Shimane Public High School Entrance Examination - English study plan
Shimane Public High School Entrance Examination - English · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Writing / composition (Japanese-language prompt, English response) & Grammar and vocabulary in context (fill-in-the-blank, sentence completion)
Write a 60-word English paragraph on a familiar topic (e.g., school life, hobbies) within 10 minutes, using at least 5 different sentence patterns.
Identify and correct 10 common grammatical errors (subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, article usage) in sample sentences.
Memorize 30 high-frequency vocabulary items from the Shimane exam word list and use them in original sentences.
Complete 15 fill-in-the-blank grammar questions with 80% accuracy, focusing on verb tenses and prepositions.
Your checkpoint
A portfolio of 3 timed writing samples (60 words each) with self-corrections and a vocabulary log of 30 words.
Writing / composition (Japanese-language prompt, English response) & Grammar and vocabulary in context (fill-in-the-blank, sentence completion)
Write a 100-word English composition on a Japanese-language prompt (e.g., 'Describe your favorite place') within 15 minutes, organizing ideas into introduction, body, and conclusion.
Apply 5 cohesive devices (however, therefore, for example, in addition, on the other hand) correctly in writing.
Complete 20 sentence-completion items (grammar and vocabulary in context) with 85% accuracy.
Review and revise two previous writing samples to improve clarity and grammatical accuracy.
Your checkpoint
A revised 100-word composition with a self-assessment checklist showing improvements from first to final draft.
Reading comprehension (short passages, dialogues, and practical texts) & Sentence structure and word order (sentence reordering, transformation)
Read three 200-word English passages (short stories, dialogues, practical texts) and answer 5 comprehension questions per passage with 80% accuracy.
Identify main ideas, supporting details, and inferences in each passage.
Reorder 10 scrambled sentences into coherent paragraphs, focusing on logical flow and transition words.
Transform 10 sentences (e.g., active to passive, direct to indirect speech) without changing meaning.
Your checkpoint
A reading log summarizing three passages and a set of 10 correctly reordered and transformed sentences.
Reading comprehension (short passages, dialogues, and practical texts) & Sentence structure and word order (sentence reordering, transformation)
Read two 300-word practical texts (e.g., notices, emails, schedules) and extract specific information to answer 8 questions with 90% accuracy.
Complete 15 sentence-reordering items (word order) with 85% accuracy, focusing on adjective order, adverb placement, and question formation.
Practice 10 sentence-transformation exercises (e.g., combining sentences, changing voice) and explain the grammar rules applied.
Summarize a 300-word passage in 50 words, capturing the main idea and key details.
Your checkpoint
A timed reading test (2 passages, 10 questions) with score and a summary paragraph.
Listening comprehension & Conversation and situational English (appropriate responses, dialogue completion)
Listen to five 2-minute English dialogues (e.g., conversations at a store, school, or station) and answer 5 questions per dialogue with 80% accuracy.
Practice note-taking while listening to capture key details (names, numbers, times, locations).
Respond appropriately to 10 situational prompts (e.g., asking for directions, making requests) using polite expressions.
Complete 5 dialogue-completion exercises by choosing the correct response based on context.
Your checkpoint
A listening log with notes from five dialogues and a recorded self-introduction (1 minute) demonstrating situational English.
Listening comprehension & Integrated reading–writing / information transfer
Listen to three 3-minute monologues or announcements (e.g., weather report, school event) and answer 6 questions per recording with 85% accuracy.
Integrate information from a short reading passage and a listening excerpt to answer 5 questions (information transfer).
Write a 100-word English summary of a 300-word Japanese passage, transferring key information accurately.
Complete a chart or table by extracting data from a reading passage and a listening text.
Your checkpoint
An integrated task: read a passage, listen to a related announcement, and write a 100-word summary with a completed data table.
Listening comprehension & Reading comprehension (short passages, dialogues, and practical texts) & Conversation and situational English (appropriate responses, dialogue completion)
Take a full-length practice test under timed conditions (listening, reading, situational English) and score at least 70%.
Review incorrect answers and categorize errors by domain (listening, reading, conversation).
Practice 10 conversation-completion items with 90% accuracy, focusing on natural responses.
Re-listen to two difficult listening passages and transcribe key sentences to improve decoding skills.
Your checkpoint
A practice test score report with an error analysis chart and a list of 10 corrected conversation responses.
Writing / composition (Japanese-language prompt, English response) & Integrated reading–writing / information transfer & Grammar and vocabulary in context (fill-in-the-blank, sentence completion)
Write a 120-word English composition on a Japanese-language prompt within 20 minutes, incorporating at least 3 complex sentences and 5 transition words.
Complete an integrated reading-writing task: read a 400-word passage and write a 100-word response summarizing and giving an opinion.
Review 50 previously learned vocabulary items and 10 grammar points, achieving 90% accuracy on a self-made quiz.
Simulate exam conditions with a full practice test (all domains) and achieve a target score of 75% or higher.
Your checkpoint
A final timed writing sample (120 words) and a full practice test score report with a reflection on progress.
Milestones
Week 2: Write a 100-word composition in 15 minutes with no more than 3 grammatical errors and use at least 5 cohesive devices correctly.
Week 4: Score 80% or higher on a 10-question reading comprehension quiz (short passages and practical texts) and correctly reorder 8 out of 10 scrambled sentences.
Week 6: Answer 80% of questions correctly on a 15-minute listening test (dialogues and monologues) and complete an information-transfer task with 90% accuracy.
Week 8: Achieve a total score of 75% or higher on a full-length practice test covering all domains, with a writing sample that meets the 120-word requirement and uses varied sentence structures.