7_Traits_of_writing1

NovaQuest International School; Lahore, Pakistan. Phone: 042-3577-804, 807NovaQuest International School; Lahore, Pakistan. Phone: 042-3577-804, 807 11

The Seven Traits of WritingThe Seven Traits of WritingAurangzeb BhattiAurangzeb Bhatti

NovaQuest International NovaQuest International SchoolSchool


““If people cannot write well, If people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others they cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them.”will do their thinking for them.”

George OrwellGeorge Orwell


1.1. What do teachers look for when What do teachers look for when grading students’ writing? grading students’ writing?

2.2. How do teachers grade papers? How do teachers grade papers? 3.3. What do teachers teach when What do teachers teach when

they teach writing skills?they teach writing skills?

Why it’s important?Why it’s important?


The Seven Traits of The Seven Traits of WritingWriting

The Seven Traits are a measuring The Seven Traits are a measuring guide or a tool for writing.guide or a tool for writing.

The seven traits is an instrument The seven traits is an instrument teachers can use to provide “accurate, teachers can use to provide “accurate, reliable feedback to students and to reliable feedback to students and to help guide instruction.”help guide instruction.”

The seven traits were developed in the The seven traits were developed in the 1980’s by teachers from across the US.1980’s by teachers from across the US.


These teachers evaluated thousands These teachers evaluated thousands of papers at all grade level and of papers at all grade level and identified “common characteristics of identified “common characteristics of good writing”.good writing”.

These “qualities” became the seven-These “qualities” became the seven-traits.traits.

The Seven Traits of WritingThe Seven Traits of Writing


The Seven Traits are:The Seven Traits are:1.1. Ideas Ideas 2.2. Organization Organization 3.3. Voice Voice 4.4. Word Choice Word Choice 5.5. Sentence Fluency Sentence Fluency 6.6. Conventions Conventions 7.7. PresentationPresentation


1. Ideas1. Ideas The ideas are the heart of The ideas are the heart of

the message, the content the message, the content of the piece, the main of the piece, the main theme, together with the theme, together with the details that enrich and details that enrich and develop that theme.develop that theme.


Sound Ideas..Sound Ideas.. It all makes sense…It all makes sense… I know this topic well…I know this topic well… I have included the most I have included the most

interesting details…interesting details… My paper has a purpose…My paper has a purpose… Once you start reading, you Once you start reading, you

will not want to stop…will not want to stop…


2. Organization2. Organization Organization is the Organization is the “Internal “Internal

Structure”Structure” of a piece of writing, of a piece of writing, the tread of central meaning, the the tread of central meaning, the logical and sometimes intriguing logical and sometimes intriguing pattern of the ideas.pattern of the ideas.

““Pattern of the Ideas”Pattern of the Ideas”


Good Organization..Good Organization..

My beginning will interest the reader!My beginning will interest the reader! Everything ties together.Everything ties together. It builds / expands on the good parts.It builds / expands on the good parts. The reader can follow it easily.The reader can follow it easily. At the end it feels finished and makes At the end it feels finished and makes

the reader think.the reader think.


3. Voice3. Voice The voice is the “Heart and The voice is the “Heart and

Soul”, the magic, the wit, Soul”, the magic, the wit, along with the feeling and along with the feeling and conviction of the individual’s conviction of the individual’s writing coming out through writing coming out through the words.the words.


Individual Voice..Individual Voice.. This really sounds like me!This really sounds like me! I’ve been honest and I am written what I I’ve been honest and I am written what I

think and feel.think and feel. Can you fell my commitment to this topic?Can you fell my commitment to this topic? I want you to experience my writing with I want you to experience my writing with

me.me. I know my audience and why I’m writing.I know my audience and why I’m writing. I bet you’ll want to read this to someone.I bet you’ll want to read this to someone.


““We must teach ourselves to recognize our own We must teach ourselves to recognize our own voice. We want to speak and write in a way voice. We want to speak and write in a way that is natural for us, that grows out of the way that is natural for us, that grows out of the way we think, the way we see, the way we care. But we think, the way we see, the way we care. But to make that voice effective we must develop it, to make that voice effective we must develop it, extending our natural voice through the extending our natural voice through the experience of speaking and writing on different experience of speaking and writing on different subjects for different audiences, of using our subjects for different audiences, of using our voice as we perform many writing tasks.” voice as we perform many writing tasks.”

Donald Murray (Donald Murray (Write to Learn)Write to Learn)

Individual Voice..Individual Voice..


Word ChoiceWord ChoiceWord choice is the use Word choice is the use of rich, colorful, precise of rich, colorful, precise language that moves language that moves and enlightens the and enlightens the reader.reader.


4. Powerful Words…4. Powerful Words… This is the best way to say this.This is the best way to say this. My words create mind pictures!My words create mind pictures! I’ve tried new ways to say I’ve tried new ways to say

everyday things.everyday things. Listen to the power in my verbs.Listen to the power in my verbs. Some of the words and phrases Some of the words and phrases

linger in my mind.linger in my mind.


“ “Powerful writers and powerful speakers Powerful writers and powerful speakers have two wells they can draw on for that have two wells they can draw on for that power: one is the well of rhythm,; the power: one is the well of rhythm,; the other is the well of vocabulary. But other is the well of vocabulary. But vocabulary and a sense of rhythm are vocabulary and a sense of rhythm are almost impossible to “teach” in the narrow almost impossible to “teach” in the narrow sense of the word. So how are children sense of the word. So how are children expected to develop a sense of rhythm or expected to develop a sense of rhythm or a wide vocabulary? By being read to, alive, a wide vocabulary? By being read to, alive, a lot!” ..a lot!” .. Mem Fox Mem Fox (Radical Reflections, 1993)(Radical Reflections, 1993)

Powerful Words…Powerful Words…


5. Sentence 5. Sentence FluencyFluency

Sentence fluency in the Sentence fluency in the rhythm and flow of the rhythm and flow of the language, the sound of word language, the sound of word patterns, the way in which the patterns, the way in which the writing plays to the ear—not writing plays to the ear—not just to the eye.just to the eye.


Sentence Sentence Fluency..Fluency..

My sentences begin in different ways.My sentences begin in different ways. Some sentences are short and some Some sentences are short and some

are long.are long. It just sounds good as I read it aloud - It just sounds good as I read it aloud -

it flows.it flows. My sentences have power and punch.My sentences have power and punch. I have “sentence sense.”I have “sentence sense.”


6. Conventions6. Conventions

Conventions are the Conventions are the mechanical correctness of the mechanical correctness of the piece — spelling, grammar piece — spelling, grammar and usage, paragraphing, use and usage, paragraphing, use of capitals and punctuation.of capitals and punctuation.


Correct Conventions..Correct Conventions.. I don’t’ have many mistakes in my paper.I don’t’ have many mistakes in my paper. I have used capitals correctly.I have used capitals correctly. Periods, commas, exclamation marks and Periods, commas, exclamation marks and

quotation marks are in the right places.quotation marks are in the right places. Almost every word is spelled correctly.Almost every word is spelled correctly. I remembered to indent each paragraph.I remembered to indent each paragraph. It would not take long to get ready to It would not take long to get ready to

share what I wrote.share what I wrote.


7. Presentation 7. Presentation Presentation zeros in on Presentation zeros in on the the form form and and layoutlayout of the of the text and its readability; text and its readability; the written piece should the written piece should be pleasing to the eye.be pleasing to the eye.


Good Presentation…Good Presentation… My paper looks neat and is legible.My paper looks neat and is legible. Someone could easily read my paper.Someone could easily read my paper. The fonts that I have used are appropriate – The fonts that I have used are appropriate –

both type and size.both type and size. All Pages are numberedAll Pages are numbered There is a Table of Contents, and other There is a Table of Contents, and other

necessary navigation if necessary.necessary navigation if necessary. ““Editing is easy - all you have to do is cross Editing is easy - all you have to do is cross out the out the

wrong words.” Mark Twainwrong words.” Mark Twain


““I believe it is important not only to I believe it is important not only to share a common share a common visionvision for lifelong for lifelong learning and literacy; but a learning and literacy; but a common common vocabularyvocabulary for how we for how we talk about such issues.”talk about such issues.”

Dr. Beverly Ann Chinn, NCTE Dr. Beverly Ann Chinn, NCTE President, 1995-1996, University of Montana President, 1995-1996, University of Montana Department of EnglishDepartment of English

On common characteristics of good On common characteristics of good writingwriting


“ “In evaluating writing, I know my grading In evaluating writing, I know my grading system has to take into account all the system has to take into account all the abilities that come into play when a abilities that come into play when a writer writes. Writing isn’t one ability but writer writes. Writing isn’t one ability but a combination of many—experimenting, a combination of many—experimenting, planning, choosing, questioning, planning, choosing, questioning, anticipating, organizing, reading, anticipating, organizing, reading, listening, reviewing, editing, and on and listening, reviewing, editing, and on and on.”on.”

Nancie Atwell Nancie Atwell (In the Middle)(In the Middle)


“ “I always did well on essay tests. Just put I always did well on essay tests. Just put everything you know on there, maybe you’ll everything you know on there, maybe you’ll hit it. And then you get the paper back from hit it. And then you get the paper back from the teacher and she’s written just one word the teacher and she’s written just one word across the entire page, ‘vague.’ I thought across the entire page, ‘vague.’ I thought vague was kind of vague. I’d write underneath vague was kind of vague. I’d write underneath it ‘unclear’ and send it back. She’s return it to it ‘unclear’ and send it back. She’s return it to me, ‘ambiguous’. I’d send it back to her, me, ‘ambiguous’. I’d send it back to her, ‘cloudy’. We’re still corresponding to this ‘cloudy’. We’re still corresponding to this day…. hazy…. muddy…”day…. hazy…. muddy…”

Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld (SeinLanguage)SeinLanguage)


“ “Students have been conditioned Students have been conditioned to believe that great papers just to believe that great papers just happen. That they are a guessing happen. That they are a guessing game and that one finds out what game and that one finds out what to do after it is too late.to do after it is too late.””

Margie Krest “Adapting the Margie Krest “Adapting the Portfolio to Portfolio to Meet Student Needs” Meet Student Needs” English JournalEnglish Journal February 1990February 1990


Thank YouThank YouAurangzeb BhattiAurangzeb Bhatti

NovaQuest International NovaQuest International SchoolSchool

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