review for subject verb agreement, spelling
and punctuation.
Good Paragraphs Make
Good Essays
Each paragraph must have a clear, well
supported topic sentence.
The topic must be sufficiently
developed, using examples, reasons
and definitions.
Sentences should be in logical order.
Special terms should be defined.
Unnecessary words should be left out.
Good Paragraphs Make
Good Essays
Transitions should be used, especially
between paragraphs so readers will follow
your train of thought.
All pronouns should have clear antecedents.
Subjects and verbs must agree.
Each sentence must have a clear subject.
Spelling and punctuation must be correct.
English Course Placements based on
Accuplacer Writing Scores
Essay Sentence Skills UTEP Placement
0-2 N/A BASK 0303 (at EPCC)
3-4 N/A ENGL 0311
5 20-120 ENGL 0311
6 N/A ENGL 1311 and
ENGL 0111
7-8 N/A ENGL 1311
Essay Sentence Skills EPCC Placement
0-4 N/A BASK 0303
5 20-79 BASK 0303
5 80-120 ENGL 0310
6-8 N/A ENGL 1301
Sentence Skills Section
When taking the Writing Accuplacer Test, the
Sentence Skills section will only be required if you
score a 5 on the Essay. In this case, the score you
get on the Sentence Skills test will indicate whether
or not you have satisfied the Texas Success Initiative
(TSI). What you score on the Sentence Skills test
does not affect your UTEP placement.
If you score a 5 on the Essay and then you score an
80 on the on the Sentence Skills test, you will have
cleared TSI. This has been the TSI policy since
November 3, 2003.
Sentence Skills
Sample Questions
Sample Questions 1 through 7 are Sentence
Correction. The following directions apply to
these first 7 questions.
Select the best version of the bold part of
the sentence. The first choice is the same
as the original sentence. If you think the
original sentence is best, choose the first
answer.
Sentence Skills
Sample Questions
1. Ms. Rose planning to teach a course in biology next
summer.
planning
are planning
with a plan
plans
Sentence Skills
Sample Questions
2. The baby was obviously getting too hot, then Sam did
what he could to cool her.
hot, then Sam did
hot, Sam did
hot; Sam, therefore, did
hot; Sam, trying to do
Sentence Skills
Sample Questions
3. She hoped to find a new job. One that would let
her earn money during the school year.
job. One that
job. The kind that
job, one that
job, so that it
Sentence Skills
Sample Questions
4. Knocked sideways, the statue looked as if it
would fall.
Knocked sideways, the statue looked
The statue was knocked sideways, looked
The statue looked knocked sideways
The statue, looking knocked sideways,
Sentence Skills
Sample Questions
5. To walk, biking, and driving are Pat's favorite
ways of getting around.
To walk, biking, and driving
Walking, biking, and driving
To walk, biking, and to drive
To walk, to bike, and also driving
Sentence Skills
Sample Questions
6. When you cross the street in the middle of the
block, this is an example of jaywalking.
When you cross the street in the middle of the
block, this
You cross the street in the middle of the block,
this
Crossing the street in the middle of the block
The fact that you cross the street in the middle of
the block
Sentence Skills
Sample Questions
7. Walking by the corner the other day, a child, I
noticed, was watching for the light to change.
a child, I noticed, was
I noticed a child watching
a child was watching, I noticed,
there was, I noticed, a child watching
Sentence Skills
Sample Questions: Construction Shift
In Construction Shift questions, you are
asked to rewrite the sentence in your head,
following the directions given. Keep in mind
that your new sentence should be well
written and should have essentially the
same meaning as the sentence given.
8. Being a female jockey, she was often interviewed.
Rewrite, beginning with
She was often interviewed...
The next words will be
on account of she was
by her being
because she was
being as she was
9. In his songs, Gordon Lightfoot makes melody and
lyrics intricately intertwine.
Rewrite, beginning with
Melody and lyrics...
Your new sentence will include
Gordon Lightfoot has
make Gordon Lightfoot's
in Gordon Lightfoot's
does Gordon Lightfoot
10. It is easy to carry solid objects without spilling
them, but the same cannot be said of liquids.
Rewrite, beginning with
Unlike liquids,...
The next words will be
it is easy to
we can easily
solid objects can easily be
solid objects are easy to be
11: Excited children ran toward the loud music, and
they told others about the ice cream truck outside.
Rewrite, beginning with
The excited children, who had run toward the loud...
The next words will be
music, they told
music told
music, telling
music and had told
Answers to Sample Sentence Skills questions:
1 (d), 2 (c), 3 (c), 4 (a), 5 (b), 6 (c),
7 (b), 8 (c), 9 (c), 10 (c), 11 (c),
