SSAT Writing Practice Worksheet - 83

Instructions

• You have 25 minutes to complete one writing sample from the two prompts provided.
• Choose either Prompt A or Prompt B. You do not need to respond to both prompts.
• Your response will not be scored, but it will be sent to the admission offices of the schools to which you apply.
• Schools evaluate your writing for organization, clarity, development of ideas, vocabulary, sentence variety, and mechanics.
• Write legibly and stay within the provided space. Plan to leave 2-3 minutes for proofreading.

Prompts

Prompt A

The old photograph slipped out of the book and landed at my feet. As I picked it up and examined the faces staring back at me, I realized this discovery would change everything I thought I knew about my family. I decided to...

Prompt B

Some people believe that studying subjects like music and art is just as important as studying mathematics and science. Do you agree or disagree with this position? Support your answer with specific reasons and examples from your own experience, reading, or observation.

Model Answers

Model Answer - Prompt A

The old photograph slipped out of the book and landed at my feet. As I picked it up and examined the faces staring back at me, I realized this discovery would change everything I thought I knew about my family. I decided to confront my grandmother that very afternoon. The photograph showed a young woman in a military uniform, standing beside a fighter plane with confidence radiating from her posture. The resemblance to my grandmother was unmistakable, yet she had always told us she worked as a secretary during the war. Why would she hide such an impressive past? I found her in the garden, tending to her roses as she did every Sunday. My hands trembled slightly as I held out the photograph. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked decades younger. She gestured for me to sit beside her on the weathered bench. "I wondered when this would surface," she said quietly, tracing the edge of the photograph with her finger. She explained that women pilots faced tremendous discrimination after the war, and she had learned to downplay her service to avoid judgment. She had flown transport missions, ferried aircraft across the country, and even tested repaired planes-work that was dangerous and vital, yet quickly forgotten when the men returned home. As she spoke, I felt a surge of pride mixed with sadness. My grandmother had been a pioneer, yet she felt compelled to hide it. I promised her that I would share her story with my younger cousins, ensuring that her courage would inspire the next generation. That faded photograph became a bridge between past and present, transforming my understanding of both history and the quiet strength that had always defined my grandmother.

Model Answer - Prompt B

I firmly believe that studying music and art is just as important as studying mathematics and science, though society often fails to recognize this truth. While STEM subjects teach logical reasoning and analytical skills, the arts cultivate creativity, emotional intelligence, and cultural awareness-qualities equally essential for success in the modern world. First, the arts develop critical thinking in unique ways that complement scientific reasoning. When my school's drama program required me to analyze Shakespeare's use of dramatic irony in "Macbeth," I learned to examine multiple layers of meaning simultaneously. This skill proved invaluable when I later needed to interpret complex data in my biology research project. The arts train us to think flexibly and consider perspectives beyond the obvious, abilities that enhance problem-solving in any field. Moreover, artistic education fosters innovation, which drives progress across all disciplines. Steve Jobs famously credited his calligraphy class with inspiring the elegant typography that distinguished Apple computers. Scientific breakthroughs often require imaginative leaps that transcend pure logic. My uncle, an engineer, regularly uses sketching techniques from his architecture courses to visualize solutions to technical problems. The intersection of art and science produces the most groundbreaking innovations. Finally, music and art provide irreplaceable opportunities for emotional development and cultural literacy. When I learned to play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata," I didn't just master technical skills; I connected with the composer's emotional journey and historical context. Understanding artistic movements helps us comprehend human history in ways that textbooks alone cannot convey. A complete education requires both hemispheres of human achievement. Mathematics and science explain how the world works, while music and art explore why human experience matters. Schools that prioritize one at the expense of the other produce graduates who are only half-educated, lacking either the analytical tools or the creative vision necessary to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

Tips

1. Spend the first 3-4 minutes planning. Jot down a quick outline with your opening idea, two or three main points or plot developments, and your conclusion. This roadmap prevents rambling and ensures coherent structure.
2. Choose the prompt that sparks immediate ideas. Don't overthink which prompt seems more impressive. Select the one for which specific examples, details, or story elements come to mind quickly, as specificity demonstrates stronger writing.
3. Open with a hook that establishes voice and direction. For narratives, place the reader immediately in a scene with sensory details. For opinion essays, state your position clearly while hinting at your reasoning. Avoid generic statements like "This is an interesting topic."
4. Use varied sentence structures throughout. Mix short, punchy sentences with longer, more complex ones. Begin sentences with different parts of speech-transitional phrases, dependent clauses, or strong verbs-to create rhythm and demonstrate sophistication.
5. Include concrete, specific details rather than generalizations. Instead of writing "the room was messy," describe "crumpled papers overflowing from the wastebasket and a half-eaten sandwich fossilizing on the desk." Specificity makes writing memorable and convincing.
6. Connect your conclusion to your opening. Reference an image, idea, or phrase from your introduction to create satisfying closure. For narratives, show how the character has changed. For opinion essays, reinforce your thesis with a broader implication or call to reflection.
7. Reserve the final 2-3 minutes for proofreading. Focus on correcting obvious errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Check that every sentence is complete and that pronoun references are clear. Neatly cross out errors with a single line rather than scribbling.
8. Avoid common pitfalls that weaken student writing. Don't switch verb tenses inconsistently, use vague pronouns without clear antecedents, or pad your essay with repetitive phrases. Quality matters more than quantity-a well-developed shorter essay outperforms a rambling longer one.