English Language Arts Standards » Writing » Grade 7

Text Types and Purposes

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1a Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the
reasons and evidence logically.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1b Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate,
credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships
among claim(s), reasons, and evidence.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1d Establish and maintain a formal style.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
argument presented.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and
information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2a Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and
information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include
formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2b Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2c Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among
ideas and concepts.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the
topic.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2e Establish and maintain a formal style.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation presented.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3a Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and
introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop
experiences, events, and/or characters.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3c Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and
signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3d Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to
capture the action and convey experiences and events.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.3e Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or
events.

Production and Distribution of Writing

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3
above.)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience
have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and
including grade 7 here.)

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite
sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and
generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms
effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of
others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.9a Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast a fictional
portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding
how authors of fiction use or alter history”).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.9b Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. “Trace and evaluate the
argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant
and sufficient to support the claims”).

Range of Writing

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

English Language Arts Writing Exemplars » Grade 7

The range of accomplishment reflects differences in individual development as well as in the conditions
under which the student writers were expected to work. Some of the samples were written in class or as
homework; others were written for on-demand assessments; still others were the result of sustained
research projects. Each sample includes information about the circumstances under which it was
produced. The students attended school in a number of states and districts across the country.
*Adapted from the Common Core State Standards Appendix C.