MCAS Writing Prompts
Through the Years
These are 15 MCAS long composition
prompts from 2003-2010.
They are a pretty good reflection of
what we’ll see in 2011.
Ambrose
Blauch
Bowen-Flynn
Esner
Heinegg
Prompts through the years
• If you saw each of these prompts tomorrow…
– What book would you write about?
– Who wrote that book?
– What characters will you talk about?
– What three examples from the book would you
use?
– How would you address each element of the
prompt?
2013
MCAS Writing Prompt
Works of literature often feature characters who overcome hardship
and misfortune. From a work of literature you have read in or out of
school, select a character who overcomes hardship and misfortune.
In a well-developed composition, explain how the character
overcomes adversity and why this success is important to the work of
literature.
2013 Retest
WRITING PROMPT
Often in works of literature, a character confronts a threatening
environment or situation. From a work of literature you have read
in or out of school, select a character who confronts a
threatening environment or situation.
In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe
the threatening environment or situation the character confronts,
and explain how the character’s experience is important to the
work as a whole.
2012
MCAS WRITING PROMPT
Often in works of literature, the villain has the greatest impact on the story.
Select a work of literature you have read in or out of school in which the
villain has the greatest impact on the story.
In a well-developed composition, identify the villain, and explain why the
villain has the greatest impact on the story.
2012 Retest
WRITING PROMPT
Often in works of literature, a character feels pressure to
succeed. From a work of literature you have read in or out of
school, select a character who feels pressure to succeed.
In a well-developed composition, identify the character,
describe how the character feels pressure to succeed, and
explain how the character’s experience is important to the work
as a whole.
2011
MCAS WRITING PROMPT
Often in works of literature, a character stands up for something he or
she believes in. From a work of literature you have read in or out of
school, select a character who stands up for something he or she
believes in.
In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how
the character stands up for something he or she
believes in, and explain how the character’s actions relate to the work
as a whole.
2011 Retest
WRITING PROMPT
Often in works of literature, a character feels pressure to succeed.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a
character who feels pressure to succeed.
In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how
the character feels pressure to succeed, and explain how the
character’s experience is important to the work as a whole.
2010
• Often in works of literature, a character’s life is
affected by a single act or mistake.
• From a work of literature you have read in or out
of school, select a character whose life is affected
by a single act or mistake. In a well-developed
composition, identify the character, describe how
he or she is affected by a single act or mistake,
and explain how the character’s experience
relates to the work as a whole.
2010 November Retest
• Often works of literature feature two characters
who disagree or do not understand each other.
• From a work of literature you have read in or out
of school, select two characters who disagree or
do not understand each other. In a welldeveloped composition, identify the characters,
describe their disagreement or
misunderstanding, and explain how this
disagreement or misunderstanding relates to the
work as a whole.
2010 Retest
• Often in works of literature, a character is
influenced by his or her family.
• From a work of literature you have read in or out
of school, select a character who is influenced by
his or her family. In a well-developed
composition, identify the character, describe how
the character is influenced by his or her family,
and explain how the character’s experience
relates to the work as a whole.
2009
• Works of literature often feature characters
whose pride or selfishness creates problems.
• From a work of literature you have read in or out
of school, select a character whose pride or
selfishness creates problems. In a well-developed
composition, identify the character, describe how
the character’s pride or selfishness creates
problems, and explain how the character’s
experience relates to the work as a whole.
2009 Retest
• In many works of literature, a character rebels
against a role that others expect him or her to
play.
• From a work of literature you have read in or out
of school, select a character who rebels against a
role others expect him or her to play. In a welldeveloped composition, identify the character,
describe how the character rebels against others’
expectations, and explain how the character’s
rebellion relates to the
2008
• In many works of literature, a character must
adjust to life in a new environment.
• From a work of literature you have read in or out
of school, select a character who must adjust to
life in a new environment. In a well-developed
composition, identify the character, describe how
the character adjusts to life in a new
environment, and explain how the character’s
adjustment relates to the work as a whole.
2007
• Works of literature often feature characters
who overcome hardship and misfortune.
• From a work of literature you have read in or
out of school, select a character who
overcomes hardship and misfortune. In a welldeveloped composition, explain how the
character overcomes adversity and why this
success is important to the work of literature.
2007 Retest
• Often in works of literature, characters have a
mixture of positive and negative traits.
• From a work of literature you have read in or
out of school, select a character who blends
positive and negative traits. In a welldeveloped composition, identify the character,
describe how the character demonstrates
both positive and negative traits.
2006
• Works of literature often feature characters with
the ability to inspire or lead others.
• From a work of literature you have read in or out
of school, select a character with the ability to
inspire or lead others. In a well-developed
composition, identify the character, describe how
the character inspires or leads others, and explain
why this character’s ability is significant to the
meaning of the work of literature.
2006 Retest
• Works of literature often feature characters that
question the values of the societies in which they
live.
• From a work of literature you have read in or out
of school, select a character who questions the
values of the society in which he or she lives. In a
well-developed composition, identify the
character, explain the conflict the character has
with society, and explain how this conflict relates
to the work as a whole.
2005
• Often works of literature include characters
that change as a result of a particular event.
• From a work of literature you have read in or
out of school, select a character that changes
as the result of a particular event. In a welldeveloped composition, identify the character,
the event, and the importance of the
character’s change to the work of literature .
2005 Retest
• From a work of literature you have read, select
a character that is honorable; identify the
character, describe what makes her/him
honorable, and explain why the character’s
honor is important to the work of literature.
2004
• Heroism can mean different things to different
people. Literature is full of characters that can
be considered heroic.
• From a work of literature you have read in or
out of school, select a character that, in your
opinion, is heroic. In a well-developed
composition, identify that character and
explain why he or she is heroic.
2003
• The protagonist is the main character in a work of
literature who often changes in some important
way by the end of the work.
• From a work of literature you have read in or out
of school, select a protagonist who changes in
some important way by the end of the work. In a
well-developed composition, identify the
protagonist, and explain why the protagonist
changes in some important way by the end of the
work.
2003 Retest
• In literature as in life, people can make choices
and must live with the consequences of those
choices.
• From a work of literature you have read in or
out of school, select one character who makes
a choice. In a well-developed composition,
identify the character’s choice and explain
what happens as a result of this choice.
Congratulations!
• You’ve now made it through 15 prompts from
MCAS exams of previous years.
• You are prepared to tackle tomorrow’s
prompt, whatever it might be!