IGCSE Chinese 0547: The Ultimate Exam Format Guide for Parents
- Aileen Ting
- Jan 1
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 2
If your child’s school says "0547", they are referring to the Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese (Foreign Language) syllabus.
Parents usually ask two things first:
What will my child be tested on?
Why does it feel so hard, even when they study a lot?
This guide answers both in simple language and shows you exactly what to practise first.
Quick Note: If you want a quick overview of all the different IGCSE Chinese routes we support, you can also visit our [IGCSE Chinese tutor in Hong Kong] page.
The Basics: Who is the 0547 Exam For?
IGCSE Chinese 0547 is a Foreign Language route. It is designed for students who are learning Mandarin as a distinct language, not for students studying Chinese as a first language (like local HKDSE or IGCSE 0509).
This distinction matters because the exam is not just about memorising vocabulary. It tests:
Understanding real exam-style tasks.
Speaking clearly under pressure.
Writing accurate Chinese characters in a short time.
Exam Overview: The 4 Papers
All candidates take 4 papers. Each paper is weighted equally at 25% of the total grade.
Paper | Skill | Time | Marks | Key Challenge |
Paper 1 | Listening | ~40 mins | 30 | Catching details quickly; not overthinking. |
Paper 2 | Reading | 1h 15m | 40 | Speed, scanning, and writing accurate answers. |
Paper 3 | Speaking | ~10 mins | 40 | Speaking naturally without freezing. |
Paper 4 | Writing | 1h 15m | 45 | Accuracy, structure, and character control. |
Important: Dictionaries are not allowed in the exam.
Paper 1: Listening – Catching Key Details
Listening is often easier to improve than writing, but only if students practise the right way.
What it really tests:
Understanding the main idea quickly.
Picking out key details (time, place, numbers, and who did what).
Staying calm when they miss a word.
What usually goes wrong:
Students panic if they miss one phrase.
They try to translate every word in their head.
They do not practise listening under exam timing.
What to practise each week:
2 short listening tasks under timing.
Checking mistakes carefully.
Writing down common exam phrases that keep repeating.
Paper 2: Reading – Managing Time & Accuracy
Reading includes both short texts and longer texts. It is surprisingly easy to lose marks here simply by rushing.
Common problems:
Students understand the passage but answer the wrong detail.
Students do not write short answers clearly in Chinese characters.
Students spend too long on one question and run out of time.
Best habit:
Practise scanning for the specific detail the question is asking for.
Learn to write short, clear answers instead of long sentences.
Paper 3: Speaking – Handling Nerves & Conversation
For many Hong Kong students, speaking is the most stressful paper—especially if they speak Cantonese at home and use Mandarin mainly in class.
The Speaking Test Structure:
Warm-up: Short chat (not assessed).
Role Play: Transactional questions (about 2 minutes).
Topic Conversation 1: About 4 minutes.
Topic Conversation 2: About 4 minutes.
Preparation: You get 10 minutes before the test to prepare the role play.
Why students struggle:
Students often say, "I don't know what to talk about; my mind goes blank."
This is normal. Marks are usually lost because students:
Answer too briefly (one-word answers).
Hesitate too much.
Cannot expand with simple reasons and examples.
Lose accuracy (tones, word order) due to nerves.
What works:
Practise role-play responses as reusable patterns.
Build a small set of flexible speaking sentence frames.
Do timed speaking practice, not just vocabulary memorisation.
Paper 4: Writing – Structure & Character Control
Writing in 0547 is very structured. The tasks are predictable, but students must be accurate.
Question 1: Form filling
Single words or short phrases.
Tests basic accuracy and vocab.
Question 2: Directed Writing (80–100 characters)
Short writing on an everyday topic.
Tests ability to write a clear, correct response.
Question 3: Extended Writing (~150 characters)
Choice between: Email/Letter OR Article/Blog.
Tests organisation, appropriate language, and sustained accuracy.
Why students say “Chinese doesn’t make sense”
This happens when students try to build sentences word-by-word from English. In Chinese, word order changes meaning, and direct translation often sounds unnatural.
The fastest improvement comes from:
Learning common exam sentence patterns.
Practising short writing under timing.
Correcting the same errors until they stop repeating.
Why IGCSE Chinese 0547 feels hard?
Parents often feel confused because their child studies a lot, but marks do not move. In Hong Kong, the most common reasons are:
Different starting points: Some students speak Mandarin at home, others Cantonese, and others mainly English.
Character pressure: Writing accurate characters under time limits is hard for non-native learners.
School pacing: In large group classes, it is difficult for teachers to correct every student’s writing weekly.
Speaking anxiety: Students may understand but lack the guided practice to respond naturally.
Too much “learning,” not enough “using”: Students memorise vocabulary lists but do not practise the actual exam tasks.
A Simple Weekly Revision Plan
You do not need to do everything every week. You need consistent practice in the right format.
Weekly Plan (60–90 mins total):
Listening (15 mins): 1 timed task + review mistakes.
Reading (15 mins): 1 timed section + short answer practice.
Speaking (15 mins): 1 role play + 1 topic conversation practice.
Writing (15–30 mins):
Week A: Question 2 (80–100 chars).
Week B: Question 3 (150 chars).
Always: Correct errors and rewrite once.
Key Rule: Improvement comes from corrections, not just doing more questions.
Do I need an IGCSE Chinese tutor?
Tutoring helps most when a student needs:
Structured correction for writing (so the same mistakes stop repeating).
Timed speaking practice with feedback.
Exam-task practice instead of random worksheets.
You can view our IGCSE Chinese Tutor HK page to learn more about how we can help.
Or simply book an IGCSE Chinese trial lesson for HKD 400/1 hr, and let us assess and plan for you.
FAQ: IGCSE Chinese 0547
Is 0547 Mandarin or Cantonese?
0547 is a Mandarin exam route. If a student speaks Cantonese at home, they can still take 0547, but they must build Mandarin speaking confidence.
Do students need to write Chinese characters?
Yes. Writing tasks require students to produce Chinese characters (Hanzi) under timing.
Are dictionaries allowed in IGCSE 0547?
No. Dictionaries are not allowed in the exam.
What is the hardest paper for most students?
For many non-native learners, it is Writing, because accuracy and structure matter under time pressure. For others, it is Speaking, because they freeze even when they understand.
This article is written by Aileen Ting, founder of Mandarin & Cantonese Tutor HK
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