Time Management

Your 60-Minute Battle Plan for Writing

Most students lose marks not because they lack knowledge but because they run out of time. A strict time plan executed consistently in practice becomes automatic in the real exam.

The Optimal Time Split

Task 1: 20 minutes total

• 2 minutes planning and identifying the overview
• 16 minutes writing
• 2 minutes checking

Task 2: 40 minutes total

• 5 minutes planning and brainstorming
• 30 minutes writing
• 5 minutes checking

Task 2 is worth double the marks of Task 1. Never spend more than 20 minutes on Task 1.

The Planning Phase — Do Not Skip This

5 minutes of planning saves you 10 minutes of confused writing. Before you write a single word for Task 2, write a brief plan:

• Your thesis/position (one sentence)
• Body Paragraph 1 main point + example
• Body Paragraph 2 main point + example
• Conclusion restatement

Students who plan score higher because they never go off-topic and they never sit staring at the page wondering what to write next.

The Checking Phase — What to Look For

Do not reread your essay for content — there is no time to rewrite. Instead check specifically for:

Subject-verb agreement — "The number of people are" (wrong) ? "is" Missing articles — "Government should" ? "The government should" Spelling of keywords — if you misspell a key word multiple times it affects your Lexical Resource score Word count — confirm you have written at least 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2

If You Are Running Out of Time

If you reach the 35-minute mark and are not yet in your conclusion, stop developing Body Paragraph 2 and write a conclusion immediately. An incomplete essay is penalised more severely than a slightly thin one.

Building Speed Through Practice

Target these milestones in your practice sessions: Week 1-2: Finish each task without worrying about time. Focus on quality. Week 3-4: Try to complete both tasks in 70 minutes. Week 5-6: Complete both tasks in 65 minutes. Week 7-8: Complete both tasks in 60 minutes consistently.

Use the Writing Evaluator after every practice session to identify where you are losing marks and adjust your strategy accordingly.