Grammar
organised alphabetically by pinyin
example sentences drawn from past papers
A
B
百分之。。。 bǎi fēn zhī percentages
2022 Reading: 中国百分之七十的年轻人和马先生、马太太的观点一样.
70% of Chinese families want their children to participate in study tours...
2019 Translation: 中国百分之七十的年轻人和马先生、马太太的观点一样.
70% of young people have the same view as Mr. and Mrs. Ma.
比 bǐ comparison
2023 Translation: 中国西部的大学不多，比东部的毕业生人数少
Western China does not have many universities, the number of graduates is fewer than in Eastern China
并 bìng emphasizes a negative point
2023 Reading: 大学毕业生常常发现，他们在大学学到的知识在 工作时并没有用。
University graduates often find that what they learned in university is not useful at work.
2019 Reading: 决定生第二个孩子的家庭并不多 Really not many families decide to have a second child
2018 Reading: 但是我父亲并不同意 But my parents really don't agree
2018 Reading: 我认为自己并没有错。 I really don't think I'm wrong.
不够 bùgòu not enough
2022 Translation: 我的英语不够好 My English is not good enough
2018 Listening: 这样主人才不会认为菜不够
So the host won't think he didn't provide enough food
不管 bùguǎn no matter/whether
2019 Reading: 不管是写简历，还是去面试，你给别人的第一印象是 最重要的。
Whether you are writing a resume or going to an interview, the first impression you give others is most important.
C
除了...意外 Chúle... Yìwài Apart From/In addition to
2022 Reading: 除了学习以外 apart from studying
2019 Reading: 除了上学以外 apart from going to school
D
对...verb Duì...verb Directs verb towards someone/something
2023 Reading: 此外，政府还会加大对教育和健康行业的投资 In addition, the government will increase investment in education and health industries
2022 Reading: 朱琳对英国的历史很感兴趣 Zhu Lin is very interested in British history.
当地人对我非常有耐心 Local people were very patient towards me.
2019 Reading: 这样对上班的年轻妈妈 有很大帮助 This is a big help to young mums.
2019 Listening: 对自己有更深入的了解 Have a deeper understanding of yourself
2018 Translation: 我要做一个对社会有贡献的人. I want to be a person who contributes to society
2018 Listening: 中国人对食物的热爱. Chinese people are very enthusiastic towards food.
对于 duìyú regarding
2023 Reading: 对于大学毕业生就业难的问题 Regarding the difficulty of finding work for university graduates
多 Duō To do something more
2022 Listening: 你和父母一定要多沟通多交流 You and your parents definitely need to communicate more
周末多和家人在一起 Be together with your family more at the weekend
2018 Listening: 多吃，多喝 Eat more and drink more
E
F
G
刚 gāng just
2019 Reading: 我刚开始上班的时候 When I had just started working
更 gèng (even) more
2022 Reading: 更好的将来 even better future;
更加独立even more independent；
我更有信心说英文了 I had even more confidence to speak English
2022 Listening: 更多休息的时间 even more rest time
2019 Reading and Listening: 我有了更多自己的时间 I had even more time to myself;
因为他们有过更好的教育，所以想要有更高的生活水平
Because they had a better education, they wanted and even higher standard of living;
最重要的是对自己有更深入的了解
The most important thing is to have an even deeper understanding of yourself;
鼓励更多人参加运动 encourage even more people to participate in sports
2018 Reading and Listening:
他们更容易找到高薪的职位
They more easily find high-paying positions;
我相信教育比金钱更重要 I believe education is more important than money
H
互相 Hùxiāng Each other/mutually
2022 Listening: 互相信任,互相理解和 互相尊重 trust each other, understand each other, respect each other; mutual trust, mutual understanding, mutual respect
J
K
L
M
没有 méiyǒu expressing that an action did not occur in the past
2022 Listening: 我没有告诉他们。 I didn't tell them.
2019 Listening: 还是没有找到一份我喜欢的好工作 still haven't found a job I like
N
O
P
2018 Reading: 买不到自由和快乐的 You cannot buy freedom and happiness
2018 Listening: 飞机票也非常贵，我买不起。 Plane tickets are extremely expensive, I cannot buy them.
Q
却 què Indicates a contrary statement (but)
2019 Reading: 每年出生的孩子越来越少，中国老人却越来越多 Every year fewer and fewer children are born, but there are more and more Chinese elderly.
R
2023 Reading: 他们在大学学到的知识 What they learned in university
2018 Listening: 飞机票也非常贵，我买不起。 Plane tickets are extremely expensive, I cannot buy them.
S
T
W
为 Wèi for
2023 Reading: 为这些行业创造更多工作机会老师为我们安排了这项义工活动。 Create more job opportunities in(for) these industries
2023 Listening: 老师为我们安排了这项义工活动 Teachers arranged this volunteering activity for us
2022 Listening: 切都是为我好 Everything was for my good/benefit
2019 Reading Listening: 我们还要花钱为他请英文和数学家教；we also had to spend money for their English and Maths tutor
政府还为低收入的家庭 提供免费的幼儿园; The government also provides free kindergarten for families with low incomes
2018 Translation: 我要为我的梦想努力 I want to work hard for my dream
2018 Listening: 中国人总是为朋友准备非常多的饭菜。Chinese people always prepare a lot of food for their friends.
为了 Wèi le Expressed purpose (in order to)
2019 Reading: 为了帮助新妈妈回去工作 In order to help new mums return to work
2019 Listening: 为了帮助更多人了解 健康的生活... In order to help more people understand healthy lifestyles
2018 Listening: 为了表示热情... To show enthusiasm...
X
像。。。一样 xiàng...yīyàng The same as
2018 Listening: 吃中国饭就像长跑一样 Eating Chinese food is like running
向 xiàng Towards/from/to
2023 Reading: 中国政府向大学生提供了很多有帮 助的信息 The Chinese government provides a lot of helpful information to college students
Y
一边。。。一边。。。yī biān... yī biān... expresses simultaneous actions
2018 Reading: 一边用课堂里刚学过的英语，一边打篮球 using the language they had just learned in class while playing basketball
2018 Listening: 一边说着“吃，吃”，一边给客人夹 菜 Saying "eat, eat" while giving guests more food
一直 yīzhí all along, continuous action
2019 Listening: 我一直在忙着找工作 I've been busy working
2019 Listening: 你这几个月一直在家吗？ Have you been at home these past months?
因为cause 所以result Yīnwèi cause suǒyǐ result Because of cause...result
2019 Translation: 因为他们有过更好的教育，所以想要有更高的生活水平。Because they had a better education, they wanted to have a higher living standard
2019 Listening: 因为我的考试成绩不好，所以找工作 对我来说不容易。 Because my test grades are not good, finding a job is not easy for me.
2018 Listening: 因为春节很多中国人都赶着回家过年，所以最近很难预订到飞 机票Because many Chinese people are rushing home for Spring Festival, it has been difficult to book air tickets recently.
又 (again) yòu again
2022 Listening: 又到周末了 it's the weekend again
我又没有时间休息 I didn't have time to rest again
又...又... yòu...yòu... both...and also...
2023 Listening: 工作又多又忙 there was both a lot of work and it was also busy
由于 yóuyú due to/owing to
2023 Reading: 由于中国教育的发展 due to the development of education in China
越来越 yuè lái yuè more and more
2023 Reading: 大学招收的学生越来越多 universities are enrolling more and more students
2023 Reading: 大学毕业生 找工作也就越来越难 it's also harder and harder for university graduates to find work
2022 Reading: 越来越多的中国家长 more and more Chinese parents
2022 Listening: 越来越多的孩子们；more and more children
越来越健康 more and more healthy
越来越好 better and better
2019 Reading and Listening: 越来越少 fewer and fewer
越来越多 more and more
2018 Listening: 越来越忙 busier and busier
Z
Verb着 Verb Zhe Shows that verb is continuous
2019 Listening: 我一直在忙着找工作 I have been busy working
2018 Listening: 中国人会一边说着 Chinese people will say
之前 Zhīqián before
2019 Listening: 开始找工作之前 before starting work