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015WritingPrompts

5W01RITINGPROMPTS2nd Edition NE WYO RK

Copyright 2014 LearningExpress, LLC.All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.Published in the United States by LearningExpress, LLC, New York.Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the Library of Congress.Printed in the United States of America9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Second EditionISBN 978-1-57685-968-1For more information or to place an order, contact LearningExpress at:80 Broad Street4th FloorNew York, NY 10004

ContentsIntroduction1234viiPersuasive Writing PromptsScoring Explanations for PersuasiveWriting EssaysModel Persuasive Writing Essays12020Expository Writing PromptsScoring Explanations for ExpositoryWriting EssaysModel Expository Writing Essays51Narrative Writing PromptsScoring Explanations for NarrativeWriting EssaysModel Narrative Writing Essays89Literary Response PromptsScoring Explanations for LiteraryResponse EssaysModel Literary Response Essaysv6161103103131145145

IntroductionWelcome to 501 Writing Prompts! This book is designed to provide you with a variety of writing topics and model essays. Categories in thisbook cover many different types of writing: persuasive, expository, narrative, and literary response. At some point in your life, whether you are trying to pass an academic exam or standardized test, writing a collegeplacement essay, or vying for a job promotion, you will need to practice theskills used to express yourself clearly.How to Use This BookFirst, decide on the type of essay you will need to write. There are four typesof writing that are commonly used in a given situation. Persuasive writingargues a point and is often called argumentation. When you write persuasively, you are always expressing an opinion. In order to convince yourreader, you must be able to present sound reasons and good examples. Forinstance, instead of explaining the causes of the Civil War, you might beasked to persuade your reader that the Civil War was more about the economics of the southern plantation system than the social issue of slavery. Persuasive writing and language is often found in editorials, letters of complaint,vii

501 Writing Promptsor proposals. Expository writing is explanatory. You select informationfrom oral, written, or electronic text and organize it to show that you understand a concept. Expository writing is the type of writing you create for termpapers, essays, or letters. Most standardized tests often include an expositoryprompt. Narrative writing is a type of writing that requires you to tell astory that describes an event or relates a personal experience. A good narrative should have convincing characters, a plot, and a theme. You may beasked to write a narrative of personal experience on your college placementessay. If you write a literary response essay, you will have to read and analyze a piece of literature and then make comments based on the literal andimplied interpretations of the text. If you are taking a state assessment test,you may find yourself facing a literary response essay.Second, learn how to score your essay. For your reference, there is a scoring guide—often called a rubric—in each chapter of this book. To determine your score, simply refer to the categories on the scoring guide to seehow your writing measures up. If you have difficulty figuring out yourscore, ask someone knowledgeable, like a teacher, counselor, writing coach,college professor, or even your boss, to help you.And last, check some of the model essays provided in this book. Thereare sample essays available for all of the bold-faced prompts throughout thebook. The samples provide a look at a top essay, a middle-of-the road essay,and a low-scoring essay. You can use these as benchmarks to compare andcontrast your writing.Make a CommitmentIf you are willing to practice your writing skills, you have already taken animportant step toward improving your writing. As you work through someof the prompts in this book, you may feel confident in your attempts. However, if you feel that you need more instruction before you tackle some ofthese writing assignments, refer to some of the other LearningExpresstitles: Writing Skills Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 5th Edition or 501 Grammar and Writing Questions, 4th Edition. A basic knowledge of language willalso help you become a better writer. Use these books to get the extra practice you need: Grammar Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 3rd Edition or Vocabulary and Spelling Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 5th Edition.viii

1PersuasiveWriting PromptsChoose one of the persuasive writing prompts from the list below andwrite an essay. A certain number of prompts have model essays in theanswer section that you can use to compare and contrast your writing. Ascoring guide, or rubric, is also included in the answer section. You can usethis guide to give you an idea of the way your essay may be graded. If youhave trouble interpreting the scoring guide, see a teacher or professor forhelp. Sample responses to the prompts in bold can be found at the end ofthe section.1. Many people believe that television violence has a negative effecton society because it promotes violence. Do you agree or disagree?Use specific reasons and examples to support your response.2. According to some people, elderly drivers should be required toreapply for their driving licenses because with age comesdiminished vision, hearing, and reaction time. How do you feelabout this issue? Explain what you think should be done and why.1

501 Writing Prompts3. Medical researchers, cosmetic companies, and others often performexperiments on animals. Many people feel that experimentation onanimals is wrong and should be stopped immediately becauseanimals do feel pain, and there are other alternatives. How do youfeel? State your position and explain your reasons.4. Mobile computing—including smartphones and tablets—has seendramatic increases in prominence over the past several years. Writean essay convincing an audience of the benefits of mobilecomputing, using specific examples.5. Some people are actively involved in promoting and supporting acause, such as the release of international political prisoners orprotecting the environment. Is there a cause you actively support?Write an essay convincing readers to support that cause.6. Since the cloning of the sheep Dolly, there has been much debateover whether or not human beings should be cloned. Many peoplefeel this is a violation of the natural order of things and that allresearch in the area of human cloning should be banned. Othersfeel that this is a natural progression of science and humanevolution and that research in the area of human cloning should bea priority. How do you feel about this issue? Use specific reasonsand examples to support your position.7. Many parents give children a weekly or monthly allowanceregardless of their behavior because they believe an allowanceteaches children to be financially responsible. Other parentsonly give children an allowance as a reward for completingchores or when they have behaved properly. Explain what youthink parents should do and why.8. Many people volunteer their time to help others, either throughnon-profit organizations, churches, or other charitable venues.Write an essay convincing readers to find a charity and volunteertheir time.2

501 Writing Prompts9. All-girl schools have been gaining popularity in recent yearsbecause of the belief that girls learn better when they aren’tcompeting with or intimidated by boys, who statistically get moreattention in the classroom. Do you think single-sex schools are agood idea? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples tosupport your position.10. We all have favorite activities that we enjoy. Write an essayconvincing readers to try the activity that you enjoy most.11. Research shows that the average American spends seven or morehours a day on websites or watching television. Do you think thisis too much? Write an essay convincing readers of your viewpointregarding this issue.12. Many junior high and high schools around the country nowrequire students to spend a certain number of hours each termdoing volunteer work or community service. Some people believethis is an excellent idea that promotes good citizenship andcultivates compassion. Others feel that forced volunteerism is notvolunteerism at all. How do you feel about this issue? Use specificreasons and examples to support your position.13. Most states allow people to get a driver’s license at the age of 16.Some people feel that 16 is much too young for the responsibilitythat comes with driving a car and that teenagers should not beallowed to drive until the age of 18. In your opinion, at what ageshould people be allowed to drive, and why?14. School violence continues to be a “hot-button” issue. How do youfeel the issue of school violence should be addressed in America’sschools? Write an essay in support of your opinion regarding thisissue.15. Write an essay convincing readers to break a specific habit that isharmful to their physical, emotional, or financial health.3

501 Writing Prompts16. In many countries, citizens are required to serve in the military fora year or more. Do you believe the United States should institute asimilar practice? Why or why not? Use specific reasons andexamples to support your answer.17. Have you ever traveled to a place that you found very meaningfuland rewarding? Write an essay that persuades others to visit thisimportant place.18. Many of us spend hours in front of our computers and smartphones and communicate more by e-mail or instant-messagingthan in person. Some people believe that this is good because ithelps shy people communicate more openly with others. Othersbelieve that phone and computer communication prevents us fromdeveloping interpersonal skills and limits our ability to havemeaningful relationships with others. How do you feel about thisissue? Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.19. Some companies offer a paternity leave that allows fathers to stayhome with their newborns for several weeks while still earningpartial pay and benefits. Do you think this is a good policy? Whyor why not? Explain your answer.20. According to some health organizations, many foods on ourgrocery store shelves are made with genetically modifiedingredients. Most of these foods, however, do not have a GMO(genetically modified organism) label. Do you think there shouldbe a law requiring manufacturers to label foods containing GMOs?Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.21. More and more farmers and food manufacturers aregenetically modifying their crops to reduce susceptibility todisease, improve flavor, and reduce costs. Do you thinkgenetically modifying foods is a good idea? Why or why not?Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.4