NAPLAN · Writing
NAPLAN writing prompts to practise with
Ten prompts, persuasive and narrative, each with the planning questions to answer before writing a word.
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How to use these
Answer the planning questions first, in note form, before writing a sentence. Five minutes of planning is worth more than five extra minutes of writing, because the marks for text structure and ideas are decided before the first word goes down. Then write to time — around forty minutes — and stop when the time is up, finished or not. Finishing under pressure is the skill.
Persuasive prompts
Prompt 1
School uniforms
Write a persuasive text arguing whether or not students should be required to wear school uniforms. Give clear reasons to support your position.
Plan these before you write:
- — Introduction: how will you hook the reader and introduce school uniforms?
- — Main idea: what is your position, in one sentence?
- — First argument: what is your strongest reason?
- — Second argument: what is your second strongest?
- — Conclusion: restate your position and say what schools should do.
Prompt 2
Homework on weekends
Write a persuasive text about whether teachers should assign homework over weekends. Convince your audience of your viewpoint.
Plan these before you write:
- — Introduction: how will you hook the reader and introduce weekend homework?
- — Main idea: what is your position, in one sentence?
- — First argument: what is your strongest reason?
- — Second argument: what is your second strongest?
- — Conclusion: summarise the argument and suggest what schools should do.
Prompt 3
Plastic water bottles
Write a persuasive text about whether schools should ban single-use plastic water bottles. Argue your case with clear reasons.
Plan these before you write:
- — Introduction: how will you hook the reader and introduce banning plastic bottles?
- — Main idea: what is your position, in one sentence?
- — First argument: what is the strongest reason for your position?
- — Second argument: what is the second?
- — Conclusion: restate the position and call for a decision.
Prompt 4
Year-round school
Write a persuasive text about whether schools should run all year with shorter, more frequent breaks instead of one long summer holiday.
Plan these before you write:
- — Introduction: how will you hook the reader and introduce the school calendar?
- — Main idea: what is your position, in one sentence?
- — First argument: what is your strongest reason?
- — Second argument: what is your second strongest?
- — Conclusion: restate your position and ask for a change.
Prompt 5
Phones in school
Write a persuasive text arguing whether students should be allowed to use mobile phones during the school day.
Plan these before you write:
- — Introduction: how will you hook the reader and introduce phones at school?
- — Main idea: what is your position, in one sentence?
- — First argument: what is your strongest reason?
- — Second argument: what is the objection you need to answer?
- — Conclusion: restate the position and say what the rule should be.
Narrative prompts
Prompt 1
The mysterious package
Write a narrative about finding a mysterious package on your doorstep. What is inside? What happens next?
Plan these before you write:
- — Orientation: who finds it, where and when?
- — Complication: what makes the package a problem?
- — Events: what does your character do about it?
- — Resolution: how is it settled?
- — Coda: what is different at the end?
Prompt 2
Time travel adventure
Write a narrative about accidentally travelling to a different time period. Where do you go? What do you experience?
Plan these before you write:
- — Orientation: who is your character, and where do they start?
- — Complication: what goes wrong once they arrive?
- — Events: what do they try?
- — Resolution: how do they get back, or decide not to?
- — Coda: what did they learn?
Prompt 3
The last day on Earth
Write a narrative about the last day humans spend on Earth before moving to a new planet. Focus on the emotions of your characters.
Plan these before you write:
- — Orientation: whose last day are we following?
- — Complication: what makes this day hard for them?
- — Events: what do they do with the time left?
- — Resolution: how does the day end?
- — Coda: what have they taken with them?
Prompt 4
The talking animal
Write a narrative about discovering an animal that can talk to you. What kind of animal is it? What does it tell you?
Plan these before you write:
- — Orientation: where does the meeting happen?
- — Complication: what does the animal need, or warn about?
- — Events: what happens as a result?
- — Resolution: how is it resolved?
- — Coda: what has changed between them?
Prompt 5
The magic door
Write a narrative about discovering a door that leads to a magical place. Where does it go? What happens when you walk through?
Plan these before you write:
- — Orientation: where is the door, and who finds it?
- — Complication: what goes wrong on the other side?
- — Events: what does your character do?
- — Resolution: how do they get out of it?
- — Coda: do they go back?
The rest of this section
- The marking criteria — Every piece is scored against ten separate criteria out of 47. Here is what each one is looking for, and what moves a score up a band.
- Persuasive writing — How to build the argument, the words that do the persuading, and a full sample text broken down paragraph by paragraph.
- Narrative writing — Orientation, complication, events, resolution, coda — what each part has to do, with a complete story showing all five.
Aussie Edu Hub is an independent educational practice platform and is not affiliated with ACARA or any state education authority. NAPLAN is a registered trademark of ACARA. The official marking guide is published by ACARA.