"Recommended maximum" of 500 words

What the hell is a "recommended maximum"? Will I be penalised if I write over this amount?

For my French and Spanish culture and society papers, I wrote about 2 and a half pages of A4. I didn't really count my words because I'm always pissed off by word limits anyway, and in this paper it said 'recommended maximum' which made me even more annoyed. Also I don't wanna be checking the amount of words that I've written every 2 minutes, it's a waste of bloody time. So anyway what I want to ask is, how many words approximately is 2 and a half pages of A4 with medium sized handwriting, and will I be penalised if I go over the 'recommended maximum'? Thanks.

Reply 1

Brotherhood

16

There's no way anyone can even guess that. I consider myself to have medium-sized writing and I write at fifteen words a line. Is half a page exact? Every line counts with such a small limit. How many lines a page? We can't guess that. Basically what I'm saying is, type it or count it yourself.

Recommended maximum means they will give you some leeway (sp?) but not much. They would prefer it if you didn't break the 500 barrier.

If you write like me, and on typical 33 line paper that's what, 82 lines by fifteen words which is far too much. I'd just advise you to count it and not take the risk.

Reply 2

Brotherhood

16

Both. I wouldn't allow you any more than a 10% maximum.

Reply 3

overlife

I believe that they say this so that you don't waffle on about nothing hoping to get marks instead of answering the question. They only want you to write about the points you are supposed to be making so they limit the number of words to the examiner doesn't have to filter through pages and pages of rubbish to allocate you the marks.

Reply 4

Trundle

2

I hate word limits! I realise that they have a prupose, but in languages I feel they are ridiculous. Why should they be able to impose word limits in a French exam essay, but not a History or English essay? It seems a bit unfair.

Reply 5

kellywood_5

17

As others have said, it probably means they'll stop marking when they get to 500 words. That's what they do in the Edexcel French papers anyway.

Reply 6

ChanandlerBong

OP

7

Crap, that's probably my conclusions gone then. Meh.

Reply 7

aleathiel

16

my teachers said something about 50 words bellow or over before but this was about coursework word limits

Reply 8

Sculler

5

I don't think it would make sense for them to stop marking. If they stop marking after 500 words that means they have to count those 500 words, and that'd take ages (especially as it's a bit dodgy to just guess how many words it is when someone's A level is at stake). Surely unless you'd written about 5 sides it'd be quicker for the examiner just to mark it all than count.
My guess would be that the recommended maximum is there to help you with time management and to encourage you to focus on quality of writing rather than writing pages, but I could be wrong.

Reply 9

Pippak

10

I have small writing and write about 250 words on a page of A4. In an exam you're writing's likely to get bigger (as you panic about time limits) and you will have crossed things out as well, which will take up some of the space. I wouldn't worry as I'd say that the amount you'd written sounds about right.

If you're still worried find some old notes (in the appropriate language) and work out how many words you usually fit on a page. That'll give you some idea of how close you were to it.

Reply 10

anon53

4

Why should they be able to impose word limits in a French exam essay, but not a History or English essay

There is a word limit for AS/A2 English Language/Literature coursework of 3000 words, but there is a toleration level of somewhere in the region of 100 words prior to marks being deducated. I think that there is also a word limit for A2 History coursework - after which I believe the examiner stops reading.

If it is in an exam then they might just take a rough estimate. For coursework, we had to delcare our word limits though.

Reply 11

Pippak

10

In English Language (AQAB) there is one module where you have to write 1000 words and then a brief analysis of 150 words. You are warned that anything over this limit will be disregarded and possibly even lead to you being marked down, because the concept of the paper is that you are preparing an article for a newspaper. The question (complete with word limit) has to be viewed like an editor's commission, and if you overrun then you haven't fufilled the brief.

Reply 12

Daydreams

Hang on...this may seem a bit obscure to most but I did Chinese GCSE and for the essays, they set 30 charatcers and 100 characters as the limits. I did about 50 and 130 but, since it is only 20-30 characters more, do you think they'll just mark it anyway?

(As a reference, 'I went to school today and I had a physics lesson' would equal 15 characters)

Reply 13

michaelyus

10

I was always told that in GCSE they mark it less strictly on the word limit - they might just stop marking around that time.

I took A2 French this year. Though my "Writing in Registers" exam was absolutely terrible, they won't mark me down for my word limit necessarily. Again they'll probably stop making.

But I guess I can understand that English exam's strictness.

Reply 14

peacewings

In theory they should keep marking for content eg opinions but stop marking for grammar and sentance structure.

I'm sure it'll be fine!

"Recommended maximum" of 500 words

Related discussions