How to lay out the answer. Follow the frame, then write it in your own words.
1 · Open in two lines. Glycolysis (Embden–Meyerhof pathway) breaks one glucose into two pyruvate in the cytoplasm of all cells, with or without oxygen.
2 · Draw the pathway. [Diagram: glucose to pyruvate, all 10 enzymes labelled, ATP and NADH marked]
3 · Write the 10 steps in two phases.
Preparatory phase (steps 1–5): two ATP spent, glucose split into two 3-carbon sugars.
Payoff phase (steps 6–10): NADH and ATP made, twice per glucose.
4 · Energy count. −2 ATP (steps 1, 3), +4 ATP (steps 7, 10 twice) = net 2 ATP and 2 NADH.
5 · Regulation. Hexokinase, PFK-1 and pyruvate kinase are irreversible and control the rate. PFK-1 is rate-limiting.
6 · Significance. Only energy source for red blood cells. Works without oxygen (lactate). Provides intermediates for other pathways.
7 · Nutrition link. NAD+ comes from niacin (B3); kinases need magnesium.
8 · Close in one line. Sum up glycolysis as the first, universal stage of glucose breakdown.
Scoring tip: A clean diagram and the enzyme names carry most of the marks. Neat labels beat long paragraphs.
Write-up practice
The check looks for key words only. It does not grade your answer and never writes it for you.