How to Write Well Under Timed Exam Conditions at KS3 and GCSE

Time pressure is one of the most common reasons students underperform in exams, even when they know the material well. Building good exam-writing habits during revision — and practising under real time constraints — transforms exam performance. This guide gives you the techniques that work.

Why does time pressure cause underperformance?

When students run out of time, one of two things usually went wrong: they spent too long on early questions (or questions they found interesting), or they did not plan their time at the start. The solution is not to write faster — it is to manage time deliberately.

The second cause of underperformance is anxiety. Time pressure activates stress, and stress can impair working memory. Students under high anxiety blank on things they know. Recognising this — and having strategies for it — is as important as any other exam technique.

How do you allocate time across an exam paper?

Before writing a single answer, spend 2–3 minutes reading through the paper and allocating time to each question.

The one-mark-per-minute rule is a rough guide for many exams:

Marks | Target time
1–2 marks | 2–3 minutes
4 marks | 5–6 minutes
6 marks | 8–10 minutes
8 marks | 12 minutes
12 marks | 18 minutes
16 marks | 25 minutes

This rule varies by subject — check your exam board's guidance or past papers for typical timing. Write your target start and finish times for each question at the top of your paper before you begin.

Critical rule: Move on when time is up, even mid-sentence. An unfinished answer that contains the key points scores higher than a beautifully finished answer to an earlier question while a later question sits blank.

How do you plan an answer quickly?

For any answer worth 4 or more marks, a 60-second plan makes your writing faster and more structured:

Circle the key command word and the topic.

Jot 2–4 bullet points — your main ideas, not sentences.

Next to each bullet, note one piece of evidence.

Write your answer using the plan — do not deviate unless a better point occurs to you.

A plan keeps you on topic, prevents going blank mid-answer, and stops you from spending paragraphs on points that are not actually relevant to the question.

How do you write clearly under pressure?

Clarity drops when students are stressed. These habits help:

Write in sentences. Bullet points are acceptable in some subjects and marks-forfeiting in others — know your subject's expectations.

Start each paragraph with a clear point. The first sentence of each paragraph is the most important — it tells the examiner what you are arguing.

Be specific. Vague statements lose marks. "The war was caused by many factors" earns nothing. "One long-term cause of WWI was the system of military alliances" earns a mark.

Do not repeat the question. Many students waste 30 seconds paraphrasing the question instead of answering it. Start with your first point.

What do you do if you go blank in an exam?

Going blank is a form of retrieval failure triggered by anxiety. The counter-techniques:

Take three slow breaths — this genuinely reduces the cortisol spike that blocks retrieval.

Write what you do know — start with anything relevant, even tangentially. Writing often unlocks further recall.

Move to the next question — come back. A change of question can break the block.

Use your plan — if you planned the answer before writing and then went blank, look at your bullet points. They serve as memory cues.

Write something, even if uncertain — a guess based on general knowledge earns more than a blank page.

How do you practise writing under time pressure?

Most students revise content carefully but never practise under timed conditions. Add timed practice to your revision schedule:

Set a timer to match the mark allocation (use the one-mark-per-minute rule above).

Attempt the question without looking at notes.

Stop when the timer goes off, even if unfinished.

Mark your answer against the mark scheme.

Note what you included, what you missed, and how long each section took.

Over time, track whether your writing speed and coverage are improving.

Doing three or four timed practice answers per week in the month before exams makes a measurable difference to performance on the day.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to spend more time on questions I find hard, or move on?

Move on. Spending 20 minutes on a 4-mark question you are stuck on, at the expense of leaving a 12-mark question unattempted, is never a good trade-off. Write your best attempt in the allocated time, put a small mark in the margin to return to it, and move forward. Return to flagged questions in any remaining time at the end.

Should I check my answers at the end?

Yes, if time allows — but only check specific things: that you have answered the actual question asked (not a related one you preferred), that you have not made obvious arithmetic errors in maths, and that you have not accidentally left a question blank. Changing an answer you feel uncertain about is risky — research suggests first answers are often correct. Only change an answer when you are confident the new answer is better.

How do I improve my handwriting speed for exams?

Handwriting is a physical skill that deteriorates with lack of practice if you use keyboards predominantly. In the months before exams, write by hand for at least 15 minutes per day. Practise timed essay-writing by hand (not just on screen). If handwriting is genuinely slow due to a medical condition or specific learning difficulty, speak to your school's SENCO about an access arrangement such as extra time or use of a word processor.

What should I do the night before an exam to prepare my writing?

Do not attempt to learn new material. Instead, review your topic summaries and key vocabulary (30 minutes maximum), then plan your morning: wake time, breakfast, what to bring, route to school. Go to bed at a reasonable hour. Research consistently shows that sleep in the night before an exam is one of the strongest predictors of memory consolidation — being well-rested out-performs late-night cramming.

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