NAPLAN-Style Writing Prompts for Years 7 and 9
In the NAPLAN writing test, students are given one prompt and write either a narrative or a persuasive text. They do not know which kind until the day, and there is no choice. Students in Years 7 and 9 are given the same kind of prompt, and the official time is 42 minutes in Year 9. These practice prompts are written by makekite in the same style, so students can practise planning and writing under time.
Narrative prompts
- The Message: write a story in which a character receives a message that changes their plans.
- The last day of something.
- A story set during a power blackout in your town.
- A story that ends with the words: '...and that was when I finally understood.'
Persuasive prompts
- Young people should have to complete a year of community service before they finish school.
- Social media does more harm than good for teenagers.
- Australia should make public transport free.
- School uniforms should be optional.
How to practise
- Choose one prompt. Spend about five minutes planning: for a narrative, the characters, the setting, the problem and how it is solved; for a persuasive text, your position and three reasons with examples.
- Write for the rest of the time. Use the classroom timer to keep to 42 minutes.
- Leave two or three minutes at the end to reread and fix spelling and punctuation.
- Check the finished piece against the list below, or ask a parent or teacher to.
Self-check list
ACARA's published marking guides use ten criteria. Use them as a checklist when you reread your writing:
Narrative
- Audience
- Text structure
- Ideas
- Character and setting
- Vocabulary
- Cohesion
- Paragraphing
- Sentence structure
- Punctuation
- Spelling
Persuasive
- Audience
- Text structure
- Ideas
- Persuasive devices
- Vocabulary
- Cohesion
- Paragraphing
- Sentence structure
- Punctuation
- Spelling
Tips
- Narratives: start close to the action, show feelings through what characters do and say, and give the story a clear ending rather than 'it was all a dream'.
- Persuasive texts: state your position in the first paragraph, give each reason its own paragraph with an example, answer one argument against your view, and finish by restating your position.
- Vary sentence beginnings and lengths, and choose precise words: 'sprinted' says more than 'ran fast'.
- Paragraphs matter in both kinds of writing: start a new one for each new idea, time or place.
Important
These prompts are written by makekite and are not official NAPLAN prompts. See ACARA's public demonstration site and its published example prompts and marking guides.
Practice tests for Years 7 and 9
- Year 7 NAPLAN-Style Numeracy Practice Test 1
- Year 7 NAPLAN-Style Numeracy Practice Test 2
- Year 7 NAPLAN-Style Numeracy Practice Test 3
- Year 7 NAPLAN-Style Conventions of Language Practice Test 1
- Year 7 NAPLAN-Style Reading Practice Test 1
- Year 7 NAPLAN-Style Conventions of Language Practice Test 2
- Year 7 NAPLAN-Style Reading Practice Test 2
- Year 9 NAPLAN-Style Numeracy Practice Test 1
- Year 9 NAPLAN-Style Numeracy Practice Test 2
- Year 9 NAPLAN-Style Numeracy Practice Test 3
- Year 9 NAPLAN-Style Conventions of Language Practice Test 1
- Year 9 NAPLAN-Style Reading Practice Test 1
- Year 9 NAPLAN-Style Conventions of Language Practice Test 2
- Year 9 NAPLAN-Style Reading Practice Test 2
- All NAPLAN-style practice tests