Excellent Above Average Sufficient Minimal Poor

10 - 9 8-7 6-5 4-3 2-1

CONTENT Setting effectively established
Plot effectively developed in keeping
with the theme and task
Characters effectively developed
through description, action and
dialogue
LANGUAGE Uses vivid descriptive writing and
USE sensory details.
Uses figurative language effectively
– images, symbols, colours
Demonstrates command of sentence
variety and structure in conveying
meaning
Setting well developed
Plot well developed in keeping
with theme and task. Characters
well developed through
description, action and or
dialogue
Uses appropriate descriptive
writing and sensory details Uses
figurative language appropriately
– images, symbols, colours
Uses varied sentence length and
structure to enhance meaning
Adequate development of setting
Weak attempt at setting No real setting evident
Adequate development of plot in
Limited development of Little or no development of
keeping with theme Characters
plot and theme plot and theme
adequately developed through
Limited development of Neglects development of
description, action and or
characters character
dialogue
Uses limited word choice Limited and repetitive word
Uses descriptive writing and some
Uses figurative language choice
sensory details
in a limited way Little or no use of figurative
Uses figurative language
Uses limited sentences language
Adequate use of sentence length
with some sentence run- Little or no variety in
and structure
on sentences

GRAMMAR AND Little or no use of

MECHANICS Effective use of punctuation,
spelling, capitalization and grammar
ORGANIZATION Effective organization of ideas and
use of transitional words/phrases
and paragraphs
Few errors in punctuation,
spelling, capitalization and
grammar do not impede meaning
Well-organized ideas using
transitional words and
paragraphs
Some errors in punctuation,
spelling, capitalization and
grammar impede meaning
Organized ideas but limited
transitional words and
paragraphs
Errors in punctuation,
punctuation, spelling,
spelling, capitalization and
capitalization and grammar
grammar impede meaning
Limited organization and
Little or no organization of
use of transitional words
ideas
and paragraphs