iTEP Business-Core study plan
iTEP Business-Core · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Grammar (structure and usage in business contexts) & Reading (business documents, correspondence, reports)
Diagnose baseline accuracy by completing one timed 20-item grammar set and one 400-word business reading set, logging error types in a spreadsheet.
Review and drill the twelve most frequent business grammar trouble spots (subject-verb agreement with collective nouns, tense sequencing in reported speech, conditional forms in negotiation language, article use with company names, preposition collocations such as 'comply with' and 'responsible for').
Annotate three authentic business documents (an internal memo, a client email, a short quarterly summary) to mark topic sentences, signposting words, and stated vs. implied recommendations.
Build a personal error log with at least 25 tagged entries covering grammar and reading mistakes.
Your checkpoint
A one-page diagnostic report listing your top five grammar error categories and top three reading-comprehension weaknesses, with a baseline score for each.
Grammar (structure and usage in business contexts) & Reading (business documents, correspondence, reports)
Complete 60 gap-fill and sentence-correction items targeting verb tense consistency, modal verbs for obligation and hedging, and parallel structure in bulleted lists.
Paraphrase five dense business sentences into plain English without losing meaning, to sharpen inference skills for reading items.
Practice identifying writer attitude and purpose in six short texts (complaint letter, press release, meeting minutes, job posting, invoice cover note, policy excerpt).
Time yourself reading 600-word business reports at 4 minutes per 200 words and answer five questions per text.
Your checkpoint
A scored 25-question grammar-and-reading practice set with a written correction note for every wrong answer.
Grammar (structure and usage in business contexts) & Reading (business documents, correspondence, reports)
Master cohesion devices used in business writing (however, whereas, provided that, in light of, notwithstanding) by rewriting ten sentence pairs to combine them correctly.
Complete two full-length timed reading sections under exam conditions and record pacing per question.
Reduce repeated grammar error categories from week 1 by at least half, verified by a re-test of the same item types.
Summarize two business reports in three sentences each, capturing main idea, supporting detail, and implied conclusion.
Your checkpoint
A re-test score comparison table showing week 1 versus week 3 accuracy on grammar and reading, with a short written analysis.
Listening (workplace conversations, announcements, meetings) & Grammar (structure and usage in business contexts)
Transcribe four short workplace audio passages (voicemail, meeting excerpt, announcement, phone inquiry) and mark the exact phrase that answers each question.
Identify and drill the listening traps that cause errors: numbers and dates, negation, speaker correction ('actually, make that Thursday'), and indirect requests.
Apply grammar accuracy to listening by writing out the full correct sentence for ten items you initially misheard.
Practice note-taking shorthand for names, figures, and action items while listening once only.
Your checkpoint
A mid-point mock test covering grammar and listening with a scored section breakdown and a list of the five listening conditions that most often cause you to miss an answer.
Listening (workplace conversations, announcements, meetings) & Writing (business correspondence and short responses)
Listen to six workplace dialogues at natural speed and answer inference questions about speaker intent, relationship, and next action.
Draft four business emails (request, follow-up, complaint response, meeting confirmation) of 60-80 words each using a consistent structure: purpose, detail, action, close.
Edit your own drafts against a checklist covering tone, conciseness, correct tense, and appropriate formality.
Practice recognizing reduced forms and connected speech in fast announcements by shadowing three recordings.
Your checkpoint
A portfolio of four polished business emails plus a listening log of six dialogues with the key phrase that signaled each answer.
Writing (business correspondence and short responses) & Speaking (workplace interaction and short presentations)
Write two 120-word responses to workplace scenarios (declining a request politely, summarizing a decision for a colleague) within a 15-minute limit each.
Record and review six spoken responses of 45-60 seconds answering common workplace prompts (describe a process, explain a delay, recommend an option).
Reduce filler and hesitation by scripting an opening sentence, two supporting points, and a closing sentence for each spoken answer.
Self-assess each recording against a rubric for fluency, grammar accuracy, vocabulary range, and task completion.
Your checkpoint
A scored writing-and-speaking sample set (two written responses, three recorded responses) with rubric scores and three specific improvement targets.
Speaking (workplace interaction and short presentations) & Listening (workplace conversations, announcements, meetings)
Deliver a two-minute structured workplace presentation (status update or proposal summary) recorded twice, with measurable improvement in pacing and clarity between takes.
Practice handling follow-up questions by recording answers to three impromptu questions about your presentation topic.
Complete two timed listening sections and note where comprehension broke down, then re-listen to those segments.
Refine pronunciation of ten business terms you mispronounce (e.g., 'schedule', 'colleague', 'revenue', 'negotiate') and confirm with playback.
Your checkpoint
Two recorded versions of a two-minute presentation plus a self-scored rubric showing before-and-after ratings.
Grammar (structure and usage in business contexts) & Listening (workplace conversations, announcements, meetings) & Reading (business documents, correspondence, reports) & Writing (business correspondence and short responses) & Speaking (workplace interaction and short presentations)
Complete two full-length timed mock tests simulating exam conditions across all five domains.
Review every missed item and classify it as knowledge gap, pacing issue, or misreading of the task.
Re-drill your remaining top three error categories until accuracy exceeds 85 percent on targeted practice.
Finalize a one-page exam-day plan covering section timing, note-taking approach, and speaking response structure.
Your checkpoint
A final readiness report with mock test scores per domain, error classification totals, and a written exam-day strategy sheet.
Milestones
Week 2: Complete 60 targeted grammar items and six reading texts, with an error log of at least 25 tagged entries.
Week 4: Score at least 70 percent on a combined grammar-and-listening mock and name the five listening conditions that most often cost you points.
Week 6: Produce four business emails and six recorded spoken responses, each scored against a rubric, with at least three concrete improvement targets written down.
Week 8: Achieve at least 80 percent on two full-length timed mocks and show that your top three error categories are each above 85 percent accuracy on targeted re-practice.