Will I lose marks if my essay is very messy with lots of crossings out?
No, you won’t. But you must make sure that it is legible. Obviously the easier your essay is to read, the happier the examiner will be.
What do I do if I realise I have forgotten to include something important in one of my essays?
You can add it in afterwards, by writing it at the bottom of your essay and showing where it should go with an asterisk or an arrow.
What do I do if I don’t know anything about the topic in Task 2?
You will have to do the best you can. Take a few minutes to note down some ideas. Once you start, more details will almost certainly come. (See Step 2 in the Writing Section.)
If I don’t have enough time to finish, should I finish in note form, like a plan?
No. Anything written in note form will not be read. Just continue in sentences.
Should I memorise answers to a variety of general topics?
No. Anything that the examiner suspects is copied will not count towards the number of words, and you may also be penalised for copying.
Should I write on every other line?
If you have very large writing it might be a good idea. However, for average sized writing it is not necessary because there is still room to make corrections.
I can’t write very quickly. What should I do?
You don’t actually have to write a lot in the time allowed (400 words in one hour is less than 10 words a minute). However, you should practice writing to time as often as possible, to improve your speed.