ESSAY WRITING ASSESSMENT SCALE

* additional descriptors for descriptive/narrative writing

Devt. Of
Idea/
Organisation

A
Excellent

B
Good

C
Satisfactory

D
Weak

F
Very weak

Marks

- org. could be outlined cleary

(clear Th. St & T.S.)
- supporting ideas are fully
developed
- good coherency within and
between paragraphs
- effective introduction
- logical & complete conclusion
* theme holding essay together
is clearly seen
* engages attention of the
reader
(appeals to the senses)

- adequate organisation (Th. St.

& T.S. may not be clear / may
be lacking)
- supporting ideas are not fully
developed
- sequence is logical but few
transitional expressions may
be absent / wrongly used
- less impressive than A
- adequate intro & conclusion
* theme is less clear than A
* still engages attention of
reader

- fair organisation (Th. St & T.S.

are mediocare)
- problems with the order of ideas
- T.S. may not be fully supported
by the evidence given
- fair coherency (some transitional
expressions are absent /
misuded)
- mediocare introduction &
conclusion
* maintains theme although it is
not clear
* engages only some attention of
reader

- weak organisation (weak of Th. St

& T.S) organisation can barely
be outlined
- severe problems with ordering of
ideas
- ideas are repeated
- lack of supporting ideas
- weak coherency (sequence is
unclear and may be illogical)
- introduction is weak
- conclusion is weak or illogical
* engages little attention of reader
* theme is shaky / minimally
recognizable

- no apparent organisation
- organisation could not be
outlined (absence of Th.
St / T.S)
- severe lack of supporting
ideas
- T.S. not supported by
evidence
- no coherency
- inappropriate & incomplete /
absence of intro & conclusion
- incomprehensible
* hardly engages attention of
reader
* absence of theme

20

14.5 - 20

Content

- address the issue

- ideas are concrete and
throughly developed
- reflects original / mature
thinking
- no extraneous information
* clear that details / incidents
chosen are significant to the
writer (gives sufficient relevant
personal details)
* a mature and lively treatment
of the subject

Grammar

- good control of structure and

grammar
- correct and appropriate use of
language except for very
occasional slips

12.5 - 16

7 - 8

Vocabulary

- impressive level of vocab.

development
- uses some interesting turn of
phrases
- varied and accurate word
choice
- correct use of word forms
* varied and impressive use of
sensewords
5 - 6

12.5 - 14

- addresses the issue but

misses a few points
- ideas could be more fully
developed
- less mature than A
* less impressive in the choice
of details / incidents

10.5 - 12

- most sentences are

grammatically correct except
for occasional weakness
- close to A in the control
of language

10.5 - 12

- issue is addressed fairly

- ideas are not well elaborated
- a little extraneous information
present
* slight difficulty in deciphering the
significance of details / incidents
to writer

8.5 - 10

- gramamatical errors in most

sentences but do not affect
communication
- has less control of structure and
grammar

5.5 - 6.5

4 - 5

- some variety in word choice

- most words are appropriately
used
- a slightly less impressive
level of vocab. devt. than A
- occasional use of wrong word
forms
* less varied and impressive
of sensewords

- less varied in word choce

- inappropriate use of some words
but this does not affect
communication
- use of some wrong word forms
- some sentence variety
* fair use of sensewords

4 - 4.5

3 - 3.5

8.5 - 10

- issue is poorly addressed

- ideas are incomplete
- few supporting ideas with little
explanation
- little evidence of maturity of
thought
- some extraneous information
present
- a paragraph may be out-of-point
* some difficulty in deciphering the
significance of details / incidents
to writer
6.5 - 8

- numerous weakness in structure

& grammar making
comprehension difficult
- has little control of language
2.5 - 3.5

- limited word choice, confined to

simple words
- wome words are wrongly used
and affect communication
- frequent use of wrong word
forms
- lack sentences variety
* sensewords are used sparingly
2 - 2.5

- issue is v. poorly addressed

- completely inadequate
details
- no maturity in expression of
ideas
- some paragraphs are out-ofpoint
* fails to deal with the subject
* can hardly decipher the
significance of details /
incidents to writer

16

- has virtually no control of

grammar & structure
- severe grammar problems
which greatly interfere with
communication of ideas
- comprehension is v. difficult

- v. limited level of vocab.

development
- v. frequent use of wrong
word forms making
comprehension extremely
difficult
- hardly any sentence variety
* sensewords are hardly /
inappropriately used
1.5