Today's Tip for Families

[En español]

05-19-2024

A Basic Outline and Specific Examples Improve Essay Answers

Essay-writing is a skill most teens are still developing. Having a limited amount of time to write an essay, whether in class or during a standardized test, adds to the challenge.

Share these tips with your teen:

• Spend a little time planning. Before starting to write, your teen should spend a few minutes thinking and planning. It helps to jot down a few key ideas and develop a basic outline.
• Choose examples carefully. Your teen will score higher by supporting general ideas with specific examples. Students should choose examples they know well—and about which they have something to say.
• Don’t worry about being perfect. Readers know the essay was written under time limits. Encourage your teen simply to give it a best effort.

The best writing advice comes from poet and critic Dorothy Parker. She once issued six rules to help anyone write better: “Read, read, read, and write, write, write.”

Brought to you by:

Bonham Middle School
Andrea Pfeifer, Principal

[School Success Ideas for Families]

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