Before you start
Take a diagnostic first. Thirty days of unfocused practice is far less effective than thirty days targeted at your actual weak skills — you need a starting band and a per-skill breakdown before you can plan intelligently. Our free score estimate gives you both in about 15 minutes.
Week 1 — Diagnose and learn the format
Take a full mock test to establish your baseline across all four skills. Spend the rest of the week getting comfortable with the 2026 task types themselves — Complete the Words, Build a Sentence, Listen and Repeat, Take an Interview, Email, and Academic Discussion are all new since January 2026, so even strong English speakers lose points to unfamiliarity with the format, not the language. Do at least one practice set per task type.
Week 2 — Target your weakest skill
Using your Week 1 results, spend most of your daily practice time on your lowest-scoring section. If Speaking is weak, drill Listen and Repeat and Interview sets daily — delivery improves fastest with volume. If Writing is weak, focus on Email and Academic Discussion, since both are graded on development and organization as much as grammar. Keep light daily contact with your other skills so they don't slide.
Week 3 — Full-length practice under real conditions
Shift from isolated task practice to full-section and full-mock attempts, timed exactly like the real exam. This week is about stamina and pacing — the 2026 test is shorter than the old format (~2 hours), but maintaining focus and speed across all four sections back-to-back is still a skill you have to build separately from knowing the content.
Week 4 — Sharpen and simulate
Take one more full mock early in the week and compare it directly to your Week 1 baseline — this tells you which weeks actually moved the needle. Spend the remaining days on your still-weakest area, review AI feedback on your recent Writing/Speaking submissions for recurring mistakes, and taper down intensity in the final 2 days before your test date to avoid burnout.
Daily structure that works
- 45–60 minutes on weekdays: one focused practice set (your weakest skill) plus review of AI feedback from your last submission.
- 90–120 minutes on one weekend day: a full section or full mock, timed.
- Consistency beats intensity — five 45-minute sessions a week outperform one 5-hour cram session.
Need a shorter runway?
If you have less than 30 days, see our 2-week study plan for a compressed version of this same structure.
Start your baseline today
Every plan above starts from knowing your actual current band. Get that number free, then start practicing the exact 2026 task types with instant AI feedback.