6 Exceptional Writing

• Focused and reflects exceptional insights into the topic
• Shows versatile writing strategies
• Uses strong vocabulary
• The writer takes a risk in creating the piece
• Words are not repeated
• Uses a variety of sentence starters
• The piece is not retelling nor predictable
• The writer's voice is easily recognizable
• The reader is engaged
• The ending gives closure to the piece
• The writer uses image, strong action verbs, and comparisons throughout out the piece
• There are a few, if any, sentence-level errors.  

5 Strong Writing

• The writer fully understands the writing situation
• Excellent use of vocabulary
• Piece is predictable
• Writer does not retell
• Reader is engaged
• Piece has a feeling of closure
• Few sentence errors  

4 Adequate Writing

• The writer full understands the assignment
• Writer tends to retell the piece
• Develops some ideas moderately
• Ending tends to be brief, but does giving closure to the piece
• Commits occasional sentence-level errors  

3 Developing Writing

• There is some knowledge of the writing assignment
• Limited development of ideas
• Vocabulary is minimal
• Words are repeated
• Reader is not engaged in the piece
• Weak ending
• Frequent sentence structure errors  

2 Limited Writing

• Writing is on topic, but reflects little understanding of the many ways to present the topic to the reader
• The piece is repetitive
• Limited use of vocabulary
• No feeling of ending
• Gross errors  

1 Underdeveloped Writing

• Off topic and many gross errors