Extended writing (Paper 1 Exercise 5)

The stimulus gives two opinions to start you off; candidates who merely re-state them without adding NEW developed content stay in the middle bands. ✗ 有人说手机方便，有人说手机不好。我觉得手机有好也有不好。— bare restatement, no development or reason. ✓ ADD your own reasoning, a concrete example and a clear recommendation, using the stimulus only as a springboard.

Ex5 questions are precisely worded; a misread gives an off-topic answer that cannot score well. Underline the EXACT issue, the two positions to cover, and what your view must address before writing — drifting to a related topic forfeits the for/against marks. ✓ open by restating the issue: 对于这个规定，看法不一。(duìyú zhège guīdìng, kànfǎ bùyī — opinions on this rule differ).

Pinyin is NOT credited anywhere in Paper 1 writing — if you cannot recall a character, choose a simpler word you CAN write in characters rather than falling back to pinyin. ✗ 我觉得zhège wenti hen fuza. ✓ 我觉得这个问题很复杂。(Wǒ juéde zhège wèntí hěn fùzá.) — I think this issue is very complicated (characters only). It costs marks even when the idea is good.

Match the format and register the task specifies. An article for the school magazine uses a slightly formal, impersonal tone (谈谈……, 笔者认为……) and needs a title; a letter to a friend is personal (亲爱的……, 你好！) with a greeting and sign-off. Getting the register wrong, or omitting required format features, loses marks — identify the text type first.

Even strong candidates lose marks on imprecise SIMPLE structures: an incomplete sentence with incomplete meaning is not credited. Complete every clause and both halves of a paired connective — open with 虽然……, close with the 但是…… half. ✗ 虽然打工可以赚钱…… is unfinished; ✓ add 但是也会占用学习时间。(dànshì yě huì zhànyòng xuéxí shíjiān — but it also takes up study time). Get the basics right.

Naming an argument is not the same as making it. A bare list of points, with no explanation, stays in the lower bands. Attach a reason to every idea with a connective (因为……, 不但……而且……): state the point, say WHY, add a concrete example. Aim for two or three FULLY developed points per side, not a long undeveloped list — depth, not number, lifts the mark.

Learners memorise a few 成语 and force them in wherever possible, assuming any idiom shows "advanced language". In fact idioms help ONLY when used APPROPRIATELY — a misused one confuses the sentence and earns no credit; a plain, accurate sentence is safer. ✗ 学生打工，一箭双雕，可以赚钱也可以学习。— here 一箭双雕 is forced in and does not fit a formal article. Quality beats decoration.