The 25% Game Changer Remember, Writing is now worth 25% of your mark. You can't just write a boring story and hope your Maths score saves you. You need to write something interesting, and you need to do it fast.
The Typing Speed Limit Since the test is on a computer, handwriting doesn't matter—but typing speed does. Goal: You need to type around 30-35 words per minute. Why? If you type too slowly, you won't finish your essay. You want to write about 300-400 words in 30 minutes. Start practicing on a real keyboard (not an iPad screen) now!
The Three Text Types You will get one "stimulus" (a picture, a quote, or a headline) and you have to write a response. It will usually be one of these three: Narrative: A story. Tip: Don't have your character wake up and it was all a dream. That is boring. Focus on one small moment and describe it well. Persuasive: An essay arguing a point (e.g., "Social media is bad"). Tip: Use strong words ("disastrous," "essential") not weak words ("bad," "good"). Discursive: This is a balanced discussion. You look at both sides of an argument without getting angry or picking a "winner." It's more like a thoughtful conversation.