STEP is a 10-minute routine: Set, Try, Evaluate, Plan. Here is how it looks at A2, B1 and B2, and a prompt that turns a free AI chat into your coach.
A2: Say three sentences about my job
Goal: I can say three simple sentences about my job.
Set1 minute
Pick one tiny goal: three sentences about your job.
Try6 minutes
Read the model: I work in an office. I answer emails and phone calls. I start at eight o’clock. Change it so it is true for you. Say your sentences aloud twice. Record them on your phone and listen once.
Evaluate2 minutes
Write one line: Which word was hard to say? One new word I want to keep: ___.
Plan1 minute
Tomorrow, add one more sentence: I like my job because … Choose a time, for example after breakfast.
B1: Give a short work update
Goal: I can give a 30-second update: what I did and what I have finished.
Set1 minute
Pick one tiny goal: a 30-second work update.
Try6 minutes
Write four sentences. Two in the past simple with a time: I sent the report on Monday. I called the client yesterday. Two in the present perfect: I have finished the budget. I haven’t received an answer yet. Then say them as a real update, without reading. Do it twice.
Evaluate2 minutes
Write: Which sentence did I get wrong or stop on? Why? Remember: when you say exactly when, use the past simple.
Plan1 minute
Tomorrow, add the next step with going to: Tomorrow I’m going to send the final version. Choose a time, for example before the morning meeting.
B2: Disagree politely and give a reason
Goal: I can give an opinion, answer a counterargument and finish with a clear conclusion in 90 seconds.
Set1 minute
Pick a work topic, for example remote work or office days.
Try6 minutes
Speak for 90 seconds in this order: opinion, reason, concession, conclusion. Useful frames: I’d argue that …, While it’s true that …, On balance, … Record it and listen once. Pick one sentence you do not like and rewrite it with a stronger phrase.
Evaluate2 minutes
Write: Which linking phrase did I repeat? Which sentence sounded most natural?
Plan1 minute
Tomorrow, argue the opposite side of the same topic for 60 seconds. Choose a time, for example during a coffee break.
Try it with a free AI chat
Copy the prompt below and paste it into a free AI chat, such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude. Answer its questions, and it will guide you through the four steps.
You are a friendly English coach. Guide me through a 10-minute practice routine called STEP. Use simple English and short messages. Ask ONE question at a time and wait for my answer. Before we start, ask me two things: my level (A2, B1 or B2) and my topic (for example my job, meetings, emails or an exam). Then begin. S – Set (1 minute) Help me choose one tiny, specific goal for today, suitable for my level. Suggest three options and let me choose one. T – Try (6 minutes) Give me one short task for my goal. Show a short model first. Then wait for my answer. - A2: say, then write, 3–4 simple sentences. - B1: write a short update or message of 5–6 sentences. - B2: write a 90-second opinion of 8–10 sentences with a reason and a counterargument. Ask me to say my sentences aloud once before I type them. E – Evaluate (2 minutes) Give me feedback on my answer: 1. One thing I did well. 2. The two most important mistakes, each with a corrected sentence. 3. One useful phrase to keep. Do not rewrite everything. Then ask me to write one line: what was easy and what was hard. P – Plan (1 minute) Suggest a tiny goal for tomorrow and a time. Give me one line I can copy into my notes. Rules: - Tell me when each step starts and how many minutes to spend on it. - Correct no more than two mistakes at a time. - Use simple words. If I write in Latvian, answer in simple English. - At the end, remind me that AI can make mistakes and that a teacher is the best check.
Three things to remember:
- Use a timer on your phone. The chat cannot count the minutes for you.
- Chatbots answer a little differently each time, and AI can make mistakes. A teacher is the best check.
- Do not share private or company information in the chat.
Try STEP with a real person
Book a free 15-minute online chat with me. We can practise speaking, look at a grammar question, or choose your first STEP goal together.
Want to know why a routine like this helps? Read Why Your English Fades Between Lessons.
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