Planning in five minutes
Plan a Task 2 essay in five minutes: analyse the question, decide your position, choose two main ideas and support — before writing a word.
In this lesson you will
- Analyse every part of the question
- Decide a clear position quickly
- Produce a five-minute plan that prevents off-topic writing
Learn
1. Analyse (1 minute): underline the topic and the task words (discuss both views, to what extent do you agree, what are the causes and solutions). Many low scores come from answering only part of the question.
2. Decide (30 seconds): choose your position or answer. It must be clear and consistent throughout.
3. Brainstorm and select (2 minutes): list ideas, then choose the two strongest — ones you can explain and support with an example.
4. Outline (1–2 minutes): Intro (paraphrase + position) → Body 1 (idea + explanation + example) → Body 2 → Conclusion. Then write for about 30 minutes and leave 3–5 minutes to check.
| Stage | Time |
|---|---|
| Analyse and plan | about 5 min |
| Write | about 30 min |
| Check | about 5 min |
Examples
- Question: Some people think governments should spend money on railways rather than roads. To what extent do you agree? → Task: extent of agreement; topic: rail vs road spending.
- Plan: Position — agree mostly. B1: environment (fewer emissions; e.g. high-speed rail replacing short flights). B2: efficiency in cities (moves more people; e.g. metro systems). Concession: rural areas still need roads.
- Off-topic risk: writing about car pollution in general instead of comparing rail and road spending.
Vocabulary
task words
words telling you what to do
position
your opinion or answer
brainstorm
list many ideas quickly
outline
a short plan
off-topic
not answering the question
Practice
What is the first step?
Writing
Plan (don’t write) an essay for this question in five minutes: “Some people believe that children should start school at a very early age, while others think they should not begin until they are seven or older. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.” Write your plan in 80–100 words.
Lesson quiz
Answering only part of the question can lower your score.
Review
Key points
- Analyse topic and task words.
- Decide a clear position.
- Choose two strong ideas.
- Outline; write ~30 min; check ~5 min.
What you learned
- ✓ I can plan an essay in five minutes.
- ✓ I answer every part of the question.
- ✓ I keep a clear position.