Common Errors on the Practice MSL Exam’s Constructed Responses
Make it EASY for your grader to give you the highest score! ACE the exam!
Address the question (restate the prompt in a specific, straightforward answer)
Cite evidence from the text (I would give one more example than required. If they say 1, provide 2. If they
say 2, provide three). Use transitions (For example, For Instance, Additionally, To illustrate, In addition,
etc.)
Explain your examples in detail and connect them to the prompt’s question.
Answer the "So What?"
What does this example mean/show?
Sum it up- add a concluding sentence (In conclusion, To conclude, In summation, etc.)
Side Note from Mrs. Spriggs: If it sounds like I am “yelling” in this handout, I am. I love you all very
much, but we are three days away from the exam. You must take this seriously. You need to imagine
the most critical English teachers grading your paper; you have to SHOW them what you know and
avoid annoying them with blatant, careless, silly errors! Don’t tank your score because of laziness,
rushing, or misreading the prompt! You are smart, and you are prepared for this. Show them your best
work!
THIS IS YOUR FINAL EXAM; IT IS 20% OF YOUR SEMESTER GRADE. IT HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO IMPACT YOUR GRADE BY TWO LETTER GRADES (raising or
dropping). TAKE IT SERIOUSLY!
You cannot write outside of the boxes. If you were running close on space during the practice
exam, write smaller on the real MSL!
Watch your time; this is not the EOC where extended time is provided (unless you have it
documented on a IEP). Once the 90 minutes is up, you are out of time and must stop writing. At
the same time, don’t rush through the exam. There is no prize for finishing early; you cannot
mess with phones, books, or materials from other class, so you might as well use all the provided
time to do as well as you can.
Read the prompt carefully. Some prompts will ask you to analyze the figurative language while
other prompts will just ask you to provide examples from the text that support a title, theme,
quote, etc. Use the exact words of the prompt to create your first sentence which should
directly answer the prompt’s question; you can use the exact words again (and restate your
main point) in the conclusion so that your reader clearly knows that you understand the
question and answered it appropriately. Many students became sidetracked or off topic in
their responses when they failed to do this.
Read over your paragraph for errors!!!!!!!!! Do not capitalize random words. Do not forget to
capitalize words that need to be capitalized. Look at the prompt/Multiple choice questions if you
forget how to spell a word (purpose, figurative language,rhetorical, simile, relevant, etc.). Avoid
run-ons “I think Jim Vavona uses literary devices and rhectorical devices for example imagery,
and then he changes by talking about mike krezewski Likewise uses literary and rehectorial
devices in most of the poems we read however the authors purpose was that you should take
every moment in your life very seriously and make sure you cherish it to the fullest and you
should make sure to respect and learn from others and dont ignore other people because you
might learn something from them.” This is ONE Sentence; Before you giggle, MANY students
had sentences like this!!!
The Constructed Response questions should be your EASY points! Many of you were close, but
you were missing half of what the prompt asked.
You will most likely only have enough time to read the two longer selections (short story and
informational text) one time; read it carefully the first time and pay attention! Read the poem at
least twice!
#10 Based on the poem “Art in America,” how does the poet’s use of figurative language
impact its meaning? Include one example from the text to support your answer.
 Student did not say what the meaning of the poem was (what was the poem about?) and
only identified literary terms used without any analysis: “The poet’s use of figurative
language impacts the poem in many ways. For example, the poet uses figurative
language in certain parts of the poem.”
 Student summarized poem or did not accurately describe the poem’s meaning (this poem
was about friendship and giving compliments to her friends)
 Student provided quotes, but they were not examples of figurative language “we’re not
alone, and we’re laughing/arguing a bit”
 Student did not use title (“Art in America”) or poet (Maggie Anderson) when writing
response.
 “He says pumpkins are piled up like huge orange marbles”- Gives evidence from text
but does not identify it as a simile or say how this impacts meaning
 “She was using a lot of imagery in lines 5-9. She described the pumpkins using multiple
senses and some similes.” Student did not provide exact quotations from the text. You
needed to identify the literary term, provide a quote, explain/analyze how it impacted
meaning.
 Student discussed diction, repetition, or parallel verbs (rhetorical/literary devices), but did
not provide any examples of figurative language
 Student used the wrong figurative language terms “Anderson made a point of describing
every detail with color and vitality as shown in line 6 ‘like huge orange marbles in the
sun.’ This metaphor for the pumpkins reflects…”
 Figurative Language used in the poem: Personification “the table’s so alive,” Simile
“Like a pool ball hit too thin; pumpkins piled up like huge orange marbles” Imagery
“pumpkins, blueberries,” Extended Metaphor “poet describes shopping at a market as
a metaphor for the process of creating art”
 Poor grammar and punctuation errors
 Lack of transitions
 Avoid using “a lot” (write “a great deal of” or “many” or “numerous”)
 If at all possible, provide an extra example (if they ask for one, give two)
 Keep giving one more example than the prompt asked; this is SAVING many of you
because one of your examples is either incorrect, not identified, or lacks analysis
 If time permits, look over your paragraphs for common errors “you can imagine that
your their with them, and it shows that its very playful.” Grammar is not supposed to
count, but the grader will be distracted. Check for correct capitalization, common usage
errors, punctuation errors, etc.
#20 (O’Henry’s “The Last Leaf”) What effect is created by Sue’s explanation to Johnsy of
Mr. Behrman’s death in the last paragraph of the story? Include one example from the text
to support your answer.
 Student did not use title of story (“The Last Leaf) or author’s name (O’Henry) in
response.
 Answer the prompt exactly: Vague answer “Sue’s explanation has a big effect.” State the
exact effect!
 Lack of transitions
 Quote provided but no analysis, “It created a semi-depressing yet somewhat prideful
feeling. Sue says, ‘Didn’t you wander why it never fluttered or moved? Ah darling, it’s
Behrman’s masterpiece- he painted it there the night the last leaf fell.’” What does this
quote mean? What did the reader/Johnsy find out?
 Story summary instead of specific quotes to show the effect of the ending
 Students discussed only the physical effect, “Sue’s explanation let the reader know that
Johnsy did not die; the leaf kept her alive” This is true, but what the overall effect of this
revelation…surprise? Joy? Admiration? Gratitude? Sympathy? A mixture of sadness for
Mr. B but compassion for his sacrifice? etc. Many of the best answers discussed how it
had a dramatic effect because the reader expected Mr. B to act one way (grouchy, mean)
but were shocked/surprised by his actions and true character (compassion, self-sacrifice).
 No specific examples/quotations from the text to support answer
 If at all possible, provide an extra example (if they ask for one, give two)
 Avoid 1st and 2nd person “Those are my ideas on the subject”
 Student missed the “big idea” of the story, “The effect of Sue’s explanation makes it feel
as Mr. Behrman was a good person. For example, he posed as a model for painters who
could not afford real professional models.” Yes, Mr. B did this, but he also died for
Johnsy which would have been a stronger example of his “goodness.” It created an ironic
effect “Mr. Behrman drew a “masterpiece” of an ivy leaf on the wall. This is ironic
because it was said that “Behrman was a failure at art.” Yes, this was irony, but the
larger irony was found in the difference between what the audience expected of his
character (grouchy, uncaring) and what he actually did (sacrificed his life for her).
“Though it was said that Berhman was an art failure, he is remembered by his last leaf
masterpiece.” Yes, this occurred, but the leaf painting is important not because of its
intricate details but because the image saved Johnsy’s life, and Mr. B sacrificed his life to
paint it. “The story’s ending created a sad effect.” Technically true, but there’s so much
more to the story than this.
 Some students delayed adding in a quote from the text until the very end of the
paragraph, but then they ran out of room to explain it. Remember- Address the prompt,
cite the evidence, explain/analyze the evidence, sum it up!
#30 (Valvano’s ESPY Award Speech) Determine Jim Valvano’s purpose in giving this
speech and analyze how he uses literary and rhetorical devices to achieve his purpose.
Include two examples from the text to support your answer.
 Did not use speaker’s name or title of speech in response.
 Did not quickly and clearly address the prompt and say what the purpose of the speech
was.
 Incorrectly/vaguely identified the main purpose of the speech, “This speech was about
receiving an award…This speech was about thanking people for his award.”
 Incorrectly identified literary terms used, “He used alliteration when he said, ‘It cannot
touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, it cannot touch my soul’ and ‘ you laugh, you
think, you cry.” Correct term is parallelism.
 Said he used imagery, a story, humor, etc. as literary devices but did not give specific
examples (use quotes!) from the text to support answer.
 Had quotes, “For example, he says, ‘……’” but did not say what literary device was used
or how this example related to the speaker’s purpose
 Summary of speech instead of analysis
 Identified Valvano’s purpose of the speech but only gave three examples of the purpose
with no analysis of how Valvano used literary or rhetorical devices to achieve purpose.
 No literary or rhetorical devices identified (if you can’t remember anecdote, say that he
uses “personal stories”) Rhetorical and Literary Devices used in the speech (Look through the multiple choice
questions to see if they give you hints of literary terms used in text):
o Imagery
o Flashbacks “He uses flashback when he recalls meeting Mike Krzyzewski..”
o quotations/allusions/references “By using the literary device of allusion with the
following Emerson quote, “Nothing can be accomplished without enthusiasm,” he
shows that you must work hard…”
o Rhetorical question- “How do you go from where you are to where you want to
be?”
o Ethos (appeal to credibility/authority “He alludes to Emerson’s quote…”)
o Pathos (appeal to emotion “this could save someone else’s life”)
o Logos (appeal to reasoning “there is already a great deal of money for AIDS but
cancer funding is ten times less”)
o Repetition
o Onomatopoeia “He uses onomatopoeia when he says, ‘I hit the doors with a
BOOM!’ This creates excitement for the story.”
o Anecdotes (brief stories) “He tells the story of his first pep talk”
o parallelism “If you laugh, you think, and you cry, it’s a full day” “It cannot
touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul.”
o Rhetorical shift “He tries to get people to live their lives to the fullest so that
they can do what he no longer can. He does this with a rhetorical shift from
serious to a funny anecdote about enjoying life.”
o Use of humor/sarcasm/irony “Oh that’s wonderful…You think I care about the
thirty second warning?”
o Metaphor/Hyperbole “Valvano said he was going to be the next Lombardi…they
knocked the walls down and the rest was history”
o Personification “Cancer cannot touch my heart, my mind, my soul”
 If at all possible, provide an extra example (if they ask for two, give three)
 One student ran out of time but her only sentence said, “Jim Valvano’s purpose in giving
this speech was to entertain and inform others about life and what to do.” Even though
she didn’t get a chance to analyze the text in detail because she immediately addressed
and answered the prompt in the first sentence, she at least gained one point.