Step-by-Step Student Guide to Good Writing for the Final Exam

(This guide has been prepared to familiarize you with the writing exams structure, in order to effectively answer
questions as outlined in the prompts.)

1. Writing Exam Structure

The writing exam is based on a familiar topic with three prompts to

answer.
You will be given 60 minutes to complete the task.
You will be asked to write a minimum of:
HUMANITIES
50 words

SCIENCE/HEALTH
80 words

The writing exam consists of 12 marks or 10% of the total final exam grade.

2. Sample Question
Questions consist of two parts. Ex.:

The topic immediately tells you what you are going to write about, while the prompts
guide you on what you can write about the topic.

3. Marking Criteria (Rubric)

The writing exam is graded according to the following criteria:

Task fulfillment
Vocabulary & Spelling
Grammar & Punctuation
Organization & Cohesion

A maximum of 3 points may be awarded in each criterion, totaling 12 marks.

3.1

Task Fulfillment

Examiners assess how much of the task is completed in this criterion.

Zero marks are given if there is no attempt in answering the question. (Student did not
write anything). Similarly, zero marks are given if the text written is not related to the
topic, for example:

Ex.
I like visiting Jeddah. My family and I go to Jeddah every year for the summer
vacation. Although Jeddah is hot during summertime, there are many activities that
we can do in Jeddah, especially near the beach.

One (1) mark is given when only one part of the task is fulfilled.
Ex.
I like reading and read almost every day. I like reading at home in my room in the
evening when the house is quiet and everyone is asleep. I also like reading in our
garden, under the shade of our tall date tree.

Two (2) marks are given when only two prompts are answered.
Ex.
I like reading and read almost every day. I like reading at home in my room in the
evening when the house is quiet and everyone is asleep.
I like reading comedies because they provide me with much needed humour I need
to laugh out loud and take off the stress. One time, I read about The Tortoise and
the Hare, and it made me laugh so hard.
Three (3) marks are given when all of the prompts are answered.
Ex.
I like reading and read almost every day. I like reading at home in my room in the
evening when the house is quiet and everyone is asleep.
I like reading comedies because they provide me with much needed humour I need
to laugh out loud and take off the stress. One time, I read about The Tortoise and
the Hare, and it made me laugh so hard.
Most of the time I read quickly because I get so excited to find out the ending of the
story.

3.2

Vocabulary & Spelling

Zero marks are given if there is no attempt in answering the question.

One (1) mark is given when:

There are many errors in vocabulary usage, making the text difficult to follow.
There are many errors in spelling making text difficult to follow.

Ex.
I laik reideing and reid evry day. I laik reideing going to home in my room in the
ivning when a house is quiet and all sleebing. I also laik reideing in our garden,
inside the tree.

Two (2) marks are given when:

There are some noticeable errors in vocabulary usage though meaning is still
clear.
There are some noticeable errors in spelling, though meaning is still clear.

Ex.
I like reiding and reid almost every day. I like reiding at home in my room in the
evning when the house is quaiet and everyone is asleep. I also laik reideing in our
garden, inside the tree.
I like reiding lafghing stories because they make me lafgh. Sometime I reid about
The Tortoise and the Hare, and it made me lafgh so hard.

Three (3) marks are given when:

There are few errors in vocabulary usage, with vocabulary mostly appropriate to
the level of the task.
Spelling is mostly correct.

Ex.
I like reading and read almost every day. I like reading at home in my room in the
evening when the house is quaiet and everyone is asleep.
I like reading funny because they make me laugh out loud and take off the stress.
One time, I read about The Tortouise and the Hare, and it made me laugh so hard.
Most of the time I read quickly becouse I get so happy to find out the ending of the
story.

3.3

Grammar & Punctuation

Zero marks are given if there is no attempt in answering the question.

One (1) mark is given when:

There are many errors in grammar, making the text difficult to follow.
There are many errors in punctuation making the text difficult to follow.

Ex.
I likes reading and read every day I likes reading going to my home in my room in
the evening, It is a time when a house is quiet and so I likes reading in our garden
under the tree,

Two (2) marks are given when:

There are some noticeable errors in grammar, though meaning is still clear.
There are some noticeable errors in punctuation, though meaning is still clear.

Ex.
I like reading and read most every day, I like reading in the home on my room in the
evening when the house is quiet everyone are asleep.
I like reading comedies, because they provided me the much needed humour I need
so to laugh out loud, and taken off the stress. One time I read about The Tortoise
and the Hare and it make me laugh so hard.

Three (3) marks are given when:

There are few errors in grammar, with usage mostly correct.

Punctuation is mostly correct.

Ex.
I like reading and read almost every day. I like reading in the home in my room in
the evening when the house is quiet and everyone are asleep.
I like reading comedies because it provide me the much needed humour I need to
laugh out loud and take off the stress. One time I read about The Tortoise and the
Hare. And it made me laugh so hard.
Most of the time I read quickly. Because I get so excited to find out the ending of
the story.

3.4

Organization & Cohesion

Zero marks are given if there is no attempt in answering the question.

One (1) mark is given when:

Phrases or incomplete sentences dominate, with no logical organization.

There is very limited or inaccurate use of cohesive devices.

Ex.
I reading every day to my room becouse the house is quiet all sleeping. I reading
our garden. I reading funny story

Two (2) marks are given when:

The text is mostly written in sentences but with some faulty organization.
Some cohesive devices are used appropriately.

Ex.
I like reading. I like reading at home in my room in the night when everyone is
sleeping. But I cannot understand story if noisy.
One time, I read about The Tortoise and the Hare. I like reading funny stories
because they make me laugh.

Three (3) marks are given when:

Overall text organization is completely appropriate to the task.

Use of cohesive devices is mostly accurate.

Ex.
I like reading and read almost every day. After all, I dont like reading when Im somewhere
noisy and I cant concentrate. I like reading at home in my room in the evening when the
house is quiet and everyone is asleep.
I like reading comedies because they provide me the much needed humour I need to laugh
out loud and take off the stress. One time, I read about The Tortoise and the Hare, and it
made me laugh so hard.
All time I read quickly and so I get so excited to find out the ending of the story.

4. Cohesive Devices
A cohesive device is when a word or phrase is linked together in a sentence or
paragraph. Some examples of cohesive devices are:

Examples of cohesive devises for Humanities:

first

second

finally

then

always

never

usually

often

sometimes

because

after

when

but

perhaps

so

then

always

Examples of cohesive devises for Science/Health:

firstly

second

finally

never

usually

often

after

anyway

but

in fact
still

although
so

fortunately

sometimes
before
unfortunately

because
afterwards
however

especially

Each of the above examples can be used to start a sentence, link together a sentence, a
paragraph or a story.
Use some of the cohesive devices above to answer the following:

Write about your favourite past time.

You should write about:
What you like doing during your free time. Why?
Who usually joins you doing your favourite past time?
Which new past time do you want to try?

5. General Writing Tips

-

Dont forget to use a capital letter to begin a sentence and for naming words.
Dont forget to use a full stop to end a sentence and a comma to separate lists in
a sentence.
Make sure to spell words correctly
Remember that when you write about a topic, the verb tense (past, present,
future, etc.) should be the same.
Try not to start more than one sentence with the same subject word, e.g. I like
football; I dont like tennis. You can use linking words to help you do this, e.g.
and, but, however, etc.