What this page helps you practise
- narrative and argumentative text planning
- creative ideas from abstract prompts or images
- paragraph structure, cohesion, and sentence variety
- vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation control
ACERLevel 2Written Expression
ACER Level 2 Written Expression Practice
ACER Level 2 written expression requires Year 9-10 students to write original pieces based on abstract prompts or images. Practice should build planning, structure, and editing skills under timed conditions.
Level 2 Written Expression sample prompts with worked plans
Each prompt comes with a worked plan, a model opening and what markers look for, so students can see how a strong response is built.
Prompt 1Response to stimulus
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.' Respond to this idea in any form.
Worked plan
- Interpret the stimulus: responsibility to future generations, especially for the environment.
- Choose your form: an argument, a reflective piece or a story set in the future.
- Develop the idea with specific examples rather than general statements.
- Add complexity: what makes acting on this idea difficult?
- Conclude with a strong, original final thought.
Model opening
When you borrow something, you are expected to return it in the same condition, or better. That simple rule of manners takes on enormous weight when the thing being borrowed is the planet itself. If this saying is true, then every forest we clear and every river we pollute is not just a loss for us. It is a debt we are quietly handing to people who are not yet born.
What markers look for
- Thought and content: depth of engagement with the stimulus.
- Development: specific, well-chosen examples.
- Structure: a coherent shape that builds an idea.
- Expression: mature vocabulary and controlled syntax.
Prompt 2Narrative
Write a story titled 'The Thread'.
Worked plan
- Choose a literal thread that carries a symbolic meaning, such as a connection between people.
- Open with a precise, concrete image of the thread.
- Reveal the relationship it represents, gradually.
- Introduce a moment when the thread, or the connection, is at risk.
- Resolve with an image that shows what has been kept or lost.
Model opening
My mother kept a single red thread tied around the handle of her sewing tin. It was faded almost to pink and frayed at both ends, and whenever I asked about it, she changed the subject. It was only after she moved into the care home, and I was the one packing up her house, that I found the photograph tucked beneath the tin's lid.
What markers look for
- Thought and content: symbolism developed with subtlety.
- Structure: a gradual reveal that rewards attention.
- Character: an emotionally convincing relationship.
- Expression: precise, evocative language.
Prompt 3Discursive
Is ambition a virtue or a vice? Discuss.
Worked plan
- Introduction: define ambition and explain why its value is debated.
- Perspective 1: ambition drives achievement, innovation and progress.
- Perspective 2: unchecked ambition can lead to ruthlessness and burnout.
- Analysis: what makes the difference, such as goals, methods and impact on others.
- Conclusion: a reasoned answer rather than sitting on the fence.
Model opening
Every great invention, record or reform began with someone who wanted more than they had. Ambition built hospitals, landed people on the moon and won the right to vote. Yet the same drive has toppled leaders, ruined friendships and exhausted those who could never be satisfied. Ambition, it seems, is neither virtue nor vice on its own. What matters is what it is for and what it costs.
What markers look for
- Thought and content: nuanced, original thinking.
- Balance: genuinely weighing both sides before judging.
- Structure: a clear line of argument throughout.
- Expression: sophisticated, precise language.
Preparation strategy
1
Practise responding to image-based and quote-based prompts.
2
Spend the first few minutes planning structure before writing.
3
Edit for spelling, punctuation, and sentence variety after drafting.
Frequently asked questions
What does ACER Level 2 written expression involve?
Students write one or more original pieces (narrative and/or argumentative) based on prompts, assessed on ideas, structure, and language control.
How can students improve their ACER writing?
Regular practice with varied prompts, strong planning habits, and consistent editing produce the best results.