US 27999 annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 267 KB]

For Achieved, the learner needs to write a simple connected text on a familiar topic.

This involves:

• ensuring that the content is appropriate to the topic, text type and purpose of the written text
• using text structure appropriate to the text type 
• using language features and conventions appropriate to the text type
• using vocabulary relevant to the topic and appropriate to the sentence structure.

There may be errors and inaccuracies which do not obscure meaning.

The learner has written a description of a friend.

Content is appropriate to the topic, text type and purpose. The description begins with a general statement naming the friend, giving her age and location followed by detail about her physical appearance, personality, interests and future plans. It concludes with reflections on their friendship.

Text structure is appropriate to the description text type. Paragraphs are used, and the topic sentences are clear (1).

Language features and conventions are appropriate to the text type. Complete simple, compound and some complex sentences are used correctly (2), with only one comma splice punctuation inaccuracy. Present and past tense verb forms are used accurately throughout. Facts about the friend are explicitly linked using cohesive devices, including conjunctions, connectives and pronoun reference (3).

Simple vocabulary relevant to the topic and appropriate to the sentence structure is used with consistent accuracy.

For Achieved, the student needs to write a simple connected text on a familiar topic.

This involves:

• ensuring that the content is appropriate to the topic, text type and purpose of the written text
• using text structure appropriate to the text type 
• using language features and conventions appropriate to the text type, although there may be errors and inaccuracies which do not obscure meaning
• using vocabulary relevant to the topic and appropriate to the sentence structure.

The learner has written a description of his teacher.

Content is appropriate to the topic, text type and purpose. The description begins with a general statement, followed by detail about her age and physical appearance, location, interests and job.

Text structure is appropriate to the description text type. The topic sentence of each paragraph is clear, and content is linked to this (1).

Language features and conventions are appropriate to the text type. Complete simple and compound sentences and some complex sentences are used (2), usually correctly. Simple present tense verb forms are used accurately throughout. Facts about the teacher are explicitly linked using cohesive devices, including conjunctions, connectives and pronoun reference (3).

Simple vocabulary relevant to the topic and appropriate to the sentence structure is used correctly.

For Achieved, the student needs to write a simple connected text on a familiar topic.

This involves:

• ensuring that the content is appropriate to the topic, text type and purpose of the written text
• using text structure appropriate to the text type 
• using language features and conventions appropriate to the text type, although there may be errors and inaccuracies which do not obscure meaning
• using vocabulary relevant to the topic and appropriate to the sentence structure.

The learner has written a description of a fellow student.

Content is appropriate to the topic, text type and purpose. The description begins with a general statement, followed by detail about his physical appearance, his love of football, his fitness regime and after-school activities.

Text structure is generally appropriate to the description text type, although most information has been organised in a time sequence from the student’s arrival in New Zealand until now (1).

Language features and conventions are generally appropriate to the text type.  Simple sentences predominate, but some complex sentences are used (2), with occasional inaccuracies in punctuation. Simple present and past tense verb forms are used, with some errors. Information about the student is linked using a limited range of cohesive devices, mainly pronoun reference, with some time connectives and conjunctions (3).

Simple vocabulary relevant to the topic and appropriate to the sentence structure is used correctly.

To reach Achieved, the learner needs to demonstrate control of compound sentences and present tense verb forms, and more cohesive devices appropriate to the text type are required.