8.2. Writing on Exam Day
Walk through the Writing hour as it will actually happen.
The short version
One block of sixty minutes, with no break.
Decide your order before the hour starts.
The screen shows your word count. If you take Writing on Paper, you count by hand.
Five minutes of checking finds real marks.
The hour, as it happens
Sixty minutes, two tasks, and Task 2 counts twice. Decide the split before the test starts, and keep it. The minutes below add up to the hour.
3 minutes to read the task and group the data or the bullets. 15 minutes to write. 2 minutes to check the overview (Academic) or the three bullets (General Training).
5 minutes to plan. 30 minutes to write. 5 minutes to check the position and the grammar.
The last 5 minutes
- 1Task complete?
Every part of the Task 2 question is answered. You already checked the overview or the letter bullets before you left Task 1.
- 2Position?
The introduction and the conclusion say the same thing.
- 3Five slips?
Articles, subject-verb agreement, tense, this/these, and one word you often misspell.
Quiz time2 questions
Check
Choose the better decision.
You have used 25 minutes on Task 1 and there is still no overview. What should you do?
Check
Choose the better decision.
You have used 25 minutes on your letter and the third bullet is still not covered. What should you do?
Recap
Know your split before you start.
Move on at twenty minutes even if Task 1 is unfinished.
Leave two minutes to check Task 1 and five to check Task 2.
Next: quick answers to the questions that come up most.