Writing Tips

PURPOSE/TASK
1.So, why didn’t I get any credit? Look at all I wrote!
YOU DIDN’T ACCOMPLISH THE PURPOSE!
If you receive a 0 for purpose/task, you receive no credit for the entire task……..no matter how long it is
or how wonderful the Spanish is.

2.Why is it a 3 and not a 4?

To get a 4 you have to have many details that are clearly connected to the task, with only
minor irrelevancies. So while hola, ¿coó mo estaó s? May be a way to begin, it is only generally connected to a
task (which is a 3) and not clearly related (which is a 4). Minor irrelevancies would be small parts of
sentences that are just there but not related. (eg. Writing to a travel agency about trip information…you
say I want to go to Spain in the summer. I have a lot of shorts. That last sentence would be irrelevant.)
The difference between many, some and few is subjective. You will get better as we practice
more. In 100 words you may want to think you should have 12-15 details for many(4), 10-11 for some(3),
8-10 for few(2). The number of details is balanced with the number of irrelevancies (eg. 12 details but 5
irrelevant statements(3).

ORGANIZATION
The difference between a 3 and a 4 is:
1. logical and coherent (meaning anyone can follow your logic and it makes sense to most normal
and semi-normal people and native speakers)
2.you can clearly tell where the beginning, middle and end are. While 100 words is not enough to
do 3 really good paragraphs, you have to write as if it were. Can anyone reading the paper tell where the
beginning, middle and end are? (and not just by saying it starts at the beginning, and ends at the end).
3.you make smooth transitions. You use transition words (eg. First, then, in the beginning, finally)
More on this later.

VOCABULARY
1.A 4 uses a wide variety of vocab and expands the topic. (Eg for a travel related task, a 3 might use to take
a trip, trip, suitcase, plane/train, want, need, go, help, pack, etc.. A 4 might also use to take off, to land, to
check the luggage, customs, to wait for, this/these, those, crew, to travel etc.) As you can see…a greater
variety that lets you talk about more(expand the topic).
2.Basic vocab… think level 1 tengo, soy, voy, necesito. Limited…using a few basic words over and
over…es,es,es,es,es

STRUCTURE/CONVENTION
1.For a 4 you have a high degree of control…that means mostly correct! Your verbs agree with your
subjects (eg. la blusa es, los pantalones son), your adjectives agree with your nouns (eg. los ojos azules. la
casa bonita), you use accents correctly (eg. Mamaó , informacioó n), you put words in the correct order (eg. la
casa blanca), you can use past, present and future as needed and correctly(this is certainly the most
difficult part)
2.If you have a high degree of control BUT you only use Checkpoint A material(Level 1), then you
score a 2. (Tengo, soy, voy)
3.If your Spanish 3 material is good but you goof up the easy stuff, you score a 2.