In one line: SL Paper 1 is 2 hours 15 minutes for one analysis. Split it: ~15 min reading & planning, ~55 min writing, ~5 min checking — and always leave time to finish, because an unfinished essay loses Criterion C.
The clock is part of the exam — and a simple plan for it removes most of the panic.
⏱️ The commonest way to lose marks isn't a weak point — it's running out of time with no conclusion, or spending forty minutes on a dazzling first paragraph and rushing the rest. Decide your split before you start, watch the clock at the quarter-marks, and protect the ending.
The time plan (HL, 2h15)
~15 min — read & plan
Two reads, annotate, write your thesis and a 3–4 paragraph plan.
~55 min — write
Introduction, then body paragraphs at a steady pace — roughly 12–15 min each.
~5 min — check & finish
Make sure you have a conclusion; fix obvious slips (Criterion D).
Protect the ending
Better a complete essay than a perfect half — leave time to conclude.
The key move: Decide your split before you start (≈15 / 55 / 5) and glance at the clock at each quarter. A finished, focused essay beats a brilliant unfinished one.
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Why it matters in the exam: An unfinished response is the biggest self-inflicted loss in Paper 1: no conclusion badly hurts Criterion C, and a rushed final paragraph drops B and D. Managing time is how you make sure the examiner sees a complete argument.
You have 2 hours 15 minutes for one SL analysis and a plan with a thesis and three body points. How do you spend the time?
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Watch out: Don't pour forty minutes into a perfect first paragraph. Pace evenly and protect the conclusion — a complete essay always beats an unfinished masterpiece.