NSW HSC Minimum Standard Reading study plan
NSW HSC Minimum Standard Reading · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Reading & Writing
Skim three short unseen texts (200-300 words each) and state the main idea of each in one sentence
Identify the audience and purpose of five short everyday texts such as notices, emails and instructions
Write a 100-word paragraph that opens with a clear topic sentence and stays on topic
Build a personal glossary of 15 everyday reading words you had to look up and write a plain-English definition for each
Your checkpoint
A one-page log listing three texts with their main idea, audience and purpose, plus your 100-word paragraph and 15-word glossary
Reading & Writing
Locate specific details in five unseen texts by scanning for keywords rather than reading word by word
Answer 20 short literal-comprehension questions and mark each answer against the text
Write two short functional texts (a 60-word message and a 60-word set of instructions) that a reader could act on
Edit your own writing for capital letters, full stops and subject-verb agreement
Your checkpoint
A scored set of 20 comprehension answers (record your score out of 20) and two finished short functional texts
Reading & Numeracy
Practise reading tables, timetables and simple charts and extract two facts from each of four items
Interpret everyday maths language in word problems (total, difference, per, remaining) and solve ten of them
Use skimming to find numbers in a text and check them against a table
Explain in writing how you decided which operation a word problem needed
Your checkpoint
A worked sheet of ten word problems with the operation you chose written beside each one, plus four table or chart readings
Reading & Numeracy
Draw simple inferences from four short texts by naming the clue in the text that supports each inference
Distinguish fact from opinion in two opinion-style texts and underline the opinion words
Calculate with money, percentages and simple averages in eight practical tasks
Check your own arithmetic by estimating the answer first and comparing
Your checkpoint
A four-text inference sheet with the supporting clue quoted for each answer, and eight completed practical maths tasks with estimates shown
Numeracy & Writing
Solve eight measurement and time problems (lengths, durations, elapsed time) and show each step
Write a 120-word explanation of how you solved one maths problem, aimed at a general reader
Organise a short piece of writing into paragraphs with one idea per paragraph
Use a planning step (bullet points or a spider diagram) before every piece you write this week
Your checkpoint
A folder of three planned drafts, including the 120-word maths explanation, each with its planning notes attached
Writing & Reading
Write one persuasive paragraph of 100 words with a clear position and two supporting reasons
Write one informative paragraph of 100 words that answers a reader's likely questions
Read two texts and summarise each in no more than 30 words
Proofread your own work against a five-point checklist (spelling, punctuation, sentence completeness, tense, paragraphing)
Your checkpoint
Two polished 100-word paragraphs and two 30-word summaries, each with a completed proofreading checklist
Reading & Numeracy & Writing
Complete one full timed reading practice set under exam conditions and record your score and time
Complete one full timed numeracy practice set under exam conditions and record your score and time
Write one 150-word response to a prompt in 20 minutes without notes
List every question type you got wrong and write the correct approach for each
Your checkpoint
A practice results sheet showing reading score, numeracy score, writing time and a list of error types with corrections
Reading & Numeracy & Writing
Re-attempt the question types you listed as errors in week 7 and check whether the fix worked
Do a second timed reading and numeracy set and compare scores with week 7
Write one final 150-word response and self-mark it against the proofreading checklist
Write a one-page exam-day plan covering timing, reading the question twice and checking answers
Your checkpoint
A before-and-after score comparison for reading and numeracy, plus the final writing sample and one-page exam-day plan
Milestones
Week 2: You can state the main idea and purpose of an unseen short text in one sentence and score at least 15 out of 20 on literal comprehension questions
Week 4: You can support an inference by quoting the clue in the text and solve practical word problems with a written estimate before calculating
Week 6: You can produce two planned, proofread 100-word paragraphs and summarise a short text in 30 words or fewer
Week 8: Your timed reading and numeracy scores are higher than in week 7, and you can write 150 words in 20 minutes with fewer than three proofreading errors