How to build your plan
Measure your current level
Use a diagnostic to establish your starting band range in all four skills.
Set your target and test date
The band score you need and the date of your test decide how many weeks your plan runs for.
Weight your skills
Give more time to your weakest skills, and keep your stronger ones up with regular revision.
Set a mock test pace
Sit full mock tests at regular intervals and update your plan in line with the results.
How should you spread your study across the week?
Working on all four skills a little every week is more effective than piling into one skill for long stretches at a time. Writing and Speaking are productive skills that need regular feedback, so frequent practice and correction matter most here.
In Reading and Listening, recognising question types and managing your time improve as you work through more mock tests.
How does the plan change with the time left before your test?
How intensive your plan is depends on how long you have before the test. With plenty of time, building your core language and skills comes first; as the time runs short, the focus shifts to rehearsing the format and to the pace of your mock tests.
- 8+ weeks: building core skills, extending vocabulary and grammar, getting to know the format
- 4–8 weeks: techniques for each question type, regular Writing correction and Speaking practice
- Final 3–4 weeks: more frequent full mock tests, time management and stamina
- Final week: light revision, a reminder of the format, and rest
How are the skill weightings decided?
The share of the plan each skill gets is proportional to how far it sits from your target band in the diagnostic. The skill furthest from your target takes the most time; skills already above it are kept up with maintenance revision. This balance points your study at whatever is genuinely holding you back.
Common mistakes when making a plan
- Practising only the skill you are already good at and putting off the weak one
- Leaving mock tests until the end and skipping practice in the test format
- Working alone on Writing and Speaking without getting feedback