how to write a 7th grade essay

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Writing Prompts for 7th Grade

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By seventh grade, students should be refining the core writing skills of brainstorming , researching, outlining, drafting, and revising. In order to hone these skills, seventh-grade students need regular practice writing a variety of essay styles, including narrative, persuasive, expository , and creative essays. The following essay prompts offer age-appropriate starting points to help seventh graders flex their writing muscles.

Narrative Essay Writing Prompts

Narrative essays share a personal experience to tell a story, usually to make a point rather than merely to entertain. These narrative essay prompts encourage students to describe and reflect on a story that's meaningful to them.

• Embarrassing Pasts - As people get older, they are sometimes embarrassed by things they used to like, such as toys, television shows, or nicknames. Describe something that you used to enjoy that you now find embarrassing. Why is it embarrassing now?
• Bonds of Hardship - Sometimes difficulties draw families closer. Describe something that your family endured together that strengthened your relationships.
• There’s No Place Like Home - What makes your hometown special? Explain this special quality.
• New Kid in Town - Being new to a town or school can be challenging because you don’t know anyone, or exciting because no one knows you and your past. Describe a time when you were the new kid.
• Finders Keepers -  Write about a time when you lost (or found) something of value. How did that experience affect your opinion of the saying, “Finders keepers; losers weepers?"
• Follow the Leader -  Describe a time when you were in a leadership role. How did it make you feel? What did you learn from the experience?
• April Fools -  Write about the best prank you’ve ever played on someone (or had played on you). What made it so clever or funny?
• Bon Appetit - Special meals can be powerful memory-makers. Write about a specific meal that stands out in your memory. What made it so unforgettable?
• Bon Voyage - Family trips and vacations also create lasting memories. Write an essay detailing your favorite family vacation memory.
• Batter Up -  Write about a valuable lesson that you learned while playing your favorite sport.
• Best Friends Forever -  Describe your friendship with your BFF and what makes it so important to you.
• The Real Me -  What is one thing you wish your parents, teachers, or coaches really understood or knew about you?
• TV -  Explain what makes your favorite television show so enjoyable or relatable to you.

Persuasive Essay Writing Prompts

Persuasive essays use facts and reasoning to convince the reader to embrace the writer’s opinion or take a course of action. These essay prompts empower seventh graders to write persuasively about an issue they genuinely care about. 

• Outdated Laws - What is one law or family or school rule that you think needs to be changed? Convince lawmakers, your parents, or school leaders to make the change.
• Bad Ads - Advertising can have a powerful impact on consumers. What is a product that you’ve seen advertised that you don’t think should be? Explain why the media should quit showing these ads.
• Puppy Love - You want a pet, but your parents don’t think you need one. What would you say to change their minds?
• Lights, Camera - What is your favorite book of all time? Write an essay convincing a producer to make a movie about it.
• Snooze Button - Studies have shown that tweens and teens need more sleep. Write a proposal for a later school start time.
• Body Shop - Magazines can negatively impact their readers’ body image by using edited images of models. Convince a teen magazine publisher that they should not use heavily-edited model images in their publication.
• It Can’t Be Over - The network is canceling your favorite television show. Write a paper convincing the station that they’re making a mistake.
• Curfews -  Some malls have policies forbidding kids under 18 to be at the mall without adult supervision during certain times. Do you think this is fair or unfair? Defend your position.
• Team Spirit - Should homeschooled students be allowed to play sports on public or private school teams? Why or why not?
• Smartphones - All of your friends have the latest smartphone, but you only have a “dumb phone.” Should your parents upgrade your phone, or are smartphones for middle school kids a bad idea?
• Bullies - Some dogs, such as pit bulls or Dobermans, are labeled “bully breeds.” Is this label deserved or undeserved?
• Money Can’t Buy You Love - People say that money can’t buy happiness, but some studies have shown that people with higher incomes may be happier . Do you think this is true? Why or why not?
• Ratings -  There are age restrictions on movies and video games, ratings on television shows, and warning labels on music. Computers and smartphones offer parental controls. Do adults have too much control over what kids watch and listen to or do these restrictions serve a valuable purpose?

Expository Essay Writing Prompts

Expository essays describe a process or provide factual information. These prompts can serve as jumping-off points for the explanatory process. 

• School’s in Session - Would you rather attend public school, private school, or be homeschooled. Explain the benefits of your choice.
• Admiration -  Who do you admire from your life or history? Write an essay describing how their character or contributions to their community have earned your respect.
• Global Community -  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Write about your dream hometown and why you want to live there.
• Peer Problems - Peer pressure and bullying can make life as a middle school student difficult. Describe a time you were pressured or bullied and how it affected you.
• Order Up -  A friend wants to learn how to make your favorite food. Detail the process, step-by-step, so your friend can recreate the dish.
• Addictions - Many people are impacted by drug or alcohol addictions. Share facts about how the use of these substances negatively affects families or communities. 
• Serve Others - Community service is a valuable experience. Describe a time you volunteered. What did you do and how did it make you feel?
• City or Country Mouse - Do you live in a big city or a small town? Explain why you do or don’t like living there.
• Aspirations - What do you want to be when you’re an adult? Explain why you’d choose that career  or what you’ll do to prepare for it.
• Point in Time - Sometimes people bury time capsules so future generations can learn about the past. What would you include to give an accurate snapshot of life in the current time?
• Hobbyist -  You’re friend wants to take up your favorite hobby. Explain it to him.
• SOS - A natural disaster has destroyed homes and businesses in a nearby city. Describe what you can do to help.
• Wonder Twin Power - Some superheroes can fly or become invisible. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Creative Essay Writing Prompts

Creative essays are fictional stories. They use plot, character, and dialog to engage and entertain the reader. These prompts will get the creative juices flowing. 

• Fan Fic -  Write a story about your favorite characters from a book, film, or television show.
• Cats vs. Dogs - You have two pets of different species. Write a story from their point of view about a day at home alone.
• Time Travel - You find a time machine in your backyard. What happens when you step inside?
• Dream State - Think about a time when you woke in the middle of a vivid dream. What would have happened if the dream hadn’t been interrupted?
• New Door -  You’ve just discovered a door that you’ve never seen before. What happens when you walk through it?
• Secret Keeper - You find out your best friend has kept a secret from you. What is the secret and why didn’t your friend tell you?
• Fridge Fun - Write a story from the perspective of an item in your refrigerator.
• Desert Island - You’ve just discovered an uncharted island. What happens next?
• Fly on the Wall - You see two people talking excitedly, but you can’t hear what they’re saying. Write a story about what they might be saying.
• Special Delivery - You receive a battered package in the mail. Write a story about its journey from the sender to you.
• A Mile in My Shoes - You find a pair of shoes in the thrift store and put them on. Suddenly you find yourself transported into someone else’s life. Describe what happens.
• Mission to Mars - Imagine that you’re a pioneer to start a colony on Mars. Write about a typical day on your new planet.
• Snow Days - You find yourself snowed in for a week with your family. There is no electricity or phone service. What do you do for fun?
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7th grade writing

by: Hank Pellissier | Updated: June 16, 2024

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Seventh graders need to avoid dangling modifiers, hasty drafts, and plagiarism! They rewrite to tighten their writing. They critique each other’s essays to learn what’s vague or missing. Finally, they study phrases, clauses, and sentence structure.

Seeing both sides

Your young adult’s critical thinking skills will be put to use this year. In argument papers , students express their fact-based opinions. In a strong paper, they also acknowledge — and use facts to argue against — opposing viewpoints. Your seventh grader’s writing should demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the topic, use clear logic, and incorporate solid evidence from reputable sources .

Your child’s papers should be written in formal language, with clear introductions and concise conclusions that summarize their position. Sounds pretty adult, right? Never fear, assignments are often on tween-friendly social issues, such as Do middle schoolers spend too much time on Instagram ?

We formally inform you

Your seventh grader will also write informative and explanatory papers on science and social studies topics. They’ll be expected to employ a range of “strategy tools” such as:

• Adding definitions for complex words or ideas.
• Using academic vocabulary .
• Adding concrete details.
• Choosing quotations.
• Comparing and contrasting concepts.
• Citing cause-and-effect relationships.
• Classifying information.
• Formatting (e.g., headings, bullet points).
• Including graphics (e.g., charts, images) and multimedia.

The language your child uses in these papers should be formal and precise. They should use transition words (e.g. so, if, for, as, and but ) and phrases (e.g. in view of these facts, under these particular circumstances ) to connect ideas and help their writing flow. Finally, your child write have a succinct synopsis as a conclusion.

Believe it.. or not?

Some of the most fun — and challenging — writing of the year will be narrative story assignments that portray actual events (e.g. memoirs, personal history ) or imagined experiences (e.g. fiction, fantasy ). Your child should experiment with effective storytelling techniques. These may include character development, plot twists and pacing, precise descriptions, tone of the narrator’s voice, crisp dialogue, and adventurous action. In class, kids will learn and practice transition vocabulary to help guide readers from one scene or timeframe to another (e.g. Meanwhile, back at the space station; Centuries earlier, when Brontosaurus first roamed the swamps… ).

Tear it apart and start again

Don’t be dismayed if your seventh grader is asked to replan, re-outline, revise, re-edit, and/or rewrite many of their papers. This isn’t perfectionism or punishment — it helps students sharpen the precision, complexity, pacing, and variation of their literary technique. “By the time I am nearing the end of a story,” says Roald Dahl, author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , “the first part will have been reread and altered and corrected at least 150 times. …Good writing is essentially rewriting.”

Collaborating online

Seventh graders interact and collaborate online to create and publish writing that links to online sources. Regular online communication with teachers — often in Google docs and other sharing tools — is increasingly prevalent, along with emailing or uploading completed assignments. The challenge for kids? Believable replacements for the classic excuse: “My dog ate my homework.”

Understanding and avoiding cheating

Seventh grade is the year of short research projects using sources like reference books, magazines, and data found online. Your young researcher will learn how to judge the accuracy and credibility of their sources . (For example, Does MAD Magazine have the same integrity as the Boston Globe ? No!) Kids learn to paraphrase information and use quotes to avoid plagiarizing. To plagiarize is defined as “ to copy another person’s ideas, words or work and pretend that they are your own,” and it is a form of cheating that has reached epidemic proportions. Citing their work correctly is the antidote for this error. Papers should follow formats for citations and end with a bibliography.

Grammar with a capital G

Kids learn about phrases , defined as two or more words that express an idea but are not a complete thought or sentence because phrases don’t have a subject and a verb. Kids also learn two types of clauses . Dependent clauses have a subject and a verb and form part of a sentence. Independent clauses have a subject and a verb and create short, complete sentences inside larger sentences.

Seventh graders learn to recognize and use four kinds of sentences . Simple sentences have a single independent clause, with one subject and one verb, e.g., Harold eats pie . Compound sentences have two or more independent clauses, connected with a conjunction, e.g., Harold eats pie because it’s delicious . Complex sentences contain one independent clause and one dependent clause. e.g., Harold eats pie whether it’s hot or cold . Compound complex sentences have at least two independent clauses and one dependent clause. e.g., Jerry eats pie because it’s delicious whether it’s hot or cold .

The common mistake of dangling modifiers happens when modifying words are disconnected from the word they’re meant to modify or the attachment is vague. For example: Alice painted the turtle on the table. Did Alice paint a picture of a turtle on the table surface? Or did she paint the shell of the turtle itself? We’re just not sure.

Seventh graders also start to learn how to use commas correctly. Commas separate adjectives that are equal in value in terms of how they modify the word they describe. If you can reverse the order of the adjectives, then they are equal and you need a comma. For example, Jordana found a red, vintage bag at the thrift store . Since you could also describe it as a vintage, red bag, you need a comma. But you don’t need a comma in this sentence: Mateo wore a yellow rain jacket . Why? Because the reverse order — a rain yellow jacket — makes no sense (unless we’re talking about new species of wasp).

Speak up for the back row

A new focus for writing instruction is that writing should involve a lot of… talking. That’s right. Oral presentations will take center stage for many of your seventh grader’s assignments. The idea is to present their research-backed opinions, arguments, or ideas to their classmates aloud, using formal language, clear pronunciation, and at a volume loud enough for everyone in the class to hear. Kids’ presentations should be well-organized, share main points, and include relevant details and examples. Many presentations will include visual and multimedia displays. Again, it sounds like a lot, but it’s meant as practice to set your child up for real-world, on-the-job success in the future.

Here’s a preview of the presentation skills required in high school.

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How to Improve Writing in Seventh Grade

Written by Dan

Last updated January 31, 2024

Improving writing skills is crucial to academic success, and seventh-grade students are no exception. Writing is a fundamental skill that students need to master, and it is essential to start early. However, many students struggle with writing, and it can be challenging to know where to begin.

Related : For more, check out our article on  How To Make Writing Fun  here.

To improve writing skills in seventh grade, students need to understand the basics of writing, practice regularly, and receive feedback. Reading is also essential to improving writing skills, as it helps students develop their vocabulary and grammar.

Additionally, technology can play a significant role in enhancing writing skills, providing students with various tools and resources to improve their writing.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Understanding the basics of writing is essential to improving writing skills.
• Reading can help students develop their vocabulary and grammar, which is crucial for writing.
• Regular practice, feedback, and the use of technology can significantly enhance writing skills.

Related : For more, check out our article on How To Improve Writing In Sixth Grade  here.

Understanding the Basics of Writing

Writing is a fundamental skill that students must learn in their academic journey. In seventh grade, it is essential to understand the basics of writing to improve writing skills.

This section will cover the writing process, vocabulary, phrases, and styles.

The Writing Process

The writing process involves several steps that students must follow to produce a complete piece of writing. The following table summarizes the steps involved in the writing process:

Prewriting involves brainstorming ideas, researching, and outlining. Drafting is the stage where the student writes the first draft.

Revising involves reviewing and refining the draft, while editing involves correcting errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation . Publishing is the final stage where the student shares the finished product.

Related : For more, check out our article on How To Improve Writing In Fifth Grade  here.

Vocabulary and Phrases

Vocabulary and phrases are essential components of writing. Students must have a good command of vocabulary to express their ideas effectively. The following list provides some useful phrases that students can use in their writing:

• In addition to
• Furthermore
• On the other hand
• Nevertheless
• Consequently
• In conclusion

Writing Styles

Writing styles refer to the tone and voice that the writer uses in their writing. The following list provides some common writing styles:

• Descriptive
• Argumentative

Students must understand the different writing styles to choose the appropriate one for their writing task. For instance, if the task requires the student to tell a story, they should use the narrative style.

Understanding the basics of writing is crucial for seventh-grade students to improve their writing skills. They must follow the writing process, have a good command of vocabulary and phrases, and choose the appropriate writing style for their task.

Related : For more, check out our article on  How To Teach Children To Add Suspense To Their Writing  here.

Improving Writing Through Reading

Importance of Reading

Reading is an essential aspect of improving writing skills in seventh graders. Reading helps students to gain exposure to different writing styles, expands their vocabulary, and improves their comprehension skills .

A student who reads regularly can quickly identify the structure of a sentence, the use of grammar, and the correct use of punctuation marks.

Furthermore, reading helps students to develop their critical thinking skills, which is an essential component of writing. Students read and are exposed to different perspectives, ideas, and concepts.

This exposure helps them to develop their ideas and opinions, which they can use to create compelling and persuasive written content.

Types of Reading Materials

Seventh graders can use different types of reading materials to improve their writing skills. These materials include books, magazines, and online articles.

Books are an excellent source of reading material as they provide in-depth information on different topics. Students can choose books on different genres such as fiction, non-fiction, and biographies.

Fiction books help students to develop their imagination and creativity, while non-fiction books provide factual information on different topics.

Magazines are another great source of reading material for seventh graders. Magazines provide a wide range of information on different topics such as science, history, and current events.

They also provide a platform for students to read articles written by different authors, which helps them to identify different writing styles.

Reading is an essential aspect of improving writing skills in seventh graders. It helps students to develop their critical thinking skills, expand their vocabulary, and improve their comprehension skills.

Students can use different types of reading materials such as books and magazines to improve their writing skills.

Writing Practice and Exercises

Seventh-grade students can significantly improve their writing skills by practicing regularly. Writing practice and exercises can help students to develop their writing abilities, enhance their creativity, and improve their critical thinking skills.

Here are some effective writing practice and exercises that seventh graders can use to improve their writing skills.

Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are an excellent way to help seventh graders develop their writing skills. Writing prompts can be used to inspire students to write about different topics, such as personal experiences, current events, and fictional scenarios.

Writing prompts can help seventh graders to improve their vocabulary, grammar, and syntax.

Here are some examples of writing prompts for seventh graders:

• Write a short story about a character who discovers a mysterious object in their backyard.
• Write a persuasive essay about the importance of recycling.
• Write a descriptive paragraph about your favorite place in the world.

Worksheets and Assignments

Worksheets and assignments are another effective way to help seventh graders improve their writing skills. Worksheets and assignments can help students to practice their writing skills, learn new writing techniques, and improve their research skills.

Here are some examples of writing worksheets and assignments for seventh graders:

• Write a character analysis of a character from a book you have read.
• Write a compare and contrast essay about two different cultures.
• Write a research paper about a historical event.

Short Research Projects

Short research projects are an excellent way to help seventh graders improve their writing skills. Short research projects can help students to develop their research skills, learn how to organize their ideas, and improve their writing skills.

Here are some examples of short research projects for seventh graders:

• Research a famous person and write a biography about them.
• Research a current event and write a news article about it.
• Research a scientific experiment and write a lab report about it.

Writing practice and exercises are essential for seventh graders who want to improve their writing skills.

Writing prompts, worksheets and assignments, and short research projects are all effective ways to help students develop their writing abilities, enhance their creativity, and improve their critical thinking skills.

The Role of Technology in Enhancing Writing Skills

Technology has played a significant role in enhancing writing skills for seventh-grade students. The internet has opened up many resources and multimedia tools that students can use to improve their writing abilities.

In this section, we will explore two of the most critical ways in which technology can help students improve their writing.

Online Resources

The internet is a treasure trove of resources students can use to improve their writing. Numerous websites offer free writing prompts, grammar lessons, and writing tips.

These resources can help students develop their writing skills by providing them with the necessary tools and guidance.

One of the most significant advantages of online resources is that they are accessible to everyone. Students can access these resources from anywhere, at any time, as long as they have an internet connection.

This means that students can work on their writing skills at their own pace, without having to worry about being on campus or in the classroom.

Multimedia Tools

Multimedia tools are another way in which technology can help students improve their writing skills. These tools include software and apps that allow students to create multimedia presentations, videos, and other forms of digital media.

By using these tools, students can develop their writing skills more engagingly and interactively.

Multimedia tools can help students develop their writing skills by allowing them to experiment with different forms of media. For example, students can create videos incorporating text, images, and sound to convey their ideas.

This can help students develop their writing skills by encouraging them to think creatively and critically about how to communicate their ideas effectively.

In conclusion, technology has played a significant role in enhancing writing skills for seventh-grade students. Online resources and multimedia tools are just two of the many ways in which technology can help students develop their writing abilities.

By using these tools, students can improve their writing skills in a more engaging and interactive way, and at their own pace.

Feedback and Revision

Editing and Proofreading

Editing and proofreading are essential components of the writing process. Seventh-grade students should be taught to review their work for errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

They should also learn to identify and correct awkward phrasing or unclear sentences. A good strategy is to have students read their work aloud, as this can help them identify errors they might not have noticed otherwise.

Teachers can also provide feedback on student writing by using a rubric or checklist to evaluate the quality of the work.

This can help students understand what they need to improve and how to do it. Teachers can also provide specific feedback on areas that need improvement, such as grammar, sentence structure, or organization.

Teacher and Peer Reviews

In addition to self-editing, students can benefit from receiving feedback from their peers and teachers. Peer reviews can be done in small groups, where students read and evaluate each other’s work.

This can help students learn to give and receive constructive feedback, as well as improve their own writing by seeing examples of strong writing from their peers.

Teachers can also provide feedback on student writing by meeting with students individually or in small groups. This allows teachers to provide more detailed feedback and address specific concerns.

Teachers can also use technology tools to track student progress and provide feedback online.

In conclusion, feedback and revision are essential components of the writing process for seventh-grade students.

By teaching students to edit and proofread their own work, and by providing feedback from peers and teachers, students can improve their writing skills and become more confident writers.

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About The Author

I'm Dan Higgins, one of the faces behind The Teaching Couple. With 15 years in the education sector and a decade as a teacher, I've witnessed the highs and lows of school life. Over the years, my passion for supporting fellow teachers and making school more bearable has grown. The Teaching Couple is my platform to share strategies, tips, and insights from my journey. Together, we can shape a better school experience for all.

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How to Write A 7th Grade Level Essay

In seventh grade, your child is now in the middle of their academic career. They have spent a long time developing a great number of skills, and their writing skills are no different. They are going to start writing more sophisticated and challenging pieces this year, and the writing prompts are going to be more challenging moving forward. Their prompts are also going to be less separated into categories; there may be a number of ways to answer a prompt, depending on the specific assignment.

Here are some examples for the kinds of writing prompts your child may see in seventh grade:

• Write about a time when you could tell you had let someone down. How did you feel? This is a good opportunity to write a narrative essay. Explaining the events with dialogue can be especially impactful here, detailing what happened, with whom, and what was said in dialogue. 
• Write a review about the most recent movie or TV show you loved and try to convince other people to see it. This would be a persuasive response, along with a good deal of informative writing. Your child will have to describe the show, why they like it, and why it would be a good idea for others to see it. They may talk about the show’s messages, the artistry of the film, or even the importance of it in popular culture. 
• Write a poem about the way you feel when you sit down to take a test. This is a prompt that asks your child to exercise their creative skills, while tapping into their narrative writing. This particular prompt can even be a helpful window for you to see how your child feels about tests and whether they are starting to experience any testing anxieties. Their poems should make use of literary devices they’ve learned about like similes and metaphors, but can also be quite abstract at this level.

If your child is struggling with writing prompts or with writing in general, it may be a good idea to enroll them in Reading Genie. The teachers at Reading Genie give your child kind and helpful feedback, building their skills along with their confidence. The prompts at Reading Genie are fun and engaging, and your child will have the opportunity to share their work with their classmates for peer reviews. 

You can also work on writing prompts with your child at home. Even just discussing the ideas and questions in the prompts can be helpful for your child to better understand what they need to do and what they need to think about in the future. You can even have fun with the prompts, too!

Genie Academy offers a range of after-school educational activities for students, encompassing areas such as  mathematics ,  reading ,  writing , and  coding . Spread across New Jersey, we offer  tutoring in Plainsboro ,  tutoring in Hillsborough ,  tutoring in East Brunswick ,  tutoring in South Brunswick ,  tutoring in Marlboro , and  tutoring in South Plainfield , these programs are specifically crafted for students from Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade.

Source: https://www.journalbuddies.com/prompts-by-grade/7th-grade-writing-ideas/

Topics: Essays , Writing Skills , Writing Stlyes , Seventh Grade , Writing Prompt

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How to write a perfect essay

Need to write an essay? Does the assignment feel as big as climbing Mount Everest? Fear not. You’re up to the challenge! The following step-by step tips from the Nat Geo Kids Almanac will help you with this monumental task. 

Sometimes the subject matter of your essay is assigned to you, sometimes it’s not. Either way, you have to decide what you want to say. Start by brainstorming some ideas, writing down any thoughts you have about the subject. Then read over everything you’ve come up with and consider which idea you think is the strongest. Ask yourself what you want to write about the most. Keep in mind the goal of your essay. Can you achieve the goal of the assignment with this topic? If so, you’re good to go.

WRITE A TOPIC SENTENCE

This is the main idea of your essay, a statement of your thoughts on the subject. Again, consider the goal of your essay. Think of the topic sentence as an introduction that tells your reader what the rest of your essay will be about.

OUTLINE YOUR IDEAS

Once you have a good topic sentence, you then need to support that main idea with more detailed information, facts, thoughts, and examples. These supporting points answer one question about your topic sentence—“Why?” This is where research and perhaps more brainstorming come in. Then organize these points in the way you think makes the most sense, probably in order of importance. Now you have an outline for your essay.

ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, WRITE!

Follow your outline, using each of your supporting points as the topic sentence of its own paragraph. Use descriptive words to get your ideas across to the reader. Go into detail, using specific information to tell your story or make your point. Stay on track, making sure that everything you include is somehow related to the main idea of your essay. Use transitions to make your writing flow.

Finish your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your entire essay and 5 restates your main idea.

PROOFREAD AND REVISE

Check for errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar. Look for ways to make your writing clear, understandable, and interesting. Use descriptive verbs, adjectives, or adverbs when possible. It also helps to have someone else read your work to point out things you might have missed. Then make the necessary corrections and changes in a second draft. Repeat this revision process once more to make your final draft as good as you can.

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Elementary Assessments

61 Great Seventh-Grade Writing Prompts That Boost Skills

To improve 7th-graders writing abilities, incorporate a handful of these seventh-grade writing prompts into your literacy instruction. 

While teachers may at times assign writing activities and assignments that require students to generate their own topics, providing writing prompts kickstarts the writing process.

Subsequently, writer’s block is reduced (maybe even eliminated), and students pump out content faster. 

Additionally, seventh-grade writing prompts strengthen writing skills, motivate students to share their thoughts, and instill a love for writing.

See other advantages of writing prompts . 

Whether students are practicing descriptive, paragraph, or any other type of writing, these cool writing prompts for seventh graders will work well. 

Seventh-Grade Writing Prompts

1. From your perspective, what is a typical day like for a 7th-grade student?

2. Compare and contrast a mustache and a cat’s whiskers.

3. Write a diary entry from the perspective of yourself five years in the future.

4. Share the differences and similarities between your thumb and big toe. 

5. Make up a story about a seventh-grader who plays an April Fool’s joke on classmates.

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101 Great Middle School Writing Prompts

6. Draft a gracious letter to the air, thanking it for all of its benefits.

7. Recall a memory of your sibling, cousin, or friend doing something hilariously funny.

8. Convince a student who attends another school that your school is the best. 

9. In at least three paragraphs, describe your least favorite food without naming it.

10. If you could only pick one category of food to eat for the rest of your life, which would you choose – breakfast or dessert? Why?

11. Describe what autumn looks like in your city or town.

12. In your opinion, what are the benefits of journaling daily?

13. What are some examples of things that would cause you not to be friends with someone any longer?

14. Talk about a lesson that you learned from a mistake you made recently.

15. Create a how-to guide that explains how to ride a scooter. 

16. Imagine you are pet-sitting for your neighbors and their dog is being naughty. How would you get it to behave?

17. Write about a time when you had the courage to stand up for yourself. 

18. Explain to a classmate how the game of Jeopardy works. 

19. Draft a story about all the students at school walking backward for one day.

20. Create a poem about shapes and solids. 

21. Draft a how-to guide that shows how to maintain a growth mindset even when facing obstacles. 

22. Write a combination of similes and metaphors to describe a house.

23. Between honesty and patience, which virtue is most important to have and why?

24. Create a story about an alien race in space.

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25. Write a paragraph about your family, sharing one or two positive things about each member.

26. Compare and contrast your current grade level with another.

27. What are the pros and cons of playing school sports?

28. Explain to another student a strategy for responding to seventh-grade writing prompts so that he receives positive feedback.

29. Summarize a chapter from a book you’re currently reading. 

30. In your opinion, what are the best things about being a middle school student?

31. What are the pros and cons of being tall? 

32. Create a funny story about a grain of sand that dislikes sandcastles.

33. Describe a unicorn to someone not familiar with the animal. 

34. Write a story about a seventh-grader who accidentally wears mismatched clothes to school.

35. Would you rather try to tame a shark or a lion?

36. Write a paragraph, sharing all of the things you love about yourself. 

37. How much screen time is appropriate for seventh-graders? Why do you think this?

38. If a strand of hair on your head could speak, what would it say?

39. Write an anecdote about a memorable event that you participated in this school year. 

40. Describe a school hallway in-between classes. 

41. Summarize your day so far. 

42. Design a “Get Better Soon” greeting card with an encouraging message.  

43. In your opinion, why are some people more motivated than others?

44. Write the characteristics of a backpack.

45. Explain how to make a failing grade on a math test.

46. Describe how to make an arts and crafts project that you remember from the past. 

47. Compose a story using these words: confidence, self-esteem, growth mindset, persistence, positive

48. Write a poem about clouds. 

49. Share reasons why it’s a good idea to participate in class discussions.

50. What is the purpose of fingernails and toenails?

51. In your opinion, which sport is the most boring and why?

52. Write about all the mischievous things a dog may do when its owner is away.

53. Describe the similarities and differences between soup and cereal. 

54. Make up a story about a food fight in the cafeteria.

55. Write a letter persuading someone to attend your birthday bash this weekend.

56. Tell how to build something only out of cotton balls.

57. What recent moment would you love to repeat and why?

58. Do you think honesty is always the best policy? Why or why not?

59. Write a story about a child who learns to embrace her freckles. 

60. Describe how you would like the school year to end. 

61. Create all the smaller words you can brainstorm from the term enchilada .

Final Thoughts On Seventh-Grade Writing Prompts

Give students a jumpstart in completing writing assignments and activities by utilizing these high-interest seventh-grade writing prompts.

You’ll instill a love for writing, improve writing skills, and reduce writer’s block.

See also…

• Writing prompts for 7th-grade argumentative assignments
• Creative writing topics for 7th grade