Head Start
Module 7
Writing Under Pressure
In both college and the work world, there are many instances when you will need to
write under pressure. You may need to write an exam, write a cover letter under a
deadline, or write a quick email to a colleague.
If you start to feel anxious when faced with a writing task, how can you deal with
your anxiety?
Breaking any writing task into smaller parts will help you deal with the pressure of
performing on demand.
1.) Prepare before you get there. If there is a reading to do, make sure you’ve
done it. If you know you will write an essay, as you will in the English
Placement Test, review essay structure. This will help you feel more
confident and relaxed when you are writing under pressure.
2.) Don’t start writing right away—read all the questions over completely
before you start writing. If you read through them all, you might find that the
last one was the question that really spoke to you, and you don’t want to miss
that opportunity.
3.) Read the questions over for cue or key words. (Classify, Define, Discuss,
Summarize, etc). Read actively, and underline important parts of the
question/prompt.
4.) Set aside some time to brainstorm and outline. If you organise your
thoughts from the beginning, your writing will be smoother and more
focused.
5.) Budget your time so that you can complete the task. Make sure to give
yourself time to both plan and revise.
6.) Execute your plan.
7.) Relax! You’ve earned it.
For more information on organizing ideas in exams, click the link below:
http://www.humber.ca/liberalarts/sites/default/files/essay_outlines.pdf
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Tips for Writing the Placement Test
When grading placement tests, our readers are looking for coherent, developed, and
clear essays. Use the following tips for the English Placement Test:

Take the test seriously. Your writing will determine the English course
you will be placed in, and you may be required to take an extra course
based on your test.

Use the entire time that is allotted to you, and write the required number of
words (300). Don't rush.

Use language appropriate for a college setting and avoid slang or clichés.

Organize your essay into separate paragraphs: introduction, body, and
conclusion.

Provide a clear thesis statement.

Provide clear topic sentences for your paragraphs, and write paragraphs that
are unified and coherent.

Use convincing and relevant details/examples to fully support your main
points.

Develop your main points clearly and logically.

Write full sentences (no fragments), and avoid run-on sentences and comma
splices.

Check for correct grammar; e.g. subject / verb agreement.

Use correct punctuation; e.g. commas and semi-colons.

Proofread your writing carefully before submitting.
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Revision Activity: Reading Backwards
Purpose
By reading through backwards, you separate the writing from the meaning of the
paragraph. It will help you pay attention to things like grammar, spelling, and
typing, as opposed to what you wanted to say. This is a great editing activity to use
during timed writing exercises like the English Placement Test.
Instructions
Using your second essay, start with the last sentence of the last paragraph and read
it first. See if you can find any editing issues. Next, move to the second last sentence,
and so on and so on. End with the first sentence of your essay.
Revision
Considering your Reading Backwards Activity and the feedback you’ve received
from the Writing Centre, revise your second essay.
Grammar Review
Read through the following questions and answer to the best of your ability. Try to
answer them without looking at your materials first.
Read over the following sentences and circle the word that fits.
1. Is this your/you’re jacket?
2. This test it harder than/then I thought it would be.
3. Its/It’s troubling to see how much this is effecting/affecting him.
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4. Can you tell me where/wear the Lakeshore campus is?
5. Bye/Buy/By the time this class is finished, it will be to/too/two late to watch
the movie.
Correct the following sentences to make them parallel.
1. A chef knows how to prepare a savoury meal and is good at running a
kitchen.
2. An early childhood educator spends a lot of time running, changing diapers,
and likes to play with children.
3. She wanted pack, do laundry, and getting ready for trip.
4. He prepared for the trip by reading guidebooks and he packed his bags.
5. The dog ran out the door, through the yard, and barked the whole time.
Read over the following sentences and select the correct verb form to
complete the sentence.
1. The cat and the dogs (is, are) loose in the back yard.
2. Either the chicken or the fish (is, are) being served at the wedding.
3. Samantha and Ron (doesn't, don't) want to drive together.
4. Erasto (doesn't, don't) know where his keys are.
5. The woman with the large dogs (live, lives) on my street.
Look through this list and separate dependent and independent clauses as
needed. You may either insert commas and coordinating conjunctions where
necessary or remove/add subordinating words.
1. If this is all you brought we won’t have enough food.
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2. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit and wisdom is not putting it in a
fruit salad.
3. When you are finished with your lunch please put it back in the fridge.
4. We are cancelling the class trip because it is so cold outside.
5. Even though cheese is my favourite food I think there’s a bit too much in this
sauce.
The following sentences contain comma splices. Fix the comma splices in at
least four different ways.
1. In July 2007, an exciting announcement was made, Jim Henson's family
planned to donate more than 500 puppets to the Center of Puppetry Arts in
Atlanta.
2. The center raised the funds to build a wing that would house and exhibit the
puppets, the collection includes puppets from more than 50 years of
Henson's work in TV and film.
3. Muppets can be hand puppets, rod puppets, or a combination of the two,
some Muppets are even worn by their operators.
4. The earliest Muppets were created solely by Jim Henson, he drew rough
sketches indicating what he thought the Muppet should look like, and then
set about building it.
5. Some of Henson's other early Muppets were made from hard materials,
Henson soon settled on soft materials.
The following sentences contain run-ons. Fix the run-ons in at least four
different ways.
1. Animals have made significant contributions to space exploration before
people were sent up into orbit, animals such as dogs and monkeys were sent.
2. Scientists wondered what the effects of weightlessness on a mammal would
be they wondered how the body would handle radiation from the sun.
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3. Since it was so early on in the history of space exploration, a lot of trial and
error was involved in the process of launching space vehicles often the
animal did not survive.
4. In some cases, the spacecraft in which the animals flew were never
recovered there are still several abandoned ships floating in orbit among
space junk with their original furry cargo.
5. Fruit flies were the first living organism to be launched into space they were
launched in 1947 and parachuted back without any noticeable damage.
Read through the following sentences and correct any fragments that you find.
You may need to add or remove words to make the sentence correct.
1. Left over from yesterday’s dinner.
2. Because she looked over the grammar review quiz.
3. Whether you decide to take the test.
4. The most beautiful fresco in all of Italy.
5. After seeing the geese flocking to the pond.
Read through the following sentences and add in any apostrophes that are
appropriate.
1. This is the worst pizza Ive ever eaten, and Im not sure its properly cooked.
2. Manjinders car is ready for its oil change.
3. Dominicas cat is the largest of its kind.
4. These are Charles keys, and theyre a bit rusted.
5. Were so happy we have an extra day off.
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Read over the following sentences and insert commas where needed.
1. A butter tart is made with sugar syrup and egg filled into a flaky pastry.
2. The appearance and physical characteristics of the butter tart like the
firmness of its pastry or the consistency of its filling varies.
3. Butter tarts were common in pioneer Canadian cooking and they remain a
characteristic pastry of Canada.
4. The earliest published Canadian recipe is from Barrie Ontario dating back to
1900.
5. Butter tarts usually have a crust top and a warm gooey centre.
Read through the following sentences and correct any pronoun agreement
errors.
1.
The army looks for someone that will follow their rules.
2.
Every member of this team needs to bring their glove.
3.
The results of the project was interesting.
4.
Each of the dogs wants their own bowl of kibble.
5.
The committee wants to take their lunch break.
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