How many words could you realistically write in 45 minutes?

e2014

I'm typing out practise essays for my lit exams in 2 weeks, but considering the fact that I'm not timing myself and I'm typing, how many words could I realistically write if I was timed and handwriting? Consider it to be in a situation where I'm prepared and have key ideas/quotes/comparisons for all poems in my head. I typed my mock up and I managed to write 979 for the poetry question, do you think it'd be possible to write 1500+?

Reply 1

MikeyA

How many words or how many different words? Because I can write "a" a fair few times given 45 mins.

Sorry, but someone had to do it xD

Reply 2

Somepersonhere

I can type 85+ words per minute if the words are given to me like in a type test.
So 3825

Reply 3

e2014

Original post by MikeyA

How many words or how many different words? Because I can write "a" a fair few times given 45 mins.

Sorry, but someone had to do it xD

Okay okay very true you got me there. :tongue:

Honestly though, I've typed up an essay of about 9 detailed paragraphs, do you think I'd be able to write all of that in 45 minutes?

Reply 4

e2014

Original post by SomMC1

Hey, considering you got all your points planned out then you should write a lot.
I got 45min for each writing exam. Lets say 5 minute for planning - that should be enough for you sinceyou got all the key points memorized.

Then straight writing by hand for 35-38minutes, keeping the last 2-5minutes for checking.

With this strategy, I'm able to confidently do between 2 and 3 pages of work. Although for poetry I always aim under 2 pages. I like to keep things concise. Honestly I don't think you could do 1.5k words in 45min and even if you could you would most likely repeat your ideas over and over again which is just annoying for the examier. Wouldn't it be better to concise your work down a bit?

I have a 1.8k typed essay because I love English and always get carried away. I literally don't know how to concise my work down. :s-smilie:

Reply 5

e2014

Original post by SomMC1

9 detailed paragraphs are a lot. Honestly I can do 5-6 paragraphs but that is with me annotating the poem with little bits to help me guide. So i use 10min out of the 45 to plan, and then 5min to check. So i only write for 30min.

Since you got full knowledge of the things, then I reckon you should be able to push the 6-8paragraph, but I doubt you could fit 9, with an intro and a conclusion AND checking it. It's impossible.

And if you could do it once, you will have prose next up for another 45min. So that would be hella painful :tongue:

Oh well, I'll just write like crazy for 45 minutes and see how much I can get in. I'll let you know what I end up doing. :u:

Do you have any advice for condensing work down whilst maintaining quality? I'm the worst at that since I love English and always have more ideas than I have time to fit onto paper.

Reply 6

unholysaint2022

Original post by e2014

I have a 1.8k typed essay because I love English and always get carried away. I literally don't know how to concise my work down. :s-smilie:

Haha seems like you are passionate with poetry, which is cool.
But the thing is you said typed. I can type very fast too but can you translate the speed into writing with a pen for 40min+? I know I can't!

Reply 7

e2014

Original post by SomMC1

Yeah that's my concern too. :frown:

I can sometimes get a bit flowery with the way I word things so maybe if I just make my points more simply I'll be able to get the points onto paper at least!
Do you do AQA? What anthology do you do?

Reply 8

unholysaint2022

Original post by e2014

Yeah that's my concern too. :frown:

I can sometimes get a bit flowery with the way I word things so maybe if I just make my points more simply I'll be able to get the points onto paper at least!
Do you do AQA? What anthology do you do?

Yes that would be a good way to decrease the word count. Definitely stop being as flowery with words and phrases. Being flowery conveys your passion and commitment to the poetry and english lit but it can cause your paragraphs to be too full and thus you will not have enough time to finish off your entire 9 points and/or miss the conclusion (which would suck too much).

And i do iGCSE CIE Cambridge.
I'm actually doing love poetry Volume 2 for cambridge igcse cie.

A novel I think.

Hey! I was just reading through your conversation and I would say that if you're trying to condense all of your ideas I'd try and scribble out a three minute plan of what you're going to put in each paragraph at the start of your exam. That way you won't go over board c:

(I tend to get carried away when writing too haha)