A four-week PD3 reading and writing study plan

If you have about a month, make each practice paper count. Repeating tests without reviewing the causes of mistakes is a poor use of limited evenings.

Week 1: establish a baseline

Do one unseen reading set under the two time limits. Record the time used, unanswered questions and any help. Write an email and a longer answer on a separate day. Ask a teacher to identify two changes with the largest effect on clarity.

Separate independent attempts from corrected drafts. A better rewritten answer is evidence of learning, but it is not yet evidence that you can reproduce the same quality without help.

Week 2: work on the biggest causes

Use three short sessions to practise one reading weakness, such as finding dates connected to the correct event or tracking reference words across paragraph gaps. Use two writing sessions to rewrite difficult sentences and then apply the same rule in fresh sentences.

A focused 30-minute session can contain five minutes of recall, 15 minutes of practice and ten minutes of checking. Record actual focused time. Stop adding tasks when the planned block has already been used.

Week 3: transfer to a new topic

Try another unseen set. Compare accuracy and completion, not just the total points. Check whether you applied the method on unfamiliar texts. If the same error returns, reduce the exercise to a small example and explain the reasoning aloud before trying again.

For writing, cover every task instruction and develop one paragraph at a time. Ask your teacher whether your examples support your claims. Keep a short personal checklist rather than trying to memorise every grammar rule.

Week 4: rehearse and consolidate

Schedule a complete reading attempt and a complete writing attempt with realistic timing. Review them early enough to practise the main problems again. In the final days, revise your error log, useful expressions and exam-day arrangements rather than rushing through every remaining paper.

A manageable weekly rhythm

• Two short reading sessions with evidence-based review.
• Two writing sessions, including teacher feedback where available.
• One longer timed attempt when you have enough uninterrupted time.
• A separate speaking session: these PDF packs cover reading and writing, not the oral exam.

Use fewer sessions if that is what you can sustain. The aim is improved performance on new material, not a perfect-looking timetable. Reading method and writing checks can guide the shorter sessions.