School day: keep the time before the verb
Describe a routine as subject + time + verb, with every time expression BEFORE the verb, and link the day with 先……然后…… (xiān … ránhòu …) and 从……到…… (cóng … dào …). Example: 我们学校早上八点上课，下午四点放学。(Wǒmen xuéxiào zǎoshang bā diǎn shàngkè, xiàwǔ sì diǎn fàngxué.) — starts at eight, finishes at four. Use the measure word 节 (jié) for a lesson: 一节课 (yì jié kè). The classic English-order slip is the time AFTER the verb: 放学在四点 ✗ — in Chinese the time comes first.
Subjects: opinion with 因为, compare with 比
Give your favourite subject and WHY with 最喜欢……因为……: 我最喜欢的科目是历史，因为老师很有意思。(Wǒ zuì xǐhuan de kēmù shì lìshǐ, yīnwèi lǎoshī hěn yǒu yìsi.) — My favourite subject is history, because the teacher is interesting. Give an opinion with 觉得 (juéde — to think): 我觉得数学有点难，可是很有用。 Compare two subjects with A 比 B + adjective and do NOT add 很: 我觉得英语比数学容易。(Wǒ juéde yīngyǔ bǐ shùxué róngyì.) — English is easier than maths (not 比数学很容易 ✗). Opinion words: 有意思, 无聊, 容易, 难, 有用.
Rules & pressure: 必须/不能, 虽然……但是……
Express rules with modal verbs 必须 (bìxū — must), 应该 (yīnggāi — should), 不能 (bùnéng — not allowed to) and 不用 (búyòng — need not): 学生必须穿校服，上课时不能用手机。(Xuéshēng bìxū chuān xiàofú, shàngkè shí bùnéng yòng shǒujī.) Talk about pressure with 压力 (yālì) plus a reason: 我觉得学习压力有点大，因为作业太多。 At Higher tier add a two-sided view with 虽然……但是……: 虽然压力有点大，但是好成绩让我很有成就感。(Suīrán yālì yǒudiǎn dà, dànshì hǎo chéngjì ràng wǒ hěn yǒu chéngjiùgǎn.)
Drawn from real examiner reports.
Answering both options / ignoring bullets
On a choose-one writing task (Q1 or Q2) pick ONE option — answering both gains nothing — and read every bullet exactly. ✗ answering what you ALWAYS do when the bullet says what you USED TO do, or dropping the qualifier at home ✓ answer the precise wording: 以前 for used to, 在家 for at home. Underline each bullet and its qualifier, and develop a single option well.
Pressure AT SCHOOL, not from parents
Read exactly which pressure the task means. ✗ 我的父母希望我考上大学 (my parents hope I get into university) when the bullet asks about pressure faced AT SCHOOL ✓ 在学校，我的压力主要来自考试和作业。(Zài xuéxiào, wǒ de yālì zhǔyào láizì kǎoshì hé zuòyè.) Answer the exact source named — school workload, exams, competition — not the wishes of parents.
Dropping the comparison (more vs much)
When the text makes a comparison, your answer must carry the degree word. ✗ 很多功课 (a lot of homework) when the point was 比以前更多 (MORE than before) ✓ 我们学校的功课比以前更多。(Wǒmen xuéxiào de gōngkè bǐ yǐqián gèng duō.) Use 比 (bǐ) or 更/最 (gèng/zuì) to signal it, and never put 很 in a 比-sentence. If the English says more, easier or harder, keep that comparative.
Feelings given where activities were asked
Match the facet the question asks for. ✗ 我很喜欢中文课，觉得很有意思 (a feeling) when the card asks what you DO in the foreign-language class ✓ 在中文课上，我们读课文、听录音、做练习。(Zài Zhōngwén kè shàng, wǒmen dú kèwén, tīng lùyīn, zuò liànxí.) If the bullet asks ACTIVITIES, list what you do (verbs); if OPINIONS, give feelings + reasons. Decide which before you answer.
Time or place after the verb (calque)
English word order leaks in: time and place adverbials go BEFORE the verb, not after. ✗ 放学在四点 / 上课在八点 ✓ 我们四点放学，八点上课。(Wǒmen sì diǎn fàngxué, bā diǎn shàngkè.) ✗ 我学习在家 ✓ 我在家学习。(Wǒ zài jiā xuéxí.) The order is topic–time–place–verb, so put 八点 and 在学校 in front of the verb. Re-reading catches these slips.
的 / 地 / 得 confusion (错别字)
Three homophones (all read de) do different jobs; mixing them is a classic 错别字 slip. 的 = attributive, before a noun: 我的书, 有意思的科目. 地 = adverbial, before a verb: 认真地学习 (rènzhēn de xuéxí — study hard). 得 = complement, after a verb: 考得很好 (kǎo de hěn hǎo — did well). Test: noun after → 的; verb after → 地; result of a verb before → 得.
A comparison needs 比 or 更, not just 很
很 (hěn — very) and 很多 (hěn duō — a lot) state an AMOUNT, not a COMPARISON. To compare, use 比 (A 比 B + adjective) or 更/最 (gèng/zuì — more/most). ✗ 我们学校功课很多 to mean MORE than before — this only means there is a lot ✓ 我们学校的功课比以前更多。(Wǒmen xuéxiào de gōngkè bǐ yǐqián gèng duō.) Never put 很 inside a 比-sentence: ✗ 今天比昨天很热 ✓ 今天比昨天热。 Decide: an amount (很/很多) or a comparison (比/更)?
Underline the exact facet of each bullet
Before you write or speak, underline each bullet and decide whether it wants ACTIVITIES (verbs like 上课、复习) or OPINIONS (feelings + reasons). This stops the commonest slip: giving feelings when activities were asked, or parents when the task says pressure AT SCHOOL.
Build each point with the right structure
Match each point to a structure: time before the verb for the routine (八点上课), 最喜欢……因为…… for a subject + reason, 必须/不能 for a rule, and 觉得……压力……因为…… for pressure. The fixed frame keeps the answer accurate, e.g. 我最喜欢历史，因为很有意思。(Wǒ zuì xǐhuan lìshǐ, yīnwèi hěn yǒu yìsi.)
Develop across time frames at Higher
At Higher tier, develop a two-sided view with 虽然……但是…… and move across time frames — past 以前, present 现在, future 以后. Keep any comparison degree word (比以前更多, not a plain 很多). Example: 虽然压力有点大，但是我以后想更努力。(Suīrán yālì yǒudiǎn dà, dànshì wǒ yǐhòu xiǎng gèng nǔlì.)
This topic (Theme T3: School, T3.1) covers what your school is like: school types (primary/secondary, public/private/international), the school day and routine, subjects, school rules and pressures, and celebrating success. You describe your routine and subjects and give opinions on rules and pressure. It is central to the Paper 2 Speaking conversation and Paper 4 functional and extended Writing, and appears in listening and reading too. At Higher tier you develop opinions with reasons and comparisons across past, present and future time frames.
School types & the day 学校与作息 (xuéxiào yǔ zuòxī)
| 汉字 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 中学 | zhōngxué | secondary school |
| 高中 | gāozhōng | senior high school |
| 公立学校 | gōnglì xuéxiào | state / public school |
| 私立学校 | sīlì xuéxiào | private school |
| 国际学校 | guójì xuéxiào | international school |
| 上课 / 下课 | shàngkè / xiàkè | to start class / finish class |
| 一节课 | yì jié kè | one lesson (measure word 节) |
| 课程表 | kèchéngbiǎo | timetable |
| 放学 | fàngxué | to finish school (for the day) |
| 作业 / 功课 | zuòyè / gōngkè | homework |
| 考试 | kǎoshì | exam |
| 复习 | fùxí | to revise |
Subjects & opinions 科目与看法 (kēmù yǔ kànfǎ)
| 汉字 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 科目 | kēmù | (school) subject |
| 语文 / 中文 | yǔwén / Zhōngwén | Chinese (language) |
| 数学 | shùxué | maths |
| 英语 | yīngyǔ | English |
| 科学 | kēxué | science |
| 历史 / 地理 | lìshǐ / dìlǐ | history / geography |
| 体育 | tǐyù | PE |
| 有意思 / 无聊 | yǒu yìsi / wúliáo | interesting / boring |
| 容易 / 难 | róngyì / nán | easy / hard |
| 有用 | yǒuyòng | useful |
Rules, pressure & success 校规、压力与成功 (xiàoguī, yālì yǔ chénggōng)
| 汉字 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 校规 | xiàoguī | school rules |
| 校服 | xiàofú | school uniform |
| 必须 | bìxū | must |
| 应该 | yīnggāi | should |
| 不能 | bùnéng | cannot / not allowed to |
| 迟到 | chídào | to be late |
| 压力 | yālì | pressure |
| 成绩 | chéngjì | grades, results |
| 进步 | jìnbù | to make progress |
| 获奖 / 表扬 | huòjiǎng / biǎoyáng | to win a prize / to praise |
school uniform -- say it in Chinese with pinyin and use it in a short sentence
用中文写出四门学校的科目（例如"数学"），并标出拼音。
Level-of-response questions with model answers and mark scheme rubrics.
请用中文（汉字）简单介绍一下你的学校生活：你们学校每天几点上课？你最喜欢哪门科目？请说一说你的看法（例如这门科目有意思还是无聊）。约20-30字，语气可以轻松、随意。（12分）
下面有两个题目，请只选一个来写，约80-110字，用中文（汉字）书写，语气可以轻松、随意。请谈现在的情况，也可以说一点过去和将来的事。
**（A）**谈谈你们学校的校规：有哪些规定？你觉得合理吗？为什么？
**（B）**谈谈你在学校的学习压力：压力主要来自哪里？你以前怎么做，以后想怎么做？
请只回答其中一个题目。（20分）
这是一段口语话题对话（Speaking Conversation），主题是「学校生活」。老师会用中文问你下面这些问题，请你用中文回答。请尽量说完整的句子，主要说现在的情况，也可以说一点过去和将来的事，不要只回答一两个字：
（1）请说说你们学校平常的一天是怎么样的？
（2）你最喜欢哪门科目？为什么？
（3）你们学校有哪些校规？你觉得怎么样？
（4）你在学校有学习压力吗？（36分）
