Say what you want to become: 当 / 做, not 是
To state a present fact use 是 (shì — to be): 我爸爸是工程师。(Wǒ bàba shì gōngchéngshī.) — My dad is an engineer. But to say what you want to BECOME, use 当 (dāng) or 做 (zuò) after a modal, NOT 是: 我将来想当医生。(Wǒ jiānglái xiǎng dāng yīshēng.) — In future I want to be a doctor. 她想做护士。(Tā xiǎng zuò hùshi.) — She wants to be a nurse. Add where someone works with 在 + place + 工作: 我姐姐在一家银行工作。Note 家 (jiā) is the measure word for a company, shop or bank.
Justify a job choice: 因为…所以 + ideal job
Higher-tier work answers must give reasons, not just name a job. Use 因为 (yīnwèi — because) … 所以 (suǒyǐ — so): 因为我喜欢帮助别人，所以我想当老师。(Yīnwèi wǒ xǐhuan bāngzhù biéren, suǒyǐ wǒ xiǎng dāng lǎoshī.) — Because I like helping others, I want to be a teacher. Describe an ideal job with 理想的工作: 我理想的工作是记者，因为很有意思，又能到处旅行。Useful job qualities: 工资高 (good pay), 稳定 (stable), 假期多 (lots of holidays), 压力大 (a lot of pressure).
Future plans across past, present and future
Chinese has no future-tense ending; show the future with a time word plus a modal. Use 将来 (jiānglái — in future) or 以后 (yǐhòu — afterwards) with 想 / 打算 / 希望: 大学毕业以后，我打算先工作几年，再出国留学。(Dàxué bìyè yǐhòu, wǒ dǎsuàn xiān gōngzuò jǐ nián, zài chūguó liúxué.) — After university I plan to work a few years, then study abroad. Cover several frames: 我以前想当演员，可是现在我更想当医生，因为医生的工作更有意义。
Drawn from real examiner reports.
Imprecise job vocabulary (记者, 歌手)
Careers questions turn on precise job words. ✗ being unable to give a common job in Chinese, or blurring 记者 (jìzhě — journalist) with 作家 (zuòjiā — writer), or 歌手 (gēshǒu — singer) with 演员 (yǎnyuán — actor). Learn the job list exactly, both directions — you may be asked to give 记者 or 歌手 in English. A missing job word can block a whole answer.
Wrong measure word for people (位/个)
The measure word for people is 个 (gè) or, more politely, 位 (wèi): 一位医生 (yí wèi yīshēng — a doctor, polite), 三个学生 (sān ge xuésheng — three students). A company, shop or bank takes 家 (jiā): 一家公司 (yì jiā gōngsī). Chinese has no plural ending, so signal number with number + correct 量词 + noun; never default to 个 for a company (一个公司 ✗).
Dropping the degree word in a job comparison
When the task or text makes a comparison, your answer must carry the degree word. ✗ 这个工作比那个很好 (never 很 in a 比 comparison), or 工资高 when the point was one job pays MORE. ✓ 医生的工资比老师的高。(Yīshēng de gōngzī bǐ lǎoshī de gāo.) — A doctor's salary is higher than a teacher's. Strengthen with 更 (gèng — more) or 最, not 很: 当医生比当护士更有意思。The 比 pattern is A 比 B + adjective (+ 更 / 得多).
Mixing up past, present and future
Higher-tier work tasks move across time frames, and examiners flag confusion. ✗ 我十五岁开始学中文 (I started at fifteen) when asked 你学中文学了多久？(how long HAVE you studied?) ✓ 我已经学了三年中文了。(Wǒ yǐjīng xué le sān nián Zhōngwén le.) Keep the frames apart: past 了 / 过 / 以前, present 现在 / 正在, future 将来 / 以后 / 打算 / 会. Do not let a future modal leak into what you have already done.
Place phrase before the verb (在…工作)
Chinese puts the place adverbial BEFORE the verb, unlike English "work AT a bank". ✗ 我工作在一家银行 (calquing English order) ✓ 我在一家银行工作。(Wǒ zài yì jiā yínháng gōngzuò.) — I work at a bank. The pattern is 在 + place + 工作. The same fronting applies to time words: 大学毕业以后，我打算先工作几年。Do not place 在…… after the verb.
Answer the exact facet and whose action
Read WHICH facet and WHOSE action the question asks. ✗ giving your feelings about lessons when the card asked for the ACTIVITIES, or describing what the father hopes when it asked what he hopes DAWEI will do ✓ answer the exact point: if it asks 你做什么工作, name the job and duties, not your opinion of it. Reread whether it asks about you or someone else.
"Want to be a doctor" is NOT 我想是医生
English uses one verb "to be" for "I AM" and "I want to BE", so learners copy 是 into the second. 是 (shì) states an identity that holds: 我是学生。But to become a profession use 当 (dāng) or 做 (zuò), never 是: ✗ 我想是医生 ✓ 我想当医生。(Wǒ xiǎng dāng yīshēng.) — I want to be a doctor. Reserve 是 for a current fact (我爸爸是律师) and use 当 / 做 whenever a modal (想 / 要 / 希望) signals becoming something.
Four-step routine for a career task
For a writing or speaking task on work: NAME the job precisely with 当 / 做 (当工程师, 做记者), not a vague 好工作; give a REASON with 因为……所以 tied to a job quality (工资高 / 稳定); cover the TIME FRAMES asked (以前 / 现在 / 以后); DEVELOP with connectives, then check you answered an IDEAL job.
Name the job precisely, avoid 好工作
A vague 好工作 (a good job) scores little — name the profession: 当工程师, 做记者, 当护士. Attach where they work with 在……工作 and one quality (工资高, 稳定). Precision of the job word is often what earns the mark, and examiners have flagged candidates who could not supply 记者 or 歌手.
Signal the time frame clearly
Signal each frame so the examiner is never in doubt: past with 以前 / 了 / 过 (以前我想当演员), present with 现在 (现在我在一家公司实习), future with 将来 / 以后 / 打算 / 会 (以后我打算当律师). Do not let a future plan leak into an answer about what you have already done.
Develop with connectives and a comparison
Turn a list of short sentences into a developed answer. Link ideas with 不但……而且……, 虽然……但是……, 因为……所以, and weigh options with a 比 comparison: 我觉得当医生比当律师更有意义。Over-plain answers with no connective cap the mark for range.
This topic (Theme T4: Future Aspirations, Study & Work, T4.3) covers the high-frequency language of the world of work: naming jobs and workplaces, describing an ideal job, and giving reasons and future plans. It is central to the Paper 2 Speaking conversation and to Paper 4 functional and extended Writing, and appears in Listening and Reading too. At Higher tier you must justify a career choice with reasons and move clearly across past, present and future time frames.
Jobs & professions 职业 (zhíyè)
| 汉字 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher |
| 医生 | yīshēng | doctor |
| 护士 | hùshi | nurse |
| 律师 | lǜshī | lawyer |
| 工程师 | gōngchéngshī | engineer |
| 警察 | jǐngchá | police officer |
| 厨师 | chúshī | chef, cook |
| 司机 | sījī | driver |
| 记者 | jìzhě | journalist, reporter |
| 歌手 | gēshǒu | singer |
| 经理 | jīnglǐ | manager |
| 科学家 | kēxuéjiā | scientist |
Workplaces & work life 工作场所与职场 (gōngzuò chǎngsuǒ yǔ zhíchǎng)
| 汉字 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 公司 | gōngsī | company |
| 医院 | yīyuàn | hospital |
| 工厂 | gōngchǎng | factory |
| 办公室 | bàngōngshì | office |
| 银行 | yínháng | bank |
| 上班 | shàngbān | to go to work |
| 同事 | tóngshì | colleague |
| 工资 | gōngzī | salary, wages |
| 面试 | miànshì | interview |
| 兼职 | jiānzhí | part-time job |
Plans, reasons & job qualities 计划、理由与工作特点
| 汉字 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 当 / 做 | dāng / zuò | to be, to work as |
| 将来 | jiānglái | in the future |
| 以后 | yǐhòu | afterwards, later |
| 希望 | xīwàng | to hope |
| 打算 | dǎsuàn | to plan |
| 理想 | lǐxiǎng | ideal |
| 梦想 | mèngxiǎng | dream |
| 稳定 | wěndìng | stable |
| 压力 | yālì | pressure |
| 帮助别人 | bāngzhù biéren | to help others |
teacher -- say it in Chinese with pinyin and use it in a short sentence
用中文写出四种职业（例如"老师"），并标出拼音。
Level-of-response questions with model answers and mark scheme rubrics.
你的中文老师请你介绍一个你认识的、有工作的人（例如你的爸爸、妈妈或者一个亲戚）。请用中文（汉字）写约20-30字，说说这个人做什么工作、在哪里工作，并且说一说你觉得这份工作怎么样（一个简单的看法）。请用汉字书写，不要写拼音。（12分）
请从下面两个题目里选一个，写一篇短文。只写一个题目。
题目一：「我理想的工作」——说说你将来想做什么工作，为什么想做，还有为了这个理想你以后打算怎么做。
题目二：「我家人的工作」——说说你家里一个人做什么工作，你觉得这份工作怎么样，将来你想不想做一样的工作。
请用中文（汉字）书写，约80-110字，语气可以比较轻松（写给同学看）。请用连接词把内容展开，也可以谈一谈以前、现在和将来。（20分）
这是一段口语对话（Paper 2 Conversation, Theme T4「未来的学习与工作」）。老师会用中文问你关于工作的问题，你要用完整的句子回答，并且给出理由，不要只回答一两个字。请准备好谈下面这些内容：
（1）你将来想做什么工作，为什么； （2）你家里有人工作吗，他/她做什么工作； （3）你觉得选工作的时候，什么最重要（钱还是兴趣）； （4）大学毕业以后，你打算做什么。
评分奖励清楚、展开、有理由的回答。你可以主要用现在的时间，也可以简单地谈一谈以前和将来。（约36分）
