GCSE Chinese Writing Practice: Foundation and Higher Tasks with Model Answers

By the end you can

• Know what the writing paper asks for at each tier. Writing is Paper 4, a quarter of your GCSE: a few writing tasks and a translation into Chinese. Cover every bullet point, give opinions with reasons and move between past, present and future.
  上个周末我去看了电影。 · Shàng ge zhōumò wǒ qù kànle diànyǐng. · Last weekend I went to see a film.
• Keep ten patterns ready for any task. A toolkit page with opinion and reason, a favourite, 虽然…但是…, a past habit, one past event with 了, the future with 想 or 打算, 如果…就…, 不但…而且… and comparisons with 比.
  虽然中文很难，但是我很喜欢。 · Suīrán Zhōngwén hěn nán, dànshì wǒ hěn xǐhuan. · Although Chinese is hard, I like it a lot.
• Plan each bullet point with its time frame. Before you write, name the time frame of every point and one word that shows it: 去年 with 了 for the past, 常常 for the present, 明年 with 想 or 打算 for the future.
  明年我打算去中国。 · Míngnián wǒ dǎsuàn qù Zhōngguó. · Next year I plan to go to China.
• Write about all five GCSE themes at your tier. Family and birthdays, your town and a trip, school, a weekend job and your future, and the environment. Each task has a gap-fill and a Foundation and a Higher model answer.
  我每天走路上学。 · Wǒ měitiān zǒulù shàngxué. · I walk to school every day.
• Translate English into Chinese without the small traps. Ten sentences at Foundation and Higher: the time word first, no 是 before an age, no 了 for the future or a past habit, and linking words kept in pairs.
  明年我想去中国。 · Míngnián wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó. · Next year I want to go to China.
• Get the easily confused characters right. 在 (at) and 再 (again), 的, 得 and 地, and 做 and 作, with gap-fills that make you choose between them.
  我再读一遍。 · Wǒ zài dú yí biàn. · I'll read it once more.
• Check an answer by reading it aloud. A checklist for every answer, from each point answered to two linking words, then three draft sentences to fix and a six-week plan to the exam.
  虽然很难，但是很有意思。 · Suīrán hěn nán, dànshì hěn yǒu yìsi. · It's hard, but it's very interesting.

What’s inside

• The paper: The Writing Paper in One Page · Your Writing Toolkit
• Theme 1: Identity and Culture
• Theme 2: Local Area, Holiday and Travel
• Theme 3: School
• Theme 4: Future Aspirations, Study and Work
• Theme 5: International and Global Dimension
• Translation: Translation: Foundation · Translation: Higher
• Review: Read It Aloud and Fix It
• Plan: Your Six-Week Writing Plan

How to use this book

One theme at a time: plan the task, fill the gaps, write at your tier, then compare with the two model answers in the key. The free audio reads every model with a pause to say it back. The book's own plan takes six weeks.

1. Week 1: Learn the toolkit. Read page 3, then learn the ten toolkit sentences on page 4 and write five of them from memory.
2. Week 2: Themes 1 and 2. Write both tasks at your tier, timed, then compare with the Foundation and Higher models.
3. Week 3: Themes 3 and 4. Same routine, timed. Run the review checklist on one of your answers.
4. Week 4: Theme 5 and Foundation translation. Write the environment task, then translate the five Foundation sentences and choose between 在 and 再, 的 and 得.
5. Week 5: Higher translation and a rewrite. Do the Higher translation page, then rewrite your weakest theme without the plan.
6. Week 6: One timed sitting. Two theme tasks and five translation sentences in one go. Then reread your week 2 answers and fix them.

Who it’s for

GCSE Chinese (Spoken Mandarin) students preparing the writing paper for Pearson Edexcel 1CN0 or AQA 8673, at Foundation or Higher tier, and teachers who want themed writing tasks with model answers for class.

Before you start: About two years of GCSE Mandarin, roughly HSK 2 to 3. The book uses simplified characters. The toolkit and page lines have pinyin and English, and every model answer is on the free audio.

Frequently asked questions

Does it work for both Edexcel and AQA?

Yes. It is practice in the GCSE Chinese (Spoken Mandarin) format for Pearson Edexcel 1CN0 and AQA 8673, with tasks on five themes and translation into Chinese. Check your board's specification for the exact tasks and lengths. SayMei wrote every task.

Are the model answers for Foundation or Higher?

Both. Every theme task has a shorter Foundation model, a sentence or two for each point, and a longer Higher model that adds an opinion with a reason to each point and links the ideas. The translation pages are split into Foundation and Higher too.

Can I write in traditional characters?

The book uses simplified characters, and traditional characters are also accepted in the exam. Ask your teacher which you should use.

Is this workbook free?

Yes. The whole 19-page PDF is free, and you can look through its pages here before you download. There's no card and nothing to pay.

Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can practise speaking with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

Can I print copies for my class?

Yes. Print as many copies as you like for your own class or family. To share it, send this page: everyone can download their own copy.

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