FY12CE English study plan

Map every Entry Level 1 skill in the official syllabus and mark the five you are least confident about

Decode short simple sentences about personal details by labelling subject, verb and key noun in ten examples

Write ten sentences giving name, address, nationality and job with correct capital letters and full stops

Spell aloud and write the 40 most common personal-detail words from memory

Read a simple form and enter first name, surname, date of birth and postcode correctly

Recognise and produce the present simple forms of 20 high-frequency verbs in short sentences

Match simple questions (What/Where/When/Who) to appropriate one-line answers

Read a 60-word notice or message and answer four literal comprehension questions

Write a short message of 25-35 words giving one piece of information and one request

Apply basic punctuation consistently in all written work: capitals, full stops, question marks

Use past simple regular and common irregular verbs to describe completed events in eight sentences

Sequence events in a short text using first, then, after that and finally

Extract specific details (times, prices, dates) from two short practical texts such as a timetable and a leaflet

Write a 60-80 word informal email asking for information and closing politely

Identify and correct five common Entry Level 2 errors in your own earlier writing

Compare and contrast information from two short texts on the same topic and note two similarities and two differences

Use linking words (because, so, but, however) accurately in ten constructed sentences

Write a 100-word text expressing an opinion with one reason and one example

Scan a 150-word text under time pressure to locate five specific facts in under three minutes

Proofread your own 100-word text and reduce errors to no more than two

Identify the main point and two supporting details in three 200-word texts of different types

Use skimming to state the purpose of a text within 30 seconds of first reading

Write a 120-150 word formal letter or email using an appropriate opening, purpose statement and closing

Select vocabulary appropriate to formal and informal registers and justify five choices

Plan a written response using a five-point outline before drafting

Infer meaning from context for ten unfamiliar words without a dictionary

Distinguish fact from opinion across two texts and label ten statements accordingly

Write a 200-word text that develops an argument with a clear structure: introduction, two points, conclusion

Use a range of complex sentences with relative or conditional clauses accurately in at least six sentences

Summarise a 250-word text in 50 words retaining the main point

Analyse how a writer's word choice creates tone in two short extracts

Compare two texts on the same issue and evaluate which is more persuasive, giving two reasons

Write a 250-word response to a given brief within 40 minutes

Edit a draft to improve coherence by adding or changing three linking devices

Reduce a 250-word draft by 20 percent without losing essential meaning

Complete two full-length timed practice papers under exam conditions and record scores per domain

Revisit the three weakest skills identified in the practice papers and drill each for 30 minutes

Rewrite two earlier weak pieces of writing applying all corrections

Build a one-page personal error checklist covering your five most frequent mistakes

Rehearse reading instructions carefully and allocating time across sections