STAAR WRITING
OVERVIEW

There are strategies to remember when
answering the writing prompts on the
STAAR exam, but, really, strategies should
be used when you answer ANY question.

Just remember: It’s just clear writing! 
STAAR ENG I Test Info

There are TWO formats of written
response on the STAAR English I:
◦ Short Answer Question (two of these)
◦ Expository Essay (one of these)
STAAR ENG I Writing
For the Short Answer Question (SAQ),
your short answer response (SAR)
should have 3 parts:

Answer, Cite, Explain (or Elaborate)
You want to ACE every
short answer response!
Short Answer Response Tactics

First part: answer the question!

You should borrow language from the
question and restate parts of the
question in the answer

Never start with I think or I believe. (no
1st person!!!)
Answer
What is the theme of The Most Dangerous
Game? Support your answer with
evidence from the text.
SAQ

The theme of “The Most Dangerous
Game”, by Richard Connel, is to consider
the feelings of others because you may
end up in their shoes.
SAQ

Second part: give a quote from the text
that supports your answer.

This quote must make sense with your
answer. It must be a good wing man!

You must actually incorporate your quote.
You can’t just throw it in – embed the text:
◦
◦
◦
◦
When the author says “blah blah blah…”
The narrator states that “blah blah blah”
“blah blah blah,” the author says.
The author says, “blah…”
Cite
What is the theme of “The Most
Dangerous Game”? Support your answer
with evidence from the text.
SAQ

The theme of “The Most Dangerous
Game”, by Richard Connel, is to consider
the feelings of others because one may
end up in their shoes. This is evident
when Whitney states that hunting is the
best sport in the world for the “hunter, not
the jaguar.”
Cite – with an embedded quote

Now that you’ve answered the question and
given a quote to support it, you have to explain,
or elaborate upon your answer.

Make sure you stick to your original answer here!
Don’t add a second answer, or go off on a
tangent.

This is your chance to explain to your reader how
your quote is a good wing man.

Never start with, “I chose this quote because…”
(NO 1st PERSON!!) or “This quote supports”, or
“this quote says”. Just tell us why it supports –
not why it was selected.
Explain/Elaborate
What is the theme of “The Most
Dangerous Game”? Support your answer
with evidence from the text.
SAQ

The theme of “The Most Dangerous
Game”, by Richard Connel, is that a
person should consider the feelings of
others because they may end up in their
shoes. This is evident when Whitney
states that hunting is the best sport in the
world for the “hunter, not the jaguar.” By
the end of the story, Rainsford learns this
lesson the hard way, when he moves from
being the hunter becoming the hunted,
and must face the fears and struggle that
this entails.
SAR

This is the scoring break down.

0
◦ You did not respond
◦ You told a story about that one time in Walmart when…
◦ Your answer was incoherent, unclear or simply did not answer the question

1
◦ You answered the question, but did not provide a quote
◦ You answered and gave a quote but your answer was confusing or not sufficient

2
◦ You answered the question and provided a quote, but your answer was weak (incorrect
theme)
◦ Your quote did not support your answer well
◦ Your answer was good but you went off on some sort of tangent
◦ Your answer and quote were good but your formatting was awful

3
◦ You answered the question and provided a good, solid quote that directly supported
your answer. Your explanation was appropriate.
Scoring

The second short answer is a PAIRED
RESPONSE.

You will read TWO selections and answer
one question that applies to both of them.
Paired Response SAR

How are the themes in “reading selection
one” and “reading selection two” similar?
Support your answer with evidence from
both selections.
You can answer the same way: ACECE
 This time, cite both:
 Answer – Cite – Explain - Cite – Explain


Weave the quotations through for a more
elevated response
Paired Response

Question: How are the themes of “Those Winter
Sundays” and “All My Babies are Gone Now”
similar? Support your answer with evidence from
both selections.

Example of Score Point 2 (sufficient): idea is specific
and text evidence is relevant and accurate
Both authors show regret about their earlier life. In “Those
Winter Sundays,” the author realizes that “No one ever
thanked” his father for taking care of the family. In “My
Babies Are Gone Now,” the author says, “I wish I had
treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a
little less. (Response is 6 lines handwritten.)



Example of Score Point 1 (partially
sufficient): idea is specific but text evidence
for one selection is too partial and for the
other selection is only a general reference
Both themes suggest the author’s regret not
spending time with their loved ones. In the
poem, the author spoke to his father
“indifferently” which shows lack of feeling. And in
“All My Babies Are Gone,” the author mentions
her regret of not living in the moment with her
kids. (Response is 7 lines handwritten).
Example of Score Point 2
(sufficient): idea is specific and text
evidence is relevant and accurate
 Both authors show regret about their
earlier life. In “Those Winter Sundays,”
the author realizes that “No one ever
thanked” his father for taking care of the
family. In “My Babies Are Gone Now,” the
author says, “I wish I had treasured the
doing a little more and the getting it done
a little less. (Response is 6 lines
handwritten.)



Example of Score Point 3 (exemplary): idea is
perceptive and text evidence is specific and well
chosen.
Both themes are similar in the sense that both the child
and mother in the selections have a feeling of remorse of
not being able to appreciate who they have in front of
them and not being able to take advantage of time. “No
one ever thanked him.” The child acknowledges the fact
that his father “with cracked hands that ached from labor”
would wake up “in the blueblack cold” to provide warmth
for his family, yet no one seems to be grateful for it. Time
flew by for this mother; she didn’t get to cherish her three
treasures as she wanted because in the blink of an eye
they turned into “three almost adults”. (Response is 8 lines
handwritten.)

The second type of writing is a full length
essay

You will write an EXPOSITORY essay in
response to a given prompt

Expository writing is writing to inform
Expository Essay
The READ statement
The THINK statement
Expository Essay
The WRITE statement

Are you going to argue that MP3’s are not
the dominant medium for listening to
music?

NO

Just answer the question asked.

You will be given space to pre-write

USE IT!

You have five hours to take this test,
there is no reason not to use your time
wisely.

Pre-write in the space provided.
Edit/revise, then copy your revised draft
onto the answer document
PREWRITE
Essay Scoring
Four
Essay Scoring
Scoring
Scoring
Essay Scoring
Essay Scoring

One
Essay Scoring

One (cont’d)
Essay Scoring