Password Skills Plus study plan
Password Skills Plus · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Reading & Listening
Diagnose current level in Reading and Listening by completing one full practice set under timed conditions and recording per-task-type accuracy
Skim and scan expository passages in under 90 seconds per section, marking keywords before reading questions
Take Cornell-style notes on 6 short academic audio tracks, capturing 3+ supporting details per main idea
Build a personal error log with 15+ entries tagged by cause (vocabulary, distractor trap, time pressure, misheard word)
Your checkpoint
Baseline score sheet showing Reading and Listening accuracy by task type plus a 15-entry error log
Reading & Listening
Answer True/False/Not Given and matching-headings items using a written elimination procedure for each
Identify distractors in Listening multiple-choice by predicting the paraphrase before the audio plays
Complete form, table and sentence-completion items while respecting word limits and spelling accuracy
Paraphrase 20 unfamiliar academic words into everyday synonyms to widen recognition vocabulary
Your checkpoint
Two timed half-tests (Reading + Listening) scored, with a written correction for every missed item
Reading & Listening
Complete summary-completion and short-answer Reading items within a 60-second-per-question budget
Recognise connected speech and two non-native accents by transcribing 4 audio extracts verbatim
Manage time by allocating fixed minute budgets per passage and abandoning and returning to hard items
Summarise a 3-minute lecture in 5 bullet points immediately after one listening
Your checkpoint
Full timed Reading + Listening section set with section scores logged and a written time-allocation plan
Writing & Reading
Analyse 10 writing prompts to identify task type, required content points and minimum word count before planning
Draft 3-minute essay plans (position, 2 main ideas, examples) before writing
Write cohesive body paragraphs using topic sentence, explanation, example, link
Reduce repeated high-frequency words by substituting 10 academic alternatives in your own drafts
Your checkpoint
Two timed essays (40 minutes each) with a self-scored rubric sheet and one rewritten final draft
Writing & Speaking
Write a data-description or opinion essay in 40 minutes meeting all task requirements on a checklist
Self-edit drafts for the five most frequent grammar errors identified from your own writing
Speak for 90 seconds on 10 familiar Part 1 topics without long pauses, recording each answer
Paraphrase the prompt in the first sentence of every spoken and written response
Your checkpoint
Three timed essays plus 10 recorded one-minute speaking answers with a transcript of two analysed for fillers and repetition
Speaking & Writing
Deliver 2-minute long-turn monologues using a fixed structure (point, reason, example, close) for 8 cue cards
Sustain a 4-minute discussion by adding reasons, conceding a point and asking a follow-up question
Improve intelligibility by drilling word stress and 10 commonly mispronounced academic words
Extend answers by linking ideas with discourse markers instead of repeating the question
Your checkpoint
Eight recorded long-turn responses with a self-assessment sheet rating fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation out of 5
Speaking & Writing
Perform a complete timed speaking test simulation (all parts) in one sitting without stopping the recording
Write two essays back-to-back under strict time limits to build writing stamina
Review all error-log entries and eliminate at least 80% of repeated mistakes
Rehearse exam-day procedures: checking prompts, word counts, and managing nerves with a 60-second breathing routine
Your checkpoint
Full recorded speaking mock plus two timed essays, each scored against the rubric with three concrete fixes listed
Reading & Listening & Writing & Speaking
Complete one full-length mock test covering all four domains in a single session
Review every incorrect answer and classify the cause in your error log
Drill only the two weakest task types with targeted practice sets
Finalise a one-page exam-day checklist covering timing, word limits and speaking strategy
Your checkpoint
Full mock test report with four section scores, a ranked list of remaining weaknesses, and a finalised one-page exam-day checklist
Milestones
Week 2: Reading and Listening accuracy logs show a documented baseline; at least 5 error-log categories have 3+ entries each
Week 4: Two timed essays completed within 40 minutes each and scored on a 4-criterion rubric; every writing error tagged by type
Week 6: Eight recorded speaking responses exist and self-ratings average at least 3/5 in all four criteria, with a written note of the weakest criterion
Week 8: Full mock test completed in one sitting; all four sections scored; fewer than 10 repeat errors from the original error log remain