‘A text response essay? What’s that?

’
‘It is an essay where you write about a text you have read. It
discusses things like; characters, settings, plots, themes, writing
techniques – literary devices, values, viewpoints, etc’.

THE TASK: Using the sentence stems as a guideline,

develop an essay that has a heading, introduction, body,
and conclusion

Student Name:_____________________________________
Teacher Name:_____________________________________
Heading: Text Response Essay – (‘Text Title’) – (Author’s Name)

Introduction:
(‘Text Title’) by (author’s name) is a/an (adjective) text. The main character/s are
______________. Another character featured in the story is _____________. A/n (adjective)
setting in the text is ____________. This is because _____________. Another setting that is
described well is ______________. (Author’s surname) explains that (chosen setting) is
______________.
(If you can, add two/three further sentences).
Paragraph 1:
A theme that stands out in the text is _____________. (Theme) is shown in the text when
_______________. When (character) says, ‘(quote)’, it is important because ____________.
(Author’s surname) has written about (theme) to make readers think about ______________.
When a reader thinks about this they can learn that _________________.
(If you can, add two/three more sentences. You could begin with; Another important theme is
_________).
Paragraph 2:
(Author’s surname) uses many literary devices in (‘Text Title’). One that stands out is (literary
device). It is seen in the text where ‘quote’ is written. The reader knows that the technique is being
used because ___________. The technique is used to let the reader ________________. (2 nd
technique) is also used well. This technique is used to _______________.
(Can you think of two more sentences to add detail to your essay analysis).
Paragraph 3:
The most (adjective) event in the story is when ____________________. This event makes the
reader think about _________________. (Character) would have felt _________________ when
__________. The way they acted at this point in the story was ________________. This action
showed that (character) values/doesn’t value (value). It would have been (better/worse) if they had
______________. (Character’s) actions affected (Character/s) because ______________.

Conclusion:

(‘Text Title’) is a text that a reader can see has connections with real life experiences. One
connection that many readers could make is experiencing ___________________. A clever
connection that readers might pick up on is ______________________. Recognising connections
between (‘Text Title’) and the real world is important because ________________. (‘Text Title’)
makes a reader think about .

# Use the adjective, themes, ideas, values and metalanguage lists to help you select discussion points in your essay.
# You must write the whole essay out by hand, this is not a cloze activity, you are not filling in the gaps.
# Remember, you can use the sentence stems as presented when creating your essay, but you are not locked in by
them. You can play with the sentence and paragraph formation, change them up, add in new sentences, put more in
a paragraph.
Adjectives Themes, Ideas and Values

Exciting Courage
Scary Loneliness
Strange Friendship
Weird Hatred
Funny Conflict
Crazy Love
Concerning Growing up
Awkward Heartache
Magical Family
Sad Loyalty
Intriguing Grief
Etc Etc

Metalanguage: writing techniques/literary devices Used by author to ….

Description – explains looks Allow the reader to picture what characters and
settings look like

Metaphor – comparison where one thing is said to To enhance description and develop ideas in text
be another
To highlight importance, to reinforce a point
Repetition – saying the same thing over and over
Adds a sense of poetry to the writing, provides flow
Alliteration – using the same consonant at the start to the ideas
of words in a sentence, e.g., ‘Peter Piper picked a
peck of pickled peppers’

Onomatopoeia – words that imitate sounds – Helps the reader hear what they read, acts as sound
crackle, hiss, bang effects

Simile – using like or as to compare unlike things
Personification – giving animals/objects human
traits
Can help to express emotion in writing and make
descriptions more vivid
It can intensify emotions being presented in the
writing. Helps reader connect to a story

Allusion – reference to a famous person, event, or It can add meaning to the writing and help develop
text metaphor

Visual imagery – pictures used in a text Enhances the writing, adds to the presentation

Etc.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STICK TO THIS LIST WHEN YOU DEVELOP YOUR
ESSAY. USE THE INTERNET TO RESEARCH OTHER LITERARY DEVICES
AUTHORS USE IN THEIR WRITING TO HELP CONVEY IDEAS AND MESSAGES
TO THE READERS OF THEIR STORIES. BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THESE
DEVICES AT WORK IN WRITING IS AN ESSENTIAL ANALYTICAL SKILL.
Progression Excellent Very Good Good - Satisfactory Borderline Not
Points shown
Asks to complete Written a 5 Written a 5 Written 3
Writing the extension paragraph essay by paragraph essay by paragraphs of the
task; works on it hand and typed up a hand for the test. essay by hand.
(For a C standard in class if all other good copy. Used the Used the sentence Used the sentence
or above your work is up-to-date sentence prompts as prompts and prompts
essay structure
will consist of an
or completes it as a guide for writing developed them accurately to help
introduction, homework. and was able to accurately, using develop the
body and Responds to an incorporate appropriate paragraphs. Used
conclusion) essay question. independent ideas adjectives, themes some adjectives,
Plans and writes and sentences into and metalanguage themes and
the 5 paragraph the essay to discuss the text. metalanguage to
essay from discussion. Used Spelling, discuss the text.
scratch and by adjectives, themes punctuation and
hand. Uses and metalanguage expression is
adjectives, themes confidently. mostly correct.
and
metalanguage.
Types up a good
copy.

Plan and write an essay for your text using one of the following essay questions:
Friendship is a common theme featured in texts. Explore and discuss the messages about friendship
contained in your text.
OR

Considering the experiences and feelings of the protagonist in your text, discuss the important messages the
author of the text is trying to convey to the reader.