EAP test coming up — 4 weeks out and panicking about the writing section
My university requires a passing EAP score for conditional admission into academic programs. I have 4 weeks. English is my second language (native Spanish speaker) and speaking is fine but academic writing is where I consistently fall short.
I'm doing 90 minutes every morning before work. Reading and listening sections are manageable. The essay task is the problem — I keep writing in a journalistic style instead of academic register and my thesis statements are weak.
Found an EAP study guide that broke down the essay structure really clearly. Starting to internalize the pattern but still nervous. Anyone else dealt with this register shift?
Thesis statements clicked for me when I started using a formula: [topic] + [position] + [3 supporting reasons]. Sounds mechanical but it gets you out of vague openings fast.
4 weeks is enough. Focus your last week almost entirely on timed writing under exam conditions — no dictionary, strict word count, real time limit. That simulation matters more than any grammar review.
The register shift is real and it takes deliberate practice. Read 3-4 academic papers in your subject area each week and pay attention to how claims are hedged and evidence is introduced. Copy the sentence structure.
Honestly I get the panic, I was in almost the same boat last year. Working full time, studying around 8 weeks out, and writing was the part that kept dragging my score down. What actually worked for me wasn't more hours, it was being stupidly consistent. I did 40 minutes on my lunch break and then 20 more on the train home. The morning slot is great for reading but I found my brain was too fresh for writing, weirdly. I wrote better when I was a bit tired and just had to get words out without overthinking every sentence.
One thing that moved the needle fast: I stopped writing full essays every day and started writing one solid intro paragraph plus a clear thesis, every single day, timed. That's where the points hide. Examiners want structure and a clear position more than fancy vocabulary, and your Spanish brain is probably trying to make every sentence elegant. Don't. Keep them shorter and clearer than feels natural. Four weeks is enough if you write a little every day and actually reread the marker comments instead of just collecting new prompts. You've got this.