T3.2Higher tier1CN0 · Section T3: School 学校

School activities: trips, events & exchanges 学校活动：旅行、活动与交流

Key learnings

Past trip: 了, past-time phrase, 次
To describe a trip that happened, put the PAST TIME PHRASE before the verb and mark each completed action with 了 (le). The measure word for a trip is 次 (cì — a time/occasion): 上个月我们学校组织了一次去博物馆的旅行。(Shàng gè yuè wǒmen xuéxiào zǔzhī le yí cì qù bówùguǎn de lǚxíng.) Then chain the completed actions: 我们参观了博物馆，还拍了很多照片。(Wǒmen cānguān le bówùguǎn, hái pāi le hěn duō zhàopiàn.) Note 上个月 comes BEFORE the verb, and 了 marks completion, not tense.
了 vs 过 vs a past habit (no marker)
Past time frames are shown by aspect, not verb endings. Use 了 for one completed event: 去年我们参加了运动会。(Qùnián wǒmen cānjiā le yùndònghuì.) Use 过 (guo) for a past experience — whether you have ever done it: 我参观过长城。(Wǒ cānguān guo Chángchéng.) Use NO marker for a repeated past habit (以前/常常): 我以前常常参加学校的音乐会。(Wǒ yǐqián chángcháng cānjiā xuéxiào de yīnyuèhuì.) Do not add 了 to a habit.
Exchange + opinion across time frames
For an exchange, say the role and where you stayed: 去年我当了一个月的交换生，住在一个中国的寄宿家庭。(Qùnián wǒ dāng le yí gè yuè de jiāohuànshēng, zhù zài yí gè Zhōngguó de jìsù jiātíng.) At Higher tier add an OPINION with a reason and move across time frames — past 那时候, present 现在, future 以后: 那次交流让我的中文提高了很多，所以以后我还想再去。(Nà cì jiāoliú ràng wǒ de Zhōngwén tígāo le hěn duō, suǒyǐ yǐhòu wǒ hái xiǎng zài qù.) — it improved my Chinese, so I want to go again.

Common mistakes

Drawn from real examiner reports.

Feelings given instead of activities

If the task asks WHAT YOU DID, describe the activities, not just how you felt. ✗ only 很有意思，我很开心 (it was fun) when asked 你们在旅行中做了什么？ ✓ 我们参观了博物馆，中午在公园野餐，下午拍了很多照片。(Wǒmen cānguān le bówùguǎn, zhōngwǔ zài gōngyuán yěcān, xiàwǔ pāi le hěn duō zhàopiàn.) Give the concrete activities first, THEN add a feeling with a reason.

Digest: in Speaking, candidates gave feelings about lessons instead of the activities in the foreign-language class (June 2024 1CN0/2H).

Wrong past frame (了 on a habit)

Past narration is the flagged weak spot. ✗ 我每天都去了学校的活动 (了 on a daily habit) ✗ answering 上个学期你参加了什么活动？ with a future 我会参加音乐会. ✓ for a completed event use 了 + a past phrase: 上个学期我参加了学校的文化节，表演了一个中国舞。(Shàng gè xuéqī wǒ cānjiā le wénhuàjié, biǎoyǎn le yí gè Zhōngguó wǔ.) For a habit, drop 了; do not let a future 会 leak into a past answer.

Digest: past-tense unseen questions are the Speaking weak spot and candidates confused have-been with will-be (June 2024 1CN0/2H).

Dropping the comparison between years

When you compare this year with last, keep the comparison word. ✗ 今年的运动会有很多人 (many people) when the point was much MORE lively ✓ 今年的运动会比去年更热闹，参加的人也更多。(Jīnnián de yùndònghuì bǐ qùnián gèng rènao, cānjiā de rén yě gèng duō.) Use A 比 B + 更, and never put 很 in a 比-sentence (今年比去年很热闹 ✗). Degree comes from 更/最 or 热闹得多, never 很.

Digest: on the school reading, candidates wrote much homework where more homework was needed, and be confident for be more confident (June 2023 1CN0/3H).

Time phrase put after the verb

The past time phrase goes BEFORE the verb, never trailing at the end. ✗ 我们参观了博物馆上个月 (English order) ✓ 我们上个月参观了博物馆。(Wǒmen shàng gè yuè cānguān le bówùguǎn.) — Last month we visited the museum. Likewise place before the verb: 我们坐大巴去西安 (not 去西安坐大巴). The order is time–place–verb, so 上个月 and 坐…… sit in front of the action. Re-reading the sentence catches this calque.

(general FL trap)

Wrong measure word (一个旅行 ✗)

Every counted noun needs number + the right 量词 + noun, and each noun has its own. ✗ 一个旅行 ✓ 一次旅行 (yí cì lǚxíng — a trip); ✗ 一个比赛 ✓ 一场比赛 (yì chǎng bǐsài — a match); ✗ 一个照片 ✓ 一张照片 (yì zhāng zhàopiàn — a photo). So 次 for a trip, 场 for a match/concert, 张 for a flat item. Learn each noun with its measure word as a pair.

(general FL trap)

Extra detail that changes the meaning

Write only what you need to: an extra clause can contradict the correct part and lose the mark. ✗ adding 十个国家 (ten countries) when the text said 十个城市 (ten cities) ✓ answer the exact fact asked and stop. On comprehension, base every answer solely on the text; a full sentence with one wrong detail can negate the correct half. Say the required point cleanly, without padding.

Digest cross-cutting: adding ten countries where the text said ten cities cost the mark, and extra clauses negated correct answers (June 2023 1CN0/1H; June 2023 1CN0/3H).

Not every past sentence takes 了

了 marks a COMPLETED event or change of state, not past tense in general. ✗ 我以前每年都参加了运动会 (a habit takes no 了) ✓ 我以前每年都参加运动会。(Wǒ yǐqián měi nián dōu cānjiā yùndònghuì.) For a past EXPERIENCE use 过, not 了: 我参观过故宫。(Wǒ cānguān guo Gùgōng.) Decide: completed event (了), experience (过) or habit (no marker) — the time phrase 上个月/以前/去年 already shows it is past.

Exam tips

Set the past time frame first
Open with a past phrase before the verb — 上个月 / 上学期 / 去年 — so every following verb is anchored in the past. Example: 上个月我们学校组织了一次旅行。(Shàng gè yuè wǒmen xuéxiào zǔzhī le yí cì lǚxíng.) Then keep 了 on the completed actions that follow.
Narrate the activities in order with 了
List the concrete activities in order — WHAT you did, not only how you felt — marking each completed action with 了 and linking with 先……然后…… and 还. Example: 我们先参观了博物馆，然后去公园野餐，还买了纪念品。(Wǒmen xiān cānguān le bówùguǎn, ránhòu qù gōngyuán yěcān, hái mǎi le jìniànpǐn.)
Close with an opinion + future intention
At Higher tier, finish with a justified opinion and a future intention across time frames: 那次……让我……，以后我还想……，因为……. If you compare with another year, use A 比 B 更…… without 很. Example: 那次旅行让我印象很深，以后我还想再去。(Nà cì lǚxíng ràng wǒ yìnxiàng hěn shēn, yǐhòu wǒ hái xiǎng zài qù.)

Revision notes