ELA CAHSEE
Preparation
We will work
together and you
will
pass that test!
Source: Opportunities for Learning
Bart Simpson Promises….
Session 1: Vocabulary
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CAHSEE 411
Test-Taking Tips
Literal Language/Figurative
Language
Vocabulary in Context
Word Origins
Denotation/Connotation
Talking to the Text
What do you already know about the
English Language Arts section of the
CAHSEE?
You must pass
to graduate, but you
get many chances
70 multiple
choice questions
No time limit
ELA section of the
CAHSEE
350 to Pass;
Go for 370!
Vocabulary, Reading
Comprehension, Writing
Conventions,
And an essay
What Exactly is on the CAHSEE?
Approximately 72 multiple choice questions
about reading and writing strategies
One essay response question
The nitty-gritty: You have to be correct on a
little more than half of the questions (including
a passing essay score) in order to pass. You a
have to have about a 70% to be marked
“Proficient” on the test.
Reading on the CAHSEE
7 Vocabulary Questions
18 Reading Comprehension
Questions (read a passage and answer
questions)
20 Literary Response Questions
(read literature and answer questions)
Test-Taking Tips
for Multiple-Choice Questions
Process of elimination:
you improve your chances of getting the right
answer every time you can eliminate an obvious wrong choice. If you can get it down to two
choices, you have a 50/50 chance of being correct!
Go back and reread:
many questions refer to a specific paragraph in a
text. Go back and reread the section before answering the question.
Treat Right There and Between the Line
questions differently: Once in a while, the answer can be found right
there on the test, in black and white. More often, you have to use your higher order thinking
skills to infer (make an educated guess) the correct answer. Don’t assume all the answers on
the CAHSEE will be found in the pages of the CAHSEE. Some of them are in your brain!
Literal Language
The literal meaning of a word is its
dictionary definition.
For example:
A biography is the life story of a real person.
Using Context Clues
 On the CAHSEE, you may run into a word you have
never seen. How can you figure it out? In context
(using the clues of the words surrounding it).
Exp:
The tree oozed with a sticky resin.
What are the clues? Circle them on your paper.
If the word resin was just a blank line, what word
could you substitute for it?
Context Clues
 You may find different types of context clues within
the sentence or paragraph that the difficult world is
in:
Synonym/restatement
Antonym/contradiction
Definition or description
Example
Comparison and contrast
Cause and effect
Tips to Remember Literal Definitions
 Mnemonic devices- memory tricks to remember the
meaning of a word.
Rhymes, silly sentences, or letter clues
Personal: The mnemonic needs to be something you will
remember.
Exp:
Mnemonic for remembering spelling:
I before E except after C,
and when sounding like "ay" as in Neighbor or Weigh
Tips to Remember Literal Definitions
 Mental Images-create a
picture or cartoon in
your mind to help you
remember the word.
Exp: Imagine the letters
in the word frigid
(“extremely cold”)
shaking because they
are freezing cold, and
are in an icy place.
Possible mental image:
Frigid
Figurative Language
 Also called figures of speech
 It changes the literal meaning of words
• to express complexity,
• to capture a physical or sensory
effect,
or
• to extend meaning.
 There are a number of
figures of speech.
Some of the more common ones are:
Simile
 Making a comparison between unlike things, using
“like” or “as.”
Exp: Forrest Gump’s famous simile is
“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never
know what you’re going to get.”
What two things are being compared in this simile?
Metaphor
Making a comparison between unlike things
without the use “like” or “as.”
An example is, “You are my sunshine.” –
What two unlike things are being compared in
this quote?
Personification
 Giving human qualities to an animal, thing or idea.
 The telephone screamed to be answered.
 The door flew open.
 The birds shouted their songs.
Idioms
An idiom is a figurative, sometimes strange,
expression that cannot be understood if taken
literally.
Exp:
“It is raining cats and dogs”
“This test will be a piece of cake”
“She decided to quit cold turkey”
Word Origins
Where do words come from? In other words,
what makes up the parts of a word?
Root: The base from which a word is built by adding
word parts, such as suffixes and prefixes. Many come
from Latin and Greek.
Prefix: Letters or groups of letters added at the front
of the word base/root to change its meaning
Suffix: Letters or groups of letters added to the end of
a base word or root to change its meaning or part of
speech.
Prefix
A letter or group of letters added to a base
word or root to change its meaning.
Example: perhaps, impress
Prefix Chart
a-, an-
Not, without
col-, com-, con-,cor-
Together
de-
From, down
Em-, en-, im-, in-
In, into
il-, im-, in, ir-
Not
per-
By, completely
pro-
Forward
re-
again
sub-
under
Trans-
Across, through
Root
see p. 16
A root is the base from which a word is built
by adding parts such as prefixes and suffixes.
Many roots come from Latin and Greek.
Example: popular the root pop=people
Suffix
see p. 15
A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to
the end of a base word or root changes its
meaning or part of speech.
Example: constellation, disgustingly
Grammar Review
The test will not ask you directly about the “parts of
speech”, but they are important in order to understand
how suffixes change them.
 Noun: person, place, or thing (dog, New York,
OFL)
 Verb: action word (talk, study, run)
 Adjective: word that describes (happy, bright,
fast)
 Adverb: a word that modifies a verb, an
adjective, another adverb; usually ends in ‘-ly’
(happily, consciously, slowly)
Suffixes Change
Parts of Speech
Adjectives
-al, -ial, -ual=
relating to
-cian=having
a certain skill or art
-ful=full of
Suffixes…
Noun
-ant
One who
Noun
-ion, -sion, -tion
State of, result of
Noun
-ity, -ty
Condition of,
quality of
-ly
Like, manner of
Adverb
Example
Root=Act
The suffix “-tion” makes it a noun meaning
“state of”
Therefore action is a noun meaning “the state
of acting”
But “-or” means “one who”, so actor means
“one who acts”
Don’t forget the prefix!
If act is still our root, and we add
“re-”, a prefix meaning “again”, we
have
React, meaning “act in response”, in
other words, act again
Put it all together…
 Since prefixes, suffixes, and roots all work together,
many words have all 3, and knowing them can help
you figure out the meaning and way to use a new
word.
Pro (forward) +
act (do something) +
ive (makes the word an adjective)=
Proactive (adjective)
(def.=taking the initiative by acting rather than reacting to events)
exp. “My coworker is very proactive; she always gets her work done before
being asked”
It’s not just the acne soap, but you are being proactive when you use Proactiv,
taking steps to clear your skin before it gets too bad….
Denotation vs. Connotation
see p. 28
Denotation is the same as the literal meaning
of a word.
A Connotation is like figurative meaning, or
the feelings and associations a word brings to
mind.
An example…
Stubborn vs. determined
Both denote (literally mean) persistence and
determination,
but while determined connotes (brings to mind)
positive feelings abut someone who is focused
on a goal and strong-minded,
stubborn connotes negative associations, and
you may think of someone who is bull-headed
and unable to listen to reason or advice.
stubborn and determined…
mean the same thing in the dictionary (have the
same denotation), but have very different
connotations (feelings/attitudes they bring to
mind).
What other words can you think of that have
specific connotations for you?
exp. cheap, scrawny, slow
A pneumonic devise…
This may not work for you, but the person
who wrote this slide remembers the difference
between denotation and connotation using the
following pneumonic device:
A connotation “cons” you to feel a certain way about
a word.
A denotation starts with a “d” like dictionary.
If this doesn’t work for you, make up your own
pneumonic!
Reading Strategy: Talking to the Text
Talking to the Text (TttT) means “talking”
with your pencil on a text.
You can write down whatever helps you,
including
underline important phrases or sentences
write your questions, clarifications, summaries,
connections, predictions, or visualizations in the
margins
even mark places you are confused or don't
understand something.
Talking to the Text
How does homework work in this class?
Complete all assigned homework from the
Measuring Up book, using the Talk to the Text
(TtT) . Each session, you will tear your
homework out of the book and turn it in to
your teacher.
You will be making flash cards for all the
terms we go over in class. These will have
more than just definitions in them (see pg. 3 of
your packet)
Homework for Next Session
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Page 3-9, 11-14, 17-22, 25-34,
Measuring Up
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Talk to the Text on all reading
assignments
Vocabulary Flashcards for all
bolded words p. 1-28
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Use definitions from glossary, but
follow page numbers for what terms
are included
Session 2: Reading
Comprehension and Literary
Response
 Test-Taking Tips #2
 Talk to the Text Review: Owning
What You Read
 Reading Comprehension Strategies
 Reading Informational Texts
 Reading and Analyzing Literature
Test-Taking Tips 2
Read all directions carefully before answering
any questions.
Breath! Relax! The test is untimed, so there is
no reason to rush.
Believe that you will pass the test. See
yourself opening up the envelope of test results
and receiving a passing score. You will pass if
you believe you can.
Reading on the CAHSEE
7 Vocabulary Questions
18 Reading Comprehension Questions (read a
passage and answer questions)
today
20 Literary Response Questions
(read literature and answer questions)
today
Talking to the Text (TtT) Review
Talking to the Text (TttT) means “talking”
with your pencil on a text. It helps you “own”
what you read!
You can write down whatever helps you,
including
underline important phrases or sentences
write your questions, clarifications, summaries,
connections, predictions, or visualizations in the
margins
even mark places you are confused or don't
understand something.
Other reading strategies to use:
See p. 65
 Analyze- break down the information to examine the
individual ideas
 Infer- make educated guesses based on the evidence
in the text and what you already know
 Predict- guess what will happen based on what you
know.
 Main ideas/Details- analyze how the author
organizes information using main ideas and details.
A new reading strategy: Chunking
Chunking
Chunking is exactly what it sounds like.
You break down a tough word, sentence, or
paragraph into easier-to-read chunks.
Chunk in a way that is clear to you, either by
circling pieces of text or using dashes (/) to
separate chunks.
You wouldn’t eat a whole cake in one meal, so
why try to digest an entire text at once?
Chunking Example
Distinguishing Between Different types
of Texts on the CAHSEE
Question to ask: What type (genre) of text is
this?
Literary Text (something you may see in an English class)
• Poem
• Play
• Short Story
Informational Text (something you would see in the real world)
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Job Application?
Brochure?
Business Letter?
History/science/biographical text?
Etc.
Reading Informational Texts
 These types of texts are ones you read to find out
information, not for pleasure
 Usually, they are laid out so that you find information
fast
 The structural features like headings, bullets,
graphics, and numbers are there to help you find the
information you need.
 Most times, they have already chunked the text for
you with these features. Use them!
Reading Consumer Documents
 What type of text is a consumer document?
Informational document
 Consumer Document-document made for a consumer
(person who buys products), and include:
Warranties
Contracts
Product Information
Instructional Manuals
Features of Consumer Documents
Some of these features are found in other
instructional/nonfiction documents
 Headings
 Numbers
 Bullets
 Graphics
 Special Type Treatment: boldface, italic, underlined,
colored
(More) features of consumer
documents
Table of contents
Indexes
Glossaries
Works Cited
Bibliographies
Workplace Documents
see p. 45
Include texts you may see on the job..
 Procedure manuals
 Job applications
 Memos
 Guides to health benefits
 Email messages
 Organizational charts
 Instructions for operating machinery
Literary Response and Analysis
20 Multiple Choice Questions
These types of texts include
Poetry
Plays
Fiction
Essays
The Literary Response and Analysis section of the
CAHSEE asks you to read literature and answer
questions about it.
Genre
Genre is a French word
meaning “kind” or “type”.
The major genres in literature are
•poetry
•fiction
•drama
•essays
It can also refer to more specific types of literature
such as
comedy, drama, tragedy, epic poetry or science
fiction.
Character
Characters: The different people in the
story
There are 2 main types of characters:
Protagonist - Main character; usually the
“good guy”
Antagonist – The character who opposes the
main character in some way; the “opponent”
Protagonist/Antagonist Example
 On The Simpsons, Bart Simpson is the protagonist
and Principal Skinner is one of the antagonists.
Conflict
A main problem in the story that the main character
faces.
Can be internal or external.
Internal Conflict: A character “at war” with him or
herself (exp: Ariel has to decide whether she should
leave the ocean)
External Conflict: One character versus society,
nature, or another character (exp: protagonist vs.
antagonist)
Types of External Conflict
Man Vs. Nature- Main character fights against nature.
exp: A story of a man caught in a snowstorm trying to
fight his way out.
Man Vs. Man-Main character fights against another
character.
exp: In The Little Mermaid, the main conflict was
between Ariel and the Sea Witch.
Man Vs. Society-Character fights against the rules of
his/her society.
exp: In The Little Mermaid, Ariel must fight against the
rules of her family and underwater society in order to
marry the prince.
Plot
Plot: The pattern of action of a story; the series of
linked events that make up the story
Usually starts with a problem or conflict that has to be
resolved.
Exp: In Little Mermaid, the plot begins with the
conflict between Ariel and her protective father.
Plot Structure
A. Exposition: Introduces characters and setting
B. Introduction of conflict: The major problem/conflict of the story is
introduced.
(Rising Action: Builds the conflict and helps develop characters)
C. Climax: Highest or most exciting point in the action
(Falling Action: After the climax, plot slows and moves towards resolution)
D. Resolution: The conclusion to the story in which the major conflicts are
solved.
Flashback
A look at a past event. The author stops the
action of the story to go back to an event that
happened at an earlier time.
What movies or books have flashbacks in them?
Irony
is a literary device for conveying meaning by
saying the exact opposite of
what is really meant.
Sarcasm is one kind of irony. It is praise which
is really an insult.
Sarcasm generally involves cruelty, the desire to
put someone down, for example
“This is my brilliant son who failed
out of college.”
Life is filled with ironies.
Here are a few examples…
1. All you want is an Escalade. You work hard for
years to buy one. The first day you buy it, you
park it at the supermarket and go inside. While
you are inside, someone steals your Escalade.
When you come out with your groceries, the thief
runs you over with your own car, breaking both
your legs, and takes off in your brand new
Escalade.
2. A girl lies to her boyfriend and says she has to
baby-sit, but really goes to the movies with her
friends. While buying popcorn, she sees her
boyfriend there with another date.
Types of Irony
Verbal Irony:
occurs when someone says the opposite
of what the person means.
Exp: A person is having a horrible day and says, “I’ve never
been so happy in my life.”
Situational Irony: occurs when what happens is the
opposite of what you expect to happen.
Exp: Escalade story, boyfriend at the movies story
Dramatic Irony: occurs when you, the reader or the
viewer, knows something crucial that the main character does
not know. This is the most important type for the
CAHSEE
Exp: In Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows Juliet is not really
dead and has faked her death, but Romeo does not.
Dramatic Irony
Dramatic Irony: occurs when you, the
reader or the viewer, knows something crucial
that the main character does not know. This is
the most important type for the CAHSEE
With your class, brainstorm examples of
dramatic irony in books, stories, movies, or
television shows.
Literary Terms
Theme
Tone
Mood
Drama
Symbolism
Theme
A theme is the lesson learned in the story.
Also described as observation about life or
human nature.
A universal theme can be found in the
literature of m any different cultures and
from many different times.
Exp: The theme of Cinderella is “the best
things come to those who wait”
Tone
Tone is way words are used to convey a writer’s
attitude towards a subject.
Think of when someone says, “Don’t use that
tone with me, young lady!” The tone of
writing shows the writer’s attitude, and can
change the meaning of what is being said or
written.
Mood
Mood is the feeling created by a piece of
literature. Another way to think about it is
the way you feel when you read it.
Some literature makes you feel sad, others
joyful or anxious.
Drama
•Drama, or dramatic literature is another word for
play.
•Plays/dramas are when characters tell a story in a
theater performance.
•Characters in a play speak in dialogue, the words
characters speak on stage.
•Stage directions are directions in play scripts that
tell actors what to do and how to say their lines
(Usually in parentheses and italics)
Dramatic Monologue
•Dramatic says that it could be acted out on a stage,
and is a form of drama (theater)
• Monologue is a long speech that one person makes,
either to themselves or to another character.
• A dramatic monologue is written to reveal both the
situation in the play and the character’s thoughts.
•A soliloquy is just like a dramatic monologue, but it is
spoken to the audience and is part of a longer play.
Symbolism
 A symbol is a person, place, or thing that stands for
an idea or concept.
Exps:
Object
Rose
Sunshine
Dove
Hawk
Idea
Love
Happiness
Peace
War
Sometimes the symbols are not as clear as the examples above, because sometimes
authors create their own symbolism within a story.
Session 3: Writing Conventions
and Writing Strategies
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Test-Taking Tips # 3
Writing on the CAHSEE
Writing Strategies
Writing Conventions
Writing Applications (CAHSEE
Essay Writing)
Structure of a 5-Paragraph Essay
Test-Taking Tips #3
 Make a plan when you first get your test.
 Some people like to do the easy questions first, some like to get the
hard ones out of the way. You have to stay within the section, but you
can do the questions in the section in any order you wish.
 Come to the test prepared by studying this guide, and be
confident that you can pass!
 On Writing Conventions questions (grammar and usage), trust
your ear.
 Read the sentence choices aloud in your head to decide which one
sounds correct.
 Try not to second-guess yourself. Unless you’re sure you made a
mistake, don’t over think and change a lot of questions.
What is the purpose of writing?
To communicate an idea
To express emotions
To entertain
To explain
To persuade (convince)
To describe
To respond to literature
Any others??
CAHSEE Writing
27 Multiple-Choice writing questions total
1 Essay Questions
There are three strands:
Writing Strategies
Writing Conventions
Writing Applications
CAHSEE Writing
Writing Strategies
•12 test questions that ask you to find and correct errors
and choose better words and phrases. They are based on a
rough draft of an essay or article. .
•In this section, you do not have to write any essays, but
you have to answer multiple choice questions about
editing and revising essays.
•Questions may begin, “which sentence would best begin
this essay” or “which of the following sentences do not fit
well in the paragraph”
Writing Strategies Tips
 Read the questions CAREFULLY. The test will
often have the important word in ALL CAPITALS.
 Exp: “Which of the following word is the BEST substitution for
the word “employees” in sentence 1?”
 Study the rules of grammar provided here, and think
of what a teacher with a red pen may choose. The
test is looking for standard English grammar,
spelling, and sentence structure.
 Study the following information on combining
sentences carefully. There are typically a few
questions about combining sentences.
Combining Sentences
Sentences can be combined by
using three punctuation marks:
the hyphen (-), the colon (:), the semi-colon (;).
(You can also use coordinating conjunctions
(for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so—F.A.N.B.O.Y.S.!!!)
to combine clauses that are
grammatically parallel
(the same order of word types).
Combining Sentences
A colon (:)
is also used to add more information
and especially to list things after the colon.
What follows a colon may be a clause (She is a
great dancer: she practices ballet, salsa and hiphop.) or a group of words that cannot stand by
themselves (She practices many types of dance:
ballet, salsa and hip-hop.)
Combining Sentences
A semi-colon (;)
is used to connect clauses and is the
most important punctuation mark for combining
sentences.
It can be used alone to connect clauses
(She is beautiful; her eyes shine like diamonds.)
It can also be used to connect clauses together with
special linking words such as however, moreover,
therefore.
Combining Sentences
Sample Question: Choose the answer that is the
most effective substitute for each underlined
part of the sentence. If no substitution is
necessary, choose “Leave as is.”
I expect you to finish the work by three,
however, if it takes longer, call me.
(A) three however, if it takes longer, call me.
(B) three: however, if it takes longer, call me.
(C) three; however, if it takes longer, call me.
(D) Leave as is.
Combining Sentences
Solution: What punctuation mark joins the two
thoughts into one sentence?
A semicolon joins them, since they are both
independent clauses that stand on their own but
are related.
The semi-colon prevents run-ons if used correctly.
The correct answer is (C).
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
three however, if it takes longer, call me.
three: however, if it takes longer, call me.
three; however, if it takes longer, call me.
Leave as is.
Main Ideas and
Supporting Details
In the Writing Strategies questions, you may have to
identify main ideas and supporting details.
Topic-Subject of a piece of writing
Main Idea- The most important idea the writer
expresses about this topic
Supporting Details-The facts, examples,
statistics, or concepts that back up the main
idea.
Thesis Statement
 A topic sentence, usually at the end of the first
paragraph, that controls the entire essay. In other
words, the thesis statement is the point you are trying
to prove in your essay.
 Example thesis statement: “Most students dislike
writing essays because they would rather be doing
exciting science experiments, reading poetry, or
playing sports.”
Writing Conventions
15 test questions that test your
understanding of grammar
and your knowledge in the
mechanics of punctuation
(e.g. semicolons, colons, ellipses, hyphens).
You will also have to identify and use clauses and
understand sentence construction (parallel structure,
proper placement of modifiers, etc.).
Grammar Review
The test will not ask you directly about the “parts of speech”, but
they are important in order to understand
 Noun: person, place, or thing (dog, New York, OFL)
 Verb: action word (talk, study, run)
 Adjective: word that describes (happy, bright, fast)
 Adverb: a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, another
adverb; usually ends in ‘-ly’ (happily, very, slowly)
 Subject: the subject is the part of the sentence (usually a
noun) that performs the action. (she gave me the book;
the dog slept)
 Predicate: the part of the sentence that is not the subject
(she gave me the book; the dog slept)
Subject+ Predicate=complete sentence
Grammar Review: Clauses
 A clause is a group of words that has a verb and a subject. Some are
complete sentences, but others need to be linked to another clause to
make sense.
Independent (Main) Clause: a complete thought, and can
stand alone as a sentence or be linked to another clause.
Exp: People had to keep a fire going all the time.
Dependent (Subordinate) Clause: does not express a
complete idea, so it has to be linked to the independent clause.
Exp: Before matches made it easy to start a fire
Complete sentence using both types of clauses:
Before matches made it easy to start a fire, people had
to keep a fire going all the time.
Grammar Review: Punctuation
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Semicolon: used between independent clauses without
conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so—
F.A.N.B.O.Y.S.!!!)
Exp: Fire is our good friend; fire is our deadly enemy.

Colon: used between independent clauses when the second
clause explains the first or provides a list.
Exp: Fire is important: it heats our home and our food.

Ellipses: three spaced dots, show that something has been
omitted (left out)
Exp: The firefighter said, “It’s really dangerous…but we have the blaze under
control.”
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Hyphen: Used in some compound adjectives, numbers, and
prefixes.
Exp: The well-organized squad of twenty-four firefighters are pro-American.
**Reminder: Consistency of tenses**
This is a common CAHSEE subject
For questions about sentence construction,
they will commonly put something like the
example: “he rushed into the house and closes
the door in my face”
What is wrong with that sentence?
**Consistency of tenses (cont.)**
All verbs in a sentence must be in one tense. It
is incorrect to go back and forth between past,
present, and future.
The example could be changed to either:
“he rushed into the house and closed the door in my
face” (past) OR
“he rushes into the house and closes the door in my
face” (present)
Don’t forget: the tense needs to be consistent
(the same) throughout a sentence.
**Reminder: Noun/Verb Agreement**
Subjects and verbs must always “agree” in a
sentence.
For example, the following sentence has an
agreement issue:
Frank and Sabrina is the two students who have
books.
What is wrong with this sentence? What does not
“agree”?
**Noun/Verb Agreement (cont.)**
There are two students (Frank and Sabrina), so
the verb should be plural (are instead of is)
The correct sentence would be: “Frank and
Sabrina are the two students who have books.”
When you see this on the CAHSEE, often
there will be a trick to figuring out singular vs.
plural. For example, the following words are
singular even though they refer to a group:
class, group, team, etc.
CAHSEE Writing
Writing Application
On the writing portion of the
CAHSEE exam, you will be given a
“Writing Task” which is one essay question.
You may be asked to do one of the following:
Biographical Narrative
Response to Literature
Expository Essay
Persuasive Essay
Business Letter
Biographical Narrative
Tells the story from the life of a real
person.
Often, this type of CAHSEE essay
question will ask you to write about
someone who is important in your life.
Response to Literature
You read a (literature) text and are asked
to respond (write an essay) based on a
question regarding that passage.
This type of question asks that you first
comprehend the text, then write about it (use TtT
and chunking!).
Expository Essay
Expository essays (also called
compositions) are most often nonfiction,
meaning that it deals with real people,
things, events and places.
The question may ask you to write about an
important moment in history or technology,
or a question about school.
Persuasive Essay
A persuasive essay (or composition) asks you to
defend a position or argue for your side of an
issue about which people disagree.
A sample question may ask you to write an essay for your school
paper in which you convince the readers of the importance of
volunteer hours as a graduation requirement or a convincing essay
about whether or not there should be art and music in school.
The readers want you to think about the other side of the argument and
keep that in mind as you defend your ideas
Business Letter
A Business Letter is a formal
correspondence about a business related
matter.
When you’re writing a business letter,
your purpose may be
•to apply for a job
• to complain
•to request information
•Etc.
Business Letter (continued)
Besides the way it looks, treat the business
letter pretty much the same way you would
treat an essay. It should include:
Salutation
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Signature
CAHSEE Essay Writing
#1. Remember
Make sure to answer all parts
of the writing task.
If the question is asking you to describe
the main characters decisions and
emotions,
make sure to address both.
CAHSEE Essay Writing
# 2. Remember
Make sure you have the correct five-paragraph essay
structure with a strong introduction, three body
paragraphs, and conclusion.
Use specific details and examples from the passage to
demonstrate your understanding of the main idea’s
and the author’s purpose.
Vary your sentences to make your writing more
interesting.
CAHSEE Essay Writing
# 3. Remember
Real people (usually teachers) are hired by the
testing company to grade essays.
They read a lot of essays, give it a score (1
through 4) quickly, and two grader’s scores are
combined for your final score.
Make your essay easy to read both in terms of
the structure, and in terms of handwriting. If
the grader has to struggle to read your essay,
they can’t pay attention to your great ideas!
Your CAHSE Essay Should Include
Five strong paragraphs (at least four sentences)
A thesis statement at the end of the
introduction paragraph
Clear main ideas
Supporting evidence
Understandable writing
Clearly written (check your handwriting!)
Good (enough) spelling
Clear grammar
How should my essay look?
Introduction
Body paragraph 1
Body paragraph 2
Body paragraph 3
Conclusion
Kind of like a hamburger….
Introduction
Body Paragraph 1
Body Paragraph 2
Body Paragraph 3
Conclusion
Session 4: Writing Applications
(Writing Essays)




Test Taking Tips #4
Essay-Writing Tips
The 5-Paragraph Structure
Brainstorming, Drafting, and
Revising
Test-Taking Tips #4
 Sleep well the night before the test and eat breakfast
on the morning of the test. You need energy to keep
you going!
 On the essay portion, read the prompt carefully.
Think about what it asks you to do before starting to
brainstorm
 Use the planning page to brainstorm ideas before
writing.
 Revise and proofread your essay when you are done.
You can always erase and rewrite what is messy or
misspelled. The grader needs to be able to read what
you write.
Which test-taking tip will help you
most?
Look back at all four slides of test taking tips and
decide your three favorite tips.
Turn to the person sitting next to you and share
your responses. How will you use those tips
on the test?
Essay Writing…
it’s not as bad as you may think!
 This is your chance on the test to share your own
voice and ideas!
 Make sure you “talk to the text” on the question itself,
and underline exactly what the questions is asking.
 Brainstorm first! Getting your ideas on paper will
make you less nervous and help your essay become
more clear and specific.
 Break your thoughts into groups, called paragraphs!
If you write one long paragraph, you will get one low
score .
How do I start?
Step 1: Talk to the question and make sure
you know what it is asking you to do (put it in
your own words if that helps)
Exp: Write an essay discussing whether or
not you would recommend your school to
other teenagers.
On your paper, talk to this essay topic (TtT!)
Brainstorm
 Choose the best method for
brainstorming
 Pro/Con Chart
 Spider/bubble brainstorm
 Check page 266-275 for
other ideas
 Anything else that works for
you!
 Now brainstorm about the
topic: Write an essay
discussing whether or not
you would recommend
your school to other
teenagers.
For
Against
What belongs in the introduction
paragraph?
A hook to draw the reader in
Background information about the
topic
Thesis statement
What is a hook?
 A hook is the attention-grabbing first sentence of
your essay.
 We call it a hook because you are trying to “hook”
the reader in.
 Hooks can include:
A question
An interesting statement, fact, or quote
A thought-provoking idea
Whatever you choose, it should be on-topic and appropriate for your
audience!
Give us an example…
For an essay on whether or not to recommend
OFL, a hook could include:
“Why do so many people leave high school before
they graduate?”
“Many students interviewed at OFL say they prefer
OFL to their previous school.”
“Independent study is not right for everyone, but
many students do better working on their own.”
What is background information?
 Background information is anything your reader
needs in order to understand what you are talking
about in your thesis and essay.
 Assume the reader of your essay is a smart person
who doesn’t know much about your topic.
 Exp: “Opportunities for Learning is an independent
study school that many students choose if the
traditional school is not working for them.”
What is a Thesis Statement?
 Book defines as “Clearly expressed main idea about a
topic”
 Put another way, the point you are trying to prove in
your essay.
 The most clear thesis statements include your three
main arguments
 Exp: “Opportunities for Learning is a good
alternative for students because the teachers are
caring, the centers are safe and clean, and students
can earn credits at a faster pace than at other high
schools.
Where do I put my Thesis Statement?
The thesis statement is almost always at the
very end of the first (introduction) paragraph.
Thesis Statement
The information
in your
introduction goes
from general
(hook) to specific
(thesis)
Putting the introduction together…
Independent study is not right for everyone,
but many students do better working on their
own. Opportunities for Learning is an
independent study school that many students
choose if the traditional school is not working
for them. Opportunities for Learning is a good
alternative for students because the teachers
are caring, the centers are safe and clean, and
students can earn credits at a faster pace than
at other high schools.
What goes in the body paragraphs?
In the most organized essays, the body
paragraphs match the order of the thesis,
explaining each with more information:
Exp: Opportunities for Learning is a good
alternative for students because 1 the teachers
are caring, 2 the centers are safe and clean, and
3 students can earn credits at a faster pace than
at other high schools.
The Body Paragraphs
Introduction
Body paragraph 1
Body paragraph 2
Body paragraph 3
Conclusion
Thesis: Opportunities for Learning is a
good alternative for students because the
teachers are caring, the centers are safe
and clean, and students can earn credits at
a faster pace than at other high schools.
The teachers are caring
The centers are safe and clean
Students can earn credits at a faster pace
The Body Paragraphs
 Within the body paragraphs is where all your ideas
and examples are used. You can brainstorm these
first, and then bring them together within each body
paragraph.
Example:
Body ¶ 2: The centers are
safe and clean
Students feel safe
because there are never
fights at the center
Desks are clean and
no one tags on them.
The bathroom is
always clean and
orderly
Conclusion
Wraps up your essay, restating your main ideas
in new words
Adds up the evidence from your essay to make
your final point.
Think back to the hamburger: The final bite
(last sentence) of your essay should be
delicious! It should leave your reader with a
good understanding of your main point.
Shape of the Conclusion
The information
in your conclusion
goes from
specific
(restatement of
your thesis in new
words) to more
general (bigger
ideas about the
topic)
Now fill in the information on the
planning chart for the OFL essay…
Introduction
Body paragraph 1
Body paragraph 2
Body paragraph 3
Conclusion
Choose a CAHSEE released
essay question to answer.
Source: Opportunities for Learning