English Second Language (AS)·2 · Writing Skills · NSSCAS 5.2.8
Planning & structuring a 220–260 word essay under exam conditions
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Paper 2 gives you 90 minutes and two 25-mark essays. Miss Veronica shows you how to read the question for command, focus and type, brainstorm and cut down to three points, build a five-box plan in five minutes, and spend a strict word budget of 30 / 60 / 60 / 60 / 40 — so the clock stops being your enemy.
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCAS English Second Language (AS) 5.2.8):
- Learners should be able to state the structure and timing of Paper 2 — 1½ hours, 50 marks, one compulsory essay plus one from a choice of four, each 220–260 words and worth 25 marks.
- Learners should be able to read an essay question accurately, identifying the command, the focus (including every limiting word) and the required essay type.
- Learners should be able to distinguish discursive/argumentative questions from imaginative/creative ones and select the response type each demands.
- Learners should be able to choose between optional questions on the basis of available supporting examples rather than surface appeal.
- Learners should be able to brainstorm quickly, then select and order only three or four developable points.
- Learners should be able to produce a five-box plan (introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion) in under five minutes, using notes rather than sentences.
- Learners should be able to apply a word budget of roughly 30 / 60 / 60 / 60 / 40 to land safely inside the 220–260 word range.
- Learners should be able to manage 45 minutes per essay as 5 minutes planning, 35 minutes writing and 5 minutes checking.
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