A monthly review can help you choose what to practise next. This activity is an informal study check, not a CEFR assessment or a prediction of exam performance. Allow about 20–30 minutes; take longer if you need it. Keep your answers in a notebook so you can compare the kinds of mistakes you make.
1. Read a short workplace message
Read the message once for its purpose and again for details. Do not use a dictionary on the first reading.
Hi Noor,
Our workshop has moved from Tuesday to Thursday because the trainer is unavailable on Tuesday. The starting time is still 10 a.m., but we will meet in Room 4 instead of Room 2. Please bring your laptop. You do not need to print the workbook; I will email it on Wednesday. If you cannot attend on Thursday, reply by Monday afternoon so I can arrange access to a recording. The recording will cover the presentation, but it will not include the small-group practice.
Thanks,
Alex
- Why has the workshop moved?
- Which two details have changed, and which time has stayed the same?
- Does Noor need a printed workbook?
- What should Noor do if Thursday is impossible?
- What will someone miss if they only watch the recording?
Reading answers and explanations
- The trainer is unavailable on Tuesday. The message does not say the room is unavailable.
- The day changes to Thursday and the room changes to Room 4. The start remains 10 a.m.
- No. Alex will email the workbook on Wednesday.
- Reply by Monday afternoon to arrange recording access. Wednesday is the workbook date, not the reply deadline.
- The small-group practice. The recording contains the presentation only.
Give yourself one point for each complete answer, up to five. Question 2 needs both changes and the unchanged time. This score describes this passage only; it does not identify your English level.
2. Check five grammar choices
Write your choice and a short reason before opening the answers.
- We have worked together since / for 2022.
- Yesterday I sent / have sent the updated schedule.
- Could you tell me where the room is / is the room?
- She gave me an advice / some advice about the interview.
- I need to put off it / it off until Thursday.
Grammar answers and explanations
- Since: 2022 is a starting point. Use for with a duration, such as four years.
- Sent: yesterday places the event in a finished past time.
- The room is: the embedded question uses statement word order.
- Some advice: advice is uncountable in this meaning. One item is a piece of advice.
- It off: with separable put off, the object pronoun goes between the verb and particle.
Record one point per correct choice, up to five. Separately mark any answer you guessed: a correct guess can still be worth revising.
3. Use vocabulary rather than just count unknown words
Use the workshop message to explain unavailable, arrange and attend in your own words. Then write a new sentence with one of them about your own plans.
Vocabulary examples
Unavailable: not able to take part at that time. Arrange: organise or make plans for something. Attend: be present at an event. Example: “I cannot attend the call on Friday, so could we arrange another time?”
Check meaning and sentence structure. Your wording can differ. If you need to look up a word, record that as a study target rather than treating it as failure.
4. Write a useful reply
You cannot attend on Thursday. Write a 50–80 word reply to Alex. Thank Alex for the update, explain your availability, request the recording and ask how you can practise the small-group task independently. The word range is a practice constraint, not a measure of proficiency.
Sample reply and self-check
Hi Alex,
Thanks for letting me know about the change. I cannot attend on Thursday because I have another appointment. Could you please arrange access to the recording? I understand that it will not include the small-group practice. Is there a worksheet or another task I could complete independently afterwards?
Thanks,
Noor
Check four things: did you state your availability, request the recording, ask about the missed activity and use a polite, clear tone? Check your verb forms separately. Other replies can be equally effective.
5. Practise listening and speaking
Open our listening practice about a changed train journey. Listen before revealing the transcript, answer its three questions, and record which details needed a second listen. The optional playback uses your device’s synthetic English voice; it is a controlled exercise, not an authentic conversation or an accent test.
Then explain the workshop change aloud in your own words. Include the new day, room, unchanged time and what someone should do if they cannot attend. You can record yourself using your own device. Listen for missing information, unclear words and sentences you want to rephrase; speaking faster is not the goal.
Keep a useful practice record
- Date and activity used.
- Reading score out of 5 and grammar score out of 5, recorded separately.
- Whether you used a dictionary, transcript or second listen.
- One corrected sentence and the reason for the correction.
- One specific next step, such as practising indirect-question word order.
Next month, try a different passage and task of similar difficulty. Scores from different tasks are not directly equivalent. Repeating this exact activity can show that you remember it, but does not by itself demonstrate broader proficiency. Compare recurring errors and how independently you complete tasks, not just totals.
Choose what to study next
- Starting point or duration: since and for.
- Finished past events: past simple and present perfect.
- Polite requests: direct and indirect questions.
- Clear replies: professional email practice.
For broader self-reflection, consult the Council of Europe CEFR self-assessment grid. This exercise does not award a CEFR level, certificate or exam score.