Plan before you write: Planning is the two-minute outline you jot down before writing your Paper 1 answer. You decide the text type, the audience and register, the two or three points you'll develop and a few useful words. A plan is what earns Criterion B (Message), because it gives your answer a clear, organised shape instead of rambling prose.
| Elemento del piano | Che cosa annotare |
|---|---|
| Il tipo di testo e le sue parti | blog / email / articolo… e le sezioni (titolo, corpo, chiusura) |
| 2–3 idee chiave | i punti che svilupperai, in ordine |
| Una frase-gancio d'apertura | una prima frase che catturi il lettore |
| Una chiusura o un saluto finale | come chiudi (Un abbraccio, Cordiali saluti, una conclusione) |
| Vocabolario e connettivi utili | parole chiave del tema e collegamenti (inoltre, perciò, tuttavia) |
Five lines, no sentences: Tipo di testo · 2–3 idee · gancio · chiusura · vocabolario. Your plan is five short lines, written in note form — never full sentences. It's scaffolding for you, not text for the examiner.
Two minutes, big payoff: Spending two minutes planning feels like lost time — it isn't. A plan stops you drying up halfway, keeps your points in order, and directly lifts Criterion B. Examiners reward an answer that is clearly organised.
Free preview
Reading it is one thing — hearing it is another
You're reading the free notes. Aimnova Pro unlocks the full study experience — and you can try it free for 7 days:
- Audio on every wordTap any vocabulary word or example to hear it read aloud in natural Italian.
- FlashcardsLock in vocabulary and key terms with spaced repetition.
- Practice questionsAnswer exam-style questions and get instant AI marking.
- Mock exams & past-paper vaultSit full mocks and see exactly how examiners award marks.
- Personalised study planA daily plan built around your exam date and weak areas.
Start your 7-day free trial Full access to Aimnova Pro · cancel anytime
Four moves to a plan: Building a plan is the same four moves every time: decode the task, brainstorm your points, order them, then note the vocabulary. Do it on scrap paper in the first couple of minutes, before any real writing.
Plan in 4 moves
1
Decode the task
Pin down the text type, the audience and the register the prompt asks for — they shape everything else.
2
Brainstorm 3 points
Jot three ideas you can actually develop on this task. Three is enough to fill 250–400 words well.
3
Order them
Put your points into the text-type structure — opening, body in a sensible order, then closing.
4
Note key vocab & connectors
List the topic vocabulary and connectors (inoltre, perciò, tuttavia) you'll reach for, so they're ready when you write.
Decode → Brainstorm → Order → Note vocab
Order matters as much as ideas: Two strong points in a muddled order read worse than two ordinary points in a clear order. The Order step is where you protect Criterion B — make your reader follow you from opening to close without getting lost.
Get feedback like a real examiner
Submit your answers and get instant feedback — what you did well, what's missing, and exactly what to write to score full marks.
Try AI Tutor Free7-day free trial • No card required
A four-line plan, worked through: Here's the plan stage for a real-style task, line by line — the notes you'd scribble before writing the email itself. Tap Mostra traduzione to see the English explanation, or 🔊 to hear the Italian.
Planning an informal email
From the prompt to a four-line plan
- Consegna: «Scrivi un'email a un amico per invitarlo a passare le vacanze con te e la tua famiglia.» Piano: Tipo di testo = email informale.
- Destinatario = un amico → registro informale (tu, Ciao!, Un abbraccio).
- Tre idee: (1) le date e il luogo, (2) quali attività faremo, (3) perché sarà divertente e che cosa deve portare.
- Vocabolario e connettivi: invitare, alloggiare, inoltre, perciò, non perdertelo!; aprire con Ciao! e chiudere con Un abbraccio.
Four lines is a whole plan: Notice the plan is just four short lines — text type, register, three points, vocabulary — and yet it fixes every big decision. Build this on scrap paper first and your Criterion B marks are half-won before you start writing.
Good planning vs costly mistakes: The marks lost around planning are rarely about Italian — they come from skipping the plan, piling up shallow points, or planning content that ignores the text type. Here's the contrast.
Buon piano
- Annota 2–3 idee e sviluppale.
- Ordina i punti prima di scrivere.
- Il piano segue la struttura del tipo di testo.
- Segnati vocabolario e connettivi utili.
Errori tipici
- Write with no plan and ramble off the point.
- Cram in too many shallow points and develop none.
- Make a plan that ignores the text-type structure.
- Dimenticare il gancio e la chiusura.
Depth beats quantity: Two or three points developed with examples beat six points mentioned and dropped. When you plan, ask of each idea: can I write three sentences on this? If not, cut it — that protects Criterion B.