Describe a place: 有 + 在/离 location words
To say what a place HAS, use 有 (yǒu -- there is/are), not 是. 我家附近有一个公园和一条河。(Wǒ jiā fùjìn yǒu yí gè gōngyuán hé yì tiáo hé.) — Near my home there is a park and a river. For WHERE it is, use 在 + a direction: 我住的城市在英国的北方。(…zài Yīngguó de běifāng.) — in the north of England. Distance uses 离 (lí -- from): 我家离市中心很近。The location phrase (附近, 市中心) comes BEFORE the verb.
Weather adjective takes 很 not 是; forecast 会
A Chinese adjective is itself the predicate, linked by a degree adverb such as 很 (hěn), NOT by 是. 今天很冷，常常下雪。(Jīntiān hěn lěng, chángcháng xià xuě.) — Today is very cold and it often snows. Do not say 今天是冷. For a forecast (a FUTURE event) use 会 (huì -- will): 天气预报说明天会下雨。(Tiānqì yùbào shuō míngtiān huì xià yǔ.) — The forecast says it will rain tomorrow. Verbs like 下雨, 刮风 are already verbs, so take no 很.
What to see and do: 可以 + verb, 值得 + verb
List activities with 可以 (kěyǐ -- can): 在这里你可以爬山、拍照，也可以在河边散步。(Zài zhèlǐ nǐ kěyǐ pá shān, pāizhào, yě kěyǐ zài hé biān sànbù.) — Here you can hike, take photos and walk by the river. Recommend a place with 值得 (zhídé -- worth): 这座博物馆很值得参观。At Higher tier add an opinion with a reason across time frames -- past 上个周末, future 下次: 上个周末我去了海边，很放松，所以下次我还想去。— last weekend I went to the seaside and relaxed, so next time I want to go again.
Drawn from real examiner reports.
Describe YOUR OWN area, not a famous place
✗ describing Beijing or a general "China is big and beautiful" when the task says describe YOUR local area ✓ 我住在英国西南部的一个小城市，这里不大，可是有一个公园和几家商店，很安静。(…zhèlǐ bú dà, kěshì yǒu yí gè gōngyuán hé jǐ jiā shāngdiàn.) — a small city with a park and a few shops. Use 我住在……, name real features of where you actually live, not a landmark you only read about.
Digest Writing: on the environmental option candidates wrote GENERAL issues instead of the LOCAL environment asked for (June 2024 1CN0/4H).
In a 比 comparison, never insert 很
In a 比 (bǐ) sentence the adjective stands alone -- do NOT add 很. ✗ 今天比昨天很冷 ✓ 今天比昨天冷。(Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān lěng.) — Today is colder than yesterday. Add a degree AFTER the adjective: 冷一点 (a bit colder), 冷得多 (much colder): 大城市比小城镇热闹得多。And when a comparison is asked, make it appear -- 这里安静 does not answer 这里比那里更安静吗？
Digest Reading: marks lost for dropping the comparison/degree -- "be confident" where "be MORE confident" was needed (June 2023 1CN0/3H); the grammar list flags 今天比昨天很冷.
Measure words for places: 一座山, 一条河
Chinese has no plural ending, so number + the CORRECT 量词 + noun shows quantity, and nouns take different classifiers. ✗ 一个山、一个河 ✓ 一座山 (yí zuò shān), 一条河 (yì tiáo hé), 一家商店 (a shop), 一个公园 (a park). Use 座 for mountains and large buildings, 条 for long thin things (rivers, roads), 家 for shops, 个 as default. Be explicit about number: 附近有几家商店 (several shops).
(general FL trap): wrong or omitted measure words (一个书 -> 一本书) are a stock error, and no singular/plural inflection can make an answer read as "only one kind" (June 2023 1CN0/2H).
Existence is 有, not 是
To say a place HAS something (existence), use 有 (yǒu), never 是 (shì). ✗ 我家附近是一个公园 ✓ 我家附近有一个公园。(Wǒ jiā fùjìn yǒu yí gè gōngyuán.) — Near my home there is a park. 是 links two NOUNS for identity: 那是一个公园。— That is a park. So 有 = "there is/exists", 是 = "X is Y". Decide which you mean -- existence or identity.
(general FL trap): confusing existence 有 with the copula 是 when describing what a place has.
Answer only what is asked, not extra detail
Give exactly what the question asks and no more -- extra detail can change the meaning and lose the mark. ✗ answering the SUMMER weather but also adding the winter detail, or "ten countries" when the text said ten cities ✓ if asked 夏天天气怎么样？give only 夏天又热又常常下雨。(Xiàtiān yòu rè yòu chángcháng xià yǔ.) Base every answer solely on the text and keep to its scope.
Digest: adding extra/unnecessary detail that changes the meaning loses the mark -- "ten countries" for ten cities (June 2023 1CN0/1H; June 2023 1CN0/3H).
Myth: an adjective needs 是 like English "is"
A plain Chinese adjective is ITSELF the predicate, introduced by a degree adverb (很, 太, 非常), NOT by 是. ✗ 今天是冷、这里是漂亮 ✓ 今天很冷 — Today is cold. ✓ 这里很漂亮 — It is pretty here. Here 很 is a light linker and need not mean "very". Use 是 only to link two NOUNS: 那是一座博物馆。Compare 博物馆很老 (adjective, 很) with 那是博物馆 (noun, 是).
A four-step describe-your-area routine
For a describe-your-area task: 1) LOCATE it -- 我住在……的……方, 离……近/远; 2) SAY WHAT IS THERE with 有 + correct 量词 (一座山、一条河) and the weather (adjective + 很, or a forecast 会); 3) SAY WHAT YOU CAN DO with 可以 + verb (可以爬山、拍照); 4) add an opinion with a reason.
Answer the exact question word and scope
Give exactly what the question word asks. WHERE (哪儿) needs a place, WHEN (什么时候) a time, HOW LONG (多久) a duration. If asked about the SUMMER weather, answer only summer, not winter too. ✗ 我常常去 to a 哪儿 question ✓ 我常在海边度假。Name the question word first to avoid a near-miss.
Higher: make a real 比 comparison (no 很)
A compare task needs a real comparison. Use 比 (bǐ) with NO 很 before the adjective, and put any degree AFTER it: 大城市比小城镇热闹得多，可是乡下比城市安静。(…rènao de duō…) — a big city is much livelier than a small town, but the countryside is quieter. ✗ 这里很安静 does not answer "is it quieter here?"
This topic (Theme T2: Local Area, Holiday & Travel, T2.3) covers the high-frequency language for describing your local area and other places, the weather (seasons and forecasts), the places to see (parks, museums, mountains, rivers, the seaside, historic sites) and the things to do. It is central to the Paper 2 Speaking conversation and picture-based task and to Paper 4 functional and extended Writing, and appears in listening and reading too. At Higher tier you must describe and compare places, use future weather forecasts, and give opinions with reasons across past, present and future time frames.
Weather & seasons 天气与季节 (tiānqì yǔ jìjié)
| 汉字 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 天气 | tiānqì | weather |
| 晴天 | qíngtiān | sunny day |
| 阴天 | yīntiān | overcast day |
| 下雨 | xià yǔ | to rain |
| 下雪 | xià xuě | to snow |
| 刮风 | guā fēng | to be windy |
| 热 / 冷 | rè / lěng | hot / cold |
| 暖和 / 凉快 | nuǎnhuo / liángkuai | warm / cool |
| 气温 | qìwēn | (air) temperature |
| 天气预报 | tiānqì yùbào | weather forecast |
| 春天 / 夏天 | chūntiān / xiàtiān | spring / summer |
| 秋天 / 冬天 | qiūtiān / dōngtiān | autumn / winter |
Places to see 景点 (jǐngdiǎn)
| 汉字 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 城市 / 城镇 | chéngshì / chéngzhèn | city / town |
| 乡下 | xiāngxià | countryside |
| 地区 | dìqū | region, district |
| 公园 | gōngyuán | park |
| 博物馆 | bówùguǎn | museum |
| 广场 | guǎngchǎng | square |
| 一座山 | yí zuò shān | a mountain |
| 一条河 | yì tiáo hé | a river |
| 海边 | hǎibiān | seaside |
| 名胜古迹 | míngshèng gǔjì | scenic spots and historic sites |
| 市中心 | shì zhōngxīn | city centre |
| 附近 | fùjìn | nearby |
Things to do 活动 (huódòng)
| 汉字 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 参观 | cānguān | to visit (a place) |
| 逛街 | guàng jiē | to stroll the shops |
| 爬山 | pá shān | to climb a mountain, to hike |
| 拍照 | pāizhào | to take photos |
| 散步 | sànbù | to take a walk |
| 划船 | huáchuán | to row a boat |
| 看风景 | kàn fēngjǐng | to look at the scenery |
| 值得 | zhídé | to be worth |
| 热闹 / 安静 | rènao / ānjìng | lively / quiet |
weather -- say it in Chinese with pinyin and use it in a short sentence
用中文写出四个描述天气的词或短语（例如"下雨"），并标出拼音。
Level-of-response questions with model answers and mark scheme rubrics.
你的中国朋友想了解你住的地方。请用微信给他/她写一条消息，内容要写清楚以下几点：（1）你住在哪里（城市或城镇，在哪个方向）；（2）那里有什么值得看的地方；（3）那里的天气怎么样。请用中文（汉字）书写，约80-90字，语气可以友好、自然。（8分）
你们学校的中文杂志正在征集关于「我的家乡」的文章。请写一篇文章，介绍你自己住的地方，内容包括：（1）你的家乡在哪里，有什么值得看的地方和可以做的活动；（2）那里一年四季的天气怎么样；（3）你喜不喜欢住在那里，为什么，以后你想不想一直住在那里。请写你自己住的地方（不要写一个有名的旅游城市），用中文（汉字）书写，约130-150字，注意用连接词把内容展开。（16分）
这是一段口语话题对话（Topic Conversation），主题是「你住的地方、地区和国家」。老师扮演考官，向你提问，你要用中文回答，并把每个答案展开、加上理由和意见。请准备好谈以下几个方面： （1）你住在哪里？那里有什么值得看的地方？（用"有" + 量词） （2）你住的地方天气怎么样？你最喜欢哪个季节，为什么？ （3）周末或假期，你在你的地区常常做什么活动？ （4）你觉得住在城市好还是住在乡下好？请比较一下，并说明理由（用"比"）。 （5）以后你想不想一直住在这里？为什么？（约30分）
