This document provides a rubric to assess writing skills at different levels from 1 (Needs Improvement) to 4 (Exceptional). It evaluates writing based on the number and complexity of sentences used, punctuation and spelling, vocabulary, ideas, and grammar. Lower levels are characterized by fewer sentences, more errors, simpler vocabulary and ideas, and grammatical mistakes. Higher levels demonstrate more advanced syntax, greater vocabulary, clearer ideas focused on a single topic, stronger connections between ideas, and fewer errors in punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

1. Level:
BACH
1
Needs
Improvement
2
Developing
3
Competent
4
Exceptional
Writing Writes fewer
than 8 complete
simple sentences.
Writes 8-10
complete simple
sentences.
Writes 8-10
complete simple
and compound
sentences (and,
but, so).
Writes more than
10 complete
simple and
compound
sentences.
Punctuation,
capitalization,
& spelling
Many mistakes in
spelling,
punctuation, and
capitalization.
Some mistakes in
punctuation,
spelling and
capitalization.
A few mistakes in
punctuation,
spelling and
capitalization.
Almost no
mistakes in
punctuation,
spelling and
capitalization.
Vocabulary Uses only a few
common and
simple
vocabulary
words.
Uses some simple
and common words,
but sometimes the
meaning is not clear.
Uses simple and
common words
with only a few
mistakes. The
meaning is clear
most of the time.
Uses simple and
common words
well. The writer
also tries to use
more difficult
words.
Ideas The sentences are
not about one
topic.
Writes only basic
sentences with no
description.
The connections
between the ideas in
the sentences are not
very good. It is
difficult to find the
important topic.
Writes basic
sentences with some
description (such as
adjectives), but no
explanation.
The writer tries to
write about one
topic, but some of
the ideas are not
connected well.
Writes sentences
that contain
description or
details of where,
when, and what.
The writer shows
strong
connections of
ideas around a
single topic.
Writes sentences
that contain
description or
details of where,
when, what, why
and how.
Grammar Makes so many
mistakes that the
sentences are
difficult to
understand.
Makes some
grammar mistakes .
The sentences are
sometimes difficult
to understand.
Can use the
grammar for level
correctly most of
the time. There
are mistakes, but
the sentences are
easy to
understand.
Writes good
sentences with
correct grammar
(for level) most
of the time. The
sentences have
good structure.