The six-week TARA plan
About seven hours a week. Diagnose, drill each question type, then sit full modules. Write every week.
Week 1: diagnose
Sit all three modules. Code every miss.
| Code | What failed | First repair |
|---|---|---|
| S | Structure: conclusion, assumption, principle | Map the argument before the options |
| I | Inference: chose more than the passage supports | Check the option's strength words |
| R | Relevance: kept a distraction or dropped a limit | Filter the data first |
| P | Procedure: no route appeared | Write the first decisive move |
| E | Execution: arithmetic or units | Short clean repetition |
| T | Time: right method, too slow | Practise moving on |
Weeks 2 to 4: build
- Week : Critical Thinking. Conclusions and assumptions first, then the other types. End with in .
- Week : Problem Solving. Five in minutes, then in .
- Week : Writing every other day. Alternate a seven-minute plan with a full essay.
Worked example Turn one assumption miss into a drill
A council says most residents own smartphones, so app notifications mean everyone who needs information will get it faster. What must be assumed?
Why this works: That everyone who needs the message can and will get it by app. 'Most own a phone' does not reach 'everyone'.
Why the tempting route fails: Cost or staff preference may matter for policy, but the conclusion does not need them.
Week 5: full sittings
Two full sittings on different days, all three modules in order, no break. Review the three slowest questions and count errors by code.
Week 6: rehearse, then rest
- Sit the official Pearson practice test early in the week.
- Run two short sets on your most common errors.
- Write one final plan and one full essay.
- Nothing new in the last hours.