Today is rung 5 of 12 on this topic
Writing well under time pressure
Can do: Plans in three minutes, writes for thirty, and leaves time to check.
Why it matters
Timed writing is a different skill from coursework, and it's the one exams measure. It responds well to rehearsal.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Starts writing immediately, runs out of time mid-argument, and never checks anything.
⏱️ Two-minute check
Set a 35-minute timed essay and watch what happens in the first five minutes.
Solid looks like: Three to five minutes of planning before any prose.
The full activity for this topic · 40 minutes
Rehearse the Clock
- 1Split the time explicitly: 5 plan, 27 write, 3 check. Write the split at the top of the page.
- 2Plan as a bare skeleton — thesis, three points, evidence for each.
- 3Write to the plan, and deliberately stop when the writing time is up, even mid-sentence.
- 4Spend the last three minutes only on checking: question answered, sentences complete.
- 5Review afterwards: was the plan good, and was the timing right?
If it's too hard
20-minute single paragraph with a 2-minute plan.
If it's too easy
Two essays back to back, as an exam would demand.
Say this
"Five minutes planning saves fifteen minutes of writing yourself into a corner."