PERT Writing study plan
PERT Writing · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Grammar and Usage & Sentence Structure
Identify and correct the eight parts of speech in isolated sentences
Distinguish subject from predicate in 20 varied sentences
Apply subject-verb agreement rules to tricky cases (collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, intervening phrases)
Label every word's function in ten original sentences
Your checkpoint
A 25-item self-written grammar diagnostic with corrections and a one-page error log
Grammar and Usage & Sentence Structure
Correct pronoun case, reference, and agreement errors in 15 sentences
Fix misplaced and dangling modifiers in 12 sentences
Classify all four sentence types (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex)
Repair run-ons and fragments in a 200-word passage
Your checkpoint
A rewritten 200-word passage free of fragments, run-ons, and dangling modifiers, with before/after versions
Punctuation
Apply comma rules across ten categories in original sentences
Punctuate semicolons, colons, and dashes correctly in 15 items
Place apostrophes for possession and contraction accurately in 20 items
Edit a 150-word paragraph to fix all punctuation errors
Your checkpoint
A punctuation rule sheet with one original example per rule plus a corrected 150-word paragraph
Punctuation & Grammar and Usage
Integrate quotation marks, italics, and titles correctly in ten sentences
Apply capitalization rules to 20 mixed items
Proofread a 250-word passage for combined grammar and punctuation errors
Explain each correction using rule names
Your checkpoint
A 250-word proofreading exercise with an annotated answer key citing the rule for each fix
Organization and Development
Write thesis statements that state a clear, arguable main idea
Organize body paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting detail
Sequence ideas using transitions across a five-paragraph outline
Revise an outline to eliminate weak or off-topic support
Your checkpoint
Two full essay outlines with thesis, topic sentences, and transitions
Organization and Development & Sentence Structure
Draft a timed 25-minute persuasive essay with clear structure
Vary sentence length and structure to improve flow
Add concrete evidence to every body paragraph
Revise the draft to strengthen organization and cohesion
Your checkpoint
One timed essay draft plus a revised version with a revision memo listing changes
Essay Revision and Editing
Apply a checklist to edit an essay for grammar, punctuation, and usage
Cut wordiness and redundancy from a 300-word passage
Improve word choice and tone in ten weak sentences
Revise a peer-style essay to raise its clarity and coherence
Your checkpoint
A fully edited 300-word essay with a tracked list of at least 15 specific edits
Essay Revision and Editing & Organization and Development & Punctuation
Complete two full timed practice essays under 30-minute limits
Self-score each essay against a rubric covering all five domains
Target and re-edit the three weakest error categories from the error log
Review all rule sheets and error logs for final consolidation
Your checkpoint
Two timed essays with scored rubrics and a final one-page personal error-pattern summary
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 80% on the self-written grammar and sentence-structure diagnostic
Week 4: Reduce punctuation errors to two or fewer in a 250-word proofreading passage
Week 6: Produce a timed essay with a clear thesis, organized paragraphs, and transitions in 25 minutes
Week 8: Earn at least 4 of 5 on the self-scored rubric for each of two timed essays