Essay Skills: Answering the Prompt

          An essay is a formal piece of writing that shows a student's thoughts on a particular subject.  Often, an essay answers a question or command that is called a prompt.  The prompt is usually given to the student in order to guide the focus of their writing.  A common mistake in essay writing is that the student simply answers the question, as if they are having a conversation with the teacher.  The key to writing a successful essay is to restate the prompt within the first few sentences in the introduction paragraph.


Example:

"What is the best gift you have ever given or received?"


(incorrect)       A coffee cup with a red bow on the handle.  Jenny brought it to me on the first day of school.  

(correct)   The best gift that I have ever received was a coffee cup that a new student brought for me on the first day of school.   


Practice with these prompts:

"What are you grateful for?"


"Explain how you tested your hypothesis for your science project."


"Which character would you have chosen to become friends with in the story, and why?"


"What is the difference between a state and a province?"