below is a minimum example.

library(ggplot2)
library(patchwork)

p1 <- ggplot2::ggplot(mtcars, aes(x = wt, y = mpg)) +
    geom_point()

p1 + p1 + p1 +
    p1 + p1 + p1 + p1 +
    patchwork::plot_layout(
        design = "EEEEFFFFJJJJ
                  AAABBBCCCDDD"
    ) +
    patchwork::plot_annotation(
        tag_levels = "a"
    ) & theme_classic()

The produced figure has uneven column width in the second if you noticed. Figures d and e are significantly narrower than e and f although I set them to have equal width in the design.

Please help.