In the NSW Selective writing test, the difference between an average and a top-band response is usually a handful of habits, not raw talent. These ten tips are the ones that most reliably lift a student's mark, and they are worth starting in Year 5 rather than saving for Year 6.
1. Spend two minutes planning
Before writing, decide the position or the shape of the piece and jot down three key points or beats. A quick plan prevents the middle from sagging and the ending from running out of time.
2. Answer the actual task
Read the stimulus twice and use the required text type. A brilliant story loses marks if the task asked for a persuasive letter. Always check the purpose and the audience.
3. Start with a hook, not a wind-up
Open in the middle of a moment, with a striking image, or with a bold line. Skip "One sunny day" openings and get the reader curious in the first sentence.
4. Aim for one original idea
Markers read hundreds of similar responses. One unexpected but relevant idea, angle, or detail stands out far more than adding length.
5. Vary your sentences
Mix short, punchy sentences with longer ones, and start sentences in different ways. Sentence variety is one of the fastest ways to make writing feel controlled and mature.
6. Show, don't tell
Instead of "she was scared", show the shaking hands and the held breath. Concrete, sensory detail is more persuasive and more vivid than stating the feeling.
7. Use paragraphs deliberately
One idea per paragraph, with clear links between them. Good paragraphing signals a clear structure, which is one of the marked criteria.
8. Finish on purpose
Plan the ending before you reach it. A deliberate final line - a twist, a reflection, or a callback to the opening - leaves a strong impression.
9. Leave a minute to proofread
Catch the spelling slips, missing full stops, and half-finished sentences. Mechanics are marked separately, so clean-up is easy marks.
10. Practise to time, across text types
Confidence comes from repetition under real conditions. Rotate through narrative, persuasive, informative and the rest so an unexpected text type on the day does not throw you. See our guide to the text types and practise a free timed test with instant marking.