Clarification details
Updated March 2026. This document has been updated to provide information about using digital tools and the further support available.
The purpose of clarifications
We create clarification documents to help people understand the current requirements of achievement standards. Clarifications do not introduce new criteria, change the intent of the standard, or change what we expect from assessment.
These documents unpack and explain the language and intent of the standard so people interpret and apply the standard consistently. We provide examples or guidance as illustrations only. They are not prescriptions or requirements.
For official requirements, always refer to the current version of the achievement standard as published by NZQA.
Selecting writing for assessment
Students select their two best pieces from a range of written drafts and craft them to publication standard. Each piece should be suitable for a public audience beyond the class teacher. The TKI tasks provide guidance on the suggested word count. If crafting shorter pieces, more than two can be submitted for assessment.
After students have reworked their best pieces to publication standard, teachers will award each piece a grade. If the pieces in the selection are different in terms of their grades (i.e. one piece best fits Merit while the other best fits Achieved), the student has met the ‘selection’ requirement at the lower grade and an overall grade of Achieved would be awarded.
It is helpful to NZQA for teachers to include comments about grade decisions for external moderation samples.
Purpose and audience
Students need to demonstrate an increasingly sophisticated understanding of purpose and audience by developing and linking ideas. This includes selecting a range of structures and language features appropriate to the purpose, audience, and text type. The accurate use of written conventions with no intrusive error patterns in spelling, punctuation, or grammar is also needed.
Work produced in English or other learning areas may be used as drafts for this standard. However, students should rework the draft material into appropriate written text types for a specific purpose and audience. Student choices about language features and structures need to create consistency of meaning and effect for the selected text type.
Students must use structures, syntax, and diction that meet the conventions of the text type, whether it is a literary, personal, or critical essay, a feature article, or poetry, fiction, etc. This use needs to sustain the interest of the audience, which means that a fluent writing style and tone must be sustained across each piece.
Some text types, such as speech transcripts, informational reports, informative essays, letters, or diary entries may limit students from demonstrating the understanding of purpose and audience appropriate to level 8 of the curriculum.
Using digital tools
Students can use standard spell check functions and basic editing functions such as those available in:
- Word
- Google Docs
- Exam.net
- Grammarly (free version).
For writing, students should avoid using any form of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Paid programmes such as Grammarly Pro or Quillbot provide a level of support that may invalidate the authenticity of the student evidence.
Further support
Samples are available on the Assessor Practice Tool (APT) for this standard. This can be accessed via the English subject page on the NZQA website.
The Ministry of Education has recently updated the Conditions of Assessment for this standard. The Conditions of Assessment provide new guidance on good assessment practice and rules about providing feedback, to better ensure the authenticity of student writing.
Conditions of Assessment for Level 3 English (external link) - TKI