Original practice prompt and illustrative essay, not an official CAEC item or marked response. The scenario is fictional. This page does not collect, grade or certify your essay.
Review persuasive-writing decisions →What the official writing plan assesses
The official plan lists one persuasive writing task with 75 minutes. It covers the position and its support, the writer’s voice and presentation, and control of language. The plan does not turn a multiple-choice quiz result into an essay score.
Source: CAEC — Test outcomes, pages 1 and 3 ↗Original prompt: evening digital help
Your community library is considering a regular evening session to help residents learn to use online services. Some residents support the idea; others think the library should concentrate its resources on existing daytime activities. Write a persuasive response explaining whether the library should introduce the evening session. Support your position with reasons and examples.
Build an argument before drafting
Choose a position you can explain, then give each paragraph a clear job. The outline below is a suggested practice method, not an official required format.
- Position: introduce the proposed evening service and state your view.
- Access: show how daytime commitments can prevent people from getting help.
- Confidence: explain why a welcoming session could make basic questions easier.
- Objection: address limited staffing with a pilot and clear boundaries.
- Conclusion: connect the proposal to the community need.
Read the complete original essay
Original illustrative essay — not officially scored
A public library should offer a regular evening session for residents who need help using online services. Many everyday tasks now require a computer, but access to a device does not always mean knowing how to complete a form or recognize a suspicious message. A practical support session would help the library serve people who cannot attend during working hours.
The first benefit would be better access for residents with fixed daytime commitments. Consider a retail worker who receives a request to upload documents for an application. Their phone may open the website, yet make it difficult to organize files or check that the upload worked. At an evening session, that resident could learn the steps on a library computer and repeat them independently next time. The point would be to teach a useful skill rather than complete every application for someone.
A second benefit would be a more approachable place to ask basic questions. People sometimes avoid seeking help because they feel embarrassed. A scheduled session would make it clear that questions about attachments, passwords or online appointments are normal reasons to visit. Staff could demonstrate general skills while reminding participants to keep private information and account credentials to themselves.
Some residents might prefer the library to spend its resources on more daytime activities. That concern deserves attention, especially if staffing is limited. The library could begin with a short pilot, accept bookings and review attendance before making the service permanent. It could also limit the session to general digital skills rather than legal, financial or medical advice. These boundaries would make the purpose clear and help staff manage demand.
An evening support session would not solve every problem caused by online services. It would, however, give residents a place to practise essential tasks with guidance. A modest pilot would allow the library to test demand while offering a useful service to people who are often unavailable during the day.
What the paragraphs contribute
The opening gives a position that the rest of the essay can support. The retail-worker example explains a practical barrier instead of merely claiming that online tasks are difficult. The next paragraph adds a different benefit, so the essay does not repeat the same reason in new words.
The staffing objection is treated seriously. A limited pilot answers that concern without claiming it will have no cost. Notice that the example does not invent research or attendance statistics. The final paragraph returns to the proposal and acknowledges its limits.
Revise your own response
Read your draft as someone deciding whether to support the proposal. Mark every sentence that gives a reason, an example or a response to a concern. If a paragraph only repeats your preference, develop it before correcting individual word choices.
- Does the position remain consistent from opening to conclusion?
- Does each reason explain an effect on people or services?
- Are examples plausible and connected to the proposal?
- Have you answered a relevant concern fairly?
- Check paragraph order, sentence boundaries, verb forms and punctuation.