Most test-takers who reach band 8 didn't start at 7. They started at 5.5 or 6 and built up over 6–10 weeks. Here's the plan that works.
Week 1–2: Diagnostic + foundation
Take a full diagnostic. Don't study the result — study the pattern. Which section cost you the most points? Where did you run out of time? What question types did you skip?
Week 3–4: Targeted section work
Pick your weakest section. Spend 4 days a week on it alone, with 30-minute focused sessions. The mistake people make is studying all four sections equally — that gives you four weak sections.
Week 5–6: Full mocks under exam conditions
Two full mocks a week. Same time of day, same room, no phone. The instant scorecard tells you exactly what to fix before the next one.
Week 7–10: Polish + strategy
By now you should be scoring 7.5–8 in mocks. Focus on strategy — time management, when to skip, how to handle the reading passage you don't understand. These small optimizations add up to a full band.