ICAS English study plan
ICAS English · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Vocabulary & Structure
Build a 150-word personal lexicon by sorting each word into synonym and antonym groups and writing one original sentence per word
Differentiate 30 commonly confused word pairs (affect/effect, imply/infer, fewer/less) and score at least 90% on a self-written quiz
Label every word in 20 sentences with its part of speech to fix the foundation for structure questions
Detect and repair 25 fragments, run-ons and dangling modifiers in sentences you compose yourself
Your checkpoint
A 150-entry lexicon plus a 25-item error-correction log, with the self-quiz scored at 90% or higher
Vocabulary & Structure
Decode 20 high-frequency prefixes, roots and suffixes and apply them to infer the meaning of 40 unfamiliar words
Apply subject-verb agreement and pronoun-antecedent rules to correct 30 faulty sentences
Hold tense and parallel structure consistent across 15 multi-clause sentences you write
Punctuate 20 sentences correctly, distinguishing comma splices from legitimate joins
Your checkpoint
A 40-question self-written structure test with an answer key, retaken after 48 hours and scored at 85% or above
Syntax & Vocabulary
Parse 20 sentences into subject, predicate, clause type and phrase type without reference notes
Combine 15 pairs of short sentences into single complex sentences using subordination
Reduce 10 wordy sentences to their core without losing meaning
Review 20 lexicon words daily and retire words already recalled correctly three times
Your checkpoint
A syntax worksheet of 20 parsed sentences and 25 rewrites, checked against a five-point accuracy checklist
Syntax & Comprehension
Locate main idea, supporting detail and writer's purpose in six unseen passages
Eliminate ambiguous pronoun references in 15 sentences by rewriting them with explicit nouns
Answer 12 comprehension questions under a 30-minute timer and justify each choice with a quoted line
Review all logged errors from weeks 1 to 3 and reclassify them by domain
Your checkpoint
A timed 2-passage, 12-question set with a written evidence-based justification for every answer, scored at 70% or above
Comprehension & Vocabulary
Separate literal statements from inferences across five unseen passages
Summarise each of five 250-word passages in 25 words or fewer
Resolve vocabulary-in-context questions by testing each option against the surrounding sentence
Rebuild 30 missed vocabulary items into new sentences and re-test them
Your checkpoint
Five passage summaries at 25 words or fewer, each accompanied by three inference questions answered with quoted evidence
Voice & Comprehension
Convert 30 passive constructions to active voice and justify the 10 that should stay passive
Identify tone and register in 10 short texts and name the words that signal each
Rewrite five paragraphs in a specified voice (neutral, persuasive, formal) while keeping point of view fixed
Match comprehension answers to the writer's stance rather than your own opinion
Your checkpoint
A voice portfolio of 10 short passages rewritten in three different voices, each with a one-line note naming the grammatical changes made
Voice & Structure
Edit a draft for voice consistency by flagging every shift in person, tense or register
Compose a 250-word response in one sustained voice within 25 minutes
Audit that response for agreement, punctuation and modifier errors and correct each one
Compare two versions of the same paragraph and defend which voice suits the stated audience
Your checkpoint
A 250-word timed piece in a single consistent voice, self-edited twice, with an error log showing five or fewer mechanical faults
Vocabulary & Comprehension & Structure & Syntax & Voice
Complete one full-length timed mock covering all five domains without notes
Re-work every incorrect answer and write the rule it tested
Re-test the 50 weakest lexicon entries and retire those recalled correctly
Compress the error log into a one-page rules sheet and read it before each practice sitting
Your checkpoint
A completed full-length timed mock with every error re-worked and a one-page rules-to-remember sheet
Milestones
Week 2: Self-written 40-question structure test retaken after 48 hours with a score of 85% or higher, and at least 180 lexicon entries active
Week 4: Timed two-passage comprehension and syntax set scored at 70% or above with written justifications; if below, shift week 5 hours back to Domains 1 and 3
Week 6: Voice portfolio complete with all three registers, and tone/register identification correct on at least 8 of 10 texts
Week 8: Full-length timed mock completed, error log fully re-worked, and every domain scoring at or above 70%