MATSEC AM French study plan

MATSEC AM French · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 6 hours per week

Week 1

Language Use and Grammar & Reading and Comprehension

Diagnose grammar gaps by completing a 40-item self-test covering verb tenses, pronouns, and agreement, and log every error by category.
Review and drill the present, passé composé, imparfait, and futur simple across 60 original sentences, writing the rule for each choice.
Read two 400-word French articles (news and literary) and annotate all verb forms, identifying tense and mood.
Build a personal error log with at least 25 entries, each paired with a corrected model sentence.
Set up a weekly vocabulary schedule of 50 new words drawn from the week's reading, entered into a spaced-repetition app.

A dated error log of at least 25 grammar mistakes with corrected model sentences and category tags.

Week 2

Master the subjunctive present and its triggers by rewriting 30 indicative sentences into subjunctive constructions.
Complete 50 transformation exercises on pronouns (y, en, relative, demonstrative) and record accuracy.
Read one 600-word argumentative text and answer 10 comprehension questions in French without a dictionary.
Summarise the same text in 120 words, checking tense consistency and connector use.
Review the error log and mark items resolved versus still active.

A 120-word French summary of a 600-word article plus a scored 10-question comprehension set.

Week 3

Practise skimming and scanning: complete three timed reading tasks (15 minutes each) with 8 questions per text.
Identify and list 20 discourse connectors from authentic texts, grouping them by function (cause, contrast, concession, consequence).
Write a 200-word opinion paragraph using at least 10 of the listed connectors correctly.
Analyse two model compositions to extract structural conventions (introduction, thesis, development, conclusion).
Complete 30 grammar items under timed conditions (20 minutes) to build exam pace.

A 200-word opinion paragraph with connectors highlighted and a self-assessment checklist of structural conventions.

Week 4

Draft two full compositions (250–300 words each) on past-paper-style prompts, one narrative and one argumentative.
Revise each draft against a checklist covering task achievement, coherence, range, and accuracy.
Complete two timed reading papers (45 minutes each) under exam conditions and score them.
Compile a personal phrase bank of 30 academic expressions for introducing, developing, and concluding arguments.
Review the error log and rewrite five previously incorrect sentences from memory.

Two revised 250–300-word compositions with a completed self-assessment checklist for each.

Week 5

Listen to three 3-minute authentic French audio clips (news, interview, dialogue) and transcribe key details.
Complete 20 listening comprehension questions in French, focusing on inference and speaker attitude.
Shadow two audio clips for pronunciation, rhythm, and liaison, recording yourself for comparison.
Drill listening-specific grammar: numbers, dates, and time expressions in 30 dictation sentences.
Review the error log and add any new listening-related grammar gaps.

Three completed listening transcripts with 20 answered comprehension questions and a self-recording for pronunciation review.

Week 6

Prepare and record a 3-minute oral presentation on a current-affairs topic, using a structured plan.
Conduct two 10-minute mock oral exchanges with a partner or tutor, practising follow-up questions.
Write a 250-word composition based on a listening stimulus, integrating information heard accurately.
Complete two full listening papers under exam conditions and score them.
Review and resolve at least 10 remaining items in the error log.

A recorded 3-minute oral presentation with a written self-evaluation and a scored listening paper.

Week 7

Complete a full timed reading and grammar paper (90 minutes) under exam conditions and score it.
Analyse every error from the mock paper and write a corrective rule for each.
Re-read two previously studied texts and answer new inference questions without notes.
Complete 40 rapid grammar items in 25 minutes to consolidate automaticity.
Update the error log and identify the three most persistent error types.

A scored full mock reading and grammar paper with a written error analysis for every incorrect item.

Week 8

Complete a full timed writing paper (two compositions, 90 minutes) under exam conditions.
Complete a full timed listening paper and score it against a mark scheme.
Deliver a 10-minute mock oral exam covering presentation and discussion, and record it.
Review the entire error log and rewrite the 20 most persistent errors correctly.
Finalise a one-page exam-day strategy sheet covering timing, question order, and checking routines.

A complete mock exam pack (writing, listening, oral) with scores and a one-page exam-day strategy sheet.

Week 4: Score at least 65% on two timed reading papers and produce two revised compositions that meet the structural checklist.

Week 6: Score at least 70% on two full listening papers and deliver a 3-minute oral presentation with clear structure and accurate pronunciation.

Week 8: Score at least 75% on the full mock exam pack and demonstrate that fewer than 10 error-log items remain unresolved.