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NSW SelectiveYear 7 entry

Writing information reports for the Selective test

Independent. Not affiliated with the NSW Department of Education.

An information report gives the reader facts about one topic, in the third person, with no opinions. For the Selective writing test, your child can plan an introduction that defines the topic, one paragraph per idea and a short summary.

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The full lesson is in the SelectiveReady app. A free account opens How and Why Authors Write; this lesson needs a paid plan.

Updated 16 October 2026 · Facts checked 12 October 2026

Writing an Information Report (lesson preview)
A short preview from the SelectiveReady lesson “Writing an Information Report”, on information reports for the NSW Selective test.
Published: 15 October 2026

You can play the preview here. The whole lesson, Writing an Information Report, is in the SelectiveReady app and needs an account; a free account opens one lesson, How and Why Authors Write; the other lessons need a paid plan^{1SelectiveReady · 13 October 2026 · Published}. Captions are in English and Chinese.

2

What will your child learn in this lesson?

Your child learns to write like an encyclopedia: every sentence delivers a fact, clearly and without bias. They'll be able to plan a report in three parts, use report language and check for the traps that weaken it.

The clip covers linking words and the biggest trap, slipping into persuasion. The full lesson adds the blueprint, the language toolkit and a final checklist.

3

Could an information report come up in the Selective test?

Possibly, but nobody can say for sure. The Department doesn't publish which forms of writing the task can set. ^{2NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Not published}

What it does show is its practice tasks: an advice sheet^{3NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}, a newspaper report^{4NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published} and a diary entry^{5NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}. Two of those inform rather than tell a story or argue, so report skills carry over.

The writing test	What it asks of a report
The task's aim: select, develop and organise ideas and communicate them effectively^{3NSW Education · 13 October 2026 · Published}	Choose the strongest facts and put them in order
Writing for a purpose and audience ^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}	The purpose is to inform, for a reader who wants to learn
Structure counts ^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}	An introduction, clear paragraphs and a summary
Off-topic writing is marked lower^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}	Every paragraph is about the topic the prompt sets

4

What is an information report?

An information report describes one topic, such as an animal, a place or an invention, so the reader learns about it. It sounds calm and sure, and it never tells the reader what to think or do.

	Information report	Newspaper report	Persuasive piece
Purpose	To inform about a topic	To tell what happened in one event	To win the reader over
Voice	Third person, formal	Third person, with quotes	Opinion, often "I" or "you"
Order	One idea per paragraph	Most important news first	One reason per paragraph
Ending	A short summary	What happens next	A call to agree

5

How do you structure an information report?

The lesson calls the structure a blueprint: simple, powerful and not up for debate.

The report blueprint as a house: introduction on top, one idea per body paragraph, a summing-up conclusion, linking words as mortar.

Introduction: define the topic
Say what the topic is in one or two sentences, like the first line of an encyclopedia entry.
Body: one idea per paragraph
Each paragraph opens with a clear topic sentence, then backs it with facts.
Conclusion: sum it up
A quick summary of what the report has said. No new facts, and no opinion.

6

Which language does a report need?

Report language is the building material. The lesson names five tools.

Formal, factual tone

No slang. "Wombats are mostly active at night", not "wombats are total night owls".

Third person

A report usually stays in the third person, which keeps it formal. No published marking rule bans "I".

Topic sentences

The first sentence of each paragraph says what the paragraph is about.

Technical words

The right word for the subject, such as marsupial, burrow or habitat.

Linking words

Furthermore, in addition, also and however hold the facts together.

7

What does a model information report look like?

We wrote this short report for our own practice prompt: write an information report about an Australian animal.

Part	Model text
Title	Wombats
Introduction	Wombats are sturdy marsupials that live only in Australia. They are best known for digging.
Body: appearance	Wombats have short, strong legs and long front claws. A mother carries her joey in a pouch that faces backwards, so dirt stays out while she digs.
Body: homes	Wombats live in burrows that they dig themselves. Furthermore, a burrow stays cool on hot days.
Body: food	Wombats eat grasses, roots and bark. In addition, they feed mostly at night.
Conclusion	In summary, the wombat's body suits a life spent digging.

Each body paragraph opens with a topic sentence. There's no "I", no "you" and no opinion, and the linking words make the facts flow.

8

What is the most common information report mistake?

The most common mistake is persuading by accident. The lesson's example: "Recycling reduces landfill waste" informs, but "We should all recycle" tells the reader what to do.

Slips out of report mode	Stays a report
"Wombats are the cutest animals ever."	"Wombats have round faces and small ears."
"I think wombats are amazing diggers."	"Wombats dig with their long front claws."
"Everyone should protect wombats."	"Some wombat habitats are protected."
Paragraphs that jump between ideas	One idea per paragraph, in a sensible order

9

How can my child try a report-style prompt?

Try this newspaper report from our free practice set, with a 30^{2NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published}-minute timer. The report rules carry over: third person, facts first and a topic sentence for each paragraph. A news report adds quotes from people who were there.

Practice question · SEL-WR-TST-04

Alpaca on Main Street

On Saturday morning, an alpaca escaped from a farm near your town and wandered along the main street for two hours before it was caught.

Write a newspaper report about the event for your local paper.

In your report, you could:

explain what happened and how it ended
describe how shoppers and shop owners reacted
include what people who were there said

A cream alpaca stands calmly in a country-town street as a surprised shopkeeper and passers-by watch and point.

Read the model response

WOOLLY SHOPPER CAUSES CHAOS IN MAIN STREET

By our junior reporter

An escaped alpaca brought Millbrook's main street to a standstill on Saturday morning, after it spent two hours wandering between shops before being safely caught outside the bakery.

The alpaca, a fluffy cream-coloured male named Biscuit, slipped through a broken gate at Hilltop Farm, three kilometres from town, at about 8 am. Witnesses say he trotted down Station Road, crossed the roundabout and arrived in Main Street just as the Saturday market was opening.

For the next two hours, Biscuit seemed to treat the town like his own personal shopping centre. He sniffed the flowers outside the florist, nibbled a lettuce from a fruit stall and stared at his own reflection in the window of the hardware store for almost ten minutes.

Shop owners had mixed feelings about their unusual customer. Greengrocer Tony Haddad said he lost "at least three lettuces and a bunch of carrots" but could not stay angry. "He looked me straight in the eye while he was chewing," Mr Haddad laughed. "I've never been robbed so politely."

Not everyone was amused. Cafe owner Priya Sharma said customers ran inside when Biscuit wandered between the outdoor tables. "One man spilled his coffee all over his newspaper," she said. "It was funny afterwards, but at the time it was total chaos."

Children, however, were thrilled. Eight-year-old Maya Wilson said it was "the best Saturday ever" and asked if Biscuit could come back next week.

Police and a local vet closed off part of the street at about 9:45 am. In the end, it was Biscuit's owner, farmer Graham Collins, who solved the problem. He walked calmly up the street shaking a bucket of oats, and the alpaca followed him like an obedient puppy.

"He's a curious boy and he loves people," Mr Collins explained. "I'm very sorry for the trouble. I'll be paying for the lettuces and fixing that gate today."

Biscuit was checked by the vet and was unharmed. He is now back at Hilltop Farm, where he is reportedly enjoying a well-deserved nap.

Residents are being reminded to report any wandering animals to police rather than trying to catch them themselves.

My first sentence says what the report is about.
I kept to the third person, so the report stays formal.
Each paragraph has one idea and starts with a topic sentence.
I used at least two linking words.
There is no opinion and no "should".
My ending sums up instead of adding something new.

10

Questions parents ask about information reports for Selective

What is the difference between an information report and an explanation?

A report describes what something is like. An explanation shows how or why something happens, step by step.

Should an information report have headings?

The lesson doesn't require them. Clear topic sentences do the same job.

How many body paragraphs should my child write?

The lesson sets no number. One paragraph for each key idea is enough.

Can a report include an interesting fact?

Yes, if it's true and fits the paragraph. Surprising details keep a reader interested.

Is the full lesson free?

It needs an account. A free account opens one lesson, How and Why Authors Write; the other lessons need a paid plan^{1SelectiveReady · 13 October 2026 · Published}.

Next questions

Sources and checks

SelectiveReady
SelectiveReady · Checked 13 October 2026
Selective high school practice tests
NSW Department of Education · Checked 12 October 2026 · Practice materials: personal or non-commercial use only; CC BY 4.0 does not apply (page notice). Page text: CC BY 4.0.
Selective High School Placement Test, Writing Question Paper, Practice Test 1 (PDF)
NSW Department of Education · Checked 13 October 2026 · Practice materials: personal or non-commercial use only; CC BY 4.0 does not apply (page notice). Quoted briefly with credit. Saved text: the one-page writing task only.
Selective High School Placement Test, Writing Question Paper, Practice Test 2 (PDF)
NSW Department of Education · Checked 13 October 2026 · Practice materials: personal or non-commercial use only; CC BY 4.0 does not apply (page notice). Quoted briefly with credit. Saved text: the one-page writing task only.
Selective High School Placement Test, Writing Question Paper, Practice Test 3 (PDF)
NSW Department of Education · Checked 13 October 2026 · Practice materials: personal or non-commercial use only; CC BY 4.0 does not apply (page notice). Quoted briefly with credit. Saved text: the one-page writing task only.

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