Linguaskill Business study plan
Linguaskill Business · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Speaking & Listening
Record a 90-second self-introduction covering role, company type, and current work priorities, then re-record until you can deliver it without notes in under 90 seconds.
Build a personal phrase bank of 25 business collocations (e.g. meet a deadline, take minutes, follow up on an enquiry) and use at least 12 of them aloud in recorded answers.
Complete one timed listening set of short business dialogues (phone calls, voicemail, office updates) and note every number, date, and name you misheard.
Practise shadowing 10 minutes of business audio daily, copying stress and linking, and log which sounds still trip you.
Your checkpoint
A folder of three recorded 90-second speaking answers plus a written list of 20 misheard listening items with the correct forms.
Speaking & Listening
Answer 10 common interview-style speaking prompts (describe a project, explain a delay, recommend a supplier) in 60 seconds each with a clear point-example-close structure.
Identify and drill the five question types that appear most in business listening (detail, number, reason, speaker intention, next action) and predict the answer type before each item.
Reduce filler by transcribing one recording and counting hesitation markers, then re-record the same answer aiming for at least 50% fewer.
Take one full listening section under exam timing and review every wrong answer to classify the cause as vocabulary, speed, or distraction.
Your checkpoint
A scored listening section with a written error-cause table, plus before-and-after filler counts for one re-recorded answer.
Speaking & Writing
Deliver a two-minute spoken summary of a short business article, linking ideas with signposting language (firstly, as a result, however, to sum up).
Write 10 formal email openings and 10 closings suited to different relationships (client, colleague, supplier) and match each to the right register.
Draft one 180-220 word business email responding to a complaint, then self-edit for tone, paragraphing, and one clear action request.
Record yourself reading your own email aloud to catch overlong sentences and unclear pronoun references.
Your checkpoint
One polished complaint-response email of 180-220 words plus a 10-item register-matching table of openings and closings.
Speaking & Writing
Complete a timed speaking mock covering all task types and rate yourself against four criteria: fluency, vocabulary range, grammar accuracy, and pronunciation clarity.
Write one 120-150 word formal report or proposal section summarising options and recommending one, using headings and linking devices correctly.
Cut your average pause length by rehearsing three answers with a 3-second rule: start speaking within 3 seconds of the prompt ending.
Compile a list of 15 grammar errors from your own writing and speaking transcripts and write the corrected version of each.
Your checkpoint
A speaking mock self-rating sheet with scores and evidence, plus a corrected error log of 15 personal mistakes.
Writing & Reading
Skim five short business texts (notice, advert, email chain, report extract, memo) in under 2 minutes each and state the main purpose in one sentence.
Write one 180-220 word email of enquiry and one of clarification, each containing a specific request and a deadline.
Practise gapped-text and matching tasks by identifying the grammar or cohesion clue that justifies each answer before checking.
Paraphrase 20 sentences from business texts, replacing formal wording with equivalent expressions without changing meaning.
Your checkpoint
Two complete emails of 180-220 words each plus a 20-item paraphrase log with original and rewritten sentences.
Writing & Reading
Write one 120-150 word report and one short proposal under 20 minutes each, then revise for word count accuracy within plus or minus 10 words.
Complete a timed reading section and record time spent per text to find where you lose minutes.
Build a glossary of 30 business terms from your reading (e.g. invoice, turnover, stakeholder, warranty) with a definition and one example sentence each.
Identify the distractors in 15 multiple-choice reading items by naming why each wrong option is wrong.
Your checkpoint
A timed reading section score with per-text timings and a 30-term glossary with example sentences.
Reading & Listening
Complete two full listening sections back to back to build stamina, and log accuracy for each part separately.
Complete two full reading sections under exam conditions and compare scores with week 6 to confirm improvement.
Drill note-taking on longer listening passages, capturing only keywords, figures, and speaker stance.
Review every remaining error across reading and listening and rewrite each as a one-line rule you can apply next time.
Your checkpoint
A two-section score comparison table (week 6 versus week 7) plus 15 one-line personal rules for reading and listening.
Speaking & Writing & Reading & Listening
Run one full mock covering all four domains on separate days, following real timing and no pausing.
Re-record three speaking answers from week 1 and compare fluency, range, and clarity against the originals.
Rewrite one week 5 email and one week 6 report, aiming for tighter structure and fewer errors.
Finalise a one-page exam-day checklist covering timing per section, word counts, and your top five recurring errors.
Your checkpoint
A full mock result sheet across all four domains with a one-page exam-day checklist.
Milestones
Week 4: Deliver a timed speaking mock and two 180-220 word emails; score at least 60% on a self-rated speaking rubric and keep both emails within the word limit with no more than three grammar slips each.
Week 6: Finish a timed reading section within the time limit and produce both required emails and a report; confirm word counts fall within plus or minus 10 words and that at least 70% of reading answers are correct.
Week 8: Complete a full four-domain mock with scores recorded for each domain, show measurable improvement over week 4 in speaking fluency and over week 6 in reading accuracy, and finish the exam-day checklist.