Literacy Blitz:
Short Writing Tasks
& Multiple Choice
Short Responses
There are two types of short responses:
1.
Open Responses
2.
Short Writing Tasks
Open Responses (Typically 1-2 on
the OSSLT)

Open responses are based on a specific
reading selection. First, you must carefully
read the selection.

Your reading selection will typically be one
of the following: an information paragraph,
a news report, or a dialogue.

After you read the selection, you will write a
response that demonstrates reading
comprehension with supporting ideas or
specific examples from the reading you just
did.
Must read
carefully!
Open Responses
• On the next slide, you will see an example of a
dialogue reading selection from the sample online
OSSLT.
• By the way, have you visited the EQAO website yet
to try out practice OSSLT? Visit https://goo.gl/58coL1
• When we get to the next slide, take note of the 4
important highlighted points that can help you with
your reading comprehension and writing.
2
Lines are numbered to help you
understand who is “speaking” in
the dialogue.
3
Once you’ve read the reading
selection, read the question(s) in
the response area carefully.
1
Make note of
any images that
are provided as
this will give you
a hint as to
what you are
about to read.
4
Make sure you
use the ‘ROUGH
NOTES’ section
so you can
organize and
plan your
answer before
you begin
writing.
P-P-A: Point-Proof-Analysis – FIRST
Reminder

Think back to your Suzuki English class from grade 9…

Point-Proof-Analysis is a great tool to help you structure your
paragraphs, so make sure you use this when writing your responses.
POINT
The first sentence should be a clear topic sentence
that tells the reader what the paragraph is about.
PROOF
Detailed proof (either from the reading selection or
your experience) that supports the topic sentence.
ANALYSIS
Expand - you must explain how your proof helps
develop your argument and explains your point.
Use P-P-A!
So we understand Open Responses now?
GREAT!
Let’s move on to Short Writing Tasks…
Short Writing (Typically 1-2 on the
OSSLT)

Short Writing Tasks involve answering a question by using your
own knowledge and personal life experiences.

Each answer requires clear topic development with specific
and relevant information from your life.

Each answer also needs to demonstrate competent control
of conventions (syntax - creating well-formed sentences,
grammar, spelling, punctuation), so make sure you review
and proofread your answers at the end.
Short Writing Tips
If you are stuck and are
having trouble thinking of
what to write, leave it for
the time-being and move
on to the next question.
Always review and
edit your responses
at the end.
Remember: syntax,
grammar, spelling,
and punctuation
count!
Use appropriate
content and language
in your written
responses – be aware
of your audience.
Short Writing Tips
If you skip a question,
make sure you go
back to answer it at
the end.
Every written response section
has a character limit – if you
are too short in your answer,
you will lose marks, but if you
try to go over the character
limit, you will be cut off!
P-P-A: Point-Proof-Analysis – SECOND
Reminder

Again, use the P-P-A structure when writing your short answer
response!

Here’s a super quick review of it:
POINT
The first sentence should be a clear topic sentence
that tells the reader what the paragraph is about.
PROOF
Detailed proof (either from the reading selection or
your experience) that supports the topic sentence.
ANALYSIS
Expand - you must explain how your proof helps
develop your argument and explains your point.
Use P-P-A!
1
Read the writing
task carefully
before you
begin.
2
Remember to make
notes in the “ROUGH
NOTES” area.
Nothing you write in
this space will be
scored, so use the
space to get your
ideas down!
3
Don’t forget that
you will be required
to fill up all the lines
when you are
writing! Don’t leave
any lines blank and
don’t go past the
lines, either.
On the next several slides, you will be shown examples of both UNSUCCESSFUL
and SUCCESSFUL responses to the same open response and same short writing task
questions.
Take note of what is missing (P-P-A) in some cases, and read through the ‘Annotation’
for each sample to discover why the response was given that score.
Open Response Example 1

An UNSUCCESSFUL written response
Point
Proof
Analysis
What’s the
reasoning
for this
score?
Open Response Example 2

A SUCCESSFUL written response
Point
Proof
Analysis
What’s the
reasoning
for this
score?
Short Writing Task Example 1

An UNSUCCESSFUL response
Point
Proof
Analysis
What’s the
reasoning
for this
score?
Short Writing Task Example 2

A SUCCESSFUL response
Point
Proof
Analysis
What’s the
reasoning
for this
score?
So now we understand both Open
Responses AND Short Writing Tasks. Phew!
Let’s take a few minutes to review Multiple
Choice Question tips
Reading and Grammar
On the OSSLT, you will be given a series of Multiple Choice Questions that have to do
with a reading selection and grammatically correct sentences.
Reading selections can come in one of two ways:
1.
Actual written text (information text, dialogue, news report, narrative)
2.
Graphic text (map, diagram, charts, pictures)
1
Read the
reading
selection
carefully.
3
2
Read each question carefully.
Eliminate all the answers you
know are not correct.
Circle/highlight the one you
think is right; draw a line through
the ones that are not.
On the answer
sheet, fill in the
correct bubble.
Grammar Multiple Choice
Questions
The following two slides show you some examples of the types of
grammar questions you will see on the OSSLT. These are taken right
from the sample online test.
Sample Grammar Multiple Choice
Questions
Grammar Multiple Choice
Questions – A Recap
These are the questions you may be asked when it comes to grammar:
a) Which sentence does not belong in the following paragraph?
b) Choose the option that best combines all the information in the following sentences.
c) Choose the sentence that is written correctly.
d) How should the sentence below be revised to make it correct?
e) Choose the best closing sentence for the following paragraph.
f) What revision is needed to improve the organization of this paragraph?
g) Which sentence is written correctly?
Graphic Texts
Don’t underestimate the graphic text reading selection!
Graphic texts present ideas and information using graphic features such as diagrams,
photos, drawings, sketches, timetables, patterns, maps, charts, or tables.
The following two slides show you an example of a graphic text you will be required to
read through and examine before you answer the multiple choice questions that
follow.
Graphic Texts
Graphic texts need to be
carefully examined before
answer questions.
a) Read all titles, headings,
captions.
b) Read labels and figure out
how they’re connected to the
graphic.
c) Follow all arrows and lines.
Graphic texts
will have
multiple
choice
questions to
follow, so be
sure to
examine the
graphic
carefully and
read the
questions
carefully.
So we understand how to answer Multiple Choice
Questions now, right? Also, you understand the
types of readings that you will be required to
examine in order to answer those questions, right?
AWESOME!
Let’s review some key tips…
Short Writing Tips
Don’t rely on your
memory. Doublecheck the reading
selection!
Rule out answers
that you know are
wrong.
Multiple Choice
Tips
Make sure you
select the right
answer before
moving on.
Don’t leave any answers
blank. Don’t know the
answer? Guess!
So…now we understand how to write the News Report (that
we learned yesterday).
And today…we learned how to write Open Responses and
Short Writing Tasks, and also how to answer Multiple Choice
questions.
Only one day left! Tomorrow (Thursday), we will look at our
final topic of Writing a Series of Paragraphs!
Now it’s time for you to explore some of the practice OSSLT
at home and prepare yourself for the test. Scan the QR
code or visit: https://goo.gl/58coL1