Skills for English C1 study plan
Skills for English C1 · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Reading & Listening
Diagnose current C1 reading level by completing two full-length timed reading sets and recording accuracy and time per task type
Build a personal vocabulary log of at least 60 C1-level academic and opinion words drawn from reading passages, with definitions in your own words
Map the exam's reading task types and write one sentence describing the skill each task tests
Set up a listening routine: 20 minutes of authentic C1 audio (lectures, podcasts, radio interviews) on five separate days
Your checkpoint
A diagnostic report listing reading accuracy by task type, a 60-entry vocabulary log, and a signed listening log for five days
Reading & Listening
Practise skimming for main idea: summarise five C1 articles in two sentences each within a three-minute limit per article
Practise scanning for detail: answer 30 detail questions under timed conditions and mark where in the text each answer came from
Identify distractors in multiple-choice reading items by labelling each wrong option as contradiction, half-true, or out-of-scope
Transcribe 90 seconds of authentic listening audio and compare it with the transcript to find decoding gaps
Your checkpoint
A distractor analysis table covering 20 multiple-choice reading items plus one annotated 90-second transcription
Reading & Listening
Infer meaning from context: complete 25 inference questions and justify each answer with a quoted phrase
Recognise attitude and tone markers in opinion texts and label the writer's stance in six passages
Take notes on two 6-minute lectures using a shorthand system, then answer five questions per lecture from notes only
Shadow 10 minutes of C1 audio to improve connected-speech recognition (weak forms, elision, linking)
Your checkpoint
A tone-and-inference worksheet with 25 justified answers and two sets of lecture notes used to answer questions
Reading & Listening
Complete a full timed reading and listening mock under exam conditions with no pauses or dictionary
Review every error and write the cause (vocabulary, speed, misread question, missed audio cue) in an error log
Raise reading speed by re-reading three passages against the clock, targeting a measurable words-per-minute gain
Practise handling unknown words without stopping by completing one passage with a no-dictionary rule
Your checkpoint
A mid-point mock score report with an error-cause log and a words-per-minute reading-speed figure
Speaking & Writing
Record a 2-minute monologue daily on a C1 prompt, then self-assess fluency, range, and accuracy against a checklist
Build and rehearse a bank of 15 linking phrases and discourse markers for structuring spoken answers
Write two 200-word opinion essays under a 30-minute limit and edit each for cohesion and register
Draft a paragraph-level writing template for argument, counter-argument, and conclusion that you can adapt, not memorise
Your checkpoint
Five recorded monologues with a self-assessment sheet and two timed 200-word essays with marked edits
Speaking & Writing
Deliver a 3-minute structured talk with an introduction, two developed points, and a conclusion, recorded and reviewed
Practise paraphrasing: restate 20 written sentences aloud in different words without losing meaning
Write one formal email or report of 180-220 words using an appropriate register and clear paragraphing
Self-correct five recurring grammar or pronunciation errors identified from your recordings and written work
Your checkpoint
A 3-minute recorded talk with a review sheet, a 20-sentence paraphrase log, and one formal writing task with a corrected error list
Speaking & Writing
Simulate a full speaking test with a partner or recording tool, covering all parts back to back
Complete two timed writing tasks of different types and check them against the exam's assessment criteria
Expand range by using five less common structures (inversion, cleft sentences, conditionals) accurately in speech and writing
Reduce hesitation by doing three 2-minute fluency drills with no long pauses, tracked with a timer
Your checkpoint
A full speaking simulation recording with a criteria-based score and two timed writing tasks with self-marked band estimates
Reading & Listening & Speaking & Writing
Complete one full four-skill mock under strict timing and record scores for each domain
Review all four domains' error logs and list the three highest-impact fixes for each
Rehearse exam-day routines: reading question order, listening preview time, speaking warm-up, and writing time allocation
Finalise a one-page personal checklist of strategies to use on test day
Your checkpoint
A full mock score report across all four domains plus a one-page exam-day strategy checklist
Milestones
Week 2: You can summarise a C1 article in two sentences and locate answer evidence within the time limit for at least 4 of 5 passages
Week 4: Your timed reading and listening mock shows at least 65% accuracy in each domain, and your error log identifies recurring causes rather than one-off slips
Week 6: You can speak for 3 minutes with clear structure and write a 200-word opinion essay in 30 minutes that meets cohesion and register criteria
Week 8: Your full four-skill mock shows at least 70% in every domain, and you can name three concrete strategies per domain to apply on test day