Most candidates can recite IRAC. Far fewer use it well when the clock is running. Here is the version that scores.
Issue: name it, don't bury it
Open each paragraph with the legal question, phrased as a question. "The issue is whether the contractor owed Priya a duty of care." Examiners tick issues; make them easy to find.
Rule: state it, then state the exception
A rule without its limits is half a rule. If you write the negligence standard, add the abnormally-dangerous-activity carve-out where the facts invite it. Cite the source: the Act and section, or the leading case.
Application: this is where the marks are
Restating the rule is not application. Application is: these facts, measured against that rule. "The foreman knew the bracket was cracked, which is exactly the kind of knowledge that converts a lapse into a breach." Address the counter-argument if the facts raise one.
Conclusion: commit
"On balance, the claim in negligence succeeds." A hedged conclusion reads as an undecided answer.
The three costly mistakes
- One big blob. Separate paragraphs per issue. White space is your friend.
- Rule-dumping. Long rule statements, thin application. Flip the ratio.
- Missing the easy issue because you were deep in the hard one. Spot everything first, then go deep.
Practise this on a timer. In LawAI, every essay you submit is scored on exactly these four axes, so you can see which one is dragging your total down.