Common Mistakes in SEHS Writing Tasks and How to Avoid Them

The writing section of the selective entry exam is where many students lose marks they could have kept. Unlike maths or reading comprehension, where the answer is either right or wrong, writing is scored across 8 criteria - and the same mistakes appear again and again across thousands of student essays. The good news is that these mistakes are predictable and fixable with targeted practice.

This article covers the common writing mistakes students make in both the persuasive and narrative tasks of the SEHS exam, explains why each one costs marks and shows how to avoid them. Whether your child is preparing for Melbourne High, Mac.Robertson Girls' High, Nossal High or Suzanne Cory High, the writing section is identical and the same errors apply.

How the SEHS Writing Section Works

Section 3 of the selective entry exam is 40 minutes long and contains two writing tasks:

• Task 1 - Persuasive writing: 20 minutes to write an essay arguing for or against a given topic
• Task 2 - Narrative writing: 20 minutes to write a short story based on a given prompt

Both tasks are handwritten. There is no word processing, no spell check and no ability to easily rearrange paragraphs. What your child writes in those 20 minutes is what gets scored.

Each task is evaluated on 8 criteria. For persuasive writing these include argument structure, paragraph logic, persuasive techniques, vocabulary precision, sentence variety, cohesion and voice, evidence quality, and time and word count management. For narrative writing the criteria shift to opening hook, narrative flow, show-don't-tell, vocabulary precision, sentence variety, structural pacing, figurative language, and time and word count.

The 200 to 400 word range is the expected target. Writing less than 200 words signals the student ran out of ideas or time. Writing more than 400 words is rare in 20 minutes of handwriting and can indicate poor editing.

5 Common Persuasive Writing Mistakes

Mistake 1: No clear thesis statement

Many students launch into their arguments without ever stating their position clearly. The reader should know within the first two sentences whether the student is arguing for or against the topic. A vague opening like "There are many opinions about this issue" wastes the strongest real estate in the essay and fails to anchor the argument.

The fix: Open with a direct statement of position. "Schools should not assign homework to primary students because it reduces family time, increases stress and does not improve academic results." Clear, specific, arguable.

Mistake 2: Listing opinions without evidence

Students write "I think this is bad" or "Many people believe this" without providing any supporting evidence. The persuasive scoring rubric specifically evaluates evidence quality. An opinion without a reason is just a statement - it does not persuade anyone.

The fix: Every argument needs a claim, a reason and an example. "Homework reduces family time (claim) because students spend an average of 45 minutes each evening on assignments (reason), leaving little time for conversation, sport or rest after a full school day (example)."

Mistake 3: All paragraphs sound the same

When every paragraph follows the identical pattern of "I think X because Y", the essay reads as flat and repetitive. The cohesion and voice criterion rewards variety in how arguments are presented.

The fix: Use different persuasive techniques across paragraphs - one paragraph could use a rhetorical question, another could present a counter-argument and refute it, and a third could use an emotional appeal with specific detail.

Mistake 4: No counter-argument

Strong persuasive writing acknowledges the other side and then explains why it is less convincing. Students who ignore the opposing view score lower on argument structure because they have not demonstrated critical thinking.

The fix: Include one paragraph that starts with "Some people argue that..." and then pivots with "However, this overlooks the fact that..." This single technique lifts essays from average into the higher bands.

Mistake 5: Weak or missing conclusion

Under time pressure, students either skip the conclusion entirely or write one sentence that repeats the introduction word for word. A conclusion that adds nothing is almost as bad as no conclusion at all.

The fix: The conclusion should restate the position briefly and then make a forward-looking statement or call to action. Keep it to 2 to 3 sentences. Plan for it - stop writing body paragraphs with at least 2 minutes remaining.

5 Common Narrative Writing Mistakes

Mistake 1: Starting with backstory instead of action

The classic opening "One sunny morning, Sarah woke up, had breakfast and went to school" is backstory. It contains no tension, no hook and no reason for the reader to continue. The opening hook criterion evaluates whether the first paragraph captures attention immediately.

The fix: Start in the middle of the action. "The envelope was already open when Sarah found it on the kitchen table." This creates immediate curiosity and tension.

Mistake 2: Telling emotions instead of showing them

"He was scared" is telling. "His hands trembled as he pressed his back against the cold wall, every creak of the floorboards sending a jolt through his chest" is showing. The show-don't-tell criterion is one of the highest-weighted elements in narrative scoring and it is where most students lose marks.

The fix: Replace emotion words (scared, happy, sad, angry) with physical sensations, actions and dialogue that let the reader feel the emotion rather than being told about it.

Mistake 3: Too many characters or events

In 20 minutes, a student can develop one character in one situation well. Introducing 4 characters and 3 plot events results in a story where nothing is developed enough to engage the reader. Pacing and structural control scores drop when the story tries to cover too much ground.

The fix: One main character, one central problem, one moment of change. That is enough for a compelling 200 to 400 word narrative.

Mistake 4: No sensory detail

Many student narratives read like summaries - "They walked through the forest and found the house." There is nothing for the reader to see, hear, smell or feel. The figurative language criterion rewards sensory writing and literary techniques.

The fix: Include at least 2 to 3 moments of sensory detail. What does the place look like? What sounds are present? What does the air feel like? A single vivid detail is worth more than a paragraph of summary.

Mistake 5: The "and then" story structure

"And then they went to the beach. And then they found a shell. And then it started raining." This is a list of events, not a narrative. There is no cause and effect, no tension building and no structural arc.

The fix: Every event should connect to the next through cause and effect, not through chronology. "Because she picked up the shell, she noticed the inscription. The inscription led her to the old lighthouse, where the door was already unlocked."

Mistakes That Hurt Both Persuasive and Narrative Writing

Repetitive sentence structure

Writing sentence after sentence that follows the subject-verb-object pattern makes the essay monotonous. "Dogs are loyal. Dogs help people. Dogs reduce stress." The sentence variety criterion penalises this directly.

The fix: Vary sentence length and structure. Mix short punchy sentences with longer complex ones. Start some sentences with adverbs, prepositions or subordinate clauses. "Loyal beyond measure, dogs have been companions to humans for thousands of years."

Spelling and grammar errors

While the exam does not deduct marks per error, a high number of spelling and grammar mistakes signals weak writing control and pulls down cohesion and voice scores. Common culprits: their/there/they're, your/you're, its/it's, affect/effect.

No paragraph breaks

A wall of unbroken text is difficult to read and signals poor paragraph logic. Both persuasive and narrative tasks should have at least 4 to 5 clear paragraphs.

Illegible handwriting

If the examiner cannot read it, they cannot score it. Students who type everything and rarely write by hand often struggle with legibility under time pressure. Practising handwritten essays before the exam is essential.

The Vocabulary Problem in SEHS Writing

The vocabulary precision criterion evaluates whether students use words that are accurate, varied and appropriately sophisticated. The difference between an average score and a high score often comes down to vocabulary.

Common vocabulary mistakes:

• Using "good", "bad", "nice" and "thing" - these are placeholder words that carry no precision. Replace them: "beneficial", "detrimental", "remarkable", "phenomenon".
• Using big words incorrectly - forcing in a word like "quintessential" without understanding its meaning hurts more than it helps. Only use words your child genuinely understands.
• Same word repeated - using "important" five times in one essay. Build a bank of synonyms: significant, crucial, essential, vital, fundamental.
• No Tier-3 words at all - the scoring rubric specifically looks for precise, subject-specific vocabulary. Zero Tier-3 words caps the vocabulary score.

The fastest way to improve vocabulary for the selective entry writing section is to read widely and keep a vocabulary journal. When your child encounters a word they do not know, they write it down with the definition and a sentence. Over 60 days, this builds a natural vocabulary bank that appears in their writing without forcing it.

Time Management in the Selective Entry Writing Section

Twenty minutes per task is not much. Students who do not plan their time often produce essays with strong openings that trail off into nothing because they ran out of time. Here is a time structure that works:

• Minutes 0-2: Plan. Jot down your thesis (persuasive) or story arc (narrative) and 3 to 4 key points. This planning step saves time later because you write with direction instead of discovering your argument as you go.
• Minutes 2-17: Write. Introduction, 3 body paragraphs (persuasive) or beginning, middle, turning point (narrative).
• Minutes 17-19: Conclusion. This MUST be written. An essay without a conclusion looks unfinished.
• Minute 20: Quick scan for obvious spelling errors or missing full stops.

The number one time management mistake is spending too long on the introduction. Students who write a 5-sentence introduction have used a quarter of their time on the least important paragraph. Keep introductions to 2 to 3 sentences.

How to Fix These Writing Mistakes Before Exam Day

Every writing mistake listed above is fixable with structured practice. Here is the approach:

1. Practise one timed essay per week - alternate between persuasive and narrative topics
2. Get scored feedback - the SK Writing Lab scores essays against the same 8 criteria used in SEHS evaluation, highlighting exactly which areas need improvement
3. Focus on one mistake at a time - if the feedback says "weak opening hook", the next narrative essay should focus specifically on the opening paragraph
4. Build a vocabulary bank - add 5 new words per day with definitions and example sentences
5. Practise handwriting - write essays by hand, not on a computer, to build speed and legibility
6. Read high-band examples - reading what good writing looks like helps students internalise the patterns
7. Track improvement - compare scores from Week 1 to Week 4 to see which criteria are improving and which need more attention

The SK Writing Coach provides guided, voice-prompted essay practice that walks students through structure, vocabulary and technique step by step. Combined with SK Writing Lab scoring, this creates a practise-then-score loop where your child can see concrete improvement over time.

Frequently Asked Questions