Name ______________________________ Per ___
EXPOSITORY ESSAY
TEK 7.17: Students write expository and procedural or work-related texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for
specific purposes. (A) Write a multi-paragraph essay to convey information about a topic that:
Development of Ideas: TEK 7.17(A) (ii) contains a clearly stated purpose or controlling idea; (iv) accurately synthesizes ideas from several sources
4 – Excellent
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3 – Good
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Writer establishes a clear sense of
purpose by creating a concise and
focused thesis about the topic.
Details and evidence are specific, well
chosen, and thoughtfully combined
from various sources to accurately
back up the thesis.
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2 – Needs Work

Writer establishes a clear sense of
purpose by creating an appropriate
thesis.
Appropriate details and evidence are
combined from various sources to
accurately back up the thesis.

1 – Unsatisfactory

Thesis is present but lacks specific
focus, making the purpose of the
essay somewhat unclear.
Details and evidence from various
sources are included but offer only
limited insights into the topic.

The essay lacks a sense of purpose
because the thesis is missing or
unclear.
Details are inaccurate or
insufficient, and they do not help
the reader understand the topic.
SCORE:
Organization/Progression: TEK 7.17(A) (i) presents effective introductions and concluding paragraphs; (iii) is logically organized with appropriate facts
and details and includes no extraneous information or inconsistencies
4 – Excellent

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Introduction and conclusion are
thoughtfully constructed to deeply
engage the reader, encourage
reflection, and effectively support
the essay’s purpose.
Essay is well organized with clear
topic sentences and consistent facts
and details that effectively support
the thesis and give the reader a
clear understanding of the topic.
3 – Good

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2 – Needs Work

Introduction and conclusion support
the essay’s purpose, but more
development may be needed to
achieve a deeper level of engagement
and reflection.
Essay is well organized with topic
sentences and consistent facts and
details that support the thesis and give
the reader more insight into the topic.

1 – Unsatisfactory

Introduction and conclusion are
present but brief, and they do
little to engage the reader in the
topic.
Organization is loose in parts, and
a few facts and details stray from
the thesis or offer limited insights
into the topic.

Introduction and conclusion are very
brief or missing.
Essay does not achieve its purpose
because the organization is disjointed
and confusing, and many facts and
details are inconsistent or
unnecessary.
SCORE:
Use of Language: TEK 7.17(A) (v) uses a variety of sentence structures, rhetorical devices, and transitions to link paragraphs
4 – Excellent

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Clear, appropriate transitions and
rhetorical devices show an
exemplary command of purpose
and audience.
Effective sentence variety and vivid
word choice create a distinctive
style and voice, contributing to a
masterful finished product.
3 – Good

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2 – Needs Work
Transitions and rhetorical devices
are present and targeted to the
essay’s intended purpose and
audience.
Attention has been given to
sentence variety and word choice to
create an effective finished product.

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1 – Unsatisfactory

Transitions and rhetorical devices are
weak, leading to vague links between
ideas and an essay that is not clearly
targeted to a specific purpose and
audience.
Sentence variety is present but
limited, and word choice is general
and/or imprecise.

Transitions and rhetorical devices are
inappropriate or missing, making it
very difficult to determine the
intended purpose and audience.
Lack of sentence variety and simple,
repetitive word choice lead to an
ineffective finished product.
SCORE:
Grammar and Conventions: TEK 7.14(D) Edit drafts for grammar, mechanics, and spelling. Focus TEK(s)_____________________________________
4 – Excellent

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Writer shows consistent command
of proper sentence structure and
verb tenses with an effective variety
of simple, compound, and complex
sentences. (TEK 7.19)
Writer shows consistent command
of proper capitalization with no
errors. (TEK 7.20A)
Writer shows consistent command
of proper punctuation with few, if
any, minor errors. (TEK 7.20B)
Writer shows consistent command
of spelling with no errors. (TEK 7.21)
3 – Good

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Sentence variety is present, but
there are some verb tense and
structural errors that create
minor effects on meaning.
Writer shows understanding of
proper capitalization, but a few
minor errors are present.
Writer shows some command
of proper punctuation, but
several errors are present.
Writer shows understanding of
proper spelling, but a few
minor errors are present.
2 – Needs Work

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There is little variation in sentence
structure, and verb tense and
structural errors begin to interfere
with meaning.
Writer shows limited understanding of
proper capitalization with several
errors present.
Writer shows limited understanding of
proper punctuation, and errors detract
from the work.
Writer shows limited understanding of
proper spelling; errors begin to
interfere with meaning.
1 – Unsatisfactory

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Writer tends to create only simple
sentences, and there are many
fragments, comma splices, run-ons, and
verb tense errors that greatly interfere
with meaning.
Writer shows no mastery of proper
capitalization with many errors present.
Writer shows no mastery of proper
punctuation; errors greatly interfere with
meaning.
Writer shows no mastery of proper
spelling; errors greatly interfere with
meaning.
SCORE: