List of Benchmarks for Language Arts |
| Standard 2. | Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing |
| | Level Pre-K (Grades Pre-K) |
| | 1. | Not appropriate for this level |
| | Level I (Grades K-2) |
| | 1. | Uses descriptive words to convey basic ideas |
| | 2. | Uses declarative and interrogative sentences in written compositions |
| | Level II (Grades 3-5) |
| | 1. | Uses descriptive language that clarifies and enhances ideas (e.g., common figures of speech, sensory details) A |
| | 2. | Uses paragraph form in writing (e.g., indents the first word of a paragraph, uses topic sentences, recognizes a paragraph as a group of sentences about one main idea, uses an introductory and concluding paragraph, writes several related paragraphs) |
| | 3. | Uses a variety of sentence structures in writing (e.g., expands basic sentence patterns, uses exclamatory and imperative sentences) |
| | Level III (Grades 6-8) |
| | 1. | Uses descriptive language that clarifies and enhances ideas (e.g., establishes tone and mood, uses figurative language, uses sensory images and comparisons, uses a thesaurus to choose effective wording) |
| | 2. | Uses paragraph form in writing (e.g., arranges sentences in sequential order, uses supporting and follow-up sentences, establishes coherence within and among paragraphs) |
| | 3. | Uses a variety of sentence structures to expand and embed ideas (e.g., simple, compound, and complex sentences; parallel structure, such as similar grammatical forms or juxtaposed items) |
| | 4. | Uses explicit transitional devices |
| | Level IV (Grades 9-12) |
| | 1. | Uses precise and descriptive language that clarifies and enhances ideas and supports different purposes (e.g., to stimulate the imagination of the reader, to translate concepts into simpler or more easily understood terms, to achieve a specific tone, to explain concepts in literature) |
| | 2. | Uses paragraph form in writing (e.g., arranges paragraphs into a logical progression, uses clincher or closing sentences) |
| | 3. | Uses a variety of sentence structures and lengths (e.g., complex and compound-complex sentences; parallel or repetitive sentence structure) |
| | 4. | Uses a variety of transitional devices (e.g., phrases, sentences, paragraphs) |
| | 5. | Uses a variety of techniques to provide supporting detail (e.g., analogies; anecdotes; restatements; paraphrases; examples; comparisons; visual aids, such as tables, graphs, and pictures) |
| | 6. | Organizes ideas to achieve cohesion in writing |
| | 7. | Conveys individual voice, tone, and point of view in writing. |
| | Level V (College Readiness) |
| | 1. | Uses idioms in oral and written communication that are appropriate to context and properly formed, as when prepositions follow verbs (e.g., long for, appeal to). |
| | 2. | Uses a consistent style (e.g., select words or phrases that are consistent with the tone, mood, and purpose of composition) throughout writing. |
| | |
A = Assessment items available |
