Are marks deducted for going over the limit?

Words beyond the limit are normally unmarked, and organisation marks may suffer too.

Is one point per paragraph best?

Yes, paragraphing by point lets the marker find content marks quickly.

Should planning time be cut out?

Not entirely, since five to fifteen minutes of planning buys clearer organisation.

S4 English: Paper 2 Writing Practice Paper 4

2026-11-02

Tutor Prep Guide · Secondary English

Set four uses a 400-word two-part task: total words and writing time first, then paragraph length and the content and language split, then writing speed and marks a point, then percentage score, over-limit cuts and planning share, ending with the error of writing more to gain marks.

Quick answer　400 words, 55 minutes, 100 words, 40 marks, about 7.3 words, 6 marks a point, 87.5 per cent, a 60-word cut or 13.0 per cent, 21.4 per cent, and 80 words over the limit.

01　Paper details (check answers afterwards)

Item	Detail
Questions	10 questions
Suggested time	25 minutes
Difficulty mix	Foundation 4 · Intermediate 3 · Challenge 2 · Error redo 1
Chapter	Chapter: S4 English: Paper 2 Writing – Tutor Lesson Plan
Level	S4

02　Questions (10 items)

FoundationPart A asks for 140 words and Part B for 260 words. What is the minimum total?
FoundationThe writing paper lasts 70 minutes and 15 go to planning. How long is left for writing?
FoundationA 400-word answer is split into 4 paragraphs. How many words is each paragraph on average?
FoundationContent carries 28 marks and language 12. What is the full mark?
IntermediateFour hundred words must be written in 55 minutes. How many words a minute is that?
IntermediateThe 30 content marks must cover 5 points. How many marks does each point carry?
IntermediateThe paper is out of 40 and a candidate scores 35. What is the percentage score?
ChallengeThe limit is 400 words but the draft runs to 460. How many words must be cut, and what percentage of the draft is that?
ChallengeThe paper lasts 70 minutes and planning takes 15. What percentage of the paper is planning?
Error redoThe limit is 400 words and a candidate writes 480, expecting extra credit. How many words over is that, and how is the excess treated?

03　Answers and one-line notes

#	Answer	One-line note
1	400 words	One hundred and forty plus two hundred and sixty is four hundred.
2	55 minutes	Seventy minus fifteen is fifty-five.
3	100 words	Four hundred divided by four is one hundred.
4	40 marks	Twenty-eight plus twelve is forty.
5	About 7.3 words	Four hundred divided by fifty-five is about 7.3.
6	6 marks a point	Thirty divided by five is six.
7	87.5 per cent	Thirty-five over forty is 0.875, that is 87.5 per cent.
8	Cut 60 words, about 13.0 per cent	Four hundred and sixty minus four hundred is sixty, and sixty over four hundred and sixty is about 13.0 per cent.
9	About 21.4 per cent	Fifteen over seventy is about 21.4 per cent.
10	80 words over, and the excess earns nothing	Four hundred and eighty minus four hundred is eighty, and words beyond the limit are normally not marked.

04　What to do after marking

After marking, redo only the wrong items and write down which step went wrong (formula, unit, or misread number).
Repeat the same item two days later; move to the next paper only when both attempts are correct.
Parents only need the answer and note columns; there is no need to explain every item.

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Questions and answers are written originally by the TutorZone team and are not taken from any school, publisher or examination authority paper. Every value is checked by computer.