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Essay assignment

Shakespeare's Influence on Modern English

With William Shakespeare

Grade 10LiteratureEnglish Language ArtsHumy team

A ready-made essay prompt for Grade 10. Students write the essay in Humy and an AI William Shakespeare replies. Humy grades it against the rubric below, with feedback for each criterion.

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Format
Essay
Grade
10
Grading
Per criterion

Shakespeare's Influence on Modern English

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Instructions

William Shakespeare is often hailed as one of the greatest playwrights and poets in the English language.

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The assignment

William Shakespeare is often hailed as one of the greatest playwrights and poets in the English language. His works, written in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, continue to be studied and performed around the world. But beyond the staging of his plays and the enjoyment of his poetry, Shakespeare's influence extends deeply into modern English.

For this essay, you will explore how Shakespeare's creative use of language, including his innovative vocabulary, phrases, and syntax, as well as the universal themes presented in his works, have permeated contemporary English literature and everyday speech. Consider how his imagery and figurative language have shaped literary expression across genres over centuries. Additionally, examine how Shakespeare's exploration of human nature and emotions continues to resonate with modern audiences.

Assignment Goal: The purpose of this assignment is to develop your analytical skills by exploring the significant impact of Shakespeare's contributions to English and to evaluate the integration of his themes and language into current literary and conversational contexts. You are expected to provide specific examples from both Shakespeare's works and modern English literature or speech to support your analysis. Aim to present a coherent, well-structured essay that demonstrates a deep understanding of the topic.

Rubric

Students can open this rubric while they write. Humy grades the essay against it with feedback for each criterion.

Maximum Points: 20

Evaluation Criteria:

1. Analysis and Understanding (8 points): Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the impact of Shakespeare's language and themes on modern English. Provides detailed, insightful analysis with multiple specific examples from both Shakespeare's works and contemporary contexts.

2. Use of Evidence (6 points): Integrates specific, relevant examples from Shakespeare's texts and modern English literature or speech to support analysis. Examples are well-chosen, clearly explained, and effectively support the argument.

3. Structure and Coherence (4 points): Presents ideas in a clear, logical, and well-organized manner. The essay includes a strong introduction, clear thesis statement, cohesive body paragraphs, and a concise conclusion.

4. Language and Conventions (2 points): Employs appropriate academic language and demonstrates control of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Uses varied sentence structures and vocabulary effectively.

The historical figure in this assignment

Meet the AI William Shakespeare
Portrait of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

English playwright and poet

Students talk to an AI version of William Shakespeare, grounded in a curated biography and selected historical sources. As with any AI, students should check important claims.

In your classroom

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  1. Open it in Humy

    Create a free teacher account, open this assignment and choose Duplicate & edit to make it yours.

  2. Share the link

    Students open it and type their first and last name. No email, no password.

  3. Humy grades the essay

    Each essay is graded against the rubric, with feedback for each criterion. You see every result.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What do students do in "Shakespeare's Influence on Modern English"?
They write the essay in Humy's editor and submit it. The AI William Shakespeare replies, then Humy grades the essay against the rubric with feedback for each criterion.
How is it graded?
Automatically against the rubric on this page. Each criterion gets a score and written feedback that points to the student's own work. You see every result. Students see their scores too.
Can I change it for my class?
Yes. Open it in Humy and choose Duplicate & edit. You get your own copy of the task, rubric, grade and questions to change before you share it.
Do my students need accounts?
No. Students open the link you share and type their first and last name. No email, no password.
Is Humy free to try?
Yes. A free teacher account includes 20 AI messages a month, shared with your students, plus all five assignment formats and auto-grading. No credit card.
Is Humy.ai safe and compliant for schools?
Yes. Humy.ai is used by more than 100 schools, universities and organisations. The platform is FERPA- and GDPR-aligned, supports SSO, and offers an IT-approval pack tailored for school procurement teams.

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