KPG Italian study plan
KPG Italian · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Listening comprehension & Language structures and vocabulary
Transcribe 20 short Italian audio clips (30-60 seconds each) of everyday dialogues, writing down every word heard without pausing more than twice per clip
Identify and correctly write the 20 most frequent Italian function words (articoli, preposizioni semplici e articolate, pronomi clitici) from dictation
Build a personal error log of at least 15 listening mistakes, tagging each as a sound-recognition, vocabulary, or speed problem
Conjugate 30 common regular and irregular verbs in presente indicativo from audio prompts spoken aloud
Your checkpoint
A 20-entry dictation notebook with self-corrected transcripts and a categorised error log of 15+ items
Listening comprehension & Language structures and vocabulary
Listen to 15 minutes of authentic Italian radio or podcast speech daily and note the main idea plus three details per segment
Distinguish and produce the phonemes that most often trip learners: single vs double consonants, gli, gn, sce/sci, and open vs closed e/o
Use passato prossimo and imperfetto correctly in 25 written sentences describing past events heard in audio
Recognise numbers, times, prices, and dates spoken at natural speed in 20 short listening prompts
Your checkpoint
A one-page phoneme contrast sheet with 5 minimal-pair examples each, plus a 25-sentence past-tense writing sample checked against an answer key or tutor
Reading comprehension & Language structures and vocabulary
Read 8 short authentic texts (news briefs, notices, emails, adverts) and answer 5 comprehension questions per text within a time limit
Infer the meaning of 40 unknown words from context before checking a dictionary, recording which clues worked
Apply the rules for choosing passato prossimo auxiliary verbs and agreement of the past participle in 30 targeted exercises
Summarise each text read in 3-4 sentences using your own words
Your checkpoint
A reading portfolio of 8 texts with question answers, context-inference notes for 40 words, and 8 short summaries
Listening comprehension & Reading comprehension
Complete two full timed listening sections under exam conditions and score them against a key
Complete two full timed reading sections under exam conditions and score them against a key
Analyse every wrong answer from the four sections, labelling the cause as vocabulary gap, misread question, time pressure, or inference failure
Re-attempt the items you got wrong after a 48-hour gap and record whether the correction stuck
Your checkpoint
A diagnostic scorecard showing scores for four timed sections, error-cause tallies, and second-attempt accuracy
Language structures and vocabulary & Pragmatics and communication
Drill the congiuntivo presente and condizionale in 40 transformation exercises, focusing on triggers such as penso che, se fossi, vorrei che
Practise choosing formal vs informal register (tu/Lei) in 20 written request-and-response exchanges
Produce 15 polite requests, invitations, apologies, and complaints using appropriate formulaic expressions
Combine direct and indirect object pronouns and ne/ci correctly in 25 sentence-rewrite exercises
Your checkpoint
A register-and-functions phrasebook of 30 expressions you wrote yourself, each with a short model dialogue, plus a 40-item grammar exercise set scored
Pragmatics and communication & Cultural knowledge
Role-play 10 everyday scenarios aloud (ordering at a bar, asking directions, phoning a office, complaining about a hotel) and record yourself
Identify and explain 15 culture-specific references commonly appearing in Italian texts and audio, such as regional food names, public holidays, and everyday institutions
Practise turn-taking markers and fillers (allora, dunque, insomma, comunque) by inserting them into 15 dialogue transcripts
Write 10 short messages (SMS-style and formal email) adapting tone to recipient
Your checkpoint
A set of 10 recorded role-plays with a self-assessment checklist plus a 15-item cultural reference glossary with one-line explanations
Listening comprehension & Reading comprehension & Language structures and vocabulary
Sit a full mock exam covering listening, reading, and structures under strict timing and mark it
Target the two weakest item types from the mock with 30 focused practice items each
Rehearse skimming and scanning strategies on 6 texts, answering questions without reading every word
Reduce listening errors by shadowing 10 short audio clips, repeating each immediately after hearing it
Your checkpoint
A marked full mock exam with a written improvement plan naming two weak item types and the practice completed for each
Listening comprehension & Reading comprehension & Pragmatics and communication
Sit a second full mock exam and compare scores item-by-item with the week-7 mock
Review the entire personal error log and confirm that at least 80% of earlier mistakes are now answered correctly
Practise 10 timed spoken-response prompts to consolidate fluency for pragmatic items
Consolidate exam-day routines: timing checkpoints per section, question-reading order, and a strategy for guessing
Your checkpoint
A final mock score report with a week-7 vs week-8 comparison table and a one-page exam-day strategy sheet
Milestones
Week 2: Can transcribe a 45-second everyday dialogue with 85% word accuracy and conjugate 30 core verbs correctly in the present tense
Week 4: Diagnostic mock sections completed under timing with scores recorded and every error categorised by cause
Week 6: Can sustain a 3-minute role-play using appropriate register and at least 8 formulaic expressions, and explain 15 cultural references correctly
Week 8: Second mock score improves on the first in at least two of the three heaviest domains, and 80% of logged errors are resolved