Essay prompts for AI that help you write your own

Ask for questions with two defensible sides; excluding the obvious topic gets fresher ones.

Give me 8 opinion essay prompts for 10th graders about technology and school life. Each one sentence ending in a question mark, as a numbered list, and none about phones.

• GPT-6 Luna

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. Should students be allowed to use AI tools to help with homework?
  2. Does using laptops in class improve students’ learning?
  3. Should schools replace some printed textbooks with digital ones?
  4. Do online classes offer the same quality of education as in-person classes?
  5. Should students learn how to code as part of the required curriculum?
  6. Does technology make it easier for students to work together on projects?
  7. Should schools use educational video games as part of lessons?
  8. Do online grade portals motivate students to take more responsibility for their learning?

  1 message on Pro · under $0.0001 to run · 1.9 s · 118 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. Should students be allowed to use AI writing tools when completing homework?
  2. Do online textbooks help students learn better than printed books?
  3. Should schools use software that tracks students’ progress in every subject?
  4. Is learning from recorded lessons as effective as learning from a teacher in person?
  5. Should schools require students to learn basic computer coding?
  6. Do classroom games and quizzes make learning more effective?
  7. Should students be able to choose between typing and handwriting their assignments?
  8. Is it fair for schools to use AI tools to check students’ work for plagiarism?

  1 message on Pro · $0.0010 to run · 2.3 s · 122 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. Should schools require students to complete some assignments entirely without internet access?
  2. Is it fair for teachers to use AI detection software to check students' writing?
  3. Should coding be a mandatory subject for all high school students?
  4. Do social media algorithms do more harm than good for teenagers' mental health?
  5. Should schools replace physical textbooks entirely with digital versions?
  6. Is it ethical for students to use AI tools like chatbots to help write essays?
  7. Should students be allowed to use laptops instead of handwriting notes in class?
  8. Do video games have a place in the classroom as a teaching tool?

  1 message on Pro · $0.0030 to run · 3.4 s · 201 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. Should high schools allow students to use generative AI tools like ChatGPT to help draft their essays and assignments?
  2. Does the shift from traditional print textbooks to digital tablets improve or harm student learning?
  3. Should schools have the right to monitor students' online activity on school-issued laptops outside of school hours?
  4. Do online learning management systems like Google Classroom reduce student stress or increase academic pressure?
  5. Should learning how to write computer code be a mandatory graduation requirement for all high school students?
  6. Does the use of gamified learning platforms make classroom subjects more engaging or merely more distracting?
  7. Should public schools invest more funding into virtual reality headsets for immersive science and history lessons?
  8. Are virtual snow days that replace traditional school cancellations beneficial for maintaining academic momentum?

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The model asks and you answer: the story stays yours, and specific questions dig up specific moments.

I'm writing a personal essay for a college application. Ask me 6 questions that help me find a specific story to tell. No generic ones like "What is your passion?". Numbered list only.

• GPT-6 Luna

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. When did you realize you had misunderstood someone or something important, and what happened next?
  2. What small, ordinary moment changed how you saw a person you thought you already knew?
  3. Tell me about a time you had to choose between being accepted and saying or doing what felt right.
  4. What did you try to fix, make, or organize that didn’t go as planned—and what did you do when it failed?
  5. When have you felt out of place in a specific room, group, or situation? What detail from that moment sticks with you?
  6. What responsibility did you take on that nobody had asked you to take, and what did it teach you about yourself?

  1 message on Pro · $0.0001 to run · 3.4 s · 145 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. What’s a moment when you changed your mind about someone? What happened just before and after?
  2. When did you make a small decision that had an unexpectedly large consequence?
  3. What’s a time you did something differently from the people around you, even though it would have been easier to go along?
  4. What’s an ordinary place you know unusually well? What happened there that changed how you see it?
  5. When did you try to fix something and make it worse? What did you do next?
  6. What’s something you can do now that you once struggled with? Which single moment best shows the change?

  1 message on Pro · $0.0010 to run · 2.0 s · 133 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. What's a moment in the last four years when you surprised yourself—did something you didn't think you were capable of?
  
  2. Describe a time you were completely wrong about something (a person, a belief, a plan) and had to admit it. What happened next?
  
  3. What's an object sitting in your room right now that has a story attached to it you'd tell a stranger?
  
  4. When was the last time you got obsessed with something small or "unimportant"—a weird hobby, a random question, a niche interest—and stayed up late because of it?
  
  5. Tell me about a conversation (with a parent, teacher, friend, stranger) that you still think about, word for word, months or years later.
  
  6. What's something you had to do repeatedly before you got good at it, and what was the specific moment you noticed the change?

  1 message on Pro · $0.0035 to run · 4.3 s · 243 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 4.7 of 5 on average (lowest 4).

  1. What is an everyday object, place, or physical artifact that only you find fascinating or significant, and what is the story of how it got that way?
  2. Think of a time you were completely convinced you were right about something, but a specific moment or encounter permanently changed your mind—what happened?
  3. What is an unglamorous, frustrating, or repetitive task you’ve spent hours doing (a chore, a low-level job duty, a tedious hobby step), and what went through your head while doing it?
  4. When did you try to fix a small, practical problem, only for your solution to backfire or reveal a much bigger, unexpected issue?
  5. Describe a specific five-minute conversation with a stranger, friend, or family member that stuck with you for months afterward, even if it seemed minor at the time.
  6. What is a specific rule—written or unwritten—that exists in your family, culture, or friend group that you quietly chose to break or redefine?

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Feedback against three named tests teaches you what a thesis needs, and "don't rewrite it" keeps the thesis yours.

Here's my thesis statement: "Social media has had many effects on teenagers, some good and some bad."
Tell me whether it is arguable, specific and one sentence, with a one-line reason for each. Don't rewrite it for me.

• GPT-6 Luna

  Passed

  Graded 4.3 of 5 on average (lowest 3).

  - **Arguable:** Yes — people can reasonably disagree about social media’s effects on teenagers.
  - **Specific:** No — it doesn’t identify particular effects or which platforms or teenagers it means.
  - **One sentence:** Yes — it contains one independent sentence.

  1 message on Pro · under $0.0001 to run · 1.3 s · 56 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  - **Arguable:** Not strongly. It makes a broad observation rather than a claim someone could meaningfully debate.
  - **Specific:** No. “Many effects” and “some good and some bad” don’t identify which effects you mean.
  - **One sentence:** Yes. It’s a single complete sentence.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0007 to run · 1.3 s · 67 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  - **One sentence:** Yes — it's a single sentence.
  - **Arguable:** No — nobody would disagree that social media has "some good and some bad" effects; it's too vague to argue against.
  - **Specific:** No — it doesn't name which effects, which teenagers, or take a clear stance.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0021 to run · 2.5 s · 99 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  * **Arguable: No.** It states an obvious, widely accepted fact rather than taking a stance that someone could reasonably dispute.
  * **Specific: No.** Terms like "many effects," "some good," and "some bad" are too vague and fail to name the actual impacts.
  * **One sentence: Yes.** It consists of a single complete grammatical sentence.

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An outline with the kind of evidence to find leaves the research and the writing to you.

Make an outline for a five-paragraph argumentative essay with this thesis: "Cities should make public buses free, because it cuts traffic, helps low-income workers and pays for itself in cleaner air.". Include the thesis in the intro, three body paragraphs each with a claim and the kind of evidence I should look for, and a conclusion. Outline only: don't write any paragraphs.

• GPT-6 Luna

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  ## Five-Paragraph Argumentative Essay Outline
  
  1. **Introduction**
     - Introduce the debate over public transit fares.
     - **Thesis:** Cities should make public buses free, because it cuts traffic, helps low-income workers and pays for itself in cleaner air.
  
  2. **Body Paragraph 1: Free buses can cut traffic**
     - **Claim:** Removing fares can encourage people to take the bus instead of driving.
     - **Evidence to look for:** Studies comparing bus ridership and car use before and after fare-free programs; data on traffic congestion or vehicle miles traveled.
  
  3. **Body Paragraph 2: Free buses help low-income workers**
     - **Claim:** Fare-free buses reduce commuting costs and make it easier for low-income workers to reach jobs and services.
     - **Evidence to look for:** Research on transportation expenses as a share of low-income households’ budgets; surveys or case studies on access to work and essential services.
  
  4. **Body Paragraph 3: Cleaner air can offset the cost**
     - **Claim:** Increased bus use and reduced driving can lower pollution, creating public-health and economic benefits.
     - **Evidence to look for:** Data on emissions and air quality in cities with fare-free transit; estimates of health costs avoided through reduced pollution, compared with the program’s costs.
  
  5. **Conclusion**
     - Restate the case for fare-free public buses.
     - Summarize how they can reduce traffic, support low-income workers, and produce cleaner-air benefits.
     - End with a recommendation that cities consider fare-free bus programs.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0001 to run · 2.8 s · 324 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. **Introduction**
     - Briefly introduce traffic, transportation costs, and air pollution as city challenges.
     - **Thesis:** Cities should make public buses free, because it cuts traffic, helps low-income workers and pays for itself in cleaner air.
  
  2. **Body paragraph 1 — Traffic**
     - **Claim:** Free buses can persuade more people to leave their cars at home, reducing congestion.
     - **Evidence to look for:** Ridership and traffic data from cities that have removed bus fares.
  
  3. **Body paragraph 2 — Low-income workers**
     - **Claim:** Eliminating fares makes commuting to work more affordable and reliable for low-income workers.
     - **Evidence to look for:** Household transportation budgets, worker surveys, and studies of access to jobs.
  
  4. **Body paragraph 3 — Cleaner air**
     - **Claim:** Fewer car trips can reduce pollution and its health costs, helping offset the cost of free buses.
     - **Evidence to look for:** Emissions estimates, air-quality measurements, public-health cost studies, and fare-revenue figures.
  
  5. **Conclusion**
     - Restate the three benefits and argue that cities should weigh them against the cost of replacing fare revenue.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0017 to run · 2.8 s · 253 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  # Outline: Cities Should Make Public Buses Free
  
  ## I. Introduction
  - Hook: brief statement on urban traffic/pollution problem
  - Background: current state of paid public transit
  - **Thesis:** Cities should make public buses free, because it cuts traffic, helps low-income workers, and pays for itself in cleaner air.
  
  ## II. Body Paragraph 1 – Reduces Traffic Congestion
  - **Claim:** Free bus service encourages drivers to switch to public transit, easing road congestion
  - **Evidence to look for:**
    - Ridership statistics from cities that eliminated fares (e.g., Kansas City, Tallinn, Estonia)
    - Traffic congestion data before/after fare-free policies
    - Studies comparing car usage rates in cities with free vs. paid transit
  
  ## III. Body Paragraph 2 – Supports Low-Income Workers
  - **Claim:** Eliminating bus fares removes a financial barrier that disproportionately burdens low-wage workers
  - **Evidence to look for:**
    - Average percentage of income low-wage workers spend on transportation/transit fares
    - Case studies on job access improvements after fare elimination
    - Surveys/testimonials from low-income riders on how fares affect commuting decisions
  
  ## IV. Body Paragraph 3 – Pays for Itself Through Cleaner Air
  - **Claim:** Reduced car emissions from increased bus ridership offset the cost of eliminating fares through healthcare savings and environmental benefits
  - **Evidence to look for:**
    - Cost-benefit analyses comparing fare revenue lost vs. savings from reduced pollution/healthcare costs
    - Air quality measurements (e.g., PM2.5 levels) before/after fare-free implementation
    - Studies on economic value of reduced emissions (e.g., fewer asthma cases, lower medical costs)
  
  ## V. Conclusion
  - Restate thesis in new words
  - Briefly recap the three main benefits (traffic, equity, environment)
  - Closing thought: call to action for cities to consider fare-free transit as a policy priority

  1 message on Pro · $0.0083 to run · 7.6 s · 709 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  ### Essay Outline: Fare-Free Public Buses
  
  #### I. Introduction
  *   **Hook:** High traffic congestion, rising living costs, and urban pollution are straining modern cities.
  *   **Context:** While public transit is a standard public utility, fare collection creates barriers to access and slows operations.
  *   **Thesis Statement:** Cities should make public buses free, because it cuts traffic, helps low-income workers and pays for itself in cleaner air.
  
  #### II. Body Paragraph 1: Traffic Reduction
  *   **Topic Sentence/Claim:** Eliminating bus fares decreases urban traffic congestion by incentivizing drivers to switch to public transit.
  *   **Types of Evidence to Look For:**
      *   Ridership statistics from cities that implemented fare-free transit (e.g., Kansas City, MO, or Tallinn, Estonia).
      *   Traffic density or average commute-time data comparing pre- and post-fare-free policy implementation.
      *   Studies showing faster boarding times and improved bus route efficiency without fareboxes.
  
  #### III. Body Paragraph 2: Economic Support for Low-Income Workers
  *   **Topic Sentence/Claim:** Fare-free transit acts as an immediate economic equalizer by lowering essential transportation costs for low-wage workers.
  *   **Types of Evidence to Look For:**
      *   Data on the percentage of household income that low-income urban workers spend on commuting.
      *   Studies on job access and employment rates among lower-income residents following the removal of transit fares.
      *   Economic reports showing how saved transportation funds are redirected into local neighborhood economies.
  
  #### IV. Body Paragraph 3: Environmental and Public Health Returns
  *   **Topic Sentence/Claim:** The policy economically offsets its own costs through improved air quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and lower public health expenditures.
  *   **Types of Evidence to Look For:**
      *   Environmental data on carbon emissions reductions following mode-shifts from personal vehicles to buses.
      *   Public health studies linking reduced particulate matter/smog to decreases in urban respiratory illnesses (e.g., asthma).
      *   Cost-benefit analyses showing municipal savings in healthcare and environmental cleanup versus the cost of subsidized transit operations.
  
  #### V. Conclusion
  *   **Restatement of Thesis:** Making municipal buses free of charge eases traffic gridlock, provides vital economic relief to working-class residents, and generates environmental and health savings that offset implementation costs.
  *   **Summary of Main Points:** Transit accessibility reduces the number of cars on the road, supports equitable urban mobility, and delivers long-term returns in public health and cleaner air.
  *   **Final Thought/Call to Action:** Urban planners and local governments must view public transportation not as a revenue-generating business, but as essential infrastructure vital to a city's economic and environmental future.

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An essay is stronger when it answers the best objection, not the weakest; asking for "strongest" matters.

Give me the 3 strongest counterarguments to this thesis: "Schools should replace letter grades with written feedback.". For each, one sentence on how I could respond.

• GPT-6 Luna

  Passed

  Graded 4.7 of 5 on average (lowest 4).

  1. **Written feedback is more time-consuming for teachers**, potentially reducing time for lesson planning and student support.  
     **Response:** Use concise, standardized feedback prompts and reserve detailed comments for work where they’re most useful.
  
  2. **Grades provide a quick, familiar way to compare progress**, helping students, families, and colleges understand performance.  
     **Response:** Pair written feedback with clear, consistent proficiency indicators so progress remains easy to interpret without letter grades.
  
  3. **Feedback can be subjective or inconsistent**, making it harder to judge whether students are meeting common expectations.  
     **Response:** Use shared rubrics and teacher calibration to make feedback more consistent and transparent.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0001 to run · 2.1 s · 139 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 4.7 of 5 on average (lowest 4).

  1. **Written feedback is harder to compare.** Colleges, employers, and scholarship committees may struggle to assess applicants consistently without a familiar grading scale. **Response:** Schools could keep standardized summaries for external decisions while making written feedback the main tool students receive.
  
  2. **It takes much more teacher time.** Detailed comments for every student and assignment could increase workloads or lead to generic, less useful feedback. **Response:** Use brief, targeted comments on major work, supported by rubrics and opportunities to revise.
  
  3. **Students may lose a clear signal of where they stand.** A letter grade can quickly show whether a student is meeting expectations; prose may feel vague or overly subjective. **Response:** Pair feedback with clear performance criteria and specific next steps so students know both where they stand and how to improve.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0012 to run · 2.2 s · 167 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  **1. Scalability/workload — teachers can't write meaningful feedback for hundreds of students regularly.**
  Response: Propose hybrid systems (short standardized codes + brief targeted comments) or leverage tech tools to reduce time burden without losing qualitative insight.
  
  **2. Loss of standardized comparison — colleges, employers, and scholarship committees need quick, comparable metrics across students/schools.**
  Response: Argue that portfolios or narrative transcripts can be paired with periodic standardized assessments to preserve comparability where it truly matters (e.g., college admissions).
  
  **3. Ambiguity and inconsistency — written feedback is more subjective, harder to audit for bias, and less legally defensible in disputes over grades/promotion.**
  Response: Suggest rubrics-based feedback with clear criteria, which structures comments enough to ensure fairness and consistency while still avoiding a single letter reduction.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0041 to run · 4.5 s · 307 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 4.3 of 5 on average (lowest 4).

  Here are the 3 strongest counterarguments and how to respond to each:
  
  ### 1. The College Admissions and Standardization Problem
  * **Counterargument:** External institutions (colleges, scholarship committees, and employers) rely on standardized, quantifiable metrics like GPA for fair, large-scale evaluation; written evaluations are too subjective and time-consuming to compare across thousands of applicants.
  * **How to respond:** Standardized test scores (like the SAT/ACT) and structured competency rubrics already provide uniform data, while qualitative feedback offers a more authentic, holistic picture of a student’s true readiness than an easily distorted GPA.
  
  ### 2. Teacher Workload and Burnout
  * **Counterargument:** Providing detailed, individualized written feedback for 100+ students across multiple assignments is logistically unsustainable and would dramatically increase teacher burnout, leading to generic or superficial comments.
  * **How to respond:** Shifting to written feedback allows educators to grade fewer assignments overall by focusing on meaningful milestone assessments rather than constant busywork, prioritizing the quality of evaluation over sheer volume.
  
  ### 3. Subjectivity and Bias
  * **Counterargument:** Written feedback increases the risk of unconscious bias—such as race, gender, or personality preferences—influencing a student's evaluation, whereas objective letter grades based on clear point thresholds minimize favoritism.
  * **How to respond:** Traditional letter grading systems already reflect subjective teacher choices (like attendance and participation points), whereas standardized, criteria-based feedback rubrics make evaluation criteria transparent and directly hold teachers accountable to learning standards.

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Asking for the gaps with quotes, and no rewrite, gets feedback you can use to fix the paragraph yourself.

Here's a body paragraph from my essay. Point out each place where my evidence doesn't support my claim, quoting the sentence. Don't rewrite the paragraph.

Homework should be banned in primary schools. A 2019 survey found that 64% of parents said homework caused arguments at home. My younger brother spends two hours a night on homework and is always tired. Finland has little homework and one of the best education systems in the world. Therefore homework has no benefits for young children.

• GPT-6 Luna

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  - **“A 2019 survey found that 64% of parents said homework caused arguments at home.”** This supports the idea that homework can cause conflict for some families, but it doesn’t show that homework should be banned or that it has no educational benefits.
  - **“My younger brother spends two hours a night on homework and is always tired.”** One person’s experience doesn’t establish what homework is like for primary-school students generally, or prove that homework caused his tiredness.
  - **“Finland has little homework and one of the best education systems in the world.”** This shows the two things coexist, but it doesn’t prove that having little homework caused Finland’s strong education system or that homework is harmful.
  - **“Therefore homework has no benefits for young children.”** The evidence given doesn’t establish that homework has *no* benefits; it mainly points to possible costs and doesn’t assess learning benefits.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0001 to run · 3.2 s · 275 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 4.7 of 5 on average (lowest 4).

  - “A 2019 survey found that 64% of parents said homework caused arguments at home.” This supports a concern about homework, but it doesn’t show that banning it is better than reducing or changing it.
  - “My younger brother spends two hours a night on homework and is always tired.” One child’s experience doesn’t show that homework generally harms primary-school children.
  - “Finland has little homework and one of the best education systems in the world.” This doesn’t show that *little homework caused* Finland’s results, or support a complete ban.
  - “Therefore homework has no benefits for young children.” The evidence suggests possible downsides, but it doesn’t establish that homework has **no** benefits.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0015 to run · 3.8 s · 205 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  Here are the evidence/claim mismatches:
  
  1. **"A 2019 survey found that 64% of parents said homework caused arguments at home."** — This shows homework causes household friction, not that it's harmful to *learning* or that it should be *banned*. Arguments at home don't demonstrate lack of educational benefit.
  
  2. **"My younger brother spends two hours a night on homework and is always tired."** — This is a single anecdotal case, not generalizable evidence. It also doesn't isolate homework as the cause of tiredness (could be many factors), and two hours may just indicate excessive homework, not that all homework should be banned.
  
  3. **"Finland has little homework and one of the best education systems in the world."** — This is a correlation, not causation. Finland's success likely stems from many factors (teacher training, funding, class sizes, culture), and this sentence doesn't prove homework caused their success or that removing homework elsewhere would have the same effect.
  
  4. **"Therefore homework has no benefits for young children."** — This conclusion overreaches. None of the prior evidence actually addresses whether homework provides academic benefits (e.g., reinforcement, study habits) — the evidence only touches on stress/arguments and one country's correlation, not a direct test of "benefits."

  1 message on Pro · $0.0055 to run · 5.3 s · 431 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  Here are the places where the evidence fails to support the claims:
  
  1. **"A 2019 survey found that 64% of parents said homework caused arguments at home."**
     * **Issue:** Causing domestic friction or stress supports the idea that homework has negative side effects, but it does not prove that it has *no educational value* or that it *should be banned*. 
  
  2. **"My younger brother spends two hours a night on homework and is always tired."**
     * **Issue:** This is an isolated, anecdotal piece of evidence. An individual family's experience cannot be generalized to justify a system-wide ban for all primary schools, nor does it prove homework lacks benefits.
  
  3. **"Finland has little homework and one of the best education systems in the world."**
     * **Issue:** Correlation does not imply causation. Finland's success is tied to many systemic factors (teacher training, equity, funding, curriculum). Pointing to their low homework load does not prove homework causes poor outcomes elsewhere.
  
  4. **"Therefore homework has no benefits for young children."**
     * **Issue:** This concluding claim is unsupported by all preceding evidence. Demonstrating that homework causes stress, fatigue, or isn't used in Finland only highlights drawbacks; it does not scientifically prove that homework provides *zero* benefits (such as reinforcement or habit building).

  1 message on Pro · $0.0007 to run · 2.2 s · 291 tokens out

Giving every detail labelled means the model only has to format, which is exactly where it can be checked.

Format this source as an MLA 9 works-cited entry:

Author: Ana Rivera
Title of the article: Why Cities Are Rethinking Free Transit
Website: The Urban Review
Published: 3 March 2025
URL: https://www.urbanreview.example/free-transit
Accessed: 12 September 2026

• GPT-6 Luna

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  Rivera, Ana. “Why Cities Are Rethinking Free Transit.” *The Urban Review*, 3 Mar. 2025, https://www.urbanreview.example/free-transit. Accessed 12 Sept. 2026.

  1 message on Pro · under $0.0001 to run · 1.3 s · 53 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  Rivera, Ana. “Why Cities Are Rethinking Free Transit.” *The Urban Review*, 3 Mar. 2025, https://www.urbanreview.example/free-transit. Accessed 12 Sept. 2026.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0007 to run · 1.0 s · 53 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  Rivera, Ana. "Why Cities Are Rethinking Free Transit." *The Urban Review*, 3 Mar. 2025, www.urbanreview.example/free-transit. Accessed 12 Sept. 2026.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0019 to run · 1.6 s · 80 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  Rivera, Ana. "Why Cities Are Rethinking Free Transit." *The Urban Review*, 3 Mar. 2025, www.urbanreview.example/free-transit. Accessed 12 Sept. 2026.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0003 to run · 1.9 s · 52 tokens out

Models invent convincing statistics; a placeholder for the number keeps your essay honest until you find the real one.

Give me 4 different ways to open an essay arguing that libraries matter more now than they did twenty years ago: a question, a statistic I'd need to find (write [find a source] instead of a number), a short scene, and a bold claim. One sentence each, as a numbered list.

• GPT-6 Luna

  Passed

  Graded 4.0 of 5 on average (lowest 3).

  1. What happens when the internet is everywhere, but reliable information and a quiet place to learn aren’t?
  2. [Find a source] comparing library use today with library use twenty years ago.
  3. At closing time, a student finishes homework at a library computer while a parent searches for job applications nearby.
  4. Libraries matter more now than they did twenty years ago.

  1 message on Pro · under $0.0001 to run · 1.4 s · 80 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. **Question:** Where can someone go for free internet access, reliable information, and a quiet place to work?
  2. **Statistic:** With [find a source] people relying on libraries for digital access, these spaces meet a need that was far less urgent twenty years ago.
  3. **Short scene:** At a library table, a job seeker updates her résumé while a student nearby gets help with homework.
  4. **Bold claim:** Libraries matter more today than they did twenty years ago because access to technology and trustworthy information is now essential to daily life.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0010 to run · 2.0 s · 117 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. **Question:** In an age when anyone can Google an answer in seconds, why are libraries busier than ever?
  
  2. **Statistic:** [find a source] percent more people visited public libraries for internet access, job searching, or digital literacy help last year than did twenty years ago.
  
  3. **Scene:** A teenager sits at a library computer, carefully typing her first job application while a librarian waits nearby, ready to help if the website glitches.
  
  4. **Bold claim:** Libraries have quietly become the last public institution fighting to keep information free in a world designed to make you pay for it.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0030 to run · 3.3 s · 188 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 4.7 of 5 on average (lowest 4).

  1. **Question:** In an era where virtually all human knowledge is accessible through a pocket-sized screen, why are public libraries seeing higher demand than they did two decades ago?
  
  2. **Statistic:** Despite the explosion of the digital age, over [find a source] percent of Americans visited a local library last year to access essential community resources unavailable on the internet.
  
  3. **Short scene:** Step past the quiet book stacks and you will find an unemployed veteran learning to write a resume, a toddler in story hour, and a remote worker relying on high-speed Wi-Fi they cannot afford at home.
  
  4. **Bold claim:** The internet did not make libraries obsolete; it exposed them as the last truly egalitarian institutions left in modern society.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0005 to run · 1.7 s · 154 tokens out

Pasting only the first sentences focuses the feedback on flow, which is hard to see in a full draft.

Here are the first sentences of my body paragraphs, in order. For each, say whether the transition from the paragraph before is weak or fine, and suggest a better linking phrase for the weak ones. Use a table.

1. Free buses reduce traffic in city centres.
2. Also, low-income workers save money.
3. Another thing is the air.
4. In conclusion, free buses are good.

• GPT-6 Luna

  Failed

  Graded 3.3 of 5 on average (lowest 2).

  | Sentence | Transition | Better linking phrase (if weak) |
  |---|---|---|
  | 1. “Free buses reduce traffic in city centres.” | No preceding paragraph to assess. | — |
  | 2. “Also, low-income workers save money.” | Fine — “Also” clearly adds another benefit. | — |
  | 3. “Another thing is the air.” | Weak — it’s vague and doesn’t clearly connect to the previous point. | “Free buses can also improve air quality.” |
  | 4. “In conclusion, free buses are good.” | Fine as a conclusion, though it belongs in the concluding paragraph rather than a body paragraph. | — |

  1 message on Pro · $0.0001 to run · 1.6 s · 147 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  | Paragraph | Transition | Better linking phrase |
  |---|---|---|
  | 1. Free buses reduce traffic in city centres. | Cannot assess without the preceding paragraph. | If this follows the introduction: “To begin with, …” |
  | 2. Also, low-income workers save money. | Weak | “Besides reducing traffic, free buses help low-income workers save money.” |
  | 3. Another thing is the air. | Weak | “Fewer cars on the road can also improve air quality.” |
  | 4. In conclusion, free buses are good. | Weak **as a body paragraph** | If this is your conclusion: “Taken together, these benefits make a strong case for free buses.” |

  1 message on Pro · $0.0021 to run · 4.1 s · 333 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 4.3 of 5 on average (lowest 3).

  | # | Sentence | Transition Quality | Better Linking Phrase |
  |---|----------|--------------------|-----------------------|
  | 1 | "Free buses reduce traffic in city centres." | **Fine** — this is the opening argument, so no transition is needed yet. | — |
  | 2 | "Also, low-income workers save money." | **Weak** — "Also" is vague and just tacks the idea on without showing its relationship to the first point. | "Beyond easing congestion, free buses also…" or "Free travel brings a second benefit: …" |
  | 3 | "Another thing is the air." | **Weak** — "Another thing" is informal and unclear; "the air" is vague about what point is being made. | "There are also environmental gains, since…" or "A further advantage lies in improved air quality, as…" |
  | 4 | "In conclusion, free buses are good." | **Weak** — "good" is too generic for a conclusion; it doesn't tie back to the specific benefits discussed. | "Taken together, these benefits show that free buses are a worthwhile investment." or "In light of these advantages, free buses clearly benefit cities." |

  1 message on Pro · $0.0054 to run · 5.3 s · 427 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 4.7 of 5 on average (lowest 4).

  | Sentence | Transition Quality | Better Linking Phrase / Revision |
  | :--- | :--- | :--- |
  | **1. Free buses reduce traffic in city centres.** | **Fine** | *N/A (As the first body paragraph, a standard topic sentence without a backward transition is appropriate.)* |
  | **2. Also, low-income workers save money.** | **Weak** | **"Beyond reducing congestion,..."** or **"In addition to easing traffic, free transit directly benefits low-income workers by..."** *(Replaces the informal "Also" with a link back to the previous point).* |
  | **3. Another thing is the air.** | **Weak** | **"Furthermore, fewer vehicles on the road significantly improves urban air quality."** *(Replaces the conversational, vague "Another thing" with a formal transition and complete thought).* |
  | **4. In conclusion, free buses are good.** | **Weak** | **"Ultimately, providing fare-free transit delivers compelling economic and environmental benefits."** *(Note: A conclusion should be its own paragraph rather than a body paragraph; replaces the simplistic "are good" with a substantive synthesis).* |

  1 message on Pro · $0.0006 to run · 2.0 s · 246 tokens out

Your teacher's own rubric is the best standard to be checked against; the model applies it, you do the revising.

Here's my teacher's rubric for conclusions and my conclusion. Score my conclusion 1–4 on each rubric line, with one sentence of reason each. Don't rewrite it.

Rubric:
1. Restates the thesis in new words
2. Sums up the main points without repeating them word for word
3. Ends with a wider implication or call to action
4. Adds no new evidence

My conclusion:
In conclusion, cities should make buses free because it cuts traffic, helps low-income workers and pays for itself in cleaner air. A study from Tallinn also shows ridership rose 14%. Free buses are a good idea.

• GPT-6 Luna

  Passed

  Graded 4.3 of 5 on average (lowest 3).

  1. **3/4** — It restates the thesis that cities should make buses free, but mostly repeats the original claim rather than expressing it in distinctly new words.
  2. **3/4** — It briefly summarizes the main benefits, though it lists them directly rather than developing them.
  3. **1/4** — “Free buses are a good idea” repeats the argument instead of offering a wider implication or call to action.
  4. **1/4** — The Tallinn ridership statistic introduces new evidence in the conclusion.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0001 to run · 1.5 s · 114 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 4.3 of 5 on average (lowest 3).

  Based on the conclusion alone—I can’t check its wording or evidence against the rest of the essay:
  
  1. **Restates the thesis in new words — 3/4:** It clearly restates the case for free buses, but I can’t tell whether the wording is new.
  2. **Sums up the main points — 3/4:** It briefly covers traffic, workers, and cleaner air, though I can’t check whether it repeats the body word for word.
  3. **Ends with a wider implication or call to action — 1/4:** “Free buses are a good idea” repeats the position rather than broadening it or urging action.
  4. **Adds no new evidence — 2/4:** The Tallinn statistic reads like new evidence unless it was already discussed in the body.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0025 to run · 4.4 s · 401 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  1. **Restates the thesis in new words — Score: 2**
  It repeats the thesis almost verbatim ("cities should make buses free") rather than rephrasing it.
  
  2. **Sums up the main points without repeating them word for word — Score: 2**
  The main points (traffic, low-income workers, air quality) appear to be copied nearly exactly from the body rather than paraphrased or synthesized.
  
  3. **Ends with a wider implication or call to action — Score: 1**
  "Free buses are a good idea" is a flat restatement, not a broader implication or call to action.
  
  4. **Adds no new evidence — Score: 1**
  The Tallinn statistic (14% ridership increase) is new evidence introduced for the first time in the conclusion.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0039 to run · 3.7 s · 261 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 4.3 of 5 on average (lowest 3).

  Here is the scoring based on your teacher's rubric:
  
  1. **Restates the thesis in new words: 3/4**  
  While your first sentence clearly re-establishes your core argument, using "free buses are a good idea" at the end is overly simplistic and relies on standard wording rather than a strong, fresh paraphrase.
  
  2. **Sums up the main points without repeating them word for word: 4/4**  
  You effectively and concisely synthesize three distinct supporting arguments (traffic reduction, financial relief for workers, and environmental benefits) into a single, cohesive overview.
  
  3. **Ends with a wider implication or call to action: 1/4**  
  You conclude with the weak statement "Free buses are a good idea" instead of looking at the bigger picture, suggesting next steps for city planners, or issuing a call to action.
  
  4. **Adds no new evidence: 1/4**  
  You directly introduce new evidence by citing specific data ("A study from Tallinn also shows ridership rose 14%"), which belongs in the body paragraphs rather than the conclusion.

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Practice prompts in the test's format let you rehearse under the real conditions, with the writing left to you.

Write one practice prompt in the style of a standardized test's argumentative essay: a short introduction to an issue, three perspectives on it, and the essay task. Topic: whether cities should ban cars from downtown streets. Then stop: don't write the essay.

• GPT-6 Luna

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  Cities are considering whether to ban private cars from downtown streets. Supporters say restrictions could reduce pollution, improve safety, and make room for public spaces. Critics argue that bans could hurt local businesses and make it harder for some people to travel. Others favor limited restrictions, such as car-free zones at certain times or on selected streets.
  
  **Perspective 1:** Downtown streets should be car-free because cleaner air and safer, more inviting public spaces benefit everyone.
  
  **Perspective 2:** Cities should not ban cars downtown because people with limited mobility, workers, and businesses may depend on convenient vehicle access.
  
  **Perspective 3:** Cities should restrict cars only where and when alternatives—such as reliable transit and accessible drop-off options—are available.
  
  **Essay task:** Write an essay in which you evaluate the perspectives above and present your own position on whether cities should ban cars from downtown streets. Support your position with reasons and examples.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0001 to run · 2.0 s · 187 tokens out

• GPT-6 Sol

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  ## Essay Prompt: Cars on Downtown Streets
  
  Many cities are considering whether to ban private cars from downtown streets. Supporters say the change would make city centers safer and more pleasant. Opponents worry it would make downtown harder to reach and hurt local businesses.
  
  **Perspective One:** A car ban would reduce traffic, air pollution, and noise. Downtown streets should prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit.
  
  **Perspective Two:** Cars are essential for many people, including those with limited mobility and those who live beyond transit routes. A ban would unfairly restrict access to downtown.
  
  **Perspective Three:** Cities should limit cars on selected streets or at certain times rather than impose a complete ban. This approach could improve public spaces while preserving access.
  
  **Essay task:** Write an essay in which you develop your own position on whether cities should ban cars from downtown streets. Analyze the relationship between your position and at least one of the perspectives above, and support your argument with reasoning and examples.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0014 to run · 2.5 s · 199 tokens out

• Claude Sonnet 5

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  # Essay Prompt
  
  Many cities around the world are debating whether to ban cars from downtown streets, replacing them with pedestrian zones, bike lanes, and public transit access. Proponents argue this would reduce pollution, improve safety, and create more vibrant public spaces. Critics worry about economic harm to businesses, reduced accessibility for some residents, and the practicality of such a major change. Consider three perspectives on this issue.
  
  **Perspective One**
  
  Car-free downtowns are essential for public health and the environment. Reducing vehicle emissions in dense urban areas improves air quality, and eliminating traffic makes streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Cities that have already implemented these bans have seen thriving public spaces and increased foot traffic.
  
  **Perspective Two**
  
  Banning cars downtown would hurt local businesses and inconvenience residents who rely on cars for work, deliveries, or mobility challenges. Many people—especially the elderly, disabled, or those with young children—depend on convenient car access. Without adequate alternatives already in place, such bans could do more harm than good.
  
  **Perspective Three**
  
  The solution isn't a total ban but a balanced approach: limiting car access during peak hours, creating car-free zones only in specific areas, or improving public transit before restricting cars. Gradual, flexible policies are more likely to succeed than an all-or-nothing ban.
  
  **Essay Task**
  
  In your essay, evaluate multiple perspectives on this issue. In your response, be sure to:
  
  - clearly state your own perspective on the issue and analyze the relationship between your perspective and at least one other perspective
  - support your position with reasoning and examples
  - address counterarguments to your position

  1 message on Pro · $0.0066 to run · 7.0 s · 557 tokens out

• Gemini 3.8 Flash

  Passed

  Graded 5.0 of 5 on average (lowest 5).

  **Topic: Car-Free Downtowns**
  
  As urban centers grapple with traffic congestion, air pollution, and climate change, many municipalities are considering drastic measures to reshape urban spaces. One proposed solution is to entirely ban personal automobiles from downtown city centers, converting major thoroughfares into pedestrian-only corridors and relying exclusively on public transit, cycling, and walking. While proponents point to successful European pedestrian zones, critics argue that such measures harm local businesses, limit accessibility, and fail to account for modern commuting realities.
  
  Read and carefully consider these perspectives. Each suggests a particular way of thinking about banning cars from downtown areas.
  
  * **Perspective One:** Banning personal vehicles is essential for environmental sustainability and public health. Pedestrian-only zones eliminate tailpipe emissions, reduce traffic-related fatalities, and create vibrant, livable community spaces that prioritize people over machines.
  * **Perspective Two:** Outright car bans harm the urban economy and disproportionately burden vulnerable populations. Eliminating vehicle access discourages suburban shoppers, makes deliveries and logistics difficult, and limits mobility for the elderly and individuals with disabilities.
  * **Perspective Three:** Rather than enacting a total ban, cities should focus on congestion pricing, improved public transit infrastructure, and targeted restrictions. A balanced, flexible approach regulates traffic volume without the disruptive economic and logistical fallout of an absolute prohibition.
  
  ---
  
  **Essay Task**
  
  Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on whether cities should ban cars from downtown streets. In your essay, be sure to:
  
  * analyze and evaluate the perspectives given;
  * state and develop your own perspective on the issue; and
  * explain the relationship between your perspective and those given.
  
  Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different. Whatever the case, support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed, persuasive examples.

  1 message on Pro · $0.0009 to run · 3.3 s · 378 tokens out