National Latin Exam (NLE) study plan

Decline and conjugate the five declensions and the four regular conjugations from memory, writing all case/number or person/number forms for 40 randomly chosen nouns and verbs

Parse 60 words in short Latin sentences by naming form, case or tense, and syntactic function before translating

Build a 120-word core vocabulary deck drawn from the NLE syllabus list and review it daily

Recognize the six infinitive forms and the four participles on sight, labeling each as active or passive and present, future, or perfect

Translate 10 short adapted prose passages of 3-5 sentences each, marking every subject-verb-object core before rendering English

Identify and translate all subordinate clauses (purpose, result, indirect question, cum-clause) in 15 sentences

Apply case usage rules (ablative of means, agent, time; genitive of possession; dative with special verbs) to 30 constructed sentences

Read each passage aloud once to fix quantity and word grouping

Memorize 150 additional syllabus words, grouping them by theme (family, military, city, time)

Derive the English meaning of 60 Latin roots and prefixes and match each to at least one English derivative

Memorize the Twelve Olympians with Greek and Roman names and one identifying attribute each

Place the seven kings of Rome and the founding myths in chronological order on a timeline

Translate 8 longer prose passages (8-12 sentences) under a 12-minute time limit each, simulating exam pacing

Convert 25 active sentences to passive and back, adjusting case and verb form correctly

Resolve pronoun and reflexive reference in 20 sentences, stating the antecedent for each

Explain in writing why each subjunctive in a set of 20 sentences is subjunctive

Outline Roman history from monarchy through the late empire, listing one key event and date per period

Describe the structure of the cursus honorum and the roles of consul, praetor, tribune, and senator

Explain daily Roman life topics: domus, forum, baths, games, and the army camp

Read 3 short passages with heavy cultural content and annotate every cultural reference

Review the full vocabulary list, isolating the 80 words missed most often and drilling them to automaticity

Conjugate 30 irregular or deponent verbs in all principal parts

Identify all uses of the ablative and genitive in a 40-sentence set and label each

Complete 50 syllabus-style multiple-choice grammar items and log error patterns

Complete a full-length timed practice exam under real conditions and score it by domain

Re-read every missed reading-comprehension item and write the exact line that supports the correct answer

Recite the major myths (Aeneas, Romulus, Heracles, Theseus) with three plot points each

Match 30 famous Romans to their achievements and era

Drill only the ranked weak spots from week 7 until each is answered correctly three times in a row

Take two more timed half-exams and compare domain scores to week 7

Review the personal reference charts, derivative list, and culture sheet once each

Practice exam-day pacing: 30 seconds per multiple-choice item and a fixed translation budget