PSSA Grade 8 English Language Arts Item and Scoring Sampler—August 2022
29
PSSA ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADE 8
Score
Description
3
• Adequately addresses all parts of the task demonstrating sufficient analytic
understanding of the text(s)
• Clear introduction, development, and conclusion identifying an opinion, topic, or
controlling idea related to the text(s)
• Appropriate organizational structure that adequately supports the focus and ideas
• Clear analysis of explicit and implicit meanings from text(s) to support claims,
opinions, ideas, and inferences
• Sufficient, accurate, and direct reference to the text(s) using relevant details,
examples, quotes, facts, and/or definitions
• Sufficient reference to the main idea(s) and relevant key details of the text(s) to
support the writer’s purpose
• Appropriate use of transitions to link ideas
• Appropriate use of precise language and domain-specific vocabulary drawn from the
text(s) to explain the topic and/or to convey experiences/events
• Some errors may be present in sentence formation, grammar, usage, spelling,
capitalization, and punctuation; errors present seldom interfere with meaning
2
• Inconsistently addresses some parts of the task demonstrating partial analytic
understanding of the text(s)
• Weak introduction, development, and/or conclusion identifying an opinion, topic, or
controlling idea somewhat related to the text(s)
• Weak organizational structure that inconsistently supports the focus and ideas
• Weak or inconsistent analysis of explicit and/or implicit meanings from text(s) that
somewhat supports claims, opinions, ideas, and inferences
• Vague reference to the text(s) using some details, examples, quotes, facts, and/or
definitions
• Weak reference to the main idea(s) and relevant details of the text(s) to support the
writer’s purpose
• Inconsistent use of transitions to link ideas
• Inconsistent use of precise language and domain-specific vocabulary drawn from the
text(s) to explain the topic and/or to convey experiences/events
• Errors may be present in sentence formation, grammar, usage, spelling, capitalization,
and punctuation; errors present may interfere with meaning
1
• Minimally addresses part(s) of the task demonstrating inadequate analytic
understanding of the text(s)
• Minimal evidence of an introduction, development, and/or conclusion
• Minimal evidence of an organizational structure
• Insufficient or no analysis of the text(s); may or may not support claims, opinions,
ideas, and inferences
• Insufficient reference to the text(s) using few details, examples, quotes, facts, and/or
definitions
• Minimal reference to the main idea(s) and/or relevant details of the text(s)
• Few, if any, transitions to link ideas
• Little or no use of precise language or domain-specific vocabulary drawn from the
text(s)
• Many errors may be present in sentence formation, grammar, usage, spelling,
capitalization, and punctuation; errors present often interfere with meaning