US 31033 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, 225 KB]

For Achieved, the learner needs to write a clear connected text in an applied context.

This involves:

• ensuring that the content, structure and organisation of the written text are appropriate to the topic, audience, purpose and text type
• writing in a coherent and cohesive manner, with minor lapses
• using a range of language features appropriate to the text type
• using vocabulary relevant to the topic and applied context, and appropriate to the sentence structure
• conveying meaning with minor inaccuracies.

This learner has written an information report in an academic context comparing secondary school systems in New Zealand and Japan.

Content, structure and organisation are appropriate to topic, audience, purpose and text type. There is a clear introduction, followed by paragraphs on the differences between secondary schooling in the two countries. The conclusion restates the introductory point. Most topic sentences are clear.

The text is coherent and cohesive. Ideas are presented in a logical, connected sequence. A range of different cohesive devices is used between and within paragraphs (1).

A range of language features are used that are appropriate to the text type. Language is consistently formal and objective. Control of simple, compound and a range of complex sentences is demonstrated (2). Verb forms, active and passive, are used correctly (3). There are minor inaccuracies, especially in article use, but these do not obscure meaning.

Vocabulary relevant to the topic and academic context and appropriate to sentence structure is used.

For Achieved, the learner needs to write a clear connected text in an applied context.

This involves:

• ensuring that the content, structure and organisation of the written text are appropriate to the topic, audience, purpose and text type, with minor lapses
• writing in a coherent and cohesive manner, with minor lapses
• using a range of language features appropriate to the text type
• using vocabulary relevant to the topic and applied context, and appropriate to the sentence structure
• conveying meaning with minor inaccuracies.

This learner has written an information report in an academic context comparing secondary school systems in New Zealand and China.

Content, structure and organisation are generally appropriate to topic, audience, purpose and text type. There is an introduction, followed by paragraphs outlining some similarities and differences between secondary schooling in the two countries.

The text is coherent and cohesive. A range of cohesive devices is used to connect ideas between and within paragraphs (1).

A sufficient range of language features are used that are appropriate to the text type. Language is generally objective. Simple, compound and some complex sentences are used (2). Active verb forms are used correctly.

Vocabulary relevant to the topic and appropriate to sentence structure is used. Word choice is generally appropriate to the academic context, with occasional lapses in precision, e.g. ‘things’, ‘good’, and formality, e.g. ‘lots of differences’.

For a more secure Achieved, the learner could use a greater range of vocabulary and complex sentence structures.

For Achieved, the learner needs to write a clear connected text in an applied context.

This involves:

• ensuring that the content, structure and organisation of the written text are appropriate to the topic, audience, purpose and text type, with minor lapses
• writing in a coherent and cohesive manner, with minor lapses
• using a range of language features appropriate to the text type
• using vocabulary relevant to the topic and applied context, and appropriate to the sentence structure
• conveying meaning with minor inaccuracies.

This learner has written an information report in an academic context comparing secondary school systems in New Zealand and Malaysia.

The content is appropriate to topic, audience and purpose. There is an introduction, followed by paragraphs describing the differences between secondary schooling in the two countries. Paragraph organisation is logical with some lapses. There is no conclusion.

The text is generally coherent and cohesive. A range of cohesive devices is used within paragraphs (1). There are no transition signals between paragraphs.

A limited range of language features are used that are appropriate to the text type. Language is generally formal and objective. Simple, compound and some complex sentences are used (2). Inaccuracies in verb forms and punctuation occur.

Vocabulary is relevant to the topic, and some words appropriate to the academic context are used. Inaccuracies in singular/plural use are frequent.

To reach Achieved, the learner could improve text structure and use complex sentences and vocabulary with greater accuracy.