writing

Writing Practice Session

Overview

Full-text writing practice with systematic correction. One scenario per session, detailed feedback broken down by severity and category, DB update at end. Mastery-driven scenario selection keeps the task at the right level — challenging, not frustrating.

When to Use

Trigger this skill only when the learner types /writing. The skill is gated with disable-model-invocation: true — a 15-20 min interactive session with DB writes should never start from an ambiguous prompt.

Skip this skill in favor of /vocab if the learner has not yet hit mastery 2 in basic vocabulary — writing needs a minimum word bank.

Instructions

1. Load context

python3 .claude/hooks/read-db.py

Need: learner-profile (level, target language, focus areas), mistakes-db (weak writing patterns), mastery-db (writing sub-skills).

2. Pick scenario type

From mastery-db.skills_mastery:

• Formal email (if writing_formal_email mastery < 4)
• Informal email (if writing_informal_email < 4)
• Form filling (if writing_forms < 4)
• Newsletter / personal text (if overall writing < 3)
• Mixed scenarios (if all ≥ 4)

Scenarios must match the learner's CEFR level — A2 uses everyday situations, B1+ adds opinion / complaint / inquiry.

3. Present the task

## ✍️ Writing Exercise

**Scenario:** {clear description in native language}

**Task:** Write a {type} in {target_language}.

**Requirements:**
- Length: {X-Y} words
- Include: {must-include elements}
- Register: {formal / informal}
- Level: {CEFR}

{Optional: example structure for harder tasks}

**Write your {text_type} below:**

4. Wait for the full text

Don't correct mid-composition. Let the learner finish.

5. Systematic error analysis

Check every sentence for these categories:

1. Grammar — word order, conjugation, clause structure, articles
2. Formal/informal — register consistency
3. Vocabulary — wrong word, English mixing, register-wrong synonyms
4. Missing elements — greeting, closing, required fields
5. Spelling — minor at A2, weightier at B2+
6. Structure — organization, flow, paragraphing

Tag each finding with a severity: 🔴 critical, 🟡 moderate, 🟢 minor.

6. Detailed feedback

Diverges slightly from the standard feedback-formatter template because writing answers are multi-sentence. Use this variant:

## Feedback

### ✅ What You Did Well
- {strength 1}
- {strength 2}

### ❌ Areas to Improve

**Critical:** 🔴
- {issue}: "{wrong}" → **"{correct}"** — {why}

**Moderate:** 🟡
- {issue}: {explanation}

**Minor:** 🟢
- {spelling / punctuation}

### 📝 Corrected Version

{fully corrected text}

**Score: {X}/10**

**Breakdown:**
- Grammar: {Y}/10
- Vocabulary: {Z}/10
- Structure: {W}/10
- Communication: {V}/10

---

7. Optional rewrite

If score < 7, offer:

**Want to try again?** Rewriting with the corrections locks in the patterns.

Type "rewrite" to try again, or "next" to continue.

8. Session summary

## 📊 Writing Session Summary

**Text Type:** {type}
**Score:** {X}/10
**Key Takeaways:**
- {learning 1}
- {learning 2}
- {learning 3}

**Next Time:**
- Focus on: {weak pattern}
- Review: {relevant flashcards}

{target-language "well done"}! ✍️

9. Update all databases

Use the db-updater skill:

• command_used: "/writing", skills_practiced: ["writing"]
• skill_scores.writing: {exercises: 1, correct: 1_if_score_≥_7_else_0, time_minutes}
• errors[] — one per distinct pattern found (dedupe; the script bumps frequency)
• focus_next_session[] — top 2 patterns to drill

Also save the exchange as /results/writing-session-{NNN}.md with the full task, the learner's original text, the corrected version, and the error table. The session-analyzer skill depends on this format.

Examples

Example 1 — formal email task (Dutch A2)

✍️ Writing Exercise

Scenario: You need to cancel a doctor's appointment you have on Thursday.

Task: Write a formal email to the doctor's office in Dutch.

Requirements:

• Length: 40-60 words
• Include: greeting, reason, request for new appointment, closing
• Register: formal
• Level: A2

Write your email below:

Learner: "Hallo, Ik schrijf je omdat ik kan niet komen op donderdag. Ik ben ziek. Kunnen we een andere dag afspreken? Bedankt, Mohammad"

Feedback

✅ What You Did Well

• Clear reason for cancellation.
• Correct request structure.

❌ Areas to Improve

Critical: 🔴

• formal_informal: "Hallo" + "je" — formal email needs "Beste meneer/mevrouw" + "u". Mixed registers cost exam points.
• grammar: "ik kan niet komen" is OK standalone, but after "omdat" Dutch word order flips: "omdat ik niet kan komen".

Moderate: 🟡

• missing: no formal closing. Use "Met vriendelijke groet,".

Minor: 🟢

• Capitalize "Donderdag"? Actually no — Dutch doesn't capitalize weekdays. You were right.

📝 Corrected Version

Beste meneer/mevrouw,

Ik schrijf u omdat ik niet kan komen op donderdag. Ik ben ziek.
Kunnen we een andere dag afspreken?

Met vriendelijke groet,
Mohammad

Score: 6/10

• Grammar: 6/10 — omdat word order tripped you up.
• Vocabulary: 8/10 — solid word choice.
• Structure: 5/10 — missing proper opening + closing.
• Communication: 7/10 — message was clear despite issues.

Critical Rules

• One scenario per session. Don't chain multiple writing tasks — depth over breadth.
• Wait for the full answer before correcting.
• Severity tagging is mandatory. Fed into mistakes-db and drives spaced repetition priority.
• Always save the session file in /results/ for later analysis by session-analyzer.
• Never auto-invoke. This skill is gated; must fire only on explicit /writing.

Language Reference

Dutch A2 patterns

Formal emails: always "u" (not "je"); open Beste meneer/mevrouw {NAME},; closing Met vriendelijke groet, + name.

Informal emails: "je" not "u"; open Hallo {NAME},; closing Groetjes, or Tot snel,.

Common mistakes: mixing formal/informal in one text; word order in omdat clauses (verb last); time expressions (om 10:00 uur, op dinsdag).

Add similar sections for other target languages as the learner needs them.