Common OSSLT mistakes and how to avoid them

Why the same mistakes keep showing up

The OSSLT measures the reading and writing skills expected across all subjects by the end of Grade 9, so almost nobody loses marks for not knowing something. Marks go when a student answers a different question than the one asked, skips a question, or writes an essay that does not do what the rubric rewards. Every mistake below has a fix you can practise.

In the reading questions

• Reading the passage first and the question last. Read the question first so you know what to look for, then go to the text.

• Answering from memory. Go back to the passage for every question. The line that settles it is there.

• Choosing the first answer that sounds right. When two choices seem possible, find the detail that rules one out.

• Treating every question as single choice. Multiple selection and checklist questions need more than one answer, and the instruction says so.

• Leaving questions blank. A blank scores zero and a guess costs nothing. Answer all 35 selected-response questions.

• Guessing a word's meaning from the word alone. The questions ask what a word means in context, so read the sentence before and after it.

In the short written answer

• Retelling the passage. The question asks you to answer something about the text, not summarize it.

• Giving an opinion when the question asks for evidence. Use details from the passage, not from your life.

• Writing one line. Answer the question in your first sentence, then support it with two specific details from the text.

• Copying lines without explaining them. A quotation only counts when you say what it shows.

In the writing questions

• Reading only the sentence with the gap. The 12 selected-response writing questions are about organizing ideas and using conventions, and the right answer depends on the sentences around it.

• Assuming the longest option is the best one. Choose the option that keeps the paragraph clear.

In the opinion essay

• Not stating an opinion. The first sentence should say which side you are on.

• Arguing both sides. Acknowledging the other side in one sentence is fine; weighing them without choosing is not.

• Writing one long paragraph. The rubric rewards organization: an introduction, a paragraph for each reason, a conclusion.

• Supporting a reason with another general statement. Each reason needs one specific example, something you have seen, done or read about.

• Drifting off the prompt. Reread the prompt after your plan and once more before the conclusion.

• Running out of time. Plan for five minutes, write for twenty, and keep five to check conventions.

• Leaving conventions unchecked. Spelling, punctuation and run-on sentences are marked when they get in the way of clear communication, and a final read fixes most of them.

• Opening by rewriting the prompt as a question. Open with your opinion instead.

On test day

• Skipping EQAO's practice test. It runs on the same platform as the real test, with every question type and the tools.

• Ignoring the tools. Text-to-speech, the line reader and the highlighter are there for everyone.

• Not using the rough paper. Plan the essay and note answers on it before committing.

• Rushing Session B. The opinion essay is about a quarter of the raw score points, and it comes last.

How to check your own work

The two rubrics are the standard. The OSSLT marking guide explains every code, and how to write the OSSLT opinion essay has a sample with the codes marked on it. The fastest check is to write a practice essay on one of the 40 practice prompts and run it through the free essay grader, which returns both rubric codes and feedback on each paragraph in seconds. Then do the free practice test, which explains why each answer is right, and compare its reading questions with the list above.