STEP English study plan
STEP English · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Reading comprehension & Listening comprehension
Complete one timed reading diagnostic and one timed listening diagnostic under exam conditions
Identify and rank the five most frequent error types from both diagnostics
Create a weekly schedule with three 45-minute reading blocks and three 45-minute listening blocks
Start a vocabulary log with 40 academic and exam-common items
Your checkpoint
A baseline diagnostic report listing reading and listening scores, top five error categories, and a completed weekly study schedule
Reading comprehension & Listening comprehension
Annotate four reading passages for main idea, supporting detail, and author attitude
Transcribe three short listening segments and mark signpost language and discourse markers
Summarize each annotated passage in one sentence and each listening segment in two sentences
Complete 30 mixed reading and listening questions and log accuracy by question type
Your checkpoint
Four annotated passages, three structured listening transcripts, and an accuracy log for 30 mixed questions
Reading comprehension & Listening comprehension
Answer 60 inference, detail, and vocabulary-in-context questions across reading and listening
Categorize every incorrect answer as misread question, missed evidence, vocabulary gap, or timing issue
Shadow two listening clips for rhythm, stress, and connected speech
Review error log and rewrite five incorrect answers with the correct evidence cited
Your checkpoint
An error-category tracker covering 60 questions with five corrected answers and cited evidence
Writing (extended production)
Outline three extended-writing task types: argument, explanation, and response to source material
Draft two 250-word essays in 40 minutes each using a fixed planning template
Revise both drafts against a checklist for task response, organization, cohesion, and range
Build a bank of 20 transition and framing phrases and use at least 10 in the revised drafts
Your checkpoint
Two timed 250-word essays with marked revisions and a 20-item transition phrase bank
Writing (extended production)
Write three timed essays on unfamiliar prompts with planning limited to five minutes
Self-score each essay against a four-criterion rubric and set one revision target per essay
Edit one essay for cohesion by rewriting topic sentences and linking devices
Reduce average planning time by five minutes while maintaining word count above 250
Your checkpoint
A three-essay portfolio with rubric scores and a one-paragraph reflection on planning-time reduction
Speaking / oral interaction
Record five two-minute monologues on exam-style topics and transcribe the first 30 seconds of each
Perform three role-play interactions with a partner or recorded prompts, each lasting four minutes
Self-assess each recording for fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary range, and interaction management
Compile 30 topic-specific phrases for expressing opinion, agreement, disagreement, and clarification
Your checkpoint
Five monologue recordings, three role-play recordings, a self-assessment grid, and a 30-phrase speaking bank
Speaking / oral interaction & Writing (extended production)
Complete four timed speaking tasks combining monologue and interactive response
Write two integrated responses that summarize and react to short source material
Exchange feedback on two speaking recordings using a three-point rubric
Re-record two speaking tasks after implementing one pronunciation and one fluency correction
Your checkpoint
Four speaking recordings, two integrated written responses, and feedback notes showing two re-recorded tasks
Reading comprehension & Listening comprehension & Writing (extended production) & Speaking / oral interaction
Complete one full mock exam covering reading, listening, writing, and speaking in a single weekend
Score the mock exam and compare results against the week-one baseline
Review the ten highest-priority errors and rewrite or re-record corrected responses
Finalize a one-page exam-day strategy covering timing, question order, and speaking preparation
Your checkpoint
A full mock score report, a baseline-versus-final comparison, and a one-page exam-day strategy sheet
Milestones
Week 2: Reading and listening accuracy logs show at least one identified error pattern per domain and a completed vocabulary log of 80 items
Week 4: Two timed essays are completed, revised, and scored; reading and listening practice accuracy has improved from the week-one baseline
Week 6: Five speaking recordings and three role-play recordings are submitted with a completed self-assessment grid
Week 8: Full mock exam is scored across all four domains and the final score report is compared with the week-one baseline