Module 9 · Exam Strategy in Action · Lesson 36
Writing in 45 Minutes
Planning, drafting and editing to time
Warm-up · Section 1
4 minGet talking
In your last timed Writing task, name the MINUTES you spent on plan, draft and edit. What was over budget?
If you had only 3 minutes to edit, which TWO things would you check FIRST? Defend in one sentence each.
What do you LET GO of when the writing clock hits 40 minutes? Be honest.
Grammar focus · Section 2
8 minEditing syntax — the three moves: SUBSTITUTE / CUT / RECAST
Quick rule
Editing under time uses three visible moves: (1) SUBSTITUTE — swap one word for a more precise one ('issue' → 'structural issue'). (2) CUT — strike through whole sentences that don't earn their place. (3) RECAST — rewrite a sentence with a different syntactic frame (active → passive; statement → cleft; vague → calibrated). All three should leave a VISIBLE TRACE on the page — examiner-friendly proof of an editing pass.
Examples
SUBSTITUTE — 'It's a problem' → 'It's a STRUCTURAL issue' (precision).
SUBSTITUTE — 'I think' → 'On the balance of the evidence' (calibration upgrade).
CUT — 'It is interesting to note that…' [strike through; sentence adds nothing].
RECAST (active → cleft) — 'Funding caused the problem' → 'It was funding, not policy, that caused the problem'.
RECAST (flat → calibrated) — 'This will lead to problems' → 'This is highly likely to lead to disruption in the short term'.
Quick check
Question 1.Best SUBSTITUTE move for 'It's a problem' in a Band-3 draft:
Question 2.Which sentence should you CUT under 3-minute editing pressure?
Question 3.Best RECAST of 'Funding caused the problem' for emphasis:
Question 4.What does VISIBLE editing show the examiner?
Question 5.Edit priority order under TIME PRESSURE:
Vocabulary · Section 3
6 minWords & phrases to own
the 8/30/7 split
the canonical minute split for a 45-minute Writing task
e.g. I install the 8/30/7 split on every timed task — 8 to plan, 30 to draft, 7 to edit.
Use it now
Say your CURRENT split and which number is wrong.
↻ Recycled in exam-skills
earn its place
(of a sentence) contribute enough value to justify the words used
e.g. Filler openers don't earn their place — cut them in the first edit pass.
Use it now
Name ONE filler sentence you tend to write that doesn't earn its place.
↻ Recycled in writing
substitute / cut / recast
the three visible editing moves under time
e.g. Three substitutes, two cuts and one recast in seven minutes is a Band-3-to-Band-4 shift.
Use it now
Pick the move you DEFAULT to and the one you AVOID.
↻ Recycled in exam-skills
edit by priority
fix register before grammar, grammar before vocabulary, etc.
e.g. Edit by priority — a register mismatch costs more marks than a missing comma.
Use it now
Say your top-2 priorities for the next 7-minute edit window.
↻ Recycled in exam-skills
the let-go list
items you accept LOSING under time pressure to protect higher-value items
e.g. My let-go list is: perfect handwriting and the last 10 words of the conclusion if the clock demands it.
Use it now
Name ONE thing you'll let go of NEXT time.
↻ Recycled in homework
the read-aloud test
30-second silent read-aloud check at minute 38 of 45
e.g. The read-aloud test catches register slips that the eye misses — even silent it works.
Use it now
Try it: read your last draft silently aloud and name ONE catch.
↻ Recycled in homework
Pair / group discussion
- Is your CURRENT split closer to 5/35/5 (under-plan, over-draft, under-edit)? What would change if you forced 8/30/7?
- Which of substitute / cut / recast do you naturally reach for, and which feels foreign?
Complete each stem about yourself
- My current split is roughly ______ / ______ / ______ — the number that's wrong is ______.…
- My default editing move is ______; the one I avoid is ______.…
- Top of my let-go list is ______.…
- My personal edit-priority order is ______ → ______ → ______.…
Rank & justify
Rank these by IMPACT per minute of editing time:
- RECAST a flat sentence into a marked structure
- SUBSTITUTE 'problem' for a precision noun
- CUT a filler opener
- Fix a missing comma
- Fix a spelling error
Quick write (60 seconds)
Write your own 25-word personal editing rule starting 'Under time pressure, I edit ___ before ___ because ___'.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3 minThe 30-second read-aloud test — silent or whispered, stress on register markers
At minute 38 of 45, the candidate should silently or quietly mouth their draft for 30 seconds — focused on register markers (opener, closer, modal verbs, hedges). The voice catches what the eye misses: a formal opener with a casual closer, a flat 'will' where calibrated 'is highly likely to' was intended, a long sentence where a marked structure would have landed harder. Drilling the read-aloud test at the same EVEN, slightly slow tempo each time makes it a reliable instrument, not a panic.
- OPener-CLOser MATCH ↘ — 'DEAR MS pa-TEL' ↘ 'YOURS sin-CEREly' ↘.
- MOdal CALibrAtion ↘ — 'this IS HIGHly LIKEly to LEAD to DISrupTION' ↘.
- MARKED STRUCture LAND ↘ — 'it WAS FUNding ↘ NOT POLicy ↘ THAT caused the PROBlem' ↘.
- CALibrated CLAIM ↘ — 'on the BALance of the eVIdence ↘ this is LIKEly RAther than CERtain' ↘.
Reading · Section 5
8 minTwo drafts of the same task — first pass vs 7-minute edited
Same prompt · same candidate · same 45 minutes
Two drafts of the same task — first pass vs 7-minute edited
Same essay opening paragraph, before and after the 7-minute edit. The edits are deliberately visible — strike-through, arrow, substitution — the marks examiners would see on the page.
Notice the visible editing moves — substitute, cut, recast · Pre-reading
FIRST PASS (minute 0-30): 'It is interesting to note that education is one of the most important things in modern society. Many people think that university must be free for all. They depend from public money. The government cannot to ignore this problem. There will be problems if we don't fix it soon.'
AFTER 7-MINUTE EDIT (visible moves): '[STRIKE 'It is interesting to note that'] Education is one of the most important [SUBSTITUTE 'things'→'public goods'] in any modern society. Many people [SUBSTITUTE 'think'→'argue'] that university should be free at the point of use. They depend [SUBSTITUTE 'from'→'on'] public funding, and [RECAST 'There will be problems if…'→'this is highly likely to become a structural problem if the current trajectory continues'].
FINAL (clean): 'Education is one of the most important public goods in any modern society. Many people argue that university should be free at the point of use. They depend on public funding, and this is highly likely to become a structural problem if the current trajectory continues.'
Question 1.Which editing move was used on 'It is interesting to note that'?
Question 2.Which move turned 'things' into 'public goods'?
Question 3.Which move turned 'There will be problems if we don't fix it soon' into 'this is highly likely to become a structural problem if the current trajectory continues'?
Question 4.The 'depend FROM' → 'depend ON' fix is which error pattern from L34?
Question 5.The edited version is closer to Band 4-5 because:
Listening · Section 6
8 minListening P4 spiral — five speakers on Writing-under-time
Notes
Pre-listen brief — five speakers reflect on the 45-minute Writing task
- ▸Listen for: the single change each speaker would teach to a friend.
- ▸Note: how many minutes each speaker reserves for editing.
- ▸Decide: which speaker's approach is closest to yours.
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Scrub the bar or use ± 5 s to jump.
Show transcript
Speaker 1 (Italian, m, exam coach):The single biggest fix for most candidates is RESERVING the 7 minutes at the end for editing. They under-plan, over-draft and then have nothing left for the substitute / cut / recast pass. I'd argue the 7 minutes at the end is worth two band notches — more than any extra vocabulary.
Speaker 2 (Irish, f, recent candidate):What I'd let go of is the conclusion. Honestly. If I'm at minute 38 and the conclusion is still half-drafted, I'd rather have a shorter conclusion with the read-aloud test done than a longer one without. Examiners read the opener and closer most carefully — protect them, not the middle.
Speaker 3 (French, m, writing tutor):My students confuse editing with proof-reading. Proof-reading is commas and spelling — that's the LAST 90 seconds. Editing is structural — substitute, cut, recast — that's the FIRST 5 minutes of the 7. Doing them in the wrong order means you tidy the surface of a flat draft.
Speaker 4 (Polish, f, teacher):I'd push back on rigid splits. The 8/30/7 is a default, not a law. For my best candidates I'd recommend 10/28/7 — two extra minutes of planning earns its place because the draft writes itself. For weaker writers, 6/32/7 because the draft itself needs more thinking time. The 7-minute edit is the only non-negotiable.
Speaker 5 (Australian, m, recent Band-5 candidate):On the balance of what I tried across three mocks, the read-aloud test at minute 38 was the single highest-return move. I caught a register slip and a modal mismatch in 30 seconds — both worth a band notch. The voice catches what the eye misses.
Question 1.Speaker 1's key claim is:
Question 2.Speaker 2 would LET GO of:
Question 3.Speaker 3's distinction between editing and proof-reading:
Question 4.Speaker 4 pushes back on rigid 8/30/7. The non-negotiable is:
Question 5.Speaker 5's highest-return move was:
Visual stimulus · Section 7
3 minThe 8/30/7 minute split map
Memorise the default split. Personalise IF you have evidence from at least two mocks that another split serves you better.
Notes
The 8/30/7 split — 45 minutes per Writing task
- ▸MIN 0-8 · PLAN — identify register, pick opener/closer, outline 3-4 short paragraphs, list 2 marked structures + 1 calibrated claim.
- ▸MIN 8-38 · DRAFT — write straight through, don't edit mid-draft, target 220-260 words.
- ▸MIN 38-45 · EDIT — substitute (3x), cut (2x), recast (1x), read-aloud test (30 sec), proof-read commas (last 90 sec).
- ▸PRIORITY ORDER under edit — REGISTER → GRAMMAR → VOCABULARY → SPELLING → COMMAS.
- ▸LET-GO LIST — conclusion length, perfect handwriting, the last vocabulary upgrade, anything in the middle paragraphs that doesn't earn its place.
- ▸PERSONALISE — best candidates may use 10/28/7; weaker drafters may use 6/32/7. 7-minute edit is non-negotiable.
Discuss in pairs
Where would YOU re-allocate one minute, and from where? Defend in one sentence.
Exam skills · Section 8
3 minThe 8/30/7 split DRILLED on one timed task
Strategy
- 1.PLAN (8 min): name register cell, choose opener-closer pair, outline 3-4 short paragraphs, list 2 marked structures + 1 calibrated claim.
- 2.DRAFT (30 min): straight through, no mid-draft editing, target 220-260 words.
- 3.EDIT (7 min): substitute (3x) → cut (2x) → recast (1x) → read-aloud test (30 sec) → proof commas (last 90 sec).
- 4.PRIORITY: register → grammar → vocabulary → spelling → commas.
- 5.LET-GO LIST: protect opener and closer; cut from middle paragraphs and conclusion length.
- 6.If under-time: skip the proof-comma pass; protect the read-aloud test.
Example
Worked plan (8 min, prompt: 'Are public libraries still relevant?', P2 Essay): register cell = formal-essayist · opener: 'Across most European cities, the library has become both more and less visible…' · closer: cleft sentence on the dual function · P1 thesis: libraries have shifted role, not lost relevance · P2 evidence: physical space evolution · P3 counter + concession (Module 6) · P4 calibrated recommendation. Marked structure: inversion in P3 ('Not only have libraries lost…, but they have also…'). Calibrated claim: 'on the balance of the cases reviewed, the shift is highly likely to continue rather than reverse'.
Practice · Section 9
7 minFill in the blank
Question 1.I install the 8/30/7 ____ (SPLIT) on every timed task.
Question 2.Filler openers don't ____ (EARN) their place — cut them in the first edit pass.
Question 3.Edit by ____ (PRIOR) — register before grammar, grammar before vocabulary.
Question 4.The ____ (CALIBRATE) claim replaced a flat 'will' with 'is highly likely to'.
Question 5.A visible ____ (STRIKE) -through is proof of an editing pass.
Question 6.Read-aloud is the ____ (HIGH) -return move at minute 38.
Writing · Section 10
4 minPut it in writing
Your task
8-MINUTE TIMED PLAN. Choose ONE prompt (teacher offers): (a) 'Should governments fund the arts?' (P1 essay); (b) write a proposal to your manager on the four-day working week (P2 proposal). Plan ONLY today; full 45-minute draft + edit is homework.
- • Identify register cell.
- • Choose opener-closer pair (matched).
- • Outline 3-4 short paragraphs in note form.
- • List ONE marked structure (cleft / inversion / it-cleft) and where it will land.
- • List ONE calibrated claim and where it will land.
- • List ONE Module-6 diplomatic move and where it will land.
Before you submit
- ☐ Plan written in 8 minutes (timed by teacher).
- ☐ Register cell named.
- ☐ Opener-closer pair matched.
- ☐ Marked structure named and located.
- ☐ Calibrated claim named and located.
- ☐ Diplomatic move named and located.
Show model answer
PLAN — Prompt (a) 'Should governments fund the arts?' (P1 essay). Register cell: formal-essayist (academic). Opener: 'The case for state funding of the arts has been argued for over a century, and the case AGAINST it for almost as long.' Closer: cleft on the third way — 'It is the framing of the choice, not the choice itself, that needs revisiting.' P1 — Frame: present the dichotomy honestly (state vs market). P2 — Evidence: state funding has produced specific, named cultural goods we couldn't get otherwise. P3 — Counter (Module 6 diplomatic): 'I'd push back, however, on the assumption that state funding is the ONLY route to public art.' P4 — Calibrated recommendation (L26): 'On the balance of the historical evidence, state funding is highly likely to remain a structural component, but not the only one.' Marked structure: inversion at the start of P3 — 'Not only does state funding underwrite the canon — it underwrites the experimentation that becomes the next canon.' Calibrated claim: closer line. Diplomatic move: P3 opener. Time check: 8 min — done.
Speaking · Section 11
6 minMake it a real conversation
Speaking (4 min) — defend your editing PRIORITIES aloud. Read your plan to your partner. The partner challenges: 'why register first, not vocabulary?' / 'what would you let go of if the clock hits 38 and you're 50 words short?'. You defend with the edit-priority order from today.
Partner rates the defence.
Are the edit priorities NAMED, ORDERED and DEFENDED?
Named, ordered, defended
Band-5 strategy talk — install before next mock.
Named but not ordered
Add the priority order — register → grammar → vocab → spelling → commas.
Ordered but not defended
Add ONE reason per priority — 'register first because mismatch costs more marks than commas'.
General intent only
Specifics, not 'I'd edit carefully' — name the moves.
Useful phrases
- I'd edit ______ before ______ because ______.
- On the balance of how my last mock went, I'd let go of ______.
- The single highest-return move in 7 minutes is ______.
- If I could put it this way — I'd push back on the assumption that ______.
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Stretches if time allows. ~14 min total
Homework · Section 12
Take-homeTake it home
Full 45-minute task on the prompt you planned today. Use the 8/30/7 split strictly — set a timer, watch the minutes, leave 7 minutes for editing NO MATTER WHAT.
Edit-only drill: take a recent Band-3 draft of your own. Apply EXACTLY 3 substitutes, 2 cuts, 1 recast — strike-throughs and arrows visible. How long did the edit take? How much higher does the draft read?
Record yourself doing a 30-second silent (or whispered) read-aloud test on your edited draft. Did you catch any register or modal issues the eye had missed?
Build a personal LET-GO list — five items you accept losing under exam time pressure to protect higher-value items. Keep visible on your desk for the run-up to exam day.
Recap · Section 13
Wrap-upWhat you've learned
- The 8/30/7 split is the default — 8 min plan, 30 min draft, 7 min edit. The 7-minute edit is non-negotiable.
- Edit by priority — register → grammar → vocabulary → spelling → commas. Highest-cost errors first.
- Three moves: SUBSTITUTE (precision) · CUT (filler) · RECAST (marked structure / calibration).
- Read-aloud test at minute 38 catches what the eye misses — single highest-return move in the edit window.
- Have a LET-GO list — protect opener/closer, cut from middle and conclusion length when the clock demands.