NAPLAN writing: what the markers actually look for.

Of the four NAPLAN tests, writing is the one parents ask about most. It's also the one where a bit of understanding goes a long way, because it's marked against a published guide. You can see exactly what the markers are looking for. Most people just never read it.

The basics

• One piece of writing, 40 minutes. That's the same at every year level.^[1]
• Narrative or persuasive. Your child writes either a story or a persuasive piece. They don't get to choose, and the type isn't announced before the test.^[2]
• Different prompts for different ages. Years 3 and 5 get different prompts from Years 7 and 9, and prompts can change from one test day to the next.^[2]
• Paper or screen. Year 3 handwrites. Years 5, 7 and 9 type their answer.^[2]

Because nobody knows in advance which type is coming, your child needs to be comfortable with both.

The ten criteria

Every NAPLAN essay is scored against ten criteria. Nine are the same for both types of writing. The tenth changes: stories are marked on character and setting, persuasive pieces on persuasive devices.^[2] Here they are, with the maximum score for each, from the 2026 marking guides.^[3][4]

Look at where the points sit. Audience, sentence structure and spelling are each worth six. Paragraphing is worth two or three. A child who writes a neat five-paragraph essay with dull sentences will lose more marks than one who writes a lively piece with slightly wobbly paragraphs.

What lifts a piece from good to great

Audience: write for a person

The marking guide describes audience as "the writer's capacity to orient, engage and affect the reader".^[3] In practice, the strongest pieces sound like someone is talking to you. A story that opens in the middle of the action ("The ice cracked.") beats one that opens with "One day I woke up". A persuasive piece that speaks to the reader ("Imagine spending your whole lunchtime in a queue") beats one that only lists facts.

Ideas: one good idea, developed

Kids often think more ideas means more marks. It usually doesn't. A story with one problem that gets properly resolved scores better than a story where five things happen. A persuasive piece with three well-explained reasons beats one with seven one-liners. Markers want ideas that are "crafted" in a story, and "elaborated" in a persuasive piece.^[3][4]

Sentence structure: mix it up

Six marks ride on sentences. Correct ones are the baseline; the higher scores come from control and variety. Short sentences for drama. Longer ones, with a clause or two, for description and explanation. A child who can write "Nobody moved." right after a long, winding sentence is showing exactly what markers reward.

Spelling: be brave

The spelling criterion looks at "the accuracy of spelling and the difficulty of the words used".^[3] So a child who only uses words they're sure of is capping their own score. Encourage them to reach for the better word and have a go at spelling it.

Persuasive devices: more than "I strongly believe"

The persuasive guide wants "a range of persuasive devices to enhance the writer's position".^[4] Useful ones for kids include rhetorical questions, speaking directly to the reader, a short personal story, a surprising fact, and answering the other side's argument before they can make it.

A simple 40-minute plan

ACARA doesn't tell students how to split their time. This is the plan we teach, and it works for most kids from Year 3 up:

The last step is the one kids skip. Seven minutes of checking can pick up several marks in punctuation, spelling and sentence structure.

Practising at home without a fight

• Keep it short. A 15-minute piece three times a week does more than one long essay on a Sunday.
• Alternate the types. One story, then one persuasive piece. Kids tend to avoid the one they find harder.
• Give one piece of feedback, not ten. "Your opening made me want to keep reading. Next time, try a short sentence at the scariest moment." That's enough.
• Read like a writer. When you read together, point out a great opening line or a clever argument. Then try it.
• Time a piece now and then. In the term before NAPLAN, a few practice pieces against the clock help the 40 minutes feel normal. More than that tends to cause stress, which ACARA warns against.^[1]

Writing also matters well beyond NAPLAN. Victoria's selective entry exam has two writing tasks of its own. If that's on your radar, read our guide to selective entry.

Common questions

How is NAPLAN writing marked?

Every piece is scored against ten criteria. Narratives can score up to 47 and persuasive pieces up to 48.

How long is the NAPLAN writing test?

40 minutes at every year level, for one piece of writing.

Do students know if it will be narrative or persuasive?

No. The type isn't announced before the test, so it helps to be comfortable with both.

Which NAPLAN writing criteria are worth the most?

Audience, sentence structure and spelling are each worth up to 6 marks. Paragraphing is worth 2 for narrative and 3 for persuasive.