IGCSE Chinese 0523 Exam Format: What Hong Kong Students Are Tested On
- Aileen Ting
- Jan 2
- 4 min read
What does 0523 mean on a school subject list?
If you see the code 0523 on your child’s school subject list, it means they are taking Cambridge IGCSE Chinese as a Second Language.
Most parents I speak to have two main questions:
What exactly will my child be tested on?
Why do their reading and writing marks stay low, even when they study hard?
This guide breaks down the official 0523 exam format and shows you exactly what to practise if Paper 1 (Reading and Writing) is their weak point.
(If you just want a quick overview of all the IGCSE Chinese routes we support, you can visit our IGCSE Chinese tutor in Hong Kong page.)
0523 vs 0547: which one is right for your child?
Cambridge makes the distinction based on how much exposure the student has had to the language.
IGCSE Chinese 0523 (Second Language): This is usually the right choice if the student is a non-native speaker but is exposed to Chinese regularly. For example, living in Hong Kong, hearing it daily, or using it with relatives.
IGCSE Chinese 0547 (Foreign Language): This is designed for learners who usually only encounter Mandarin during lessons and have little or no experience with the language outside the classroom.
If you are still unsure, Cambridge recommends looking at the specimen papers for both routes to see which fits best.
What is IGCSE Chinese as a Second Language 0523?
The 0523 syllabus builds practical communication skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
There are two specific details that matter for Hong Kong families:
Characters: Texts and questions are printed in both traditional and simplified characters. Students can choose to write their answers in either form.
Speaking: The Speaking test is assessed in Mandarin only. No other variety of Chinese (like Cantonese) is accepted.
0523 Exam Format at a Glance
All candidates take three components and are eligible for grades A* to G.
Paper 1: Reading and Writing (60%)
Time: 2 hours
Marks: 60
Format: Five exercises covering information transfer, short answers, multiple matching, functional writing, and extended writing.
Paper 2: Listening (20%)
Time: About 35–45 minutes
Marks: 30
Format: Four exercises (short answers, gap-fill, information correction, and multiple choice). Candidates hear each exercise twice. All listening is in Mandarin.
Component 3: Speaking (20%)
Time: About 10–13 minutes
Marks: 60
Format: Conducted and assessed in Mandarin, recorded, and sent for external moderation.
Note: Dictionaries are not allowed in the written exams, and they are not allowed in the speaking test.
Why reading and writing marks pull the grade down?
This is the reality check many families miss: Paper 1 makes up 60% of the final grade.
Even if your child’s Listening and Speaking skills are "okay," a struggle in Paper 1 will keep their overall result much lower than expected.
Paper 1 explained: what your child actually does
Paper 1 consists of five specific exercises. Here is where students typically lose marks:
Exercise 1: Information transfer
Students fill in notes or a form using details found in a text.
Common mark loss: Missing a tiny but key detail (like a specific date, time, number, or place), or simply copying too much text instead of selecting the exact information required.
Exercise 2: Short-answer questions
Students read a text and answer short questions. Some questions test implied meaning, not just what is directly stated.
Common mark loss: Writing something that is "related" to the topic but doesn't answer the specific question, or spending too long on one answer and rushing the rest.
Exercise 3: Multiple matching
Students match sentences to short paragraphs.
Common mark loss: Guessing without scanning for keywords or missing subtle clues like negatives ("not"), comparisons, or time-sequence signals.
Exercise 4: Functional writing (100–120 characters)
A short piece of functional writing, such as an email. The purpose, format, and audience are always specified.
Common mark loss: Missing one required content point from the prompt, using the wrong tone for the audience, or writing sentences that become unclear under time pressure.
Exercise 5: Extended writing (250–300 characters)
A longer piece of continuous writing. Again, the purpose, format, and audience are specified.
Common mark loss: The ideas are fine, but the structure is messy. Often the writing is too short, the student runs out of time, or grammatical accuracy drops significantly near the end.
“My child can read it but still can’t score well”: the real reasons
I hear this constantly. This is one of the most common problems with 0523. Usually, the issue isn't vocabulary. It is one of these three things:
Answer style: Short answers must be precise, not just "kind of correct."
Timing: Accuracy collapses when students have to rush the final exercises.
Writing task: Exercises 4 and 5 require the strict use of the correct purpose, format and audience.
A simple weekly plan to improve Paper 1 (60–90 minutes)
You usually do not need more hours of study. You need the right routine.
Weekly plan (60–90 minutes total)
Short answers (15 minutes): Do one Exercise 2 set. Check: did you answer the exact question asked?
Matching speed (10 minutes): Do one Exercise 3 sets. Underline the key words that helped you decide quickly.
Functional writing (15–20 minutes): Write one Exercise 4 response. Correct it. Rewrite it once.
Extended writing (20–30 minutes): Plan for 3 minutes. Write for 18–20 minutes. Use the last few minutes to check your "repeat mistakes" list.
Key rule: Marks improve fastest through corrections, not just by doing more new questions.
How can a tutor help?
Tutoring helps most when a student specifically needs:
Structured correction (so the same writing mistakes stop repeating).
Short-answer precision training (so answers match exactly what the examiner wants).
Timed practice that builds accuracy and speed simultaneously.
Full details here: IGCSE Chinese tutor in Hong Kong
Booking: Book an IGCSE trial—HK$400/1 hr.
FAQ: IGCSE Chinese 0523
Can my child write in traditional characters?
Yes. Questions are printed in both forms, and candidates may write answers in either traditional or simplified.
Is the speaking test in Mandarin or Cantonese?
Mandarin only. No other variety of Chinese is accepted.
Are dictionaries allowed?
No. They are not allowed in the written papers, and they are not allowed in the speaking test.
What usually pulls grades down?
Paper 1. It accounts for 60% of the grade and requires clear reading comprehension plus accurate writing under time pressure.
This guide is written by Mandarin & Cantonese Tutor HK founder, Aileen Ting.
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