ORT English study plan
ORT English · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Reading Comprehension & Grammar and Vocabulary
Skim one 600-word informational passage daily and write a one-sentence main-idea statement for each
Annotate 20 unfamiliar academic words per week with part of speech, a self-written definition, and one original sentence
Identify the function of 15 cohesive devices (however, therefore, in contrast) inside real passages rather than in isolated sentences
Time yourself on three short passages per session and record minutes per passage to establish a baseline reading speed
Your checkpoint
A reading log of 15 passages with main-idea statements, timing data, and a 40-word personal vocabulary list with original example sentences
Reading Comprehension
Distinguish main idea from supporting detail across 12 passages by underlining the thesis and numbering the supports
Answer inference and author-attitude items by citing the exact line that justifies each choice
Paraphrase eight difficult sentences in your own words and check them against the original meaning
Complete two 20-minute timed reading sets and review every wrong answer to classify the error type
Your checkpoint
An error-type tally from 40 practice items showing your top three mistake patterns and the corrected reasoning for each
Listening Comprehension & Grammar and Vocabulary
Shadow 10 minutes of authentic audio daily, repeating sentences aloud immediately after hearing them
Take notes on three 3-minute talks using a keyword-and-arrow format, then reconstruct the main points from notes only
Transcribe eight short audio segments of 30 to 60 seconds and compare against the source to locate missed sounds
Drill 30 grammar items on tense, subject-verb agreement, and articles, writing the rule behind each correction
Your checkpoint
Eight verified transcriptions with a list of recurring listening breakdowns (connected speech, numbers, names) and the grammar rule notes for 30 corrected items
Listening Comprehension & Grammar and Vocabulary
Predict upcoming content from the first 10 seconds of 15 audio clips and check whether the prediction held
Identify speaker purpose and attitude in 20 short dialogues using intonation and stress cues
Build a 25-item personal error list of grammar and vocabulary mistakes drawn from your own writing and speaking
Complete two full timed listening sets and log score, section, and cause of each miss
Your checkpoint
A mid-point diagnostic report: listening set scores, prediction accuracy rate, and a 25-item personal error list ranked by frequency
Writing & Grammar and Vocabulary
Write three 150-word opinion paragraphs using a claim-evidence-explanation structure
Revise each paragraph twice, once for grammar and once for cohesion, using a checklist rather than intuition
Apply 20 academic collocations from your vocabulary log in original sentences and mark each use
Convert five informal sentences into formal written register and explain each change
Your checkpoint
Three polished 150-word paragraphs with visible first drafts, revision marks, and a collocation checklist showing at least 20 applied items
Writing & Reading Comprehension
Write two 250-word response essays under a 40-minute limit that integrate a source passage
Summarize three reading passages in exactly 50 words each to practice compression without losing the thesis
Self-score every essay against a four-criterion rubric (task, organization, language, accuracy) and rewrite the weakest section
Eliminate your five most frequent grammar errors by proofreading each draft specifically for them
Your checkpoint
Two timed 250-word essays with rubric scores, a marked-up rewrite of the weakest paragraph in each, and a proofreading checklist of your five recurring errors
Speaking & Listening Comprehension
Record 10 one-minute spoken responses to prompt questions and review each for fluency, fillers, and grammar slips
Practice three two-minute monologues using a point-reason-example-close structure
Re-listen to two recorded talks and give a 90-second spoken summary of each without notes
Reduce hesitation markers by counting them in each recording and setting a lower target for the next attempt
Your checkpoint
A recording portfolio of 10 responses plus 3 monologues with a self-assessment table tracking filler counts and structural completeness across attempts
Reading Comprehension & Listening Comprehension & Grammar and Vocabulary & Writing & Speaking
Simulate two full timed exams under real conditions and score each section separately
Review every incorrect item from the simulations and assign a cause: knowledge gap, timing, misreading, or careless error
Revisit the personal error list and confirm which items are now resolved through a short self-quiz
Re-record three speaking responses and rewrite one essay to confirm improvement against week 6 and 7 baselines
Your checkpoint
A final readiness report with two full simulation scores by section, a resolved-versus-open error count, and before-and-after samples for writing and speaking
Milestones
Week 2: Complete a 20-minute timed reading set at 70 percent accuracy or better and correctly name the error type for at least 8 of 10 wrong answers
Week 4: Score at least 65 percent on a full timed listening set and reduce personal grammar error list repeats by half compared with week 3
Week 6: Produce a 250-word timed essay that meets all four rubric criteria at a passing level and contains none of your five flagged recurring errors
Week 8: Achieve 75 percent or better overall on a full timed simulation, with no single section below 65 percent and filler counts in speaking reduced by at least 30 percent from week 7