PEIC Level 4 (C1) study plan
PEIC Level 4 (C1) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Listening & Reading
Transcribe 3 two-minute authentic audio clips (podcast or lecture) and mark every word you missed or misheard
Annotate each miss as either a sound-level problem (connected speech, weak forms) or a vocabulary-level problem
Skim 2 C1-level articles and underline the 10 sentences carrying the main argument
Build a personal error log with 20 entries drawn from this week's listening and reading work
Your checkpoint
A dated error log of 20 tagged entries (sound vs vocabulary vs inference) plus 3 annotated transcripts
Listening & Reading
Identify the speaker's stance or attitude in 5 short audio extracts and justify each judgement with the exact phrase that signalled it
Predict the next idea in 4 articles after reading only the first two paragraphs, then check your prediction
Paraphrase 10 dense reading sentences into plain English without losing meaning
Explain 8 common connected-speech patterns (elision, assimilation, weak forms) aloud using your own examples
Your checkpoint
A one-page stance-and-signal table covering 5 audio extracts and 4 reading predictions with outcomes
Reading & Writing
Summarise 3 long articles into 120-word abstracts that keep the argument structure intact
Write 2 opinion paragraphs of 150 words each, each with a clear claim, evidence, and concession
Rewrite 5 of your own sentences to remove vague wording and nominalisations
Match 10 discourse markers (however, whereas, consequently, admittedly) to the logical relation they express and use each in a sentence
Your checkpoint
Two 150-word opinion paragraphs plus three 120-word article abstracts, all self-edited once
Listening & Speaking
Record 4 two-minute spoken responses to unseen prompts and transcribe them
Mark your own fluency: count hesitations, false starts, and self-corrections per minute
Shadow 3 minutes of native-speaker audio daily to practise stress and intonation
Deliver a 3-minute structured argument (position, two reasons, counterpoint, conclusion) without notes
Your checkpoint
A self-assessment table of 4 recorded responses showing hesitation rate and one target fix each
Speaking & Writing
Write 2 formal emails (150-180 words) requesting action and adjusting tone for a senior recipient
Convert each email into a 90-second spoken version and compare what changed between written and spoken register
Practise 6 functional exchanges aloud: interrupting politely, disagreeing, hedging, seeking clarification
Record and review a 4-minute discussion contribution using 4 different functional phrases correctly
Your checkpoint
Two formal emails plus a 4-minute recording with a written note listing each functional phrase used and where
Listening & Reading
Complete 3 timed listening sets (about 10 minutes each) and review every wrong answer to find its cause
Complete 3 timed reading sets and practise scanning for detail before reading for gist
Build a 30-item glossary of academic and abstract nouns you met in context this week
Identify the function of 10 signposting phrases in lectures (defining, exemplifying, digressing, concluding)
Your checkpoint
A timed-practice log for 6 sets with scores, error causes, and the 30-item glossary
Speaking & Writing
Write one 250-word argumentative essay under a 40-minute limit and self-mark it against a 4-criterion checklist
Deliver two 5-minute monologues on abstract topics, structuring each with signposting
Edit a previous piece of writing to cut 15 percent of words without losing content
Rehearse 8 likely follow-up questions and answer each aloud in under 45 seconds
Your checkpoint
One timed 250-word essay with a completed self-marking checklist and a revised second draft
Listening & Reading & Speaking & Writing
Run 2 full mock exams under real time conditions across all four domains
Review each mock, ranking errors by frequency and severity
Re-record one speaking task from week 4 and compare hesitation and structure against the original
Write a final one-page list of the 10 habits to keep and 5 errors to watch on exam day
Your checkpoint
Two completed mock exams with score sheets and a one-page exam-day action list
Milestones
Week 2: Error log has 20+ entries and at least 60 percent are tagged with a specific cause you can explain aloud; you can summarise a C1 article in three sentences without notes
Week 4: Hesitation rate in recorded speech is measured and trending down across the four recordings; you can deliver a 3-minute structured argument with no notes and no more than 3 long pauses
Week 6: Timed listening and reading scores are stable or rising across 6 sets; every wrong answer has a written cause, and fewer than a third are vocabulary gaps
Week 8: Both mock exams are complete, all four domains have a recorded score, and the exam-day action list names concrete fixes rather than general advice