GRADE 4 ENGLISH WRITiNG BOOKS

WRITING
Grade 4
Revised
Texas Assessment
of Knowledge and Skills
Information Booklet
Texas Education Agency • Student Assessment Division
August 2004
Copyright © 2004, Texas Education Agency. All rights reserved. Reproduction of all or portions of this work is prohibited without express
written permission from Texas Education Agency.
INTRODUCTION
The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) is a completely reconceived testing program.
It assesses more of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) than the Texas Assessment of
Academic Skills (TAAS) did and asks questions in more authentic ways. TAKS has been developed
to better reflect good instructional practice and more accurately measure student learning. We hope
that every teacher will see the connection between what we test on this new state assessment and
what our students should know and be able to do to be academically successful. To provide you with
a better understanding of TAKS and its connection to the TEKS and to classroom teaching, the Texas
Education Agency (TEA) has developed this newly revised edition of the TAKS information booklet.
The information booklets were originally published in January 2002, before the first TAKS field test.
Now, after several years of field tests and live administrations, we are able to provide an even more
comprehensive picture of the testing program. We have clarified some of the existing material and, in
some cases, provided new sample items and/or more explanations of certain item types. However, it is
important to remember that these clarifications do not signify any change in the TAKS testing
program. The objectives and TEKS student expectations assessed on TAKS remain unchanged. We
hope this revised version of the TAKS information booklet will serve as a user-friendly resource to
help you understand that the best preparation for TAKS is a coherent, TEKS-based instructional
program that provides the level of support necessary for all students to reach their academic potential.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The development of the TAKS program included extensive public scrutiny and input from Texas
teachers, administrators, parents, members of the business community, professional education
organizations, faculty and staff at Texas colleges and universities, and national content-area experts.
The agency involved as many stakeholders as possible because we believed that the development of
TAKS was a responsibility that had to be shared if this new assessment was to be an equitable and
accurate measure of learning for all Texas public school students.
The three-year test-development process, which began in summer 1999, included a series of carefully
conceived activities. First, committees of Texas educators identified those TEKS student expectations
for each grade and subject area assessed that should be tested on a statewide assessment. Then a
committee of TEA Student Assessment and Curriculum staff incorporated these selected TEKS
student expectations, along with draft objectives for each subject area, into eleventh grade exit level
surveys. These surveys were sent to Texas educators at the middle school and secondary levels for
their review. Based on input we received from more than 27,000 survey responses, we developed a
second draft of the objectives and TEKS student expectations. In addition, we used this input during
the development of draft objectives and student expectations for grades 3 through 10 to ensure that
the TAKS program, like the TEKS curriculum, would be vertically aligned. This vertical alignment
was a critical step in ensuring that the TAKS tests would become more rigorous as students moved
from grade to grade. For example, the fifth grade tests would be more rigorous than the fourth grade
tests, which would be more rigorous than the third grade tests. Texas educators felt that this increase
in rigor from grade to grade was both appropriate and logical since each subject-area test was closely
aligned to the TEKS curriculum at that grade level.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 1
In fall 2000 TEA distributed the second draft of the objectives and TEKS student expectations for
eleventh grade exit level and the first draft of the objectives and student expectations for grades 3
through 10 for review at the campus level. These documents were also posted on the Student
Assessment Division’s website to encourage input from the public. Each draft document focused on
two central issues: first, whether the objectives included in the draft were essential to measure on a
statewide assessment; and, second, whether students would have received enough instruction on the
TEKS student expectations included under each objective to be adequately prepared to demonstrate
mastery of that objective in the spring of the school year. We received more than 57,000 campusconsensus
survey responses. We used these responses, along with feedback from national experts, to
finalize the TAKS objectives and student expectations. Because the state assessment was necessarily
limited to a “snapshot” of student performance, broad-based input was important to ensure that TAKS
assessed the parts of the TEKS curriculum most critical to students’ academic learning and progress.
In the thorough test-development process that we use for the TAKS program, we rely on educator
input to develop items that are appropriate and valid measures of the objectives and TEKS student
expectations the items are designed to assess. This input includes an annual educator review and
revision of all proposed test items before field-testing and a second annual educator review of data
and items after field-testing. In addition, each year panels of recognized experts in the fields of
English language arts (ELA), mathematics, science, and social studies meet in Austin to critically
review the content of each of the high school level TAKS assessments to be administered that year.
This critical review is referred to as a content validation review and is one of the final activities in a
series of quality-control steps designed to ensure that each high school test is of the highest quality
possible. A content validation review is considered necessary at the high school grades (9, 10, and 11)
because of the advanced level of content being assessed.
ORGANIZATION OF THE TAKS TESTS
TAKS is divided into test objectives. It is important to remember that the objective statements are not
found in the TEKS curriculum. Rather, the objectives are “umbrella statements” that serve as
headings under which student expectations from the TEKS can be meaningfully grouped. Objectives
are broad statements that “break up” knowledge and skills to be tested into meaningful subsets around
which a test can be organized into reporting units. These reporting units help campuses, districts,
parents, and the general public understand the performance of our students and schools. Test
objectives are not intended to be “translations” or “rewordings” of the TEKS. Instead, the objectives
are designed to be identical across grade levels rather than grade specific. Generally, the objectives
are the same for third grade through eighth grade (an elementary/middle school system) and for ninth
grade through eleventh grade (a high school system). In addition, certain TEKS student expectations
may logically be grouped under more than one test objective; however, it is important for you to
understand that this is not meaningless repetition—sometimes the organization of the objectives
requires such groupings. For example, on the TAKS writing tests for fourth and seventh grades, some
of the same student expectations addressing the conventions of standard English usage are listed
under both Objective 2 and Objective 6. In this case, the expectations listed under Objective 2 are
assessed through the overall strength of a student’s use of language conventions on the written
composition portion of the test; these same expectations under Objective 6 are assessed through
multiple-choice items attached to a series of revising and editing passages.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 2
ORGANIZATION OF THE INFORMATION BOOKLETS
The purpose of the information booklets is to help Texas educators, students, parents, and other
stakeholders understand more about the TAKS tests. These booklets are not intended to replace the
teaching of the TEKS curriculum, provide the basis for the isolated teaching of skills in the form of
narrow test preparation, or serve as the single information source about every aspect of the TAKS
program. However, we believe that the booklets provide helpful explanations as well as show enough
sample items, reading and writing selections, and prompts to give educators a good sense of the
assessment.
Each grade within a subject area is presented as a separate booklet. However, it is still important that
teachers review the information booklets for the grades both above and below the grade they teach.
For example, eighth grade mathematics teachers who review the seventh grade information booklet as
well as the ninth grade information booklet are able to develop a broader perspective of the
mathematics assessment than if they study only the eighth grade information booklet.
The information booklets for each subject area contain some information unique to that subject. For
example, the mathematics chart that students use on TAKS is included for each grade at which
mathematics is assessed. However, all booklets include the following information, which we consider
critical for every subject-area TAKS test:
an overview of the subject within the context of TAKS
a blueprint of the test—the number of items under each objective and the number of items on the
test as a whole
information that clarifies how to read the TEKS
the reasons each objective and its TEKS student expectations are critical to student learning and
success
the objectives and TEKS student expectations that are included on TAKS
additional information about each objective that helps educators understand how it is assessed on
TAKS
sample items that show some of the ways objectives are assessed
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 3
Introduction to TAKS Writing at Grade 4
Writing is a life skill. As students move from grade to grade, writing skills are critical for academic
progress. Students who have difficulty putting their thoughts into writing struggle to succeed in social
studies, science, and many areas other than English language arts. Because good writing requires
good thinking, the act of writing actually helps students learn to clarify their thoughts and focus their
ideas. In addition, students who write well are usually strong readers. Why? In very simple terms, a
writer must be able to read what he or she has written and recognize whether the words mean what
the writer wants them to mean. Therefore, every time a student is writing effectively, that student is
also reading carefully and thoughtfully. In this way, writing and reading reinforce each other. Students
who have strong writing and reading skills will have more opportunities available to them throughout
their lives, in both education and employment, than those who have not learned these skills.
The objectives for the fourth grade writing test are listed below.
Objective 1: The student will, within a given context, produce an effective composition for a
specific purpose.
Objective 2: The student will produce a piece of writing that demonstrates a command of the
conventions of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence
structure.
Objective 3: The student will recognize appropriate organization of ideas in written text.
Objective 4: The student will recognize correct and effective sentence construction in written text.
Objective 5: The student will recognize standard usage and appropriate word choice in written text.
Objective 6: The student will proofread for correct punctuation, capitalization, and spelling in
written text.
Objectives 1 and 2 are assessed through a composition the student writes in response to a prompt.
Objectives 3 through 6 test revising and editing skills in a peer-editing context. In this booklet each of
the six TAKS objectives appears with its related TEKS student expectations that are eligible for
testing. It is critical to remember, however, that there are a number of TEKS student expectations that
are not listed here. Even though only a portion of the TEKS writing curriculum has been identified as
eligible for statewide testing, all the curriculum must be taught to ensure that students are receiving a
solid, complete program of writing instruction.
For students to be successful writers, writing instruction must occur at every grade level, not merely
at the tested grades. The TEKS were organized to ensure that at each grade level students acquire the
writing skills they will need for success in the next grade. That is, writing skills in the curriculum are
addressed in a systematic, “building block” manner from grade to grade. Because of this careful
alignment of skills, basic writing concepts are strengthened as students progress through elementary
school, middle school, and high school. Making writing an important part of other content areas, such
as science and social studies, will strengthen this alignment. In addition, students learn to write
effectively by having many opportunities to practice writing. Without practice, students cannot
internalize the skills they need in order to be able to write competently and confidently. Students
practice by keeping journals, writing in response to reading or in response to a movie or other
viewing experience, writing the procedures for science experiments, etc. Valuable writing practice
does not have to be, and should not always be, prompt-driven.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 4
General Guidelines for TAKS Writing at Grade 4
Written Composition
The open-ended nature of the prompt allows students to address the prompt as they choose as
long as their composition is in standard English prose. (Note: Poetry is not an acceptable form of
response.) Students’ ability to use their own experience and perspective helps them effectively
express their ideas about the topic.
Each composition is evaluated on a 4-point scale using focused holistic scoring. Readers use a
rubric, or set of specific criteria at each score point, to identify characteristics of the composition.
At the same time, readers evaluate the student’s writing as a whole, taking into account the
limitations imposed by the testing situation.
The composition section of the TAKS writing test assesses Objectives 1 and 2. Objective 1
focuses on the quality of the composition’s content, while Objective 2 focuses on how clearly
and effectively the student communicates his or her ideas. These objectives are inextricably
linked because good writing must be both substantial and mechanically sound.
The expectations for what constitutes a successful piece of writing will be appropriate for the
particular grade level. For example, fourth graders do not generally have the same ability as
seventh graders to connect and develop their ideas. In addition, young writers are not expected to
have the same level of spelling ability or range of vocabulary as more experienced writers. Some
misspellings, especially in the use of more advanced vocabulary, are anticipated in the
composition, especially at the elementary level.
The written composition rubric appears on pages 16–19.
Revising and Editing (Multiple-Choice Section)
Students read passages designed to resemble student writing. Multiple-choice questions about
these passages require students to indicate how a particular sentence might be corrected or
improved or how the organization or development of a paragraph might be strengthened. This
task parallels what students frequently do in class when they read one another’s writing to check
for problems with organization, sentence boundaries, verb tense, word choice, punctuation and
spelling errors, etc. Such peer-editing activities are a central part of an effective process-based
classroom.
Passages at fourth grade are approximately 175 to 225 words in length and may be accompanied
by photographs or illustrations to provide students with additional context. Sentences within each
passage are numbered.
Passages are written to be appropriate for fourth graders with regard to subject matter,
vocabulary, and interest level. In recognition of the wide range of students’ backgrounds,
perspectives, and experiences, the passages represent cultural diversity as much as possible.
Rather than each of the four revising and editing objectives being tested with a separate set of
passages, items for a single passage will address all four objectives.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 5
As students learn the writing process, they become familiar with common terminology. Some of
this terminology is routinely used in the wording of TAKS items. Students should be able to read
and understand such terms as revise (or revising or revision), edit, peer-editing, organization,
improve, combine, complete sentence, delete, add, and insert.
Dictionary/Thesaurus Use
The use of a dictionary or thesaurus is not permitted on the fourth grade writing test. Because fourth
graders are just beginning to develop skills related to using these reference materials independently,
many teachers have advised that the use of a dictionary or thesaurus on TAKS may be more of a
distraction or hindrance to students than a help.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 6
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 7
TAKS Objectives
Objective 1 (Composition)
Objective 2 (Composition)
Objective 3: Organization
(Revising and Editing)
Objective 4: Sentence Structure
(Revising and Editing)
Objective 5: Standard Usage/Word Choice
(Revising and Editing)
Objective 6: Punctuation, Capitalization,
Spelling (Revising and Editing)
Total number of items
1 writing prompt
4 multiple-choice items
8 multiple-choice items
8 multiple-choice items
8 multiple-choice items
1 writing prompt
28 multiple-choice items
Number of Items
Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)
Blueprint for Grade 4 Writing
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 8
A Key to Understanding the TEKS Included on TAKS Grade 4 Writing
Example from Objective 1
(4.15) Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes and in a variety of
forms. The student is expected to
(D) write to entertain such as to compose [humorous poems or] short stories (4–8).
A. Knowledge and Skills Statement
This broad statement describes what students should know and be able to do for fourth grade
writing. The number preceding the statement identifies the grade and number of the knowledge
and skills statement.
B. Student Expectation
This specific statement describes what students should be able to do to demonstrate proficiency
in what is described in the knowledge and skills statement. Students are tested on skills outlined
in the student expectation statement.
C. [bracketed text]
Although the entire student expectation has been provided for reference, text in brackets indicates
that this portion of the student expectation is not tested on TAKS.
D. (4–8)
The student expectation is taught from fourth grade through eighth grade.
KEY
A
C D
B
NOTE: The full TEKS curriculum can be found at www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/.
TEKS STUDENT EXPECTATIONS—IMPORTANT VOCABULARY
For every subject area and grade level, two terms—such as and including—are used to help make the
TEKS student expectations more concrete for teachers. However, these terms function in different
ways. To help you understand the effect each of the terms has on specific student expectations, we are
providing the following:
a short definition of each term
an example from a specific student expectation for this subject area
a short explanation of how this term affects this student expectation
Such as
The term such as is used when the specific examples that follow it function only as representative
illustrations that help define the expectation for teachers. These examples are just that—examples.
Teachers may choose to use them when teaching the student expectation, but there is no requirement
to use them. Other examples can be used in addition to those listed or as replacements for those listed.
Example from Grade 4 Writing, Objective 2
(4.18) Writing/grammar/usage. The student applies standard grammar and usage to
communicate clearly and effectively in writing. The student is expected to
(H) write with increasing accuracy when using objective case pronouns such as
“Dan cooked for you and me” (4–5).
The sentence following such as illustrates two pronouns in the objective case. This particular
sentence, however, does not need to be used with students; it is merely provided as an example.
Including
The term including is used when the specific examples that follow it must be taught. However, other
examples may also be used in conjunction with those listed.
Example from Grade 4 Writing, Objective 2
(4.18) Writing/grammar/usage. The student applies standard grammar and usage to
communicate clearly and effectively in writing. The student is expected to
(C) employ standard English usage in writing for audiences, including subject-verb
agreement, pronoun referents, and parts of speech (4–8).
The terms following including are examples of critical areas of grammar that a student needs to
master in order to write effectively in standard English. These areas of grammar must be taught;
however, teachers should not limit their teaching to only these examples.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 9
Remember
Any example preceded by the term such as in a particular student expectation may or may not
provide the basis for an item assessing that expectation. Because these examples do not
necessarily have to be used to teach the student expectation, it is equally likely that other
examples will be used in assessment items. The rule here is that an example will be used only if
it is central to the knowledge, concept, or skill the item assesses.
It is more likely that some of the examples preceded by the term including in a particular student
expectation will provide the basis for items assessing that expectation, since these examples must
be taught. However, it is important to remember that the examples that follow the term including
do not represent all the examples possible, so other examples may also provide the basis for an
assessment item. Again, the rule here is that an example will be used only if it is central to the
knowledge, concept, or skill the item assesses.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 10
TAKS Grade 4 Writing
Objective 1
The ability to communicate thoughts and ideas through writing helps students become successful, not
only in school but throughout their lives. In order to communicate effectively, students must organize
and develop ideas in a logical, coherent, and interesting manner that is easy for the reader to follow
and understand. Objective 1 tests each student’s ability to produce an organized and well-developed
composition in response to a prompt. The prompt is worded so that students have broad latitude in
crafting an individual response. Students can use any organizational strategy that allows them to
write an effective piece—they can write a story, a description, a philosophical piece, an expository
piece—or they can combine approaches. However students choose to respond, it is important that the
composition they write is uniquely theirs—that it is authentic and represents their best thinking and
writing.
Objective 1
The student will, within a given context, produce an effective composition for a specific purpose.
(4.15) Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes and in a variety
of forms. The student is expected to
(A) write to express, [discover, record,] develop, reflect on ideas, and to problem solve
(4–8);
(C) write to inform such as to explain, describe, [report,] and narrate (4–8);
(D) write to entertain such as to compose [humorous poems or] short stories (4–8); and
(E) exhibit an identifiable voice in personal narratives and in stories (4–5).
(4.16) Writing/penmanship/capitalization/punctuation. The student composes original texts,
applying the conventions of written language such as capitalization, punctuation, and
penmanship to communicate clearly. The student is expected to
(A) write legibly by selecting cursive or manuscript as appropriate (4–8).
(4.19) Writing/writing processes. The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated
and assigned writing. The student is expected to
(C) revise selected drafts by adding, elaborating, deleting, combining, and rearranging text
(4–8); and
(D) revise drafts for coherence, progression, and logical support of ideas (4–8).
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 11
Objective 1—For Your Information
Objective 1 focuses on the aspects of writing that contribute to the quality of a composition’s content.
These aspects represent the first four sections of the rubric: focus and coherence, organization,
development of ideas, and voice. It is not enough for students to know what these terms mean.
Students must be able to “see” how these terms affect a piece of writing. For example, how does a
composition that lacks focus and coherence look different from one that is strong in that area? How
does superficial development look different from development that has depth? Once students start to
see these kinds of differences and are given multiple opportunities to write, over time their writing
will become more unique and compelling. Students will gain confidence in their ability to
communicate effectively.
On TAKS students must
respond directly to the prompt. Although students are given wide latitude in this regard, the link
between the composition and the prompt must be evident.
remain focused on the topic throughout the composition. The first step in establishing a strong
focus is for students to decide what they want their controlling, or main, idea to be. (At higher
grade levels, this idea is called a thesis statement.) Everything students write in their composition
should contribute to a reader’s understanding of that idea. Any sentences that do not do this
weaken the focus and coherence of the composition.
organize their ideas so that each sentence is logically linked to the next sentence. The sentences
should form a kind of “chain.” Each sentence moves the composition forward and deepens the
reader’s understanding of the ideas; no sentences are extraneous or overlap. In addition, each
paragraph should logically lead to the next; the relationships between paragraphs should be clear.
Each paragraph should “build” on the one before it.
develop their ideas in depth. To understand how to create writing that has depth, students must
first understand the relationship between thinking and writing, for without good thinking, good
writing is impossible. Depth depends less on how much students say than on the quality of what
they say. Good development is based on the ability to “layer” and “flesh out” ideas so that each
sentence a student writes adds meaning to the sentences that come before it. Good development
is also original; that’s why students who simply write a plot summary of something they’ve read
in a book or seen on television or in a movie or who simply write the lyrics of a song they’ve
heard receive a failing score. The writing in these cases is not really theirs. Original development
is also a problem for most students who follow formulas; because the development is contrived,
students are usually unable to achieve any depth.
express an individual voice. Expressing an individual voice means that the composition engages
the reader. The student’s writing sounds authentic and original and genuinely expresses the
student’s personality or personal viewpoint. When a student responds in a highly individualistic
way, his or her voice is naturally expressed. Because the composition has a “face,” a meaningful
connection is established between the reader and the writer. On the other hand, formulaic writing
tends to be “faceless” and, more often than not, prevents a student from having the opportunity to
express his or her own unique voice.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 12
Objective 2
To write well, students must be able to apply the conventions of the English language. This means that
students must have the following skills. First, when students write a composition, they must have the
ability to follow the rules of correct capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, usage, and
sentence structure. Second, they must have the ability to write effective sentences and use words and
phrases that enhance the reader’s understanding of their ideas. Although students are not expected to
produce error-free writing on the test, they are expected to write as clearly and correctly as possible.
The stronger the writing conventions are, the more likely it is that students will be able to produce an
effective composition.
Objective 2
The student will produce a piece of writing that demonstrates a command of the conventions of
spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence structure.
(4.16) Writing/penmanship/capitalization/punctuation. The student composes original texts,
applying the conventions of written language such as capitalization, punctuation, and
penmanship to communicate clearly. The student is expected to
(B) capitalize and punctuate correctly to clarify and enhance meaning such as capitalizing
titles, using possessives, commas in a series, commas in direct address, and sentence
punctuation (4–5).
(4.17) Writing/spelling. The student spells proficiently. The student is expected to
(A) write with accurate spelling of syllable constructions, including closed, open, consonant
before -le, and syllable boundary patterns (3–6);
(B) write with accurate spelling of roots such as drink, speak, read, or happy; inflections
such as those that change tense or number; suffixes such as -able or -less; and prefixes
such as re- or un- (4–6); and
(D) spell accurately in final drafts (4–8).
(4.18) Writing/grammar/usage. The student applies standard grammar and usage to communicate
clearly and effectively in writing. The student is expected to
(A) use regular and irregular plurals correctly (4–6);
(B) write in complete sentences, varying the types such as compound and complex to match
meanings and purposes (4–5);
(C) employ standard English usage in writing for audiences, including subject-verb
agreement, pronoun referents, and parts of speech (4–8);
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 13
(D) use adjectives (comparative and superlative forms) and adverbs appropriately to make
writing vivid or precise (4–8);
(E) use prepositional phrases to elaborate written ideas (4–8);
(F) use conjunctions to connect ideas meaningfully (4–5);
(G) write with increasing accuracy when using apostrophes in contractions such as it’s and
possessives such as Jan’s (4–8); and
(H) write with increasing accuracy when using objective case pronouns such as “Dan
cooked for you and me.” (4–5).
(4.19) Writing/writing processes. The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated
and assigned writing. The student is expected to
(E) edit drafts for specific purposes such as to ensure standard usage, varied sentence
structure, and appropriate word choice (4–8); and
(H) proofread his/her own writing and that of others (4–8).
Objective 2—For Your Information
Objective 2 assesses a student’s ability to communicate effectively by demonstrating a command of
the conventions of written English.
The evaluation of conventions is based on a holistic judgment of the student’s mastery of
conventions overall, not on the total number of errors or on the number of any certain type of
error. This holistic judgment takes into account the degree of sophistication the student attempts
when constructing sentences and using words.
Some errors related to conventions are more serious than others because they have a greater
effect on a student’s ability to communicate clearly. For example, using pronouns without clear
antecedents (to whom or to what the pronoun refers) is generally more disruptive to the reader’s
understanding of the writing than capitalizing words incorrectly.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 14
Grade 4 Sample Prompt
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 15
The information in the box below will help you remember what you should think
about when you write your composition.
REMEMBER—YOU SHOULD
❑ write about a time when you made a new friend
❑ make sure that each sentence you write helps the
reader understand your composition
❑ write about your ideas in detail so that the reader
really understands what you are saying
❑ try to use correct spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, grammar, and sentences
Write a composition about a time when you made
a new friend.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 16
SCORE POINT 1
EACH COMPOSITION AT THIS SCORE POINT IS AN INEFFECTIVE PRESENTATION OF THE WRITER’S IDEAS.
Focus and Coherence
Individual paragraphs and/or the composition as a whole are not focused. The writer may shift
abruptly from idea to idea, making it difficult for the reader to understand how the ideas
included in the composition are related.
The composition as a whole has little, or no, sense of completeness. The introduction and
conclusion, if present, may be perfunctory.
A substantial amount of writing may be extraneous because it does not contribute to the
development or quality of the composition. In some cases, the composition overall may be only
weakly connected to the prompt.
Organization
The writer’s progression of thought from sentence to sentence and/or paragraph to paragraph is
not logical. Sometimes weak progression results from an absence of transitions or from the use
of transitions that do not make sense. At other times, the progression of thought is simply not
evident, even if appropriate transitions are included.
An organizational strategy is not evident. The writer may present ideas in a random or
haphazard way, making the composition difficult to follow.
Wordiness and/or repetition may stall the progression of ideas.
Development of Ideas
The writer presents one or more ideas but provides little or no development of those ideas.
The writer presents one or more ideas and attempts to develop them. However, this development
is so general or vague that it prevents the reader from understanding the writer’s ideas.
The writer presents only a plot summary of a published piece of writing, a movie, or a
television show.
The writer omits information, which creates significant gaps between ideas. These gaps prevent
the reader from clearly understanding those ideas.
Voice
The writer does not engage the reader, therefore failing to establish a connection.
There may be little or no sense of the writer’s individual voice. The composition does not sound
authentic or original. The writer is unable to express his/her individuality or unique perspective.
Conventions
There is little or no evidence in the composition that the writer can correctly apply the
conventions of the English language. Severe and/or frequent errors in spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence structure may cause the writing to be unclear or
difficult to read. These errors weaken the composition by causing an overall lack of fluency.
The writer may misuse or omit words and phrases and may frequently write awkward
sentences. These weaknesses interfere with the effective communication of ideas.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 17
SCORE POINT 2
EACH COMPOSITION AT THIS SCORE POINT IS A SOMEWHAT EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION OF THE WRITER’S
IDEAS.
Focus and Coherence
Individual paragraphs and/or the composition as a whole are somewhat focused. The writer may
shift quickly from idea to idea, but the reader has no difficulty understanding how the ideas
included in the composition are related.
The composition as a whole has some sense of completeness. The writer includes an
introduction and conclusion, but they may be superficial.
Some of the writing may be extraneous because it does not contribute to the development or
quality of the composition as a whole.
Organization
The writer’s progression of thought from sentence to sentence and/or paragraph to paragraph
may not always be smooth or completely logical. Sometimes the writer needs to strengthen the
progression by including more meaningful transitions; at other times the writer simply needs to
establish a clearer link between ideas.
The organizational strategy or strategies the writer chooses do not enable the writer to present
ideas effectively.
Some wordiness and/or repetition may be evident, but these weaknesses do not completely stall
the progression of ideas.
Development of Ideas
The writer attempts to develop the composition by listing ideas or briefly explaining them. In
both of these cases, the development remains superficial, limiting the reader’s understanding
and appreciation of the writer’s ideas.
The writer presents one or more ideas and attempts to develop them. However, there is little
evidence of depth of thinking because this development may be somewhat general, inconsistent,
or contrived.
The writer may omit small pieces of information that create minor gaps between ideas.
However, these gaps do not prevent the reader from understanding those ideas.
Voice
There may be moments when the writer engages the reader but fails to sustain the connection.
Individual paragraphs or sections of the composition may sound authentic or original, but the
writer has difficulty expressing his/her individuality or unique perspective.
Conventions
Errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence structure
throughout the composition may indicate a limited control of conventions. Although these
errors do not cause the writing to be unclear, they weaken the overall fluency of the
composition.
The writer may include some simple or inaccurate words and phrases and may write some
awkward sentences. These weaknesses limit the overall effectiveness of the communication
of ideas.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 18
SCORE POINT 3
EACH COMPOSITION AT THIS SCORE POINT IS A GENERALLY EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION OF THE WRITER’S
IDEAS.
Focus and Coherence
Individual paragraphs and the composition as a whole are, for the most part, focused. The writer
generally shows the clear relationship between ideas, making few sudden shifts from one idea
to the next.
The composition as a whole has a sense of completeness. The introduction and conclusion add
some depth to the composition.
Most of the writing contributes to the development or quality of the composition as a whole.
Organization
The writer’s progression of thought from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph is
generally smooth and controlled. For the most part, transitions are meaningful, and the links
between ideas are logical.
The organizational strategy or strategies the writer chooses are generally effective.
Wordiness and/or repetition, if present, are minor problems that do not stall the progression of
ideas.
Development of Ideas
The writer attempts to develop all the ideas included in the composition. Although some ideas
may be developed more thoroughly and specifically than others, the development overall
reflects some depth of thought, enabling the reader to generally understand and appreciate the
writer’s ideas.
The writer’s presentation of some ideas may be thoughtful. There may be little evidence that the
writer has been willing to take compositional risks when developing the topic.
Voice
The writer engages the reader and sustains that connection throughout most of the composition.
For the most part, the composition sounds authentic and original. The writer is generally able to
express his/her individuality or unique perspective.
Conventions
The writer generally demonstrates a good command of spelling, capitalization, punctuation,
grammar, usage, and sentence structure. Although the writer may make minor errors, they
create few disruptions in the fluency of the composition.
The words, phrases, and sentence structures the writer uses are generally appropriate and
contribute to the overall effectiveness of the communication of ideas.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 19
SCORE POINT 4
EACH COMPOSITION AT THIS SCORE POINT IS A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION OF THE WRITER’S
IDEAS.
Focus and Coherence
Individual paragraphs and the composition as a whole are focused. This sustained focus enables
the reader to understand and appreciate how the ideas included in the composition are related.
The composition as a whole has a sense of completeness. The introduction and conclusion are
meaningful because they add depth to the composition.
Most, if not all, of the writing contributes to the development or quality of the composition as a
whole.
Organization
The writer’s progression of thought from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph is
smooth and controlled. The writer’s use of meaningful transitions and the logical movement
from idea to idea strengthen this progression.
The organizational strategy or strategies the writer chooses enhance the writer’s ability to
present ideas clearly and effectively.
Development of Ideas
The writer’s thorough and specific development of each idea creates depth of thought in the
composition, enabling the reader to truly understand and appreciate the writer’s ideas.
The writer’s presentation of ideas is thoughtful or insightful. The writer may approach the topic
from an unusual perspective, use his/her unique experiences or view of the world as a basis for
writing, or make interesting connections between ideas. In all these cases, the writer’s
willingness to take compositional risks enhances the quality of the content.
Voice
The writer engages the reader and sustains this connection throughout the composition.
The composition sounds authentic and original. The writer is able to express his/her
individuality or unique perspective.
Conventions
The overall strength of the conventions contributes to the effectiveness of the composition. The
writer demonstrates a consistent command of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar,
usage, and sentence structure. When the writer attempts to communicate complex ideas through
sophisticated forms of expression, he/she may make minor errors as a result of these
compositional risks. These types of errors do not detract from the overall fluency of the
composition.
The words, phrases, and sentence structures the writer uses enhance the overall effectiveness of
the communication of ideas.
Objective 3
Revision is an integral part of the writing process. After the first draft the competent writer often
adds, deletes, combines, and/or rearranges words and sentences to better organize and more fully
develop his or her thoughts and ideas. Objective 3 tests the student’s ability to recognize and correct
errors in organization and development in the context of peer-editing passages.
Objective 3
The student will recognize appropriate organization of ideas in written text.
(4.19) Writing/writing processes. The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated
and assigned writing. The student is expected to
(C) revise selected drafts by adding, elaborating, deleting, combining, and rearranging text
(4–8); and
(D) revise drafts for coherence, progression, and logical support of ideas (4–8).
Objective 3—For Your Information
Items that assess the student expectations grouped under Objective 3 require students to
recognize that a sentence that is irrelevant to a paragraph or to the passage as a whole should be
deleted. An irrelevant sentence may add information, but that information is not closely linked to
other ideas in the paragraph or passage. Irrelevant sentences cause a piece of writing to lack
focus and coherence.
identify a sentence that could be added to a paragraph to improve its development
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 20
Objective 4
Editing and proofreading are also an important part of the writing process. During this stage the
skillful writer uses correct sentence structure to ensure that his or her meaning is evident. Faulty
phrasing, misuse of conjunctions, fragments, and run-on sentences can cause the reader to be
confused and misunderstand the intended message. Objective 4 tests the student’s ability both to
recognize and correct errors in sentence structure and to improve the effectiveness of sentences in the
context of peer-editing passages.
Objective 4
The student will recognize correct and effective sentence construction in written text.
(4.18) Writing/grammar/usage. The student applies standard grammar and usage to communicate
clearly and effectively in writing. The student is expected to
(B) write in complete sentences, varying the types such as compound and complex to match
meanings and purposes (4–5);
(E) use prepositional phrases to elaborate written ideas (4–8); and
(F) use conjunctions to connect ideas meaningfully (4–5).
(4.19) Writing/writing processes. The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated
and assigned writing. The student is expected to
(E) edit drafts for specific purposes such as to ensure standard usage, varied sentence
structure, and appropriate word choice (4–8).
Objective 4—For Your Information
Items that assess the student expectations grouped under Objective 4 will require students to
recognize fragments and run-on sentences and determine the best way to correct them
choose the most effective way to combine ideas
improve the wording of awkward and/or wordy sentences
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 21
Objective 5
To communicate clearly, the writer must also know how to apply the rules of standard grammar and
usage. Incorrect use of tense, lack of agreement between subjects and verbs, and unclear pronoun
referents can cause the reader to misunderstand the writer’s meaning. Objective 5 tests the student’s
ability to recognize and correct errors in grammar and usage in the context of peer-editing passages.
Objective 5
The student will recognize standard usage and appropriate word choice in written text.
(4.18) Writing/grammar/usage. The student applies standard grammar and usage to communicate
clearly and effectively in writing. The student is expected to
(C) employ standard English usage in writing for audiences, including subject-verb
agreement, pronoun referents, and parts of speech (4–8);
(D) use adjectives (comparative and superlative forms) and adverbs appropriately to make
writing vivid or precise (4–8); and
(H) write with increasing accuracy when using objective case pronouns such as “Dan
cooked for you and me” (4–5).
(4.19) Writing/writing processes. The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated
and assigned writing. The student is expected to
(E) edit drafts for specific purposes such as to ensure standard usage, varied sentence
structure, and appropriate word choice (4–8); and
(H) proofread his/her own writing and that of others (4–8).
Objective 5—For Your Information
Items that assess the student expectations grouped under Objective 5 test a student’s ability to
recognize standard English usage and appropriate word choice. Items may focus on
subject-verb agreement
pronoun referents (pronoun-antecedent agreement)
verb tense and formation
parts of speech
adverbs and adjectives, including the comparative and superlative forms
use of double negatives
misuse of homonyms such as their/there
replacing an indefinite reference, such as they or it, with a specific noun or noun phrase
replacing a vague word or phrase with more precise wording
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 22
Objective 6
Effective writers examine their work for correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Capitalization and punctuation marks take the place of the pauses, stops, and intonations used to
convey meaning in oral communication. Accuracy in language mechanics helps the reader “hear”
those nuances and better understand what the writer is trying to communicate. Correct spelling also
helps the writer communicate clearly. Objective 6 tests the student’s ability to recognize and correct
errors in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in the context of peer-editing passages.
Objective 6
The student will proofread for correct punctuation, capitalization, and spelling in written text.
(4.16) Writing/penmanship/capitalization/punctuation. The student composes original texts,
applying the conventions of written language such as capitalization, punctuation, and
penmanship to communicate clearly. The student is expected to
(B) capitalize and punctuate correctly to clarify and enhance meaning such as capitalizing
titles, using possessives, commas in a series, commas in direct address, and sentence
punctuation (4–5).
(4.17) Writing/spelling. The student spells proficiently. The student is expected to
(A) write with accurate spelling of syllable constructions, including closed, open, consonant
before -le, and syllable boundary patterns (3–6);
(B) write with accurate spelling of roots such as drink, speak, read, or happy, inflections
such as those that change tense or number, suffixes such as -able or -less, and prefixes
such as re- or un- (4–6); and
(D) spell accurately in final drafts (4–8).
(4.18) Writing/grammar/usage. The student applies standard grammar and usage to communicate
clearly and effectively in writing. The student is expected to
(G) write with increasing accuracy when using apostrophes in contractions such as it’s and
possessives such as Jan’s (4–8).
(4.19) Writing/writing processes. The student selects and uses writing processes for self-initiated
and assigned writing. The student is expected to
(H) proofread his/her own writing and that of others (4–8).
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 23
Objective 6—For Your Information
Items developed to assess the student expectations grouped under Objective 6 require a student to
recognize and correctly edit errors in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Capitalization and punctuation items will include the range of rules commonly taught at the
fourth grade level. Punctuation rules that are not consistently applied across the state-adopted
fourth grade English language arts textbooks are not tested (for example, the presence or absence
of a comma before the and in a series of items).
Spelling items include both rule-based and sight words that are within the writing vocabulary of
fourth grade students.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 24
Grade 4 Revising and Editing Samples
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 25
Bryce is in the fourth grade. His teacher asked each student to write
about a favorite hobby or sport. Bryce wrote about his quarter
collection. This is a draft of his paper. Bryce wants you to help him
revise and edit it. Read Bryce’s paper and think about changes you
would make to help him improve it. Then answer the questions that
follow.
A Fun Collection
(1) I’ve been having fun starting a collection of the new state
quarters. (2) Last week I buyed a kit to help me with this project.
(3) It has a cardboard holder for all 50 quarters and a book that
tells about each quarter and the state it represents.
(4) I learned that it began in 1999 and will continue for
10 years. (5) In this new program each state has it’s own special
quarter. (6) The U.S. Mint makes these quarters because it is the
place where all our coins are made. (7) Each year the U.S. Mint
produces quarters for only five states. (8) The Mint is making
quarters in the same order that the states joined the United States.
(9) I’ll have to wait until 2004 to add the Texas quarter to my
collection.
(10) My mom and me are both involved in collecting the state
quarters. (11) We now have the quarters for New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. (12) I like to look at my collection
because all the quarters are different. (13) That’s because each
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 26
state in the country decided what picture or symbol it wanted to
put on its quarter. (14) The quarters for South Carolina and
Georgia have pictures of plants native to their states.
(15) Bluebonnets grow in Texas in the spring. (16) The quarters for
Massachusetts and Virginia have pictures. (17) The pictures show
important parts of their history.
(18) I am enjoying collecting quarters. (19) It is an easy and
interesting way to learn about our states and about american
history. (20) You can be a quarter collector, too. (21) Go ahead and
give it a try.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 27
2 The meaning of sentence 4 can be
improved by changing it to —
A the cardboard holder
B my collection
C the book
D* the state quarters program
Objective 5
3 What change, if any, should be made
in sentence 5?
A Change has to had
B* Change it’s to its
C Change special to speshal
D Make no change
Objective 519ES01004-0101I
This item asks students to replace an ambiguous
pronoun (a pronoun whose antecedent is
unclear) with a specific noun to clarify the
meaning of the sentence.
When students are asked to combine two
sentences, they should keep in mind that the right
answer must be a grammatically correct
sentence, must be the most effective sentence (not
wordy or awkward), and must not change the
original meaning.
4 What change, if any, should be made
in sentence 10?
A Change mom to Mom
B* Change me to I
C Change are to is
D Make no change
Objective 504EW05418HK01006-0101I
5 What is the BEST way to combine
sentences 16 and 17?
A The quarters for Massachusetts
and Virginia have pictures, the
pictures show important parts of
their history.
B The quarters for Massachusetts
and Virginia have pictures, and the
pictures are for showing important
parts of their history.
C The quarters for Massachusetts
and Virginia have pictures, but
they show important parts of their
history.
D* The quarters for Massachusetts
and Virginia have pictures that
show important parts of their
history.
Objective 408-0101I
1 What change, if any, should be made
in sentence 2?
A* Change buyed to bought
B Add a comma after me
C Change project to Project
D Make no change
Objective 5
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 28
6 What change, if any, should be made
in sentence 19?
A Change interesting to intresting
B Add a comma after states
C* Change american to American
D Make no change
Objective 601009-0101I
7 Which sentence does NOT belong in
this paper?
A Sentence 2
B Sentence 9
C* Sentence 15
D Sentence 18
Objective 31010-0101I
This item requires students to recognize an
extraneous, or unnecessary, sentence in the
passage. When students revise their own writing,
they may often discover that they have included
a sentence that does not move their composition
forward; in other words, the sentence may have
some link to the overall topic but is not directly
related to the other sentences. An extraneous
sentence can stall the progression of ideas and
cause the reader to wonder why it has been
included.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 29
Angela is a fourth grader. She wrote this story to tell about
something that happened in her neighborhood. Read Angela’s story
and think about the corrections and improvements she should make.
Then answer the multiple-choice questions that follow.
No Way Out
(1) One Saturday everyone in my neighborhood was working at
the park. (2) I was helping Mom plant flowers while Jeff and Dad
was digging holes for a new fence. (3) I saw Daisy, one of our
favorite ducks from the pond, crossing the field toward the row of
holes. (4) Suddenly she looked into one of the holes and suddenly
quacked loudly.
(5) Mom and I hurried to the hole to see why Daisy was so
alarmed. (6) There, in the bottom of the hole, was a baby duckling.
(7) The duckling was chirping and struggling. (8) To climb up the
sides of the hole.
(9) I fell to my knees and reached into the hole, but my arm
was too short to reach the bottom. (10) Jeff and Dad tried to coax
the duckling onto a shovel, but the scared little creature wouldn’t
move. (11) I noticed a worryed look on Dad’s face.
(12) That’s when I came up with an idea. (13) “Dad, why don’t
we float it out.” I suggested. (14) “Ducks are good swimmers.”
(15) Dad agreed to try my plan. (16) We got a garden hose and
stretched it across the field. (17) Slowly and carefully we began
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 30
filling the hole with water. (18) As the water grew deeper, the
duckling floated higher and higher. (19) Before long it floated right
to the top and Daisy and her duckling happily waddled away.
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 31
1 What change, if any, should be made
in sentence 2?
A Change flowers to Flowers
B* Change was digging to were
digging
C Change fence to fense
D Make no change
Objective 5
2 What is the BEST way to rewrite the
ideas in sentence 4?
A Suddenly she looked into one of the
holes she suddenly quacked loudly.
B Suddenly she looked into one of the
holes. And suddenly quacked
loudly.
C Suddenly looking into one of the
holes and suddenly quacking
loudly.
D* Suddenly she looked into one of the
holes and quacked loudly.
Objective 4
3 Which sentence could BEST be added
after sentence 9?
A* Mom couldn’t reach the duckling,
either.
B Last summer I broke my arm.
C We had been feeding Daisy for
many years.
D Ducklings always follow their
mothers.
Objective 3
This item asks students to determine which of
the four sentences would give the reader a
better understanding of the events in the
paragraph. The wrong answer choices may have
some link to the overall topic but are not
directly related to the other sentences in the
paragraph and, therefore, would not contribute
to the smooth progression of ideas.
4 What change, if any, should be made
in sentence 11?
A Change noticed to notice
B* Change worryed to worried
C Change Dad’s to Dads
D Make no change
Objective 6
Grade 4 Writing TAKS Information Booklet 32
5 What change, if any, should be made
in sentence 13?
A Change don’t to dont
B Change float to flote
C* Change the period after out to a
question mark
D Make no change
Objective 6
7 Which of the following is NOT a
complete sentence?
A Sentence 1
B Sentence 5
C* Sentence 8
D Sentence 12
Objective 4
This item asks students to identify which of the
four sentences from the passage is a fragment
rather than a complete sentence.
6 What change, if any, should be made
in sentence 19?
A Change it to they
B* Add a comma after top
C Change happily to happy
D Make no change
Objective 6