writing prompts

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8ball - 13 Jul 2005 19:04 GMT

Hi. Where can I find writing prompts (especially those found on the
standardied tests) for high school students? Thanks.

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credoquaabsurdum - 13 Jul 2005 21:55 GMT

Hey, 8ball. Let's get specific on what kind of tests you're looking
for. I seem to remember your having some questions a few months ago
based on the SAT, TSWE, or TOEFL...something like that. ETS generally
makes it a policy to publish their entire pools of writing topics, but
all the SAT topics, as far as I can tell, are not online.

Nothing. If you have to use fale sample topics, try going with Kaplan
first, then everything else. Barron's is dangerous, despite the fact
that a lot of people swear by their work. Don't trust ARCO's "Master"
series, although it has a nice cover.

If you need special help looking around, come back at me, OK?

> Hi. Where can I find writing prompts (especially those found on the
> standardied tests) for high school students? Thanks.

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8ball - 14 Jul 2005 00:10 GMT

Would you recommend this book: 501 WRITING PROMPT QUESTIONS?

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8ball - 17 Jul 2005 20:51 GMT

PROBABLY NOT

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credoquaabsurdum - 17 Jul 2005 23:04 GMT

Emergency in Greece, 8Ball. Back to business.

If you've bought the book already, fine. I do not own that book and
Amazon turns up a Learning Express publication.

I would not recommend this book. The book is designed to get you ready
for all kinds of different exams: kind of a "how to teach you writing"
book regarding general test preparation.

Now, there's nothing wrong with improving your advanced composition
skills, but if you want the best results you can get on a particular
test, you should always look for a publication aimed at that test, not
at a book that claims to help you "in general."

That is not to say that it would be impossible to write a good book
that did precisely what this one claims: improve your writing skills
for all kinds of exams. However, the motivation behind commissioning
books like this and publishing them is extraordinarily simple: far from
being experts in either advanced composition or test prep for specific
tests, the authors want to widen the pool the book can be marketed to,
and that kind of attitude typically tends to lead them to fill their
books with hype, not substance.

> Would you recommend this book: 501 WRITING PROMPT QUESTIONS?

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Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / July 2005

writing prompts