Each practice set is a pair of prompts, like the contest’s sheet: a topic, a task, a reader to write for. You pick the one you have the most to say about.
The contest
UIL A+ Ready Writing gives two prompts; each student chooses one and has up to two hours to write a composition with an original title. Grades 3–4, 5–6 and 7–8 compete in separate divisions, up to three students per school in each. Judges weigh interest most (50%), then organization (35%), then correctness of style (15%), and rank the papers.
How practice climbs
- Read the prompt. Find each prompt’s purpose, audience, format and point of view, and choose the prompt that suits you.
- Plan. Pick the details that back a main idea, and the best main idea or opening.
- Organize. Put a composition’s parts in order, and choose the transitions that join them.
- Polish. Find the sentence with no errors, and the one that gives the reader a picture.
- Timed write. Two prompts: choose one, write for 60 minutes or the full two hours, then check your composition.
A drill is passed when one of its last five tries was right. A step is done when 80% of its drills are passed, up to a few pairs’ worth. Every step stays open, so you can go back to any of them.
What judges look for
- Interest counts most. Fresh ideas, specific examples and details only you would think of, and your own voice. The title counts too.
- Organization next. Answer the prompt you chose. A clear opening, paragraphs that each do one job, transitions that join them, and an ending.
- Then correctness. Complete sentences, punctuation, grammar and spelling. Save a few minutes to read it over.
- Write the topic you chose at the top, then give your composition a title of your own.
- Don’t put your name or your school on the paper.
- Plan before you write: a few notes on what you’ll say, and in what order.