PRESENTATIONAL WRITING RUBRIC
Appropriateness
Organization
Comprehensibility
Advanced Low (7)
Extremely effective
and thorough, indepth treatment of
topic within context of
task
Well-organized
writing, very effective
use of transitional
elements and cohesive
devices, compelling
beginning, clear
middle, end
Fully understandable,
with ease and clarity
of expression
Vocabulary
Extensive, higher
level, sophisticated,
idiomatic language
Grammar
Accurate use of past,
present and future,
uses more complex
tenses, though may
have some errors,
writes with great
detail
Sentence
Structure
/Discourse
Develops paragraphlength discourse with
a variety of complex
and compound
sentences.
Cultural
Comparison
Compares own
community with
target culture in
depth, using a variety
of supporting details
and relevant examples
Knowledge of
target culture
Clear understanding
of target culture with
no inaccuracies
Intermediate High (6)
Effective treatment of
topic within context of
task
Intermediate Mid (5)
Generally effective
treatment of topic
within context of task
Intermediate Low (4)
Suitable treatment of
topic within context of
task
Novice High (3)
Unsuitable treatment of
topic within context of
task
Novice Mid (2)
Almost no treatment
of topic within context
of task
Novice Low (1)
Mere restatement of
topic, or of language
from prompt; does
not address topic
Organized essay; welldeveloped paragraphs;
effective use of
transitional elements
or cohesive devices;
Clear beginning,
middle, end
Fully understandable,
with ease and clarity
of expression;
occasional errors do
not impede
comprehensibility
Varied, sophisticated
and appropriate
vocabulary and
idiomatic language
Organized essay, some
effective use of
transitional elements
or cohesive devices
Some organization;
limited use of
transitional elements
or cohesive devices
Limited organization,
ineffective use of
transitional elements or
cohesive devices
Little or no
organization, absence
of transitional
elements and cohesive
devices
No evidence of
organization; not
enough writing to
demonstrate
organization
Fully understandable,
with some errors
which do not impede
comprehensibility
Generally
understandable, with
errors that may
impede
comprehensibility
Generally or partially
understandable;
Frequent or significant
errors may impede
comprehensibility
Very difficult to
understand
Varied, some high
level vocab, generally
appropriate
vocabulary and
idiomatic language
General control of
grammar, syntax, and
usage; most accurate
with present tense,
attempts to use past
and/or future, though
with less accuracy
Appropriate but basic
vocabulary and
idiomatic language
Generally or partially
understandable, with
errors that may force
interpretations and may
cause confusion for the
reader
Limited vocabulary and
idiomatic language
Basic vocabulary; does
not use idiomatic
language, or uses it
inappropriately,
memorized vocabulary
Mostly accurate with
memorized language;
mistakes in simple
sentences; errors in
basic grammar
Basic, very common
vocabulary; resorts to
English when unable
to communicate
message
Little or no evidence
of any grammatical
concepts (lists only
vocabulary words, or
phrases)
Accuracy and variety
in grammar, syntax,
and usage, with very
few errors, particularly
with past, present and
future; Attempts to
use more complex
tenses
Develops paragraphlength discourse with
a variety of simple and
compound sentences,
and some complex
sentences.
Clearly compares own
community with
target culture,
including supporting
details and relevant
examples
Clear understanding of
target culture, despite
a few minor
inaccuracies
Develops mostly
paragraph-length
discourse with strings
of simple and
compound sentences
Compares own
community with
target culture,
including some
supporting details and
mostly relevant
examples
Some understanding
of target culture,
despite minor
inaccuracies
Some control of
grammar, syntax and
usage (subj-verb in
simple tenses, correct
adj-noun with familiar
vocab) Makes
mistakes when trying
to create with lang.
Uses strings of mostly
simple sentences, with
a few compound
sentences.
Mostly accurate (sub-verb
,adj-noun) with simple
sentences using familiar
vocab; the more writing,
the more errors appear
Uses strings of simple
sentences and phrases
Very simple sentences
or fragments, using
memorized language
Mostly words or short
phrases
Compares own
community with
target culture,
including a few
supporting details and
examples
Presents some
information about own
community and the target
culture, but may not
compare them; consists
mostly of statements with
no development
Limited understanding of
target culture, may
include several
inaccuracies
Presents information
only about own
community or only
about target culture,
and may not include
examples
Presents no
information about
either own culture or
target culture
Minimal
understanding of
target culture,
generally inaccurate
No understanding of
target culture
Basic understanding of
target culture, despite
inaccuracies