Final Practice & Exam Strategies · Module 4 · Lesson 20
By now you have the structures, the language and the planning routine. The marks you lose now are not knowledge marks — they are nerves, timing and silly slips. This lesson tightens all three so that what you can do in practice is what you actually do in the exam.
The night before the test is not the time to learn anything new. Cramming new vocabulary or essay types the evening before tends to crowd out what you already know and raise your anxiety. Do the opposite: review lightly, then stop.
Your goal in the first minutes of the writing section is to be calm and oriented, not fast. A steady start protects the whole hour.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before you leave | Eat something. A hungry brain plans badly. Arrive early enough that rushing is not part of the morning. |
| As the section starts | Spend your first minute on Task 2 reading the question twice, not writing. The instinct to start writing immediately is the enemy. |
| Order of tasks | Many candidates do Task 2 first: it carries twice the marks and needs a fresh mind. Then return to Task 1. Decide your order in advance so you are not choosing under pressure. |
| The last five minutes | Protected for checking — never for squeezing in two more sentences. More on this in the Ten Rules. |
Discuss:
What does your current exam-morning routine look like? Is there anything in it that adds stress rather than removing it?
Everything you have learned across this course distils into ten decisions you make under pressure. Read each one, then reveal the reason it matters.
Task Response is the single most common reason capable writers stay stuck at Band 6.
A plan is not a luxury you skip when time is short — it is what makes the writing fast.
A wobbling opinion that changes between paragraphs costs you in both Task Response and Coherence.
Each body paragraph develops a single reason — fully — rather than listing three reasons thinly.
A reason without a specific example is just an opinion repeated more slowly.
A mix of simple and complex sentences is required for Band 7 in Grammatical Range.
Over-using "Firstly, Secondly, Moreover, In conclusion" is penalised, not rewarded.
Under 250 words is penalised; padding far beyond it wastes checking time and invites errors.
The final minutes find the cheap mistakes that quietly lower your Lexical and Grammar scores.
Task 2 is worth twice the marks of Task 1 — give it roughly forty minutes, not whatever is left over.
Discuss:
Which two of these ten rules do you break most often under pressure? What would help you keep to them on the day?
Even prepared candidates hit moments of panic. The difference between a calm writer and a flustered one is having a plan ready for the four things that actually go wrong. Read the situation, then reveal the fix.
When something goes wrong, do the smallest concrete action you know how to do, rather than freezing or starting over. Forward motion — one underlined word, one reconnecting sentence, one short conclusion — is almost always worth more than the perfect response you wish you had time for.
Discuss:
Which of these four has happened to you in a practice test? What did you do at the time, and what will you do differently now?
This is the rehearsal. Choose one question below and write a full Task 2 response in forty minutes, using everything from this course: five-minute plan, clear position, two developed paragraphs, a real conclusion, and a final check. The timer is set for forty minutes. Treat it exactly like the exam.
▸ Some people believe that the most important function of a school is to prepare children for work. Others think schools should focus on developing well-rounded individuals. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
▸ In many countries the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. What problems does this cause, and what measures could be taken to address it?
▸ Some people think that governments should invest more in public services than in the arts. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Read your essay once for each criterion and reveal what an examiner looks for.
Reflect:
Did the forty minutes feel like enough? Which stage ran short — planning, writing or checking? That is the stage to rehearse one more time before the real test.
Readiness is not a feeling — it is a set of things you can do reliably. Work through the checklist honestly. Anything left unticked is simply your next practice session, not a reason to worry.
You are not being asked to write a perfect essay. You are being asked to answer the question clearly, in organised paragraphs, with developed ideas and a reasonable range of accurate English. You have practised every one of those things. On the day, trust the routine: read, plan, write, check. That routine is what carries your real ability onto the page.
If the test is more than a week away, write one full timed essay every two or three days and mark it against the four criteria. If it is within a few days, stop writing new essays — instead re-read your best work, review your personal error list, and rest. You have done the hard part already.
Discuss:
Looking at your checklist, what is the one thing you most want to rehearse before the test? How will you practise it specifically?