Plan a named detail for every bullet point
A Q2 (80-90 characters) or Q3 (130-150) task gives several bullet points; the biggest Task Completion loss is skipping one or answering it too vaguely. Before writing, number each point and jot ONE specific named detail -- a place, a reason, an activity. Example: 我最喜欢的科目是数学，因为老师讲得很清楚。(Wǒ zuì xǐhuan de kēmù shì shùxué, yīnwèi lǎoshī jiǎng de hěn qīngchu.) — maths, because the teacher explains clearly: a named subject with a specific reason, not a vague statement.
Name a concrete example with 比如/例如
A general claim that names no content earns no Task Completion credit. ✗ 学外语有很多好处。("many benefits" -- nothing named) ✓ 学外语有很多好处，比如可以跟更多人交流，也能更了解别的国家的文化。(Xué wàiyǔ yǒu hěn duō hǎochu, bǐrú kěyǐ gēn gèng duō rén jiāoliú, yě néng gèng liǎojiě bié de guójiā de wénhuà.) — such as talking with more people and understanding other countries. After any general claim, add 比如/例如 and name at least one concrete example.
Vary connectives; keep greetings short
Repeating one favourite connective, or only short unlinked sentences, caps the Range mark. Mix connectives across a Q3 answer (因为……所以……, 虽然……但是……, 不但……而且……): 虽然骑自行车比较累，但是对环境很好，我还是喜欢骑车上学。(Suīrán qí zìxíngchē bǐjiào lèi, dànshì duì huánjìng hěn hǎo, wǒ háishi xǐhuan qí chē shàngxué.) — cycling is tiring but good for the environment, so I still cycle to school. For an email/letter, keep the greeting and sign-off short -- the format is not separately scored.
Drawn from real examiner reports.
Under-length answers cap the mark
✗ A one-sentence Q3 answer of 30-40 characters cannot show enough range or task completion for the top band. ✓ Plan enough content BEFORE writing to reach the target -- one named detail per bullet across two or three connected sentences usually gets there. Writing more is not penalised, but long unvaried prose (the same idea reworded) does not raise Range either.
Writing: significantly fewer than 80 characters for Q2 or 150 for Q3 will not give enough evidence for top marks, and a capping system applies when the count is significantly short (Key Messages, every paper, s22 and s23).
Bare restatement names no actual benefit
✗ 学骑自行车有很多好处。(bare restatement -- no benefit named) ✓ 学骑自行车有很多好处，比如可以锻炼身体，也不会造成污染。(Xué qí zìxíngchē yǒu hěn duō hǎochu, bǐrú kěyǐ duànliàn shēntǐ, yě bú huì zàochéng wūrǎn.) — many benefits, such as exercising and not causing pollution. This fails top-band Task Completion even though grammatically fine -- the marker needs an actual, named benefit.
Writing: if a task asks the benefit of X and the answer is only there are many benefits of X with nothing named, it fails top-band Task Completion (s22 Q3(a); s23 41/42/43 Key Messages).
Pinyin, English or digits for a character
✗ 我周末喜欢 play basketball 和 watch TV。(pinyin/English mixed in) ✓ 我周末喜欢打篮球和看电视。(Wǒ zhōumò xǐhuan dǎ lánqiú hé kàn diànshì.) — At weekends I like playing basketball and watching TV. Any pinyin, English or digit standing in for a character scores zero for that content -- no partial credit. Write every word in characters.
Writing: pinyin, English and numerical digits used instead of characters score zero for that content -- an explicit Key Message every paper, both sittings (s22 Q1; s23 Q1/Q2; s23 P42 Q2).
错别字: wrong character, same sound
错别字 (cuòbiézì) is a wrong character: one with a similar SOUND but wrong meaning, or a missing/wrong RADICAL. ✗ 我查了很多子料 ✓ 我查了很多资料。(Wǒ chále hěn duō zīliào.) — I looked up a lot of information. 子 (zǐ) sounds like 资 (zī) but means child/seed, not resource. It loses Accuracy marks even when the meaning is recoverable.
Writing: 错别字 (near-homophone or wrong-radical characters) obscure meaning and are penalised under Accuracy, recurring every sitting (s23 P41/P42/P43).
Copying the question wording back
✗ Task: 你为什么喜欢你的学校？Answer: 我为什么喜欢我的学校，因为很好。(copies the second-person wording instead of answering) ✓ 我喜欢我的学校，因为老师很友好，学校的活动也很多。(Wǒ xǐhuan wǒ de xuéxiào, yīnwèi lǎoshī hěn yǒuhǎo, xuéxiào de huódòng yě hěn duō.) — I like my school: the teachers are friendly and there are many activities. Transform it into a first-person statement -- do not echo 你为什么…… back.
Writing: copying the rubric second-person verb/pronoun instead of transforming it to the required person is a frequent Task-Completion failure (s22 P41 Q3(b); s23 Q2).
One connective repeated caps Range
✗ Linking every idea with the same 因为……所以……, or writing only short unlinked sentences, holds the Range mark down however good the content is. ✓ Show variety across the answer: 虽然……但是…… for a contrast, 不但……而且…… to add, 因为……所以…… for a reason. Mismatched pairing (a 虽然 with no 但是) and over-relying on one favourite connective are both marked down.
Writing: weak or mismatched connective pairing and over-relying on one connective cap the Range mark in Q3 (s23 P42 Q3).
A full salutation is needed for marks
✗ Spending 15-20 characters of a 130-150-character budget on an elaborate 亲爱的…… opening and formal 此致敬礼 closing, leaving too little space for content. ✓ 你好！ … 祝好！ (a brief greeting and sign-off) is enough -- the salutation/sign-off format itself is NOT separately scored, so almost all of the budget should cover the bullet points with named content.
More characters always means more marks
✗ Writing a much longer response that repeats the same idea in slightly different words does not raise the Range mark -- Range rewards VARIETY of structures and connectives, not raw length. ✓ A response close to the target that uses varied sentence patterns, named specific details and two or three different connectives scores higher on Range than a longer but repetitive one.
Number every bullet, plan a detail
Read the task and number every bullet point -- you must address ALL of them. For each, plan ONE specific named detail (a place, a reason, an activity), never a vague restatement of the point. Missing or vaguely answering one bullet is the biggest Task Completion loss.
Transform the question, do not copy it
If a bullet asks WHY you did something (e.g. 你为什么喜欢……？), transform it into a first-person statement -- 我喜欢……，因为…… -- rather than copying its second-person wording (你为什么……) back into your answer. Echoing the rubric wastes the character budget and fails Task Completion.
Characters only; keep greetings short
Write in Chinese characters ONLY -- no pinyin, English or digit standing in for a character, or that content scores zero. For an email/letter keep the greeting and sign-off short (你好！ … 祝好！); the format is not scored, so spend the budget on content.
Check length, then reread for 错别字
Check the character count is near target (80-90 for Q2, 130-150 for Q3): too few loses marks, more helps only if varied. Then reread once for 错别字 -- a similar-sound or similar-shape wrong character -- which loses Accuracy marks even when the meaning is recoverable.
Paper 4 Writing (AO4) includes a short functional/guided-writing task (Q2, about 80-90 characters, 8 marks) and a choice of two extended-writing tasks (Q3, about 130-150 characters, 16 marks) — typically a letter/email or a magazine article, discussing or explaining an issue with a personal opinion. Both are marked holistically on Task Completion, Range and Accuracy: did you cover every bullet point with real, named content; did you use a variety of structures and connectives; did you write accurately in characters only.
Give the Chinese measure word for a letter or an email, and say write one email with it.
请选择合适的连接词填空：__________我很喜欢历史课，__________我每天都认真复习。 （A. 因为……所以…… B. 虽然……但是……）
Level-of-response questions with model answers and mark scheme rubrics.
你们学校正在招募新社团成员。请给社团负责人写一封短邮件，说明：（1）你想参加哪个社团，为什么想参加；（2）你有什么相关的经验或技能（举一个具体例子）；（3）你什么时候方便参加面试。请用中文（汉字）书写，约80-90字，注意邮件的正式程度和格式。（8分）
你们学校的校刊正在向学生征稿，主题是"学校是否应该禁止学生在课堂上使用手机？"有人认为手机会影响学生上课的注意力，也有人认为手机可以用来查资料、帮助学习。请写一篇文章，说明你的看法，并举出至少一个具体的例子。请用中文（汉字）书写，约130-150字，注意用连接词把句子连贯起来，不要只重复"手机有很多好处/缺点"这句话而没有具体例子。（16分）
