Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) Writing (English Language Arts - Writing and Language) Syllabus

Writing (English Language Arts - Writing and Language) syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Writing (English Language Arts - Writing and Language) in Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   The Writing Process and Argumentative Essay

   5 topics

   • Understanding the TASC Writing Prompt
     • Analyzing source passages provided with the prompt
     • Identifying the writing task and audience
   • Planning and Prewriting
     • Brainstorming and outlining
     • Forming a clear, arguable thesis
   • Drafting a Coherent Essay
     • Introduction with hook and thesis
     • Body paragraphs with topic sentences and evidence
     • Effective conclusion
   • Revising and Editing
     • Improving clarity and word choice
     • Checking organization and transitions
   • Using Textual Evidence to Support a Claim
     • Quoting and paraphrasing source material
     • Explaining how evidence supports the claim
2. 2

   Sentence Structure and Grammar

   5 topics

   • Parts of Speech and Their Functions
     • Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs
     • Prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections
   • Sentence Types and Construction
     • Simple, compound, complex, compound-complex
     • Independent and dependent clauses
   • Subject-Verb Agreement
     • Agreement with collective and indefinite subjects
     • Agreement with intervening phrases
   • Pronoun Usage and Agreement
     • Pronoun-antecedent agreement
     • Pronoun case and unclear reference
   • Verb Tense and Consistency
     • Maintaining consistent tense
     • Forming regular and irregular verbs
3. 3

   Punctuation and Mechanics

   4 topics

   • Commas, Semicolons, and Colons
     • Commas in series, clauses, and introductory elements
     • Semicolons joining related clauses
     • Colons introducing lists and explanations
   • Apostrophes and Possessives
     • Contractions versus possessives
     • Singular and plural possessive forms
   • Capitalization Rules
   • Quotation Marks and End Punctuation
4. 4

   Effective Language Use and Style

   5 topics

   • Correcting Common Errors
     • Run-on sentences and comma splices
     • Sentence fragments
     • Misplaced and dangling modifiers
   • Conciseness and Eliminating Wordiness
     • Removing redundancy
     • Avoiding awkward constructions
   • Transitions and Cohesion
     • Transitional words and phrases
     • Logical flow between sentences and paragraphs
   • Parallel Structure
   • Maintaining Formal Tone and Style

Writing (English Language Arts - Writing and Language) flashcards for Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC)

24 of 51 cards from the Writing (English Language Arts - Writing and Language) deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. On the TASC Writing test, what does the essay portion ask you to do with the source passage(s)?

   Read one or more passages and write an evidence-based argumentative essay that takes a position and supports it using specific details and evidence drawn from the passage(s).

2. What three things should you identify before you begin a TASC writing prompt?

   The topic/issue, the specific task (e.g., argue a position or explain), and the audience/purpose. Pinpointing what the prompt actually demands prevents off-task writing.

3. What is the difference between an argumentative prompt and an informational/explanatory prompt on the TASC?

   An argumentative prompt asks you to take a side and persuade using evidence; an informational/explanatory prompt asks you to convey or analyze information objectively without taking a personal position.

4. In planning a TASC essay, what is a thesis statement and where does it belong?

   A thesis is one sentence stating your central claim or position. It belongs at the end of the introduction so it frames the entire essay.

5. Name three common prewriting strategies for organizing ideas before drafting.

   Brainstorming/listing, clustering or mind-mapping, and outlining. Freewriting is also used to generate ideas quickly.

6. What is an outline and why is it useful for a timed essay?

   An outline is a hierarchical plan of the thesis, main supporting points, and evidence. It keeps the essay focused and logically ordered, saving time during drafting.

7. What are the standard structural parts of a coherent five-paragraph essay?

   An introduction with a thesis, three body paragraphs each developing one supporting point with evidence, and a conclusion that restates the thesis and synthesizes the argument.

8. What is a topic sentence and what role does it play in a body paragraph?

   A topic sentence states the paragraph's single main idea and connects it to the thesis. It tells the reader what the paragraph will prove.

9. What does coherence mean in essay writing?

   Coherence means ideas flow logically and connect clearly from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph, so the reader can follow the argument without confusion.

10. What is the difference between revising and editing?

    Revising changes content and organization (ideas, structure, clarity, evidence); editing fixes surface mechanics (grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice).

11. When revising, what are three big-picture questions to ask?

    Is the thesis clear and supported? Are paragraphs logically organized? Is there enough relevant evidence and are weak or off-topic ideas removed?

12. How should textual evidence be introduced and used to support a claim?

    State the claim, introduce the evidence (paraphrase or quotation) with a signal phrase, cite the source/passage, then explain how the evidence supports the claim (the 'so what').

13. What is the difference between quoting and paraphrasing textual evidence?

    Quoting uses the source's exact words in quotation marks; paraphrasing restates the source's idea in your own words. Both must be tied back to your claim.

14. What are the eight traditional parts of speech?

    Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.

15. What is the function of an adjective versus an adverb?

    An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun (the red car); an adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb (ran quickly, very tall).

16. What is the function of a preposition, and what is a prepositional phrase?

    A preposition shows the relationship of a noun/pronoun to another word (in, on, under, between). A prepositional phrase is the preposition plus its object and any modifiers (under the old bridge).

17. What is the difference between a coordinating conjunction and a subordinating conjunction?

    A coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) joins equal elements; a subordinating conjunction (because, although, when, since) attaches a dependent clause to an independent clause.

18. What are the four sentence types classified by structure?

    Simple (one independent clause), compound (two or more independent clauses), complex (one independent + at least one dependent clause), and compound-complex (two or more independent + at least one dependent clause).

19. What is the difference between an independent clause and a dependent (subordinate) clause?

    An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence; a dependent clause has a subject and verb but cannot stand alone because it begins with a subordinator or relative pronoun.

20. What is a comma splice and how do you fix it?

    A comma splice joins two independent clauses with only a comma. Fix it with a period, a semicolon, a comma plus a coordinating conjunction, or by subordinating one clause.

21. What is a run-on (fused) sentence?

    A run-on joins two or more independent clauses with no punctuation or conjunction between them. Fix it by separating, joining with a semicolon, or adding a comma plus a conjunction.

22. What is a sentence fragment?

    A fragment is a group of words punctuated as a sentence but lacking an independent clause (missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought), such as 'Because she left early.'

23. State the basic rule of subject-verb agreement.

    A verb must agree in number with its subject: singular subjects take singular verbs (The dog runs) and plural subjects take plural verbs (The dogs run).

24. In subject-verb agreement, how are subjects joined by 'and' versus 'or/nor' treated?

    Subjects joined by 'and' are usually plural and take a plural verb. With 'or'/'nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject (Neither the boys nor the teacher was late).

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