essay writing prompt definition

What is a Prompt in Writing? Choosing the Right Writing Prompt for Your Genre and Style

February 22, 2024

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Table of contents, what is a prompt in writing, what is a prompt in writing an essay, analytical prompts:, expository writing, persuasive prompts:, narrative prompts:, what is a prompt in writing for students, determine your genre:, think about your personality:, review your prompt options, match prompt to genre:, adapt prompt to your style:, try new things and explore:, trust your instincts:, recommendations.

For authors, a writing prompt acts as a spark for creativity, allowing for discovery and inspiration. It pushes authors to step outside of their comfort zones and try new things and unconventional thinking.

You can comfortably set off a chain reaction of ideas and feelings that results in unanticipated literary works with a well-crafted writing prompt no matter the type of prompt writing.

But in the real sense, you must understand the ins and outs involved in writing different forms of prompts if you must have top-notch work. That’s why we have provided information about prompt writing and what it entails.

In this article, you will learn more about prompts in writing and how to choose the right writing prompts for your genre and style.

Carefully read through!

A writing prompt is a predetermined subject, query, or instruction sent to authors to stimulate and direct their work. It acts as a springboard or inspiration for coming up with ideas and structuring thinking.

Depending on the writing assignment and goals, prompts might differ in structure and topic. They could be given as statements, quotes, pictures, situations, or open-ended questions.

Writing prompts are meant to inspire or compel writers to delve into a specific subject, articulate their ideas and viewpoints, or craft imaginative tales.

Writing prompts can be applied in a variety of settings, such as workshops, schools, writing competitions, and evaluations.

Writing prompts are frequently employed in educational contexts to foster critical thinking, hone writing abilities, and evaluate students’ conceptual knowledge and effective communication skills.

A vast array of writing styles and genres, including analytical responses, creative stories, persuasive essays, descriptive passages, and personal narratives, can be covered by them.

When it comes to essay writing, a prompt is a particular query, assertion, or instruction that forms the core of the essay’s subject. By defining the essay’s purpose and expectations for its content, it gives the writer direction and guidance.

What are the Types of Prompt Writing?

Depending on the kind of essay and the objective of the writing assignment, essay prompts can take many different shapes. Typical categories of essay prompts consist of:

These prompts require the writer to examine a specific subject, piece of literature, or idea. They might ask the author to look closely at the underlying motifs, topics, or symbols and provide insightful analysis or interpretations.

Expository writing prompts ask the writer to elaborate on or provide clarification on a certain notion, procedure, or concept. They frequently call on the writer to give details, explain terminology, or make points understandably and succinctly.

The purpose of persuasive prompts is to persuade or convince the reader of a specific argument or point of view. Usually, they request that the writer choose a viewpoint on the matter, provide evidence to back up their claims and make an emotional or intellectual argument for the reader.

This kind of prompt asks the writer to narrate a tale or provide a first-hand account. They can ask you to compose a fictional story based on a certain scenario, describe a memorable moment, or consider an important incident.

Essay prompts frequently come with detailed instructions or guidelines that spell out the requirements for the project, including its length, formatting style, and list of references to be used.

To properly discuss the subject and fulfill the requirements of the assignment, writers must carefully read, evaluate, and prepare their essay based on the prompt’s implications.

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When we talk about writing prompts for students, we mean a particular subject, query, or assignment that serves as a source of inspiration and direction for their work.

It acts as a springboard or stimulant to assist pupils in coming up with ideas, planning their ideas, and efficiently structuring their writing.

Note, student writing prompts might differ greatly based on the grade level, subject matter, and learning goals.

They could be made to inspire pupils to write more effectively, express themselves, examine texts, think back on their own experiences, or engage in creative storytelling.

There are many different ways to present prompts, including:

Open-ended questions: These kinds of questions allow students to investigate a subject or idea from various perspectives and come up with original theories or solutions.
Statement Prompts: These writing exercises provide students a statement or assertion to respond to, examine, or expand upon in their compositions.
Image Prompts: Students are encouraged to compose descriptive passages, narratives, or analytical responses based on the visual material by using images, illustrations, or other visual stimuli as image prompts.
Scenario Prompts: These prompts pose a hypothetical circumstance or scenario to students, asking them to speculate about possible outcomes, possible responses, or possible courses of action.
Quotation Prompts: Students are asked to consider a quotation from a well-known individual, literary work, or historical event and incorporate it into their writing by reflecting on its meaning, significance, or implications.

Read ALSO: 140 Exclusive Writing Prompts For Adults

How to Choose the Right Writing Prompt for Your Genre and Style

To make sure the writing prompt fits with your creative vision and objectives, it is important to take into account several variables while selecting the appropriate one for your genre and writing style. The following guidelines can assist you in choosing the ideal writing prompt:

Choose a writing genre or style to explore, such as memoir, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, or something different. It’s critical to select a prompt that aligns with your preferred genre because each one has its own customs, themes, and storytelling strategies.

Consider your tastes and writing style. Do you like writing that is contemplative and reflective, or are you more drawn to stories that are whimsical and imaginative? Think about answering questions that speak to your own voice and sense of style.

Examine your options for writing prompts by taking a look at a range of prompts in various genres and styles. Seek for creatively stimulating and thought-provoking prompts.

Select the suggestion that most closely aligns with your thoughts and interests by taking into account the themes, settings, people, and conflicts that are offered.

Make sure the writing prompt you select is appropriate for the genre in which you intend to write. Pick a prompt that offers a gripping mystery or exciting scenario, for instance, if you’re interested in creating a mystery novel. Seek writing prompts that evoke lyrical language and images if you enjoy poetry.

After deciding on a prompt, think about how you can modify it to fit your writing preferences and style. You are free to interpret the prompt creatively and make it uniquely your own; you are not required to follow it precisely as given. Make the prompt uniquely your own by adding aspects of your own voice, viewpoint, and storytelling style.

Don’t be scared to try out various writing prompts and styles. Take advantage of the prompts to experiment with different subjects, genres, and narrative devices.

So, strive to write in genres or styles that you haven’t previously experimented with, pushing yourself to write outside of your comfort zone.

In the end, when selecting a writing prompt, follow your gut and intuition. Select the creative prompt that best inspires and motivates you by listening to your inner creative voice.

Make sure you choose the writing prompt that feels most appropriate for you at that particular time. Writing is a very personal and intuitive activity.

Read ALSO: 50 Exclusive 4th Grade Writing Prompts That Are Printable For Free

A writing prompt is a specific topic, idea, or phrase that serves as inspiration for writing. How can writing prompts help with creativity? Writing prompts can spark new ideas, encourage creativity, and help writers overcome writer’s block. How do I choose the right writing prompt for my genre? Consider your genre and style of writing when selecting a prompt to ensure it aligns with the tone and themes you want to explore. Can I modify a writing prompt to better suit my needs? Absolutely! Feel free to adapt or customize a writing prompt to better fit your creative vision.

Yes, there are various types of writing prompts including Expository writing prompts, persuasive prompts, and narrative prompts.

Yes, using writing prompts consistently can help improve your skills by challenging you to think outside your comfort zone and explore new ideas.

It’s up to you! Some writers use prompts daily as part of their routine while others incorporate them sporadically for inspiration.

There are numerous websites and resources dedicated to providing daily or themed writing prompts for writers of all levels.

To inspire creativity and direct the writing process, it is critical to comprehend the function of a writing prompt. You may efficiently channel your ideas and give your work depth by choosing a prompt that is in line with your genre and style. Regardless of your level of experience, the correct writing prompt can be a useful tool for breaking through writer’s block and coming up with original ideas.

Trying out various writing prompts might also help you develop your writing abilities and discover new genres. The next time you sit down to write, keep in mind the influence a thoughtfully selected prompt may have on the form and quality of your writing.

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What is a Prompt in Writing?

Written by Haley Boyce

Motive. That’s the reason we do anything. Usually, there’s some sort of attached incentive – drinking coffee because it’s six in the morning and you’re not your best self until you’re about halfway through that first cup, going on a run for a healthier heart, enrolling in a creative writing program to network and get that first chapter of your novel going. These are things you do because you were compelled in some way. You were prompted to do it.

A prompt in writing is what motivates or compels you to write. It also tells you what to write about. It can come from a writing instructor, a friend in a writing group, or it could be ready-made prompt you found online or even wrote yourself. It doesn’t matter where it comes from, what matters is that you understand it and respond to it appropriately.

What is a Writing Prompt?

Writing prompts are instructions for what to write about.

Sometimes they include how long your writing should be, sometimes they specify which writing style ( APA , MLA, AP, Chicago), and sometimes they can be either very specific about what should be included or terribly vague.

Different Types of Writing Prompts Draw Out Information and Perspectives for Different Applications

The kind of writing prompt you receive depends largely on why you’re receiving one in the first place. Let’s take a look at a few different scenarios and the types of prompts you might find in each one.

Literary Analysis Prompts

Literary analysis is pretty much what it sounds like - analyzing something in literature. You will be assigned a work of literature to read, then you will be instructed to write an essay with your response to the prompt to include your observations, connections, and quotes from the story to support your argument. You’ll see this type of prompt in any prerequisite English class, and if you’re majoring in English or creative writing, you’ll spend so much time responding to literary analysis prompts that you’ll wind up missing them like an old friend when you graduate.
Literary analysis prompts will usually ask you to discuss theme, character, a particular element of style exhibited by the author, or an element of plot and its impact on the story overall.

You’ve Been Responding to Literary Analysis Prompts Ever Since Book Reports in Your Middle School Language Arts Class

[For much of the novel, the Greasers are seen as hoodlums by the people in their town. This view changes toward the end of the novel when they are proclaimed heroes after saving the children from the burning church. However, they would not have been at the church at all if they hadn’t killed Bob and run away.

What do you think? Are the Greasers heroes or hoods?]

To respond to this prompt, a writer should choose one side of the argument (heroes or hoods), then include quotes from the story and explain why they prove their point.

Creative Nonfiction Prompts

While in a creative writing program, you might have the opportunity to write a piece of creative nonfiction. Prompts in this type of setting will ask you to tell a story about something that actually happened – oftentimes something that you experienced firsthand – but with a twist.
You could be asked to write something like this: Tell the story about something dramatic that recently happened to you, but from the perspective of someone who witnessed it. Here, the writer is being asked to make themselves somewhat vulnerable by sharing what could be a rather personal story. They are then prompted to get creative with the situation by seeing it through the eyes of a person who may have seen the episode differently. Responding to a creative nonfiction prompt will not require quotes or explanations to prove a point. The prompt is answered by telling a true story in a creative way.

Nonfiction Prompts

Nonfiction prompts will be found in scenarios where a scientist has conducted research and must write very precisely about the observations, hypothesis, research, and the outcome. In cases such as this, a scientist will be prompted to write based on a study they have conducted because of possible cause and effect. These are the types of prompts you would come across in science-based classes at a college or university.
In situations where a nonfiction scientific paper is being written, strict APA style guidelines should be followed.
Journalism is another form of nonfiction in which a prompt is often based on a journalist's assigned beat. Prompts will come from news and events that are best suited to their publication.

Would You Rather . . .

These prompts are most likely not something you’d find as a writing assignment in a college or university creative writing program, but they are definitely a clever tool to get you to think beyond the typical writing styles, which can start to feel a little stale after a while.

Other times, you might find that a deeper approach to an either/or scenario is the perfect writing prompt for your creative mind. Would you rather time travel to the past to meet your great-great-great grandparents or time travel to the future to meet your great-great-great grandchildren? … Would you rather be known for being someone who stopped a war or started one? … Would you rather know what everyone thought about you or not care what anyone thought about you at all?

You might have a knee-jerk reaction to each of these prompts, knowing what your initial answer might be. But when you step back to consider the pros and cons of each side, there are strong reasons to choose either one. Each of these “would you rather” writing prompts sparks debate, eliciting careful reflection and explanation. The creativity and impact for something that seems so simple on the surface has the power to inspire a complex thought process, and therefore, meaningful writing.

How to Start a Writing Prompt

If you learn only two things from this section, let it be that smart people ask questions (that’s how they got so smart. And you’re smart, so go ask for help), and that the best way to start responding to a writing prompt is to first understand how the prompt is put together.

A writing prompt usually has two main parts.

When reading a prompt, look for:

The writing situation: In a writing situation, the prompt will present the general topic students are being asked to write about.
Directions: Look for expectations of the task you are being asked to meet. This might include what type of essay you’re supposed to write (expository, narrative, persuasive, etc.), format, evidence from the text, length/word count, etc. Elements to include in the essay will vary depending on the instructor and course, but they will be included in the prompt regardless of subject.

You’ve identified the writing situation and directions. So now what? It’s sometimes (most times) helpful to make a little list of the prompt’s basic directions. Jot them down as bullet points on a sticky note and keep it on your computer monitor while doing your research and organizing your evidence or notes. Like this:

Literary analysis essay
Theme in Little Women

Figuring out the prompt can sometimes be half the battle. Once you understand what’s being asked of you, you’re bound to have some sort of answer to use as a jumping off point. Take your time deciding the best argument for your paper by choosing an answer you not only care about the most, but also the one that has an abundance of evidence to support your claim.

Prompts in writing are meant to evoke a response from the writer that is passionate and believable. The writing process doesn’t always feel like a party but knowing how to read a writing prompt definitely makes it more enjoyable.

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III. What Are Writing Prompts?

What are writing prompts.

Why Are Prompts Used in WRIT?

Learning to write well takes time and practice. Becoming a better writer, whether for academic or professional purposes, can only begin if you actively engage with other writers and, most importantly, other viewpoints. Responding to another writer involves understanding the argument or position they make and determining whether you agree, disagree, or partially agree with their position. Your goal as a developing writer is to articulate your view clearly and concisely on an issue, support it with solid reasons, and respond to potential arguments other readers may raise about your own argument.

How Are Prompts Used in WRIT?

In WRIT, weekly prompts are used to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the writing process. Through guided writing practice, your instructor will use timely and topical writing scenarios so that you can apply the various aspects of writing competency incrementally each week. Sure, writing weekly can seem daunting for some or repetitive for others. Yet, it is important to remember that learning any new skill involves a level of repetition.

Learning to write is an iterative process, which means you will get better the more often you write. You know what they say: practice makes perfect, especially when learning to write. Using prompts regularly as part of our writing curriculum can boost the chances that you will improve as a writer and feel connected to the writing process.

Understanding Writing Prompts

A strong prompt response contains several components that must all work together to produce a finished product with which other readers can engage. As an emerging writer, we hope you will develop a number of skills to ensure you are understood. These skills include the ability to:

create a clear thesis (or main argument)
develop a logical organizational structure
use effective and formal language
vary your sentence structures
write cleanly without grammatical errors to express yourself clearly and concisely

While learning to write effectively depends on your ability to master many of these skills, one skill can be taught quickly: how to understand a writing prompt. In fact, this should be the first skill you focus on as a developing writer. Why? Because if you cannot understand a piece of writing, responding to it will be very difficult. Put another way: to make an argument about something, you’ll need to make sure you fully understand the arguments made by another writer– in our case, the writer of the prompt . This skill requires more than simple reading comprehension. More often than not, strong students receive a weak writing grade because they misunderstood the prompt. To respond successfully, you must learn to analyze the prompt before responding to it.

Questions to Ask

The first phase of composing a strong piece of writing occurs in the pre-writing phase, and in WRIT, you’ll practice and learn how to plan your writing responses. Unlike a formal research essay assignment–where you’ll often have weeks to research, plan, and compose a polished final essay–in WRIT, your responses will be shorter and designed to be completed within a set period of time. The ability to respond in writing quickly is a core skill you’ll practice in WRIT; that skill is called time-on-task writing. While the pre-writing phase will be shorter, you should still learn to ask a few key questions about the prompt to help narrow down your overall writing goal.

When reading a writing prompt, the following are helpful questions to ask and answer:

What is the topic of the prompt?
What is the main argument (thesis) the author makes?
What is the purpose of the prompt? Why does the author want to convince you of her argumentative position?
What kind of details or supporting points does the author provide?
Do I agree or disagree with the author’s points? Why or why not?
Can I provide reasons to oppose the author’s argument?
Do I understand WHY I support or oppose the author’s argument?

By asking and answering these questions, you can jump-start your essay outline and formulate your own thesis. A good way to begin is to write a one-sentence response to each question. Whether you practice this skill in class or not, there are a number of ways that you can do so every day. You can:

Read an opinion editorial on a news site
Watch a film documentary
Watch a television interview
Listen to a documentary podcast
Track a social media hashtag

Most of the media with which we engage daily come with thesis statements, points of view, arguments both well-supported and not-so-well supported: the more you bring critical thought–by applying the core questions from above–to these spaces, the more you’ll develop into a critical thinker who is ready to become a critical writer.

Putting the Pieces Together Copyright © 2020 by Andrew M. Stracuzzi and André Cormier is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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What Is a Writing Prompt?

Karen is a freelance writer with more than 25 years of experience writing for an array of publications, including authoring several books.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

A writing prompt offers a method for writers to focus, practice, and expand creatively. Prompts serve as jumping-off points to help you hone your craft as a writer.

Anatomy of a Writing Prompt

A writing prompt is usually a statement followed by questions you can use to craft a piece. The initial statement focuses on a particular subject or an area. For example, a creative writing prompt might suggest, "Describe a cold, empty place."

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To further focus the writer, the prompt may then pose a series of questions or offer suggestions for details. For example, for the cold, empty place writing prompt, questions to help the writer focus might include:

Why is the place cold and empty? What has happened here to make it so?
What is the overall feel there?
How does it look?
How does it sound? How does it smell?
How does being here make you feel?

Types of Writing Prompts

There are many types of prompts to help you focus on all aspects of writing. Examples include:

Creative writing prompts spark creativity.
Non-fiction prompts may focus on all sorts of things, including biographical information, historical events, descriptions of places or works of art, and many others.
Poetry prompts serve as inspiration to write poems.
Descriptive writing prompts develop description skills.
Expository writing prompts help you explain or teach.
Journal writing prompts offer ideas for journaling.
Mystery writing prompts are great for writers of whodunnit fiction.
Narrative writing prompts help you develop a narrative voice and style.
Short story prompts allow you to tell a brief tale.
Speculative writing prompts encourage you to explore a given topic by asking questions such as "what if?"
Essay prompts help student writers focus on or find topics.

Using Writing Prompts

There's no wrong way to use a writing prompt. While prompts are intended to spark imagination, you can also use them to help in your writing work. For example:

A writing prompt may invite you to explore a dream you later use as part of a novel or short story to show character development.
Journal or speculative prompts may help bloggers come up with daily topics to continue to engage reader interest.
The output from a descriptive prompt may show up later in a work of fiction or non-fiction to help add depth.
A student might use the result of an essay prompt on a college entrance essay.
A non-fiction writer might use the output from an expository prompt as a starting point for a how-to book or article.

Tips for Working With Prompts

In his book Outliers , author Malcolm Gladwell suggests that you need to spend about 10,000 hours practicing in order to gain mastery-level proficiency with your craft. While there is debate about the actual amount of time needed for proficiency, it's clear that to hone any craft, including writing, it's necessary to spend time performing and practicing it.

Writing prompts offer you the opportunity to build skill and the more time you spend writing, the better you will become at it. You can choose to use writing prompts in any way that feels comfortable to you.

Choose a daily prompt and write for 30 minutes each day.
Use a prompt when you are feeling creatively blocked.
Use a prompt if you are struggling to come up with a topic.
Join a prompt-based writing group to learn how the same prompt sparks different writers and to receive feedback on your writing.
Use the prompt as a starting point, but feel free to wander if you move in a different direction than the prompt suggests. Allow your own creative expression to step in and take control.
Try seeing the prompt as a metaphor instead of taking them literally. For example, with the cold empty space prompt, you could use it as a metaphor for a cold, empty person and describe that person.
As soon as you read the prompt, start to write. Try a process called continuous writing. Keep your fingers typing or your pen moving throughout the entire exercise. If you get stuck, write the same word over and over until your brain unsticks and you start to move again.
Don't judge what you're writing or edit as you write. Go back and edit later.
Prompts don't have to be word-based. You can use photographs, artwork, songs, sounds, aromas, or things you see around you to spark your writing creativity, as well.

Exploring Your Potential

Prompts allow you to explore your potential as a writer. They are fun exercises designed to spark creativity, help you hone your craft, and to allow you move forward as a confident writer.

What Is a Writing Prompt and What Types There Are?

June 2, 2022

What Is An Essay Prompt?

Understanding writing prompts, types of writing prompts, how to write a prompt, how to respond to essay writing prompts for beginners, key takeaways.

Do you love writing but sometimes feel stuck or uninspired? Are you looking for a way to jumpstart your creative process ? If so, writing prompts may be just what you need. But what is a writing prompt and what is its role in writing?

In this article, we will discuss the definition of a writing prompt, explore different types of prompts, and learn how to write one yourself.

What Is a Writing Prompt?

A writing prompt is a sentence, paragraph, or (rarer) an image that provides inspiration and guidance for creative writing . It may be used as a possible topic or starting point for an original essay, report, journal entry, story, poem, etc. A writing prompt’s main aim is to test a writer’s analytical capabilities, writing skills, and ability to express their point of view.

Writing prompts for students have long been used in the classroom to encourage student attention and develop their capacity to focus on a certain subject, idea, or concept. They also give students the chance to express their own opinions on a certain topic. Prompts stimulate students’ critical thinking and offer them an opportunity to construct a well-reasoned, structured argument in response to another writer’s viewpoint.

An essay prompt is a subtype of the writing prompt. Essay prompts are generally made up of 1 to 3 sentences that provide some context about the subject, followed by a question that asks students to write about a certain topic in the form of an essay .

The goal is to get students to respond with an essay focusing on a statement or issue in order to assess their writing, reasoning, and analytical abilities.

Analyzing your writing prompt is easier if you highlight the important words while reading it . Here are some of the words you should watch out for:

Argue – requires you to present facts that support your opinion
Compare – determine the similarities and differences between two or more concepts
Define – provide a definition of a specific concept or subject
Discuss – explain various aspects of a subject or problem and reach a conclusion
Describe – give a detailed description of an event or a particular person, place, or thing

Prompts can help improve your writing skills by providing practice in brainstorming, planning, drafting, revising, and editing . Daily writing prompts can also help you practice and develop your understanding of grammar when learning a new language .

Following are the most common types of writing prompts that students come across as a part of their degrees or continuing education programs:

Descriptive

Descriptive prompts frequently include cue terms such as “describe in detail,” “describe how something looked/felt/smelled/tasted,” and so on. In this type of writing, the reader should be able to experience what you’re writing about. Descriptive writing exercises frequently request writers to provide details that will help the reader construct a vivid picture by including sensory elements , such as sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste.

Expository/Informative

Expository writing prompts are a good writing practice for teens and college students. Expository prompts typically ask the writer to describe, compare and contrast, discuss pros and cons, or define something .

Expository writing has a particular purpose and audience in mind; as a result, the style and voice must correspond to the set subject and audience. The following words are used as cues to elicit expository answers: why, how, what, and explain.

The act of writing a narrative is the process of recording and telling events from one’s personal or fictional experience . Identifying what a narrative writing prompt look like is easy when you know what to look for. These prompts call for insight, creativity, drama, suspense, humor, and/or fantasy, and often contain the term “tell about…,” “write a story,” or “describe”.

Writers should use real or invented experiences when responding to narrative prompts. They should also incorporate dialogue, sensory elements, and sensible sequences into their response.

In this sort of prompt, the writers are expected to express their viewpoint on a certain subject, followed by logical reasoning and facts . This can either be a controversial issue or something light-hearted and fun. No matter what the topic is, if you’re wondering how to start a writing prompt like this, just make sure you’re clear and concise so that the reader knows exactly what is being discussed.

Persuasive prompts are writing prompts that require the writer to convince or persuade the reader to agree with a certain point of view . These types of prompts typically use cue words such as “convince,” “persuade,” and “why” rather than “how.”

To write a persuasive prompt, it is important to first brainstorm ideas and then narrow down your focus to come up with a creative and unique prompt. Remember to consider your audience when writing persuasive prompts.

The research approach to daily writing prompts encourages writers to look for information on a given topic using books, internet resources, films, etc . Such a writing assignment asks students to look up all the details and provide the resources as well, sometimes in the form of a bibliography .

When you start writing, no matter the type and form of the written piece, it’s important to consider your audience and purpose. When you’re responding to a written prompt that lists children as your target audience, for example, you’ll need to use age-appropriate language and focus on the topics that are interesting for the particular age group . Apart from the audience, you need to pay attention to the following factors, as well:

Prompt Construction

Breaking down the writing prompt into three parts is another useful approach for better conveying the task’s meaning:

the first part introduces the subject
the second part encourages writers to think about it, perhaps with a brainstorming pre-writing exercise
the third portion explains what needs to be written

In order to avoid confusion, writing prompts should be brief and focused . The instructor must make sure that the students are provided with sufficient information in order for them to understand the writing assignment completely.

The components of the prompt can be repeated, but using parallel wording will help writers stay focused on the specific writing task.

Bias and Sensitivity

The topics of your creative writing prompts should be inclusive and fair to all potential writers . The prompts should be written in a way that allows writers to easily comprehend them, regardless of their cultural background or other variables. It’s important to avoid cultural, ethnic, gender, or any other form of bias when developing prompts.

After you’ve examined your prompt, it’s time to get creative and prepare for your essay writing:

First, make a thesis statement to address the main issue . Your thesis statement should be the focal point of your whole essay and should reflect your stance on the issue.
When responding to writing prompts for beginners, write simple topic sentences that cover all the criteria. Add any facts, elaborations, or evidence you need to back up your viewpoint.
After you’ve finished, you may add more facts and smooth transitions between each phrase and paragraph . Make sure to include an eye-catching opening line in your first paragraph, as well as a conclusion that summarizes your ideas and thesis statement.

Creative writing prompts usually come in the form of a sentence or paragraph that provides inspiration and guidance for writing.

Essay prompts are a writing prompt subtype that asks the writer to respond in the form of an essay.

The most common types of writing prompts are descriptive, informative, narrative, opinion, persuasive, and research prompts.

When responding to a writing prompt, you need to pay attention to repetition, prompt construction, brevity, bias, and sensitivity.

All in all, understanding what is a prompt in writing and how to respond to one is a key skill for all writers. By taking the time to analyze the prompt and brainstorm ideas, you’ll make sure that your written piece is clear, concise, and on-topic. Practicing with different types of prompts will help you hone your skills and become a more confident writer.

The three parts of a writing prompt are the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction sets the tone for the rest of the piece, the body provides support for the thesis, and the conclusion ties everything together and leaves readers with a final thought or impression.

Most writing prompts consist of the following six parts: articulation of purpose, a summary of the assignment, logistics, paper’s key components, framing questions, and evaluation criteria.

What is a writing prompt supposed to be like in order to both challenge a writer and let them showcase their writing skills? It must be clear and concise, and possible to answer in a short amount of time. It should also be open-ended enough to allow for creative interpretation, not requiring prior knowledge in order to be answered.

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I am curiosity-driven and detail-oriented so you will often find me researching the latest trends, experimenting with search engine optimization, or testing software. As a keen observer of content, my teammates often like to joke that "noting escapes the eye of Beti."

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Understanding writing prompts

Contributor: Aaron Smale

For many college papers, a prompt will ask questions related to readings and class discussion, asking you to demonstrate analysis and discussion of the topic. Decoding what a prompt is asking can sometimes be overwhelming. The sooner you understand a prompt, the sooner you can start writing. Here are some useful tips to understand writing prompts:

As soon as you receive the prompt, read through it twice:

Though many prompts are complex to encourage well-reasoned responses, they can be confusing/inaccessible if read only once before drafting. Reading the prompt as soon as possible may help you identify how long a paper should be, how much information you should gather, and can reveal concepts you need to understand before approaching the assignment.

Once you have read the prompt, try to share out what you think the prompt means to a friend, family member, or another student:

This helps to “check” if your understanding of the prompt matches that of other people outside of the class and may help to identify what you still need to know.

Key words can identify the type of assignment that the prompt is calling for :

Most prompts signal if the paper is expected to be a compare-and-contrast paper, rhetorical analysis, synthesis paper, etc. Keywords may include terms such as compare, synthesize, develop, explore, etc.

Come back to the prompt and highlight key characteristics, terms, and phrases relevant to the topic/assignment and compare it to course notes/assignments:

When reviewing the prompt, highlight terms or phrases that have come up frequently in discussion or are significant in the course. You may also choose to highlight terms in the prompt that you need to study more. Sometimes a prompt asks you to recall resources or texts from an earlier point in the course, so a review of key sources, topics, course notes or related assignments can help you to write an effective paper. Additionally, this reveals key scenes or text sections identified within the prompt.

Look for language in the prompt that indicates who the target audience is:

Even though your audience will often include your professor and peers, some prompts for research papers and essays will ask you to address other target audiences. For example, a paper that discusses a new method of patient support may cite a hospital board of directors as a potential audience. By identifying your target audience, you can establish context necessary for your audience to engage with your paper.

Prepare questions for discussion to ask your TA or professor regarding parts of the prompt that are unclear:

Once you have gone through the prompt itself, make a list of questions to discuss with your professor or TA so you can get more clarity on the assignment.

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Effective Writing Assignments

Six parts of an effective prompt.

One of the most common challenges in designing a prompt is determining how much information to include. We recommend that you limit the information provided on the prompt to the unique requirements for this assignment and that you provide students with writing guides distinct from the prompt that outline your expectations for different types of assignments and different disciplines.

Of course, the following is just one model for arranging a prompt. We encourage you to adapt it as you see fit to best provide your students with the guidance that will help them produce the kinds of papers you want to read.

1. Articulation of purpose

This section explains the significance of the assignment itself by explaining what skills students will display in their writing and why they are important.

This section may also identify the audience of the assignment. If the assignment has real-world applications (for example, if students are asked to construct a business memo), this section may present students with a scenario that their writing will address.

De Paul Teaching Commons identifies nine of the most common purposes for writing, including encouraging students to engage course material, to develop scholarly skills, and to bridge academic and real world understanding. On their site, they include a helpful chart that breaks each of these purposes into smaller goals and suggests which types of writing assignments engage each.

Below is a sample articulation of purpose. You can find the full prompt from which this example is drawn here .

2. Summary of assignment

Essentially, this is the “thesis statement” of the prompt. Assignment summaries tend to work best when limited to a few sentences in which you provide students with the genre of the assignment, the most important components of the assignment, and the audience for their paper.

You can find the full prompt from which this example is drawn here .

3. Logistics

This section provides students with the basic information about your requirements, including the specific length, the due date, the method of submission, formatting requirements, and citation style.

You can find the full prompt from which this example is drawn here .

4. Key components of the paper or important sections

This is a where you might provide a brief synopsis of the genre , or type of assignment,in which students are writing and address the types and number of sources they should use . You might also use this space to refer students to a writing guide.

5. Framing questions

This section is designed to provide students with further guidance . Depending on the type of assignment, you might include either an overview of important sections or framing questions or both. The length of this section will depend on the degree to which you expect students to develop their own framing questions.

6. Evaluation criteria

This section could refer back to your rubric , but it’s also a good idea to include those general categories on your prompt as well. Precise language is particularly helpful in this section. For examples of alternatives to criteria like “assignment is well-written,” you may want to check out our examples of precise language .

Bonus: References to Resources, Tips for Approaching the Project, Common Missteps & Models

References to resources.

As its name suggests, this section directs students to resources that will help them with their assignment. You might include links to websites or information about library resources available to them, suggestions for visiting the DEWC or departmental tutors, or other useful information.

Tips for Approaching the Project

Perhaps you want students to write their papers in a particular order or take notes in a certain way. By separating that information from the rest of the prompt, you can offer them with an easy way to reference your suggestions.

Common Errors

This can be a particularly helpful section to include – if students in your Business Writing class often lapse into poetic language or students in your Art History class tend to want to make value judgments about the works they’re analyzing, you can warn them off here.

Reproductions

We recommend providing models for writing in your class throughout the semester. Providing a model of an exemplary paper for students when you distribute the prompt can go a long way toward producing the kind of papers you want to be grading.

Better Assignments. Writing Center. Yale College. 2014. Web. 1 June 2014.

Boye, Allison. How Do I Create Meaningful and Effective Assignments? Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center. Texas Tech University. 2014. 1 June 2014.

Brewster, Glen et al. Formal Biology Lab Reports. Writer’s Guide. Westfield State College. Web. 1 June 2014.

Creating Effective Assignments. Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. University of New Hampshire. 2004. Web. 1 June 2014.

Gardner, Traci. Ten Tips for Designing Writing Assignments. Pedablogical. 2001. Web. 1 June 2014.

Gately, Maeve. Writing an Art History Paper. Writing Resources. Hamilton College Writing Center. 2014. Web. 1 June 2014.

Guidelines for Analysis of Art . Department of Art. University of Arkansas at Little Rock. n.d. Web. 1 June 2014.

Jehn, Tom, and Jane Rosenweig. Writing in the Disciplines: Advice and Models: Supplement to accompany Diana Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference, Sixth Edition. Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s. 2007.

Matching Learning Goals to Assignment Types. De Paul Teaching Commons. DePaul University. n.d. Web. 1 June 2014.

Pop, Andrei. How to Do Things with Pictures: A Guide for Writing in Art History. Disciplinary Writing Guides. Harvard Writing Project. 2008. Web. 1 June 2014.

Writing Assignments . Center for Teaching and Learning. Hobart and William Smith Colleges. 2014. Web. 1 June 2014.

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How to Write an Effective Essay Prompt

How to Dissect an Essay Writing Prompt

Writing an effective essay prompt requires equal shares of art and science. The prompt must allow room for creative interpretation and analysis. However, the prompt must also provide organization and boundaries for the writers’ responses. Finally, the prompt should provide ample room for post-writing criticism to help students improve their writing.

Writing Prompt Guidelines

1. The prompt should be brief. Wordiness only serves to confuse the writer.

2. The prompt should be focused. A prompt that rambles in an attempt to explain or motivate is counter-productive.

3. The prompt should require only the prior knowledge that has been emphasized in class instruction. Isolate the variables of personal experience to best assess the outcomes of instruction.

4. The prompt should be age appropriate. Know the developmental capabilities and interests of your students and translate these into the writing prompt.

5. The prompt should avoid issues which students or parents would find objectionable. Save the PG-13 issues for older students. Don’t let the subject interfere with the writing task.

6. The prompt should not be so personal that the privacy of the writer is jeopardized. A writing prompt should not inhibit the writer from answering honestly and comfortably.

7. The prompt should not embarrass the gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic background of the writer. Stay sensitive to these variables within your classroom. Words have different meanings according to one’s perspective.

8. The prompt should allow students of varying abilities to respond effectively. An ideal prompt allows all students to experience success in their writing.

9. The prompt should be interesting enough to motivate the writer. A prompt that does not provoke thought will reap a thoughtless response.

10. The prompt should allow “room to breathe” for divergent thinkers. Expect the unexpected in student responses, and design prompts to allow for a variety of responses.

11. The prompt should enable the writer to respond with a thesis that states the purpose of the writing and/or the author’s point of view (claim or argument). If you can’t turn the writing prompt into a thesis statement without effort, your students will never accomplish this task.

12. The prompt should not artificially force the writer into a certain thesis. A one-sided prompt that demands a certain thesis will not produce original thought.

13. The prompt can provide a writing situation to set the writing directions in context. However, the writing situation should not overwhelm or confuse the writing instructions.

14. The prompt should have clear writing instructions. Writers are the best judges as to whether the prompt has clear instructions. Avoid vocabulary and terms that will confuse the students. Don’t use writing direction words, such as “analyze”, if your students do not understand them.

15. The prompt should be one that will afford your writers plenty of evidence with which to prove or elaborate upon their topic sentences. Picking narrow or obscure writing subjects will not allow your writers to weigh easily accessible evidence. They will also be tempted to plagiarize or invent when little evidence is available.

16. The prompt should be able to be boiled down into a question to be answered. That answer will be the thesis statement.

Writing directions words for essays designed to inform the reader…

1. Describe means to show the characteristics of the subject to the reader through visual details.

2. Explain means to make something clear or easy to understand.

3. Discuss means to talk about all sides of the subject.

4. Compare means to show how things are the same, and contrast means to show how things are different. If the writing prompt only mentions compare, you must still do both tasks.

Writing directions words for essays designed to convince the reader…

5. Analyze means to break apart the subject and explain each part.

6. Persuade means to convince the reader of your argument or claim.

7. Justify means to give reasons, based upon established rules, to support your arguments.

8. Evaluate means to make a judgment about the good and bad points of the subject.

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The author’s TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE includes the three printable and digital resources students need to master the CCSS W.1 argumentative and W.2 informational/explanatory essays. Each no-prep resource allows students to work at their own paces via mastery learning. How to Teach Essays includes 42 skill-based essay strategy worksheets (fillable PDFs and 62 Google slides), beginning with simple 3-word paragraphs and proceeding step-by-step to complex multi-paragraph essays. One skill builds upon another. The Essay Skills Worksheets include 97 worksheets (printables and 97 Google slides) to help teachers differentiate writing instruction with both remedial and advanced writing skills. The Eight Writing Process Essays (printables and 170 Google slides) each feature an on-demand diagnostic essay assessment, writing prompt with connected reading, brainstorming, graphic organizer, response, revision, and editing activities. Plus, each essay includes a detailed analytical (not holistic) rubric for assessment-based learning.

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25 Persuasive Essay Prompts and Topics

by Sue Weems | 0 comments

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Have you been assigned a persuasive essay and need a topic? We've got you! Take a look at these persuasive essay prompts and get your essay started today!

Persuasive essays can be challenging for several reasons, but the first problem is choosing the right topic.

You want a topic that is both engaging and controversial enough to elicit a strong response. A topic that's too broad may lead to a lack of focus, while one that's too narrow might not provide enough material to argue convincingly.

So choose a topic and then make sure you take a position that is debatable AND right-sized.

Is my topic debatable?

If I choose the topic violent video games, my first question might be is this debatable?

The truth is that it isn't debatable YET. I have to take a position on it. I have to pick a perspective to argue. So let's look at three position statements:

Violent video games are bad.

Violent video games exist.

Violent video games are controversial.

Out of these three, which one takes a debatable position?

“Violent video games are bad” is the only one that takes a position. The other two statements are facts.

Once you choose your topic, make sure you take a debatable stance on it.

Is my topic the right size?

Now that we know we've chosen a debatable statement, we have to make sure it's not too broad. First, look at the parts of the statement to see how each important word or phrase would be defined.

In our statement “Violent video games are bad,” we need to be more specific to narrow the scope of our paper. This position is too broad (and depending on research, may even be incorrect).

What are we categorizing as violent? Which games? And more importantly, what do we mean by “bad”? And because video games require.a player, who are the players impacted?

Once we do some research about specific types of games for specific player age groups, then we'll have a much better position statement that is right-sized: not too broad and not too narrow,.

So depending on my research, I might make my position more specific and stronger with something like:

Parents need to monitor their children's exposure to violent shooter games to minimize the negative effects of both screen time and violence.

Notice how this statement takes a position: parents need to limit exposure for two reasons: screen time and violence. Is it right-size? The paper will need to show evidence that children's exposure to screens and violence has long term effects, and argue why parents are the ones to address it.

Yes, this is narrow enough to tackle in an essay.

As you consider how to build a strong argument that includes a combination of solid reasoning, credible evidence, and emotional appeal, make sure your position statement on your topic is the right size to persuade your audience.

Need help writing your persuasive essay? Take a look at our guide on How to Write a Persuasive Essay here .

Persuasive Essay Prompts

I'd like to throw out some topics and then give two or three prompts for each that would be debatable and right-sized for an essay. See which ones resonate with you.

College Education

When does the cost of a college education necessary to
How can college education be made more affordable, especially for lower income students?

Cell phones

How dangerous are cell phones while driving and what can be done to help drivers be more responsible?
What is the most positive benefit of cell phone use and how can users make sure the benefit outweighs any risks or harm?
How might we reimagine the school day to better meet the needs of students?
What one change needs to be made during the elementary school day to reduce bullying incidents?

College athletes

Should college athletes be paid? Why or why not?
What protections or education should college athletes have to protect their physical, mental, academic, and fiscal wellness?

Wild animals

Should people be allowed to own wild animals? Why or why not?
When should the government or other organizations be allowed to disrupt a wild animal's habitat?

Health care

Is health care a right for all citizens?
How could health care be reimagined to more fully embrace prevention and wellness?
Should schools ban junk food sales in the cafeteria or campus?
Should junk food be taxed at a higher rate to raise money to combat the health issues it can cause?

Standardized testing

Should standardized testing be abolished in high schools?
How should standardized tests be used to evaluate student and teacher progress?
How heavily weighted should standardized test scores be in the college admissions process?

Some other popular persuasive topics

These topics are mainstays of persuasive essays, but they usually require more intensive research. As you read about the topic from a variety of sources, let your research help you choose a perspective or viewpoint.

These are just topics–remember that you will still have to choose a position and make it right-sized based on your research.

exotic animals
death penalty
minimum wage and living wage
school uniforms
animal testing
genetic engineering
nuclear power

The Best Persuasive Essay Topics

You can use any one of the above twenty-five topics and write a terrific essay, but the best persuasive essay topic will be one you care deeply about.

Don't overlook the activities, ideas, and issues that are around you every day.

Do you love a specific genre of music? What do people within that community love to argue about? That might be a good persuasive essay topic.

Do you hate the latest updates to your favorite video game? You could write a persuasive essay about the reasons they aren't working and what developers should do instead.

Do you listen to certain podcasts or watch specific tv shows on repeat? What problems, controversies, or disagreements do people discuss about your favorites?

By far, the best persuasive essays I've read are on topics that students are passionate about. When you take the time to develop a topic and position using research and your own interests and passions, the essay will be stronger!

What other persuasive topics do you find most compelling? What tips do you have for choosing a good topic? Share in the comments .

Set the timer for 15 minutes . Choose one of these ideas and write as much of the essay as you can in one sitting. When you're finished, share your start in the Pro Practice Workshop for feedback from the community. And if you share, please be sure to comment on a few stories by other writers.

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

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Award-winning instructor and writer of 20+ years, book coach, and editor. Sue Weems specializes in working with Children's, Memoir, Middle Grade, Mystery, Nonfiction, Romance, and Thriller books. Sound like a good fit for you?

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200+ Opinion Writing Prompts & Examples

Every great essay starts with a single idea.

Whether you’re a student working on a class assignment or a teacher looking for engaging ways to spark discussion, opinion writing prompts can inspire critical thinking and help articulate ideas clearly.

This blog post offers over 200 unique opinion writing prompts, sentence starters, tips for teachers, and sample rubrics for grading.

What Is an Opinion Writing Prompt?

OPINION WRITING PROMPTS written on a whiteboard in a modern, comfortable classroom

Table of Contents

Opinion writing is a powerful tool that allows you to express your thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives on a wide range of topics.

An opinion writing prompt is a question or statement designed to encourage the writer to take a stance.

These prompts ask the writer to express their opinion and provide reasons, evidence, and examples to support their viewpoint. Opinion writing helps develop critical thinking, persuasive skills, and the ability to organize and articulate thoughts coherently.

Opinion Writing Prompts: 200+ Ideas

Browse through these opinion writing prompts and choose the one that jumps out at you.

Social Issues

Should streaming platforms have stricter regulations on content?
Is it fair to ban plastic bags to protect the environment?
Should schools implement mandatory community service for students?
Is it important to preserve endangered languages?
Should there be a limit on screen time for children?
Is universal basic income a good idea for society?
Should cities invest more in public transportation?
Is recycling really making a significant impact on the environment?
Should governments prioritize mental health services over physical health?
Is it ethical to clone animals for research purposes?
Should students be required to wear school uniforms?
Is homework necessary for effective learning?
Should schools have longer recess periods?
Is standardized testing a good measure of student ability?
Should technology be more integrated into the classroom?
Is it better to learn a second language at an early age?
Should schools provide more life skills classes, like cooking and budgeting?
Is online learning as effective as in-person classes?
Should art and music education be mandatory in schools?
Is it fair to give students grades for participation?
Should there be age restrictions on smartphone usage?
Is artificial intelligence a threat to human jobs?
Is it fair to hold social media platforms accountable for misinformation shared on their sites?
Is it ethical to use facial recognition technology?
Should parents monitor their children’s online activities?
Is the constant advancement of technology harming society?
Should self-driving cars be allowed on public roads?
Is it important to limit screen time for all ages?
Should the government regulate internet access more strictly?
Is online privacy more important than national security?

Health and Wellness

Should schools offer healthier lunch options?
Is it necessary to exercise every day?
Should sugary drinks be banned in schools?
Is mental health just as important as physical health?
Should fast food companies be responsible for promoting healthy choices?
Is it better to be a vegetarian or a meat-eater?
Should schools have mandatory physical education classes?
Is it important to get eight hours of sleep every night?
Should there be stricter regulations on junk food advertising?
Is it ethical to use animals for medical testing?

Environment

Should governments enforce stricter penalties for littering?
Is climate change the most pressing issue of our time?
Should more money be invested in renewable energy sources?
Is it important to protect national parks from development?
Should individuals be required to compost their food waste?
Is it better to buy local products to reduce carbon footprints?
Should plastic water bottles be banned?
Is it important to conserve water even in regions where it’s abundant?
Should we prioritize reforestation efforts over urban development?
Is nuclear energy a safe and effective alternative to fossil fuels?

Government and Politics

Should voting be mandatory in all democratic countries?
Is it important to have term limits for elected officials?
Should the government provide free healthcare to all citizens?
Is it fair to impose higher taxes on the wealthy?
Should there be more restrictions on campaign financing?
Is it important to maintain strong military forces?
Should governments censor certain types of media?
Do we need more stringent laws for gun control?
Is lowering the voting age to 16 a good idea?
Is it important for governments to invest in space exploration?

Society and Culture

Should cultural heritage sites be preserved at all costs?
Is it fair to judge people based on their fashion choices?
Should celebrities be held to higher standards of behavior?
Is it important to maintain traditions in a rapidly changing world?
Should reality TV shows be considered harmful to society?
Is it ethical to profit from someone else’s cultural practices?
Is it ethical for people to have exotic animals as pets?
Is it important to support local artists and musicians?
Should there be laws against hate speech?
Is it necessary to teach young people about cultural diversity?

Family and Relationships

Should parents be held accountable for their children’s actions?
Is it better to have siblings or to be an only child?
Should children have a say in family decisions?
Is it important for families to eat dinner together every night?
Should grandparents play a more active role in raising children?
Is it necessary to maintain strong family ties as an adult?
Should parents be allowed to choose their children’s careers?
Is it better to have a large extended family or a small, close-knit one?
Should families prioritize spending time together over individual activities?
Is it important to have open communication within a family?

Sports and Recreation

Should professional athletes be considered role models?
Is it fair to pay athletes more than doctors and teachers?
Should there be more opportunities for women in sports?
Is it important for children to participate in team sports?
Should extreme sports be regulated more strictly?
Is it better to watch sports live or on television?
Should college athletes be paid for their performance?
Is it necessary to have gender-specific sports leagues?
Should schools invest more in physical education programs?
Is it ethical to allow performance-enhancing drugs in sports?

Arts and Entertainment

Should art be judged solely on its aesthetic value?
Is it important to preserve traditional forms of art?
Should public funding be used to support the arts?
Is it necessary to separate art from the artist?
Should there be more diversity in the film industry?
Is it important to protect intellectual property rights in the digital age?
Should books be adapted into movies or remain as written?
Is it better to experience art in person or through digital mediums?
Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?
Is it important to support independent filmmakers and musicians?

Imagination and Creativity

Is imagination the key to a fulfilling life, or is practicality more important?
Should schools dedicate more time to fostering creativity in students?
Is it important for adults to nurture their imagination just as much as children?
Should creative pursuits like writing, painting, and music be considered essential to a well-rounded education?
Is daydreaming beneficial, or does it distract from productivity?
Should companies give employees time to work on imaginative projects unrelated to their job roles?
Is it possible for society to advance without imaginative thinkers?
Should technology be designed to enhance human creativity rather than replace it?
Is creativity more important than knowledge in solving global challenges?
Should communities invest in spaces dedicated to encouraging creative expression, like art studios and makerspaces?

Ethics and Morality

Should capital punishment be abolished worldwide?
Is it ethical to use surveillance technology in public places?
Should organ donation be mandatory for all citizens?
Is it morally acceptable to lie in certain situations?
Should there be global standards for human rights?
Is it ethical to profit from charitable work?
Should people be allowed to sell their organs?
Is it important to always tell the truth?
Should animal rights be as important as human rights?
Is it ethical to test products on animals?

Fashion and Lifestyle

Should fashion trends dictate how we dress?
Is it better to buy high-quality clothing that lasts longer?
Should fast fashion companies be held accountable for environmental damage?
Is it important to support ethical fashion brands?
Should people be judged based on their appearance?
Is it necessary to follow beauty standards set by society?
Should there be more body positivity in the fashion industry?
Is it better to dress for comfort or style?
Should fashion be considered a form of self-expression?
Is it important to buy local and sustainable products?

Economics and Business

Should the minimum wage be increased?
Is it ethical for companies to outsource labor to other countries?
Should there be more regulations on big corporations?
Is it important to support small businesses?
Should CEOs be held accountable for the actions of their companies?
Is it necessary to have a universal basic income?
Should companies be required to provide parental leave?
Is it fair to allow monopolies in certain industries?
Should businesses prioritize profit over social responsibility?
Is it important to promote diversity in the workplace?

Science and Exploration

Should space exploration be a priority for governments?
Is it ethical to clone humans for medical research?
Should we invest more in renewable energy research?
Is it important to explore the ocean as much as space?
Should there be limits on genetic modifications?
Is it necessary to fund scientific research with public money?
Should scientists be held responsible for the unintended consequences of their discoveries?
Is it ethical to experiment on human embryos for scientific research?
Should space tourism be accessible to everyone or reserved for the wealthy?
Is it important to preserve uncontacted tribes from scientific exploration?
Should the government fund missions to explore other planets?
Is it ethical to mine resources from other planets or asteroids?
Should we focus more on exploring the deep sea than outer space?
Is it necessary to continue searching for extraterrestrial life?
Should there be stricter regulations on genetic engineering in agriculture?
Is it important to preserve endangered species through cloning?

Media and Journalism

Should journalists be allowed to protect their sources at all costs?
Is it important for media outlets to remain unbiased?
Should there be consequences for spreading fake news?
Is it ethical for journalists to go undercover to get a story?
Should there be more regulations on the portrayal of violence in the media?
Is it important to have a free press in every country?
Should social media platforms be considered as part of the media?
Is it ethical to publish private information about public figures?
Should there be stricter laws against paparazzi?
Is it important for news outlets to fact-check before publishing?

Global Issues

Should wealthy countries do more to help poorer nations?
Is it important to reduce global poverty through international aid?
Should there be stricter international laws on human trafficking?
Is it necessary to address the global water crisis urgently?
Should more countries open their borders to refugees?
Is it important to address global income inequality?
Should there be a global effort to combat climate change?
Is it ethical for countries to interfere in the affairs of other nations?
Should the United Nations have more power to enforce international laws?
Is it necessary to protect indigenous peoples from global development?

Social Media

Should children be allowed to have social media accounts?
Is it important to limit the use of smartphones in public places?
Should there be age restrictions on the use of social media?
Is it ethical to use social media data for targeted advertising?
Should there be more transparency in how social media platforms use personal data?
Is it important for parents to monitor their children’s online activity?
Should social media platforms be held responsible for cyberbullying?
Is it ethical to ban certain individuals from social media platforms?
Should schools teach students about digital literacy?
Is it necessary to have laws against online harassment?

Travel and Adventure

Should everyone have the opportunity to travel internationally at least once in their life?
Is it important to respect local customs and traditions while traveling?
Should there be restrictions on tourism in environmentally sensitive areas?
Is it better to travel alone or with a group?
Should countries invest more in eco-friendly tourism?
Is it necessary to learn the local language before visiting a foreign country?
Should travel be considered an essential part of education?
Is it important to support local businesses while traveling?
Should there be more regulations on wildlife tourism?
Is it better to experience travel through organized tours or independent exploration?

Cultural and Historical Issues

Should historical monuments be preserved even if they represent controversial pasts?
Is it important to teach history from multiple perspectives?
Should countries repatriate cultural artifacts taken during colonization?
Is it ethical to display human remains in museums?
Should historical films be required to be historically accurate?
Is it important to preserve languages that are on the verge of extinction?
Should we celebrate cultural diversity in all aspects of society?
Is it necessary to learn about other cultures to be a well-rounded individual?
Should schools require students to learn about the history of other countries?
Is it important to remember and honor the past, even if it’s painful?

Here is a good video with a few more opinion writing prompts:

Sentence Starters for Opinion Writing

Here are some helpful sentence starters to kick off your opinion writing:

“I believe that…”
“In my opinion…”
“The reason I think this is because…”
“One example that supports my opinion is…”
“From my perspective…”
“It’s clear to me that…”
“Another reason I feel this way is…”
“Some people might disagree, but I think…”
“In conclusion, I believe…”
“To sum up my point of view…”

How Teachers Can Use These Opinion Writing Prompts

Teachers can use these opinion writing prompts to help students develop critical thinking, persuasive writing skills, and the ability to articulate their thoughts clearly.

Here are a few strategies:

Daily Writing Exercises: Use these prompts as daily writing exercises to help students practice forming and expressing their opinions.
Classroom Debates: Select prompts that can be turned into classroom debates, encouraging students to research and defend their positions.
Essay Assignments: Assign longer essays based on prompts, allowing students to explore a topic in-depth.
Group Discussions: Use prompts to spark group discussions, helping students to hear different perspectives and refine their own arguments.
Creative Projects: Encourage students to create multimedia presentations, posters, or videos based on their responses to the prompts.

Sample Rubrics for Opinion Writing

For all the teachers out there, you have a place in my heart, and so I wanted to provide a few rubrics you could use when teaching opinion writing prompts.

3rd Grade Opinion Writing Rubric

4 – Excellent	3 – Good	2 – Satisfactory	1 – Needs Improvement
Clearly stated and well-developed	Stated clearly but lacks development	Opinion is unclear or incomplete	Opinion is missing or confusing
Strong reasons with clear examples	Good reasons with some examples	Reasons are weak or lack examples	Few or no reasons or examples
Well-organized with logical flow	Organized but may lack flow	Some organization but lacks clarity	Disorganized or difficult to follow
Clear, correct, and varied language	Mostly clear with few errors	Some errors that distract the reader	Frequent errors that hinder meaning

4th Grade Opinion Writing Rubric

4 – Excellent	3 – Good	2 – Satisfactory	1 – Needs Improvement
Clearly articulated and insightful	Clearly stated but basic	Somewhat clear, needs more insight	Unclear or missing opinion statement
Strong, relevant, and persuasive	Relevant but could be stronger	Lacks depth or relevance	Weak or irrelevant details
Flows logically with strong transitions	Generally well-organized	Somewhat organized, weak transitions	Disorganized or lacks logical flow
Free of errors and enhances writing	Few minor errors	Some errors that need correction	Frequent errors affecting readability

5th-6th Grade Opinion Writing Rubric

4 – Excellent	3 – Good	2 – Satisfactory	1 – Needs Improvement
Clearly stated and compelling	Clear but not as compelling	Present but lacks clarity	Missing or unclear thesis statement
Strong, logical, and well-supported	Good support but needs more depth	Arguments are weak or unsupported	Lacks coherent arguments or support
Seamless flow with effective transitions	Generally cohesive but occasional lapses	Lacks smooth transitions between ideas	Disjointed, hard to follow
Sophisticated and engaging	Clear with some engagement	Basic language, lacks engagement	Simplistic or unclear language

Final Thoughts: Opinion Writing Prompts

Remember, the best way to improve your writing is to keep practicing. So, choose a prompt, start writing, and let your voice be heard.

Over 1,000 Writing Prompts for Students

Compiled by Michael Gonchar

April 12, 2018

Note: We have 300 new argumentative writing prompts to add to this list.

Of all the resources we publish on The Learning Network, perhaps it’s our vast collection of writing prompts that is our most widely used resource for teaching and learning with The Times.

We’ve published iterations of this post in the past — 200 , 401 and even 650 prompts — but never before have we gathered all our prompts, for both personal and argument writing, into one categorized list.

Admittedly, the list is huge. In fact, there are 1,219 questions below on everything from video games and fashion to smartphones and parenting, and each prompt links to a Times article as well as to additional subquestions that can encourage deeper thinking.

To help you navigate this page, here’s an index of topics:

Technology (1-74): Social Media • Smartphones • Internet & Tech Arts & Entertainment (75-248): Music • Television • Video Games • Movies & Theater • Books & Reading • Writing • The Arts • Language & Speech School & Career (249-449): School • Learning & Studying • Education Tech • Teachers & Grading • School Rules & Student Life • College • Work & Careers Identity & Family (450-828): Parenting • Family • Childhood Memories • Growing Up • Overcoming Adversity • Your Personality • Religion & Morality • Role Models • Gender • Race & Ethnicity • Neighborhood & Home • Money & Social Class • What If... Social Life & Leisure Time (829-1,059): Friendship • Dating & Sex • Looks & Fashion • Food • Sports & Games • Travel • Holidays & Seasons • Shopping & Cars Science & Health (1,060-1,140): Science & Environment • Animals & Pets • Exercise & Health Civics & History (1,141-1,219): Guns & the Justice System • Government Policy • History & News

So dive into the hundreds of writing prompts below — and let us know in the comments how you might use them in your classroom.

Social Media

1. Is Social Media Making Us More Narcissistic? 2. Are You the Same Person on Social Media as You Are in Real Life? 3. How Young Is Too Young to Use Social Media? 4. What Advice Do You Have for Younger Kids About Navigating Social Media? 5. How Do You Use Facebook? 6. What Is Your Facebook Persona? 7. How Real Are You on Social Media? 8. What Memorable Experiences Have You Had on Facebook? 9. Does Facebook Ever Make You Feel Bad? 10. Does Facebook Need a ‘Dislike’ Button? 11. Has Facebook Lost Its Edge? 12. Would You Consider Deleting Your Facebook Account? 13. Would You Quit Social Media? 14. Do You Have ‘Instagram Envy’? 15. Who Is Your Favorite Social Media Star? 16. What’s So Great About YouTube? 17. What Has YouTube Taught You? 18. What Are Your Favorite Viral Videos? 19. What Are Your Favorite Internet Spoofs? 20. What Would You Teach the World in an Online Video? 21. Do You Ever Seek Advice on the Internet? 22. Would You Share an Embarrassing Story Online? 23. Do You Use Twitter? 24. Is Snapchat a Revolutionary Form of Social Media? 25. Why Do You Share Photos? 26. How Do You Archive Your Life? 27. What Ordinary Moments Would You Include in a Video About Your Life? 28. Are Digital Photographs Too Plentiful to Be Meaningful? 29. Do You Worry We Are Filming Too Much? 30. Have You Ever Posted, Emailed or Texted Something You Wish You Could Take Back? 31. Would You Want Your Photo or Video to Go Viral? 32. Do You Worry Colleges or Employers Might Read Your Social Media Posts Someday? 33. Will Social Media Help or Hurt Your College and Career Goals? 34. Should What You Say on Facebook Be Grounds for Getting Fired? 35. Are Anonymous Social Media Networks Dangerous? 36. Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online? 37. Are Parents Violating Their Children’s Privacy When They Share Photos and Videos of Them Online? 38. Would You Mind if Your Parents Blogged About You?

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Understanding the Prompt

Everyone knows how overwhelming it can be to look at a blank screen or piece of paper when expected to write something. Imagine never being given any instruction on how to compose a piece of academic writing. That would be difficult! Although writing prompts might feel burdensome, they actually offer guidance to the writer. There are just a few strategies to understanding any prompt you're given so you can write the most effective essay possible in any circumstance.

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Which of the following it NOT a question to ask yourself about the prompt?

What word commonly used in writing prompts means to highlight some detail about the topic of discussion?

What word commonly used in writing prompts means to look for differences between two things?

True or false: If the prompt is for an essay you're writing as part of an exam, you can conduct research for your response.

What should you do once you feel like you understand the prompt?

True or false: There are different types of prompts.

Fill in the blank: In addition to giving you an opportunity to interact with an academic topic, essay prompts are also crafted with the intention of challenging your _________________.

What is the definition of a prompt?

What type of writing prompt would require a response that seeks to convince the audience of the writer's position?

While reading a prompt with a critical eye, what is something you should be looking for?

True or false, a prompt could be a picture.

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An Essay Prompt: Definition & Meaning

A writing prompt is an introduction to a topic as well as instruction on how to write about it. Writing prompts, often used for essay assignments, are meant to direct the writing and encourage interest in the topic of discussion.

An essay prompt could be anything meant to make you engage with the subject at hand; it could be a question, a statement , or even a picture or song. In addition to allowing you to interact with an academic topic, essay prompts are also crafted to challenge your writing skills.

A writing prompt will often explain what style or structure you should use in your essay (if not contained in the prompt itself, you should be informed elsewhere in the assignment). This all depends on what the writing prompt is asking you to do.

Prompt Writing Examples

Writing prompts can vary in style and length, and there are several different types, each focusing on something else.

Prompts can also vary by how much information they give you. Sometimes, a writing prompt will provide the writer with a scenario and ask them to defend their position on the topic, or give them a short reading assignment and ask them to respond. Other times, the prompt is very short and to the point.

It’s ultimately up to the writer to respond accordingly, but it’s helpful to understand what precisely you are supposed to do.

Below are the different types of essay prompts you might encounter, as well as an example of each. Some examples are lengthy and detailed, while others are simple questions; it is important to be prepared for either case.

Think about a prompt from your previous English assignments; what kind of essay prompt do you think it was? How did the prompt inform your writing?

Descriptive Writing Prompt

A descriptive writing prompt aims to get the writer to describe something specific.

How to respond: The goal here is to use vivid language, bringing the reader into the description so they almost feel like they are experiencing it for themselves.

Example prompt: Read the sample about leisure from George Eliot’s Adam Bede (1859). Compose a well-written essay describing her two views of leisure and discuss stylistic devices she uses to convey those views.

Narrative Writing Prompt

Narrative writing tells a story. A narrative essay prompt will ask you to walk the reader through an experience or scene using creative, insightful language.

A narrative essay prompt could easily be confused with descriptive. Still, the difference is that you’re responsible for explaining the series of events, not just describing one particular thing about the event. You may use elements of descriptive writing for a narrative essay .

How to respond: Be prepared to tell a story. It might be based on real-life experiences or entirely fictional— that is up to you. You’ll organize your response according to the series of events in the story.

Example prompt: Write a story about your favorite school memory. Include details such as who was there, where it was, what happened, and how it ended.

Expository Writing Prompt

Expository is a synonym for explanatory, so you will be asked to explain something in detail in this type of prompt. In an expository essay , you’ll need to support the information you’re sharing with facts.

How to respond: Depending on the topic, you should generate a hypothesis and use evidence to support it. Present a coherent argument to the reader.

Example prompt: On April 9, 1964, Claudia Johnson, First Lady of the United States, gave the following speech at the first-anniversary luncheon of the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to the works of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who passed away in 1962. Read the passage carefully. Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices First Lady Johnson makes in order to honor Eleanor Roosevelt.

In your response, you should do the following:

Respond to the prompt with a thesis that analyzes the writer’s rhetorical choices.

Select and use evidence to support your line of reasoning.

Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.

Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation.

Notice how this sample prompt is much more detailed than the previous examples. If you receive a prompt like this, pay attention to every specific detail and be sure you respond to each piece of instruction; otherwise, you risk not entirely answering the assignment.

Persuasive Writing Prompt

A writing prompt that asks for a persuasive response is trying to get the writer to convince the audience of something. In persuasive writing, you’ll need to take a stance or side of an argument and persuade the reader to agree with your position.

How to respond: After considering the topic of the prompt, choose an argument that you can defend with logic and evidence (if possible) and try to convince the reader of your position.

Example prompt: Winston Churchill said, “There is nothing wrong in change, if it is in the right direction. To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to change often.”

- Winston S. Churchill, 23 June 1925, House of Commons

Although Winston Churchill may have made this statement somewhat jokingly, one may easily find support for both change “in the right direction” and change that is destructive. From personal experience or your studies, develop a position regarding one change that is or was viewed differently by different generations.

Steps to Understanding the Prompt

When presented with a writing prompt, you can take a few steps to make sure you fully understand the assignment and can produce the most effective essay or piece of writing. Regardless of the length of the prompt, what type it is, or how detailed it is, you can use this process to get a firm grasp on the meaning of the prompt and what to write in response.

Understand The Prompt A pen on top of a notebook with glasses in the background StudySmarter

1. Read and Re-Read the Prompt

Step one may feel like an obvious one, but the importance of reading the prompt well cannot be overstated. It’s also important to not just read it but to read it without focusing on what your response will be just yet. Your agenda in this step is to simply take in the information. Feel free to take notes or underline keywords if you're reading new information (and perhaps even if you're already familiar with it).

Consider reading the prompt several times for a deeper understanding (if time allows).

2. Read the Prompt Critically

Next, take another pass at the prompt, but this time read with a more critical eye. Look for keywords or phrases, and pay close attention to action words—the prompt is ultimately asking you to do something.

Start to look for details and information that you can use in your response. Take notes, circle, or underline anything you might use. This will save you time as you begin writing.

3. Summarize the Prompt in a Sentence

The purpose of step three is twofold: to summarize the prompt by distilling it down to its most important parts (i.e. the part that includes your assignment) and to put it in your own words. Pay attention to keywords and phrases used in the prompt, and be sure to include them in your summary.

Summarizing the prompt will allow you to fully digest the information in the prompt and further cement your understanding by reproducing it.

4. Ask Yourself Questions About the Prompt

It’s time to start thinking about the purpose of the assignment. You can ask yourself these questions to dig into what exactly you need to do next:

Understanding the Prompt: Who Is the Audience for the Essay?

Before you begin to write, you always need to identify your audience. Why? Because your audience should influence how you approach responding to the prompt. In an academic essay, you should always assume your audience is your teacher or whoever has written the essay prompt. Remember to write your essay in a way so that anyone can understand your response.

Understanding the Prompt: What Form of Writing Does it Require?

Do you need to construct an argument or narrate an event? Scan the prompt for clues about what type of response you should write. Sometimes a prompt will tell you precisely what type of essay to write, and other times you are given the freedom to respond as you see fit.

What Is the Purpose of the Prompt?

Look for action words in the prompt such as ‘describe’ or ‘explain’, as these give you a major clue about the purpose of the prompt. These words tell you what to do.

Here are a few keywords and phrases commonly used in writing prompts and their meanings:

Compare - look for similarities between two things (texts, images, etc.).

Contrast - look for differences between two things.

Define - explain what something means and give an official definition .

Illustrate - highlight some detail about the topic of discussion.

To figure out what a prompt is asking you to do, look for action verbs that will help direct the purpose of your response. In addition to those commonly used keywords, you should also pay attention to words that indicate a task or expectation for you, the writer. Here are a few examples:

Incorporate

Be sure you accomplish the action requested in the prompt, using examples and details as necessary.

If you don’t find words like this, think through a possible response and try to identify what type of writing would answer the question posed in the prompt.

Understanding the Prompt: What Information Do I Need to Complete the Task?

Are there any graphs or statistics in the prompt that you might need to reference in your essay? Circle this information so you can easily find it later.

If this prompt is not part of an exam, you may want to research the topic to round out your answer with details and accurate information.

Understanding the Prompt: What Kind of Details or Arguments Does it Suggest?

Look for what information you’re supposed to include in your response. These are specific details the prompt asks you to consider, such as the findings of a study or a fictional character’s personality traits.

Is it possible that these details are enough to support your thesis statement? Could each detail be enough for an entire paragraph in a basic, five-paragraph structured essay? Answering these questions might be a big help as you begin to plan your essay.

Understanding the Prompt, Thinking Emoji on a smartphone, StudySmarter

I Understand the Prompt: Now What?

Now that you have come to thoroughly understand the prompt and what it is asking you to do, the next step is to plan an outline.

Even if you are taking an exam and have limited time, you should still devote a few minutes to drafting an outline. An outline is likely to save you time in the long run as it gives your writing direction, and it can keep you from meandering without ever proving your point.

Armed with a firm understanding of the prompt and an outline of how you intend to answer the prompt’s ultimate question, you can now begin to write your amazing essay!

Understanding the Prompt - Key takeaways

A writing prompt is an introduction to a topic as well as instruction on how to write about it.
A prompt is anything meant to engage you with a particular topic and is also meant to challenge your writing skills.
Prompts can be descriptive, narrative, expository, or persuasive (and your writing should reflect the style of the prompt).
Read (and re-read the prompt)
Read the prompt critically
Summarize the prompt in a sentence
Who is the audience?
What form of writing does this require?
What is the purpose of the prompt?
What information do I need to complete the task?
What kind of details or argument does it suggest?

Flashcards in Understanding the Prompt 20

Is there anything in this prompt I can ignore?

False (unless otherwise noted)

Draft an outline

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Frequently Asked Questions about Understanding the Prompt

What does understanding the prompt mean?

Understanding the prompt means having a firm grasp on the topic and how the prompt has asked the writer to engage with or respond to it.

What is an essay prompt?

An essay prompt is an introduction to a topic as well as instruction on how to write about it.

What is a prompt example?

A prompt example would be: Take a position on the value of attempting difficult tasks, particularly when there is the guarantee that you will never achieve perfection. Support your position with personal experiences, observations, readings, and history.

What does prompt mean in writing?

A prompt is anything that encourages you to think about your relation to a topic and engage with it in the form of writing.

How do I write a prompt response?

Write a prompt response by first answering the following questions:

Test your knowledge with multiple choice flashcards

True or false: If the prompt is for an essay you're writing as part of an exam, you can conduct research for your response.

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A writing prompt is a topic, idea, or starting point for an essay, report, response to reading, story, or other forms of writing.

Prompts in Writable:

Writing prompts guide students to write about a particular topic in a particular way. In Writable, prompts are the question you’re asking students to respond to in their writing. When your students click 'Read and Write' to begin working on an assignment, they will see the assignment directions and the writing prompt.

Prompt-Writing Tips:

Provide clear instructions about the writing task.

Your prompt should not include readings or rubrics, those have different designated areas in an assignment.

Design prompts based on the knowledge, experience, or interest of your students.

The prompt should be concise but include enough information so your students understand the writing task.

You can edit any prompts available in Writable or create your own .

Guide Students to Analyze the Prompt:

What form of writing does it require?

Who is the audience for the writing assignment?

What is the purpose of the prompt?

Help Students Recognize Keywords:

Expository/Informational: how, what, explain, define, analyze, compare/contrast.

Persuasive: convince, persuade, why, opinion, argue.

Narrative: tell, story, relate, imagine, describe.

Descriptive: describe in detail, include sensory words.

How do I edit prompts?

How do I edit an assignment?

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GA4 Tracking Code

Gen ed writes, writing across the disciplines at harvard college, unpacking the elements of writing prompts.

What you learn in Expos courses about how to use a prompt

Most assignment prompts in Expos ask students to write in a specific genre (single-source analysis, comparative analysis, lens/test a theory, research essay, capstone presentation), while using specific sources, writing for specific audiences, using specific styles, and so on. In addition, the prompts for major assignments break the writing process down into smaller steps, such as response papers, drafts, and revisions (and maybe intermediary steps, e.g., annotated bibliographies or proposals).

The stable vocabulary students learn in Expos to communicate about writing—in prompts, workshops, conferences, and written feedback—is The Elements of Academic Argument , and the elements you see here in the left sidebar are drawn directly from that same list of terms. Click on any of the elements in the sidebar for an overview of why they're important and how to recognize them when you see them in a prompt.

Skills that transfer beyond Expos

Knowing how to unpack the elements of a writing prompt and break the writing process down into more manageable steps is immensely valuable, and a lot of the practice you get with this in Expos will translate directly into other courses. That being said, some prompts need more "decoding" than others to unpack everything, and it's maybe been a while since you've done it (or maybe you're in your first term and haven't taken Expos). No worries: the assignment prompt decoder exercise will walk you through the process of unpacking and breaking down just about any writing prompt.

DIY Guides for Analytical Writing Assignments

Types of Assignments
Evidence and Analysis
Style and Conventions
Specific Guidelines
Advice on Process
Receiving Feedback

Assignment Decoder

49 Opinion Writing Prompts for Students

Lesson Plans
Grading Students for Assessment
Becoming A Teacher
Assessments & Tests
Elementary Education
Special Education
Homeschooling

One of the most common essay types is the opinion, or persuasive, essay. In an opinion essay , the writer states a point of view, then provides facts and reasoned arguments to support that viewpoint. The goal of the essay is to convince the reader to share the writer’s opinion.

Students aren't always aware of how many strong opinions they already hold. Use the following opinion writing prompts to inspire them to start thinking and writing persuasively.

Prompts About School and Sports

School- and sports-related topics often elicit strong opinions in students. Use these writing prompts to kick off the brainstorming process.

Ch-ch-ch-changes . What is one thing about your school that needs to change? Is bullying an issue? Do students need longer breaks or a dress code? Choose one vital issue that needs to change and convince school leaders to make it happen.
Special guest. Your school is trying to decide on a famous person to give a speech or presentation to students. Who do you think they should choose? Write an essay to convince your principal.
Oxford or bust. Is the Oxford comma essential or obsolete?
Scribble scrabble. Do students still need to learn cursive handwriting?
Co-ed conflict. Would students perform better if more schools were single-gender rather than co-ed? Why or why not?
Participation awards. Should there be winners and losers in sports, or is participation the ultimate goal?
Homework overload. Write an essay to convince your teacher to assign less homework.
Sports. Which sport (or team) is the best? What makes it better than the others?
No slacking . Write an essay persuading a fellow student to do their homework.
Class trip. This year, students get to vote on where to go for a class trip. Write an essay convincing your fellow students to vote for the place you’d like to go.
Superlatives. Which would you rather be: a top student, a talented athlete, or an accomplished artist?
Virtual athletes . Video games competitions are often aired on TV and treated like sports competitions. Should video games be considered sports?
Class debate. Should classes that students may not use or that don’t interest them (such as physical education or foreign language) be required?

Prompts About Relationships

Friendships, dating, and other relationships can be both rewarding and exasperating. These writing prompts about relationships will help students explore their feelings about both the positive and the negative moments.

Snitch. Your best friend tells you about his plan to cheat on a test. Should you tell an adult? Why or why not?
Give it a chance. Your best friend is convinced that she would hate your favorite book, even though she's never read it. Convince her to read it.
Friendships vs. relationships. Are friendships or romantic relationships more important in life? Why?
Driving age. What age do kids start driving in your state? Is that age too old, too young, or just right? Why?
Truth or consequences. Your best friend asks your opinion about something, but you know that a truthful answer will hurt her feelings. What do you do?
Who chooses? Your best friend is visiting, and you want to watch TV together, but his favorite show is at the same time as your favorite show. Convince him that your show is a better choice.
Fun times. What is the most fun thing you and your best friend have ever experienced together? Why does it deserve the top spot?
Dating. Are long-term dating relationships good or bad for teens?
New friends. You want to spend time with a new student at school, but your best friend is jealous. Convince your friend of the importance of including the newcomer.
Be mine. Is Valentine’s Day worthwhile or just a scheme for the greeting card and chocolate industry to make more money?
Debbie Downer. Should you cut ties with friends or relatives who are always negative?
He loves me not. Is it really better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?
Elders. Should you respect your elders merely because they are older, or is respect something that must be earned?

Prompts About Family, Pets, and Leisure Time

The following writing prompts related to family, furry friends, and free time will help students reflect on preferences, ethics, and integrity.

Self-reflection. This time, you're the one who needs convincing! Write an essay to persuade yourself to start a healthy habit (or kick a bad habit).
Paper wars. Should toilet paper hang with the loose end resting on the top of the roll or hanging from the bottom?
Movie vs. book. Choose a book that has been made into a movie. Which version is better, and why?
Weekend wanderings . Do you prefer to stay home on the weekends or get out and do things around town? Write an essay to convince your parents to let you do what you prefer this weekend.
Sweepstakes. A travel agency is hosting an essay contest to give away an all-expenses-paid trip to the one place in the world you’d most love to visit. Craft a winning essay that convinces them they need to choose you.
Zoo debate. Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos? Why or why not?
Presence of pets. Should there be limits on the types of places pets can go (e.g. airplanes or restaurants)? Why or why not?
Inspiring stories. What is the most inspiring book you’ve ever read? Why is it so inspiring?
Dollar discovery. You find a $20 bill in the parking lot of a crowded store. Is it okay to keep it, or should you turn it in to customer service?
Vacation day. What is the very best way to spend an unexpected day off from school and why is it the best?
Digital or print? Is it better to read books in print or digitally? Why?

Prompts About Society and Technology

The people and technology around us have a significant impact on our lives. These writing prompts encourage students to consider the effect that society and technological advances have on our day-to-day lives.

Reverse technology. Pick one technological advancement that you think the world would be better off without. Explain your reasoning and persuade the reader.
Out of this world . Do aliens exist? Why or why not?
Social media. Is social media good or bad for society? Why?
Emoji. Has the use of emoji stunted our ability to express ourselves in writing, or does it help us identify our emotions more precisely?
Auto safety. Have advancements like self-driving cars, blind spot indicators, and lane departure warning systems made driving safer, or have they just made drivers less attentive?
Exploration Mars. Write a letter to Elon Musk convincing him that you should be part of a colony to Mars.
Fundraisers. Is it okay for kids to stand outside stores and ask shoppers for money for their sports teams, clubs, or band? Why or why not?
Inventions. What is the greatest invention ever made? Why is it the best?
Important cause. In your opinion, what global problem or issue deserves more attention than it currently receives? Why should more time and money be invested in this cause?
Minimalism. Does living a minimalist lifestyle make for a happier life? Why or why not?
Gaming gains. Are video games generally a positive or a negative influence? Why?
Rose-colored glasses. Is the current decade the best era in history? Why or why not?
Paper or plastic. Should plastic bags be outlawed?
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Writing in Literature: Writing the Prompt Paper

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Whether you are given a selection of prompts to choose from or just one, knowing something about the various sorts of writing prompts can help you understand what your teacher expects and how you should approach the project.

“Compare and Contrast”

This classic writing prompt can be quite challenging because it sounds almost as if you are being asked to compile a list of similarities and differences. While a list might be of use in the planning stage, this prompt asks you to use what you discover to arrive at a conclusion about the two works under discussion.

Example: “Compare and contrast the two endings for Dickens’ Great Expectations paying special attention to the situation of Stella at the close of the novel.”

Find three or four elements from the texts upon which to base your comparison.
Examine possible connections and determine a thesis.
Base your outline around the elements you’ve chosen, remembering to give equal coverage to each side.

“Discuss the theme of x as it appears in works a, b, and c.”

This is an extended or re-named compare and contrast prompt. In this situation, you are given a general theme, such as “loss of innocence” or “self-revelation.” Your job is to use the instances of that theme to arrive at some general conclusions regarding how the theme works in the text you are analyzing.

Example: “Discuss the ways in which Shakespeare talks about the passing of time in three of the sonnets we read for class.”

Re-read carefully the selected works looking specifically for the theme or motif in question. Then research the ways in which other critics have examined this theme.
Determine your argument. Will you make a claim for similarity (“A, b, and c use x in much the same way.”), difference (“A, b, and c, when dealing with x, take highly individual approaches.”), or superiority (“While a and b deal with x, c clearly demonstrates a richer, more nuanced treatment.”)?
Organize your paper around the works, making each point deal thoroughly with a discrete work. Remember that connections are of the utmost importance for this paper, so pay close attention to your transitions.

“What is the role of women/the role of class/the role of the Other as presented in this work?”

All three examples above serve as first steps to the larger world of literary theory and criticism. Writing prompts like this ask you to examine a work from a particular perspective. You may not be comfortable with this new perspective. Chances are that since your instructor has given you such an assignment, the issues in question will be at least partially covered in class.

Example: “Discuss the ways in which the outsider or Other is dealt with in James Joyce’s story “The Dead.”

Categorize the persons or characters in the piece. What are they in the most general, stereotypical way? Male or female? Lower or upper class? Natives or foreigners? Strangers or friends?
Examine the ways in which the characters you’ve categorized fit or don’t fit into the boxes you’ve assigned them. Do they support or undermine the categories, and what do others (including the author) say about them and their place in the world?
Write your paper as if you were giving a new definition (or an amended definition)of the category in question using the text as your guide. Your main points should highlight the ways in which the text uses or discards the accepted categories.

“Critic A has famously said “B” about this work. In light of our study of the piece in question, would you agree or disagree, why or why not?”

This sort of question is often asked as an in-class essay, but can appear as a prompt for larger papers. The goal of a question like this is to give you the opportunity to deal with the critical voices of others in your own writings.

Example: “C.S. Lewis has said that Chaucer is “our foremost poet of joy” in the English language, and in this field he “has few equals and no masters.” Discuss how this applies to the ending of “The Knight’s Tale” from The Canterbury Tales.”

Read and re-read the quote from the prompt several times. Ask yourself what seems to be the quote’s central claim.
Apply that claim to the relevant passage or work. In a way, you are being asked not to examine the literature so much as the claim about the literature. Does it hold up to scrutiny in light of the actual text?
Your instructor would be equally pleased whether you agree or disagree with the critic’s views as long as you do so in a scholarly fashion. Structure your paper around the claims made by the quote and use lines from the text to support your own reaction.

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Annotating a Prompt for Meaning
Does A Writing Prompt Make You A Better Writer? • 7ESL
Writing Prompts
Essay Prompt: Definition & Examples
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Does A Writing Prompt Make You A Better Writer? • 7ESL

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Understanding writing prompts

Effective Writing Assignments

1. Articulation of purpose

2. Summary of assignment

3. Logistics

4. Key components of the paper or important sections

5. Framing questions

6. Evaluation criteria

Bonus: References to Resources, Tips for Approaching the Project, Common Missteps & Models

Common Errors

Reproductions

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How to Write an Effective Essay Prompt

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