WorkKeys Business Writing exam-day guide
WorkKeys Business Writing · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original document (not a photocopy). The name should match your registration. Acceptable ID types vary by site, so confirm the list with your test provider before test day.
Registration or appointment confirmation
Bring the confirmation email, admission ticket, or appointment number you received when you scheduled. Save a screenshot on your phone as a backup, but keep the phone stowed during testing.
Confirmed arrival time and directions
Look up the exact building, room, and parking situation in advance. Plan to arrive with buffer time; many centers ask you to check in 15-30 minutes early, but confirm the specific window with your provider.
Knowledge of what the test actually asks for
WorkKeys Business Writing gives you a workplace scenario and asks you to compose one business message (such as a memo, letter, or email) on a computer within a set time limit. Re-read the format description from the provider so nothing is a surprise.
Practice drafting a business message under time pressure
Before test day, write at least two practice responses to a workplace scenario in 30 minutes or less, then check whether you clearly stated the purpose, covered every point the reader needs, and proofread at the end.
Comfort with the keyboard and editing tools
The response is typed. Practice typing a full page without watching your hands and using basic editing (selecting, cutting, pasting, moving a sentence).
A quick planning habit
Decide now that you will spend the first few minutes identifying the audience, the purpose, and the specific facts or requests the prompt requires you to include before you start typing.
A proofreading routine
Plan to reserve the last few minutes to check for missing details, run-on or fragment sentences, and obvious spelling and punctuation errors.
Scratch paper and pen or pencil
Some sites supply these; others prohibit bringing your own. Ask your provider what is allowed at the workstation before you pack anything.
Approved accommodations arranged in advance
If you need extra time, a separate room, or other accommodations, request and confirm them well before test day; they are generally not granted on the spot.
Phone, smartwatch, and notes left behind or stowed
Plan to leave study notes, printed outlines, and wearable devices at home or in your vehicle. Expect to store your phone as directed by the proctor.
Practical basics: sleep, water, a light snack
Eat before you arrive so hunger does not cost you writing time, and get a normal night's sleep rather than cramming the night before.
Plan the day
Write two timed practice messages from realistic workplace scenarios. For each, underline the audience, the purpose, and the required details in the prompt, then draft, then proofread. Compare your drafts against the prompt to see whether every required point appeared.
Re-read the provider's instructions on test format, timing, ID requirements, and what is allowed at the workstation. Resolve any open questions by contacting the provider now rather than on test day.
Confirm your appointment time and location, check the route and parking, and decide your departure time. If you have accommodations, confirm they are on file.
Do one light review: reread a sample business memo or email and note its structure (purpose stated early, details in logical order, courteous close). Do not start learning new material or pull an all-nighter.
Set out your ID, confirmation, and directions. Charge your phone but plan to store it. Get to bed at a normal hour.
Eat a normal meal, dress comfortably, and leave with enough margin to arrive early. Reread only your own short planning checklist; do not try to memorize phrases to paste in.
Present your ID and confirmation, follow the proctor's instructions for storing personal items, and ask the proctor any procedural question (such as whether you may take a break) before the clock starts.
Read the prompt twice. Jot down the audience, your purpose, the tone that fits that reader, and every fact or request the prompt requires you to include. Order those points logically before you type.
Compose in complete sentences and paragraphs. Open by stating why you are writing, cover the required points in a logical order, and close with a clear next step or courteous sign-off. Keep monitoring the time.
Proofread against your jot list: every required point included, no contradictions, no missing names or dates, and no obvious mechanical errors. Fix what matters most first if time is short.
Rules to check
Bring valid photo identification and make sure the name matches your registration. Acceptable ID forms differ by location, so confirm them with your test provider in advance.
Follow all proctor instructions. Phones, smartwatches, notes, and unauthorized materials must be stowed as directed; do not keep anything at the workstation that the proctor has not approved.
Write your own response to the prompt. Do not bring in or paste pre-written templates, and do not attempt to communicate with anyone during the session.
Whether breaks are permitted, and whether the clock stops for them, is set by the provider and the delivery format; confirm the break policy before test day rather than assuming you can step out.
Your response is evaluated by trained raters on how well it addresses the scenario. Graders look for a clear purpose, complete and accurate coverage of the required information, organization, tone appropriate to the reader, and control of sentence structure and mechanics.
Write to the business situation described, not as a personal essay or a general opinion piece. Assume the reader named in the prompt and give that reader everything needed to act.
Use every minute of the allotted writing time productively; if you finish early, spend the remaining time improving clarity and correcting errors rather than submitting immediately. The exact time limit and scoring scale are published by the provider, so confirm them rather than relying on secondhand reports.
If something goes wrong with the computer or the testing environment, raise your hand and notify the proctor immediately; do not try to fix equipment yourself.