Advanced
Content
25 points
Style
25 points
Sentence
formation
20 points
Usage
10 points
Mechanics
10 points
Literary
Devices
10 points
8th grade Essay Rubric
Proficient
Basic
Below Basic
No attempt
Essay is organized with a
distinct intro, body
paragraphs and
conclusion; thoughts are
specific and answer the
prompt or topic ; body
paragraphs use pyramid
method and intro has
attention getter 25 pts.
Essay has a strong sense
of voice, uses strong
attention getting
techniques, and shows
language craft including
strong vocabulary 25 pts.
Essay has complete
sentences, sentences of
different lengths and
patterns, and diff.
sentence types 20 pts.
Essay has correct forms of
homonyms, and uses
correct conjunctions and
word choice 10 pts.
Essay is organized with
distinct intro, body
paragraphs and
conclusion; essay answers
the prompt and focuses on
one specific topic, some
pyramiding present 20pts.
Essay is organized into
distinct intro, body
paragraphs and
conclusion; essay
answers prompt, but is
not specific 15 pts.
Essay is organized all as
one paragraph, doesn’t
answer the prompt or
has no clear intro, body
and conclusion 10 pts.
Essay had no
attempt at
organization or
paragraphs, or
answering the topic
O pts.
Essay has a strong sense
of voice, attention getting
techniques and good
vocabulary 20 pts.
Essay has sense of voice
and some good
vocabulary 15 pts.
Essay has little sense of
voice and basic
vocabulary 10 pts.
Essay has no voice
and an elementary
vocabulary, or was
not written 0 pts.
Essay has complete
sentences, sentences of
diff. lengths and types 15
pts.
Essay has complete
sentences and
sentences of diff.
lengths OR types 10 pts.
Sentences are all
fragmented, run-ons
or developmentally
inappropriate 0 pts.
Essay has correct form of
homonyms and word
choice 7pts.
Essay has correct form
of homonyms 5 pts.
Essay has correct spelling
and punctuation 10 pts.
Essay has mostly correct
spelling and punctuation 7
pts.
Essay has frequent
errors in spelling and
punctuation 5pts.
Essay sentences are not
complete, or mostly runons, sentences are
mostly the same length
and type 5 pts.
Essay has incorrect
homonyms, incorrect
word usage and/or
incorrect conjunctions
3pts.
Essay has a high level of
spelling and punctuation
errors 3pts.
Essay has five or more of
the following: metaphor,
alliteration, simile,
onomatopoeia, hyperbole,
purposeful repetition,
rhyme, symbolism,
imagery 10 pts.
Essay has three or more of
the aforementioned
Literary devices 7pts.
Essay has two literary
devices, or one and
further unsuccessful
attempts 5 pts.
Essay makes some
attempt at literary
devices 3 pts.
Essay contains no
attempt at literary
devices. 0pts.
Total:________/100
Draft #____________
Another draft? Y / N
Word usage is
garbled to the point
of being
incomprehensible
0pts.
Essay exhibits no
punctuation, or is
written phonetically.