From Module 3
The question tells you exactly what to do
Every exam question starts with a command word. It tells you what kind of answer the examiner wants. Getting this wrong means losing marks even when you know the content.
Tap each command word to see what it means:
Match the command word to its meaning
Without looking back, match each command word to the correct meaning:
Match your answer to the marks
The number of marks tells you how much to write. Here is a guide:
Plan first. Write second.
Research on writing under time pressure shows that planning before you write reduces the cognitive load during writing — your brain is not trying to plan and write at the same time (Kellogg, 1996; 2013). The rule of thumb across exam guidance is to spend roughly 5 to 10 per cent of a question's allocated time on planning. Scale to the question:
- 4 to 6 marks: about 30 to 60 seconds.
- 8 to 12 marks: about 90 seconds.
- Extended essays (15 marks and up): 2 to 3 minutes.
The bigger the question, the more planning earns its keep.
Five steps, scaled to the question size
- Circle the command word. What are you being asked to do?
- Underline key terms. What specific content does the question want?
- Count the marks. Each mark usually needs a separate point.
- Jot three to five bullet points. One word or phrase for each point.
- Order them logically. Number your bullets, then start writing.
Decide your conclusion first, then build your argument towards it. This stops you from rambling and gives your essay a clear direction.
Practise the quick plan
Read this exam question and answer the three questions below it:
Know how long you have per question
Most exams work out at roughly one minute per mark. We call this the Mark Clock: a quick rule for budgeting time across every question on the paper. Run it the moment you open the paper.
10 marks ≈ 10 min
20 marks ≈ 20 min
105 min ÷ 80 marks = 1.3 per mark
Most papers are between 1 and 1.5
Calculate the time
What to do when your mind goes blank
It happens to everyone. You read the question and nothing comes. Do not freeze — pivot. Five moves, in order:
A wrong or partial answer might score one or two marks. A blank answer always scores zero. Always write something.
In science exams, if you write a correct statement and then add one that directly contradicts it, the correct mark is cancelled. For example: "Enzymes are denatured at high temperatures. They work best at 100°C." The second sentence contradicts the first, so you score zero. Only give the number of answers the question asks for. If you change your mind, cross out the wrong answer completely.
What to do in the last ten minutes
If ten minutes remain and questions are unanswered, switch to the Bullet Sprint. Drop full sentences. Write bullet points everywhere there are gaps. Marks are awarded for points, not prose — partial answers on three questions beat a perfect answer on one.
Quick quiz
What to take from this module
Command words tell you what the examiner wants. "Describe" and "explain" need completely different answers.
Plan before you write. Circle the command word, underline key terms, count the marks, jot bullet points.
Calculate your minutes per mark at the start of every exam.
When stuck: move on, re-read, write something related, use other questions for clues.
When running out of time: switch to bullet points. Cover every question.
A blank answer always scores zero. Always write something.
Practise under exam conditions
- Pick a single-prompt past paper question worth six marks or more. Avoid multi-part questions for this drill.
- Set one timer for the Mark Clock duration — one minute per mark. A 10-mark question gets a 10-minute timer. A 25-mark essay gets 25 minutes.
- Plan in the first portion only: about 60 seconds for a 6-mark question, 90 seconds for an 8-12 marker, 2 to 3 minutes for an extended essay. Circle the command word, underline key terms, jot three to five bullet points, number them.
- Use the rest of the timer to write the answer. When the timer rings, stop — even mid-sentence. That is what the exam will do.
- Mark your answer against the mark scheme. Note where you lost marks.
Do this for three different questions today. By exam day, planning and pacing will be automatic.
Next: Module 5 helps you manage exam anxiety. Practical strategies for before, during and between exams.
Metacognition and planning
The EEF guidance report (2018) identifies planning, monitoring and evaluating as the three core metacognitive strategies. Planning an answer before writing is a direct application in an exam context.
Planning time and writing performance
Kellogg's working memory model of writing (Kellogg, 1996; Kellogg, Whiteford and Turner, 2013) shows that planning, translating ideas into sentences and reviewing all draw on the same limited cognitive resources. Pre-task planning reduces the cognitive load during writing and reduces self-repair (Rostamian, Fazilatfar and Jabbari, 2018). Standard exam guidance allocates 5 to 10 per cent of total time to planning across most timed-writing contexts.
Time management (the Mark Clock)
The "one minute per mark" rule is practitioner guidance from UK exam boards rather than a formal research finding. It works as a sensible starting heuristic for nearly every paper.
References
Education Endowment Foundation (2018). Metacognition and Self-regulated Learning: Guidance Report.
Kellogg, R.T. (1996). A model of working memory in writing. In C.M. Levy and S. Ransdell (eds.), The Science of Writing.
Kellogg, R.T., Whiteford, A.P. and Turner, C.E. (2013). Cognitive effort during the writing process. Journal of Writing Research, 5(2).
Rostamian, M., Fazilatfar, A.M. and Jabbari, A.A. (2018). The effect of planning time on cognitive processes, monitoring behaviour, and quality of L2 writing. Language Teaching Research.
Dunlosky, J. et al. (2013). Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58.