Arkansas Foundations of Reading Test (FORT)

What stage of writing development involves writers being able to evaluate and edit their own writing?

1. Emergent stage

2. Fluent stage

3. Preconventional stage

4. Transitional stage

The correct answer is: Fluent stage

In the fluent stage of writing development, writers demonstrate a higher level of skill and understanding in their writing process. This stage is characterized by the ability to produce more coherent and well-organized texts. Writers in this stage have not only developed a command of basic writing mechanics and grammar but are also beginning to focus on their audience and purpose. What distinguishes the fluent stage is the capacity for self-evaluation and editing. Writers use these skills to reflect critically on their work, identifying areas for improvement. They might rephrase sentences for clarity, reorganize ideas to enhance logical flow, or correct grammatical errors. This self-assessment ability indicates a level of maturity in writing where the individual can both create and refine their work independently. In contrast, earlier stages such as the emergent or preconventional stages are more foundational and do not typically involve sophisticated self-assessment or editing skills. The transitional stage may involve more complex writing than earlier stages, but the fluency to effectively evaluate and edit one’s work is clearly more pronounced in the fluent stage.