Mandarin

Top Tips for Preparing for GCSE Mandarin

General Preparation:

· Know the exam format – Familiarise yourself with the structure of the exams.

· Revise key vocabulary – Use Quizlet, Vocab and Grammar Booklet, Knowledge Organisers and Quizzes to create flashcards or mind maps. Use them to test yourself regularly!

· Practice grammar – Focus on tenses (present, past, future, conditional), complicated sentence structures and high frequency vocabulary such as opinions, adjectives, time phrases, connectives etc…

· Expose yourself to Mandarin daily – Listen to Chinese music, podcasts, watch Chinese films with subtitles, or create Mandarin stories and songs. This will help you develop your understanding.

· Use past papers and mark schemes to understand question styles.

Listening Exam Tips:

• Tune in to different accents – Listen to Mandarin speakers from different regions.

• Use the context to distinguish words of similar/the same pronunciation.

• Train your ear – Practice listening without subtitles, then check understanding.

• Write while listening – Jot down key words or phrases to help recall answers.

• Answer as fully as possible and in the correct language – check the instructions.

• Read the questions first – Predict the information and language which might come up

Reading Exam Tips:

• Skim and scan – Look for key words and cognates.

• Guess unfamiliar words – Use context/radicals to work out meanings.

• Distinguish words that share the same character, or characters that share the same part.

• Answer as fully as possible and in the correct language – check the instructions.

• Practice translation – Work on translating short texts accurately.

Speaking Exam Tips:

• Learn your script for all three themes in preparation for the general conversation.

• Prepare key phrases – Learn set phrases for common topics.

• Use a range of tenses – Aim to include at least three tenses in your answers.

• Use your speaking booklet to practice role-plays and photo cards.

• Speak clearly and confidently – Don’t rush, and don’t panic if you make a mistake.

Writing Exam Tips:

• Plan before writing – Make a quick outline of your response.

• Use varied vocabulary to avoid repetitions.

• Check stroke accuracy, sentence structures, and tense formations – Small mistakes can cost marks.

• Practice the extended writing tasks – Ensure you break down each bullet point to essential elements and cover them all.

• Aim to develop your ideas – Use the 5 Ws (What, Where, Who, When and Why)

Final Tips:

• Stay organised – Make a revision timetable and stick to it.

• Revise little but often – avoid cramming!

• Practice under timed conditions.

• Stay positive and keep practicing to develop your confidence! You can do this!