1. MCAS Writing Prompts Through the Years
These are 15 MCAS long composition prompts from
They are a pretty good reflection of what we’ll see in 2011.
Ambrose Blauch Bowen-Flynn Esner Heinegg

2. Prompts through the years
If you saw each of these prompts tomorrow…
What book would you write about?
Who wrote that book?
What characters will you talk about?
What three examples from the book would you use?
How would you address each element of the prompt?

3. 2013
MCAS Writing Prompt
Works of literature often feature characters who overcome hardship and misfortune. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who overcomes hardship and misfortune.
In a well-developed composition, explain how the character overcomes adversity and why this success is important to the work of
literature.

4. 2013 Retest
WRITING PROMPT
Often in works of literature, a character confronts a threatening environment or situation. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who confronts a threatening environment or situation.
In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe the threatening environment or situation the character confronts, and explain how the character’s experience is important to the
work as a whole.

5. 2012
MCAS WRITING PROMPT
Often in works of literature, the villain has the greatest impact on the story.
Select a work of literature you have read in or out of school in which the villain has the greatest impact on the story.
In a well-developed composition, identify the villain, and explain why the villain has the greatest impact on the story.

6. 2012 Retest
WRITING PROMPT
Often in works of literature, a character feels pressure to succeed. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who feels pressure to succeed.
In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character feels pressure to succeed, and explain how the character’s experience is important to the work as a whole.

7. 2011
MCAS WRITING PROMPT
Often in works of literature, a character stands up for something he or she believes in. From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who stands up for something he or she believes in.
In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character stands up for something he or she
believes in, and explain how the character’s actions relate to the work as a whole.

8. 2011 Retest
WRITING PROMPT
Often in works of literature, a character feels pressure to succeed.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who feels pressure to succeed.
In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character feels pressure to succeed, and explain how the character’s experience is important to the work as a whole.

9. 2010
Often in works of literature, a character’s life is affected by a single act or mistake.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character whose life is affected by a single act or mistake. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how he or she is affected by a single act or mistake, and explain how the character’s experience relates to the work as a whole.

10. 2010 November Retest
Often works of literature feature two characters who disagree or do not understand each other.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select two characters who disagree or do not understand each other. In a well-developed composition, identify the characters, describe their disagreement or misunderstanding, and explain how this disagreement or misunderstanding relates to the work as a whole.

11. 2010 Retest
Often in works of literature, a character is influenced by his or her family.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who is influenced by his or her family. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character is influenced by his or her family, and explain how the character’s experience relates to the work as a whole.

12. 2009
Works of literature often feature characters whose pride or selfishness creates problems.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character whose pride or selfishness creates problems. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character’s pride or selfishness creates problems, and explain how the character’s experience relates to the work as a whole.

13. 2009 Retest
In many works of literature, a character rebels against a role that others expect him or her to play.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who rebels against a role others expect him or her to play. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character rebels against others’ expectations, and explain how the character’s rebellion relates to the

14. 2008
In many works of literature, a character must adjust to life in a new environment.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who must adjust to life in a new environment. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character adjusts to life in a new environment, and explain how the character’s adjustment relates to the work as a whole.

15. 2007
Works of literature often feature characters who overcome hardship and misfortune.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who overcomes hardship and misfortune. In a well-developed composition, explain how the character overcomes adversity and why this success is important to the work of literature.

16. 2007 Retest
Often in works of literature, characters have a mixture of positive and negative traits.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who blends positive and negative traits. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character demonstrates both positive and negative traits.

17. 2006
Works of literature often feature characters with the ability to inspire or lead others.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character with the ability to inspire or lead others. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, describe how the character inspires or leads others, and explain why this character’s ability is significant to the meaning of the work of literature.

18. 2006 Retest
Works of literature often feature characters that question the values of the societies in which they live.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character who questions the values of the society in which he or she lives. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, explain the conflict the character has with society, and explain how this conflict relates to the work as a whole.

19. 2005
Often works of literature include characters that change as a result of a particular event.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character that changes as the result of a particular event. In a well-developed composition, identify the character, the event, and the importance of the character’s change to the work of literature .

20. 2005 Retest
From a work of literature you have read, select a character that is honorable; identify the character, describe what makes her/him honorable, and explain why the character’s honor is important to the work of literature.

21. 2004
Heroism can mean different things to different people. Literature is full of characters that can be considered heroic.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a character that, in your opinion, is heroic. In a well-developed composition, identify that character and explain why he or she is heroic.

22. 2003
The protagonist is the main character in a work of literature who often changes in some important way by the end of the work.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select a protagonist who changes in some important way by the end of the work. In a well-developed composition, identify the protagonist, and explain why the protagonist changes in some important way by the end of the work.

23. 2003 Retest
In literature as in life, people can make choices and must live with the consequences of those choices.
From a work of literature you have read in or out of school, select one character who makes a choice. In a well-developed composition, identify the character’s choice and explain what happens as a result of this choice.

24. Congratulations!
You’ve now made it through 15 prompts from MCAS exams of previous years.
You are prepared to tackle tomorrow’s prompt, whatever it might be!