How Do You Improve Your Chinese Writing Skills? 6 Tips And Tricks to Write Like a Pro
Many take up Chinese for a number of different reasons. Some learn Chinese for job opportunities, some study it to be able to travel to and converse in Chinese-speaking countries and some for academic reasons. Whatever your reason may be, learning Chinese can lead you to a world of exciting opportunities. But, when writing this wonderful language, you may find yourself a bit lost and confused. Don’t worry. This blog post has got you covered, especially if you are studying Chinese in primary or secondary school in Singapore and want to enhance your writing skills and become a pro!
Tip 1: Acquire a Good Understanding of Chinese Grammar
As a tonal language that has a complex grammar structure, it can take a lot of time for young students to grasp and master the fundamentals of Chinese. For instance, they must understand the various components of sentence structuring before they attempt to start writing. There are many aspects that students need to be aware of, from grasping the basics of subject-verb agreement to ensuring there are no structural flaws like sentence fragments and other essential points. This complexity is enhanced by the absence of verb conjugations, the use of classifiers, and tenses.
Therefore, if you would like to improve your writing skills, it is important to have a very clear understanding of the grammar structure. While writing isn’t just about learning grammar, having clarity will take you far in your academic life.
Tip 2: Become Familiar with Chinese Character Writing
If you are studying Chinese, you might already be aware of the large number of Characters in the language. Those learning the language in secondary school in Singapore are expected to know around 3000 characters (including those learned in primary school) and this is no small feat. Therefore, the more familiar you become with these characters, the easier it will become for you to enhance your writing skills. Chinese characters have different strokes, and each stroke is different from the next one. The stroke order and direction are very important, and understanding these components will make writing more straightforward and easier.
Furthermore, it is also important to note that learning and writing Chinese characters is completely different from composing text. Being proficient in character writing is insufficient. Students must have an excellent command of grammar, syntax and vocabulary to construct coherent sentences. So, keep writing and practising. After all, practice makes perfect!
Tip 3: Expand and Improve Your Chinese Vocabulary
This might seem like a no-brainer, but many don’t realise how important it is to have a broad vocabulary. The more extensive your vocabulary, the better you can express yourself. While it is difficult to quantify how broad your vocabulary should be, students are usually expected to learn at least 500 common words before they start secondary school. This can be a challenging task because students tend to forget some of the words they have learned and this can add a lot of pressure on them. But you must not get discouraged; the more you revise, the easier it will become to improve your vocabulary skills. If you feel like you might not be able to do this on your own, we have the perfect solution for you – attend an excellent secondary school Chinese tuition class and perfect your skills.
At Ruixing, our highly experienced tutors are well aware of the common mistakes that students make when it comes to learning grammar and vocabulary and can help them overcome these pitfalls. We use interactive teaching methodologies and incorporate engaging strategies to help them discover a love for Chinese while improving their language skills.
Tip 4: Avoid Using a Translator as Much as Possible
While an automated translator can certainly be helpful, it might not be as accurate as one would hope. No software is perfect, and mistakes may happen, and you would waste your time learning the wrong information. However, translating articles on your own can be beneficial as you can improve your grammar and pick up some effective sentence structuring skills. The ideal choice is to choose articles that are available in both Chinese and the language you already are fluent in. This will allow you to fix your flaws and give you an idea of where you stand.
Moreover, if you have Chinese subtitles for any TV programme or YouTube tutorial that you are watching, turn on the subtitles to help you become more familiar with Chinese characters. Enjoy your shows while brushing up your language skills!
Tip 5: Read as Many Chinese Articles as You Can!
Reading is a great way to develop your writing skills. While writing is a skill that can be improved by practising, it is difficult to truly become a great writer without reading. Reading will introduce you to different words, phrases, and terms and will enhance your writing structure and style! For instance, if you are having trouble expressing something, reading a number of materials on the same subject matter will help you become familiar with the text structures used and guide you in writing it. In addition, write daily on various subjects. The more you read and the more you write, the better you will be at writing Chinese!
Another great way in which reading books can help you is by trying to write a summary of each article or paragraph you read. This will kill two birds with one stone – you will read more and write better!
Tip 6: Attend an Excellent Secondary School Chinese Tuition Centre in Singapore
This may perhaps be the most valuable tip that we can offer you. The significance of attending a reliable secondary school Chinese tuition centre cannot be stressed enough.
Listed below are some of the key reasons why one should learn from a reputed Chinese tuition centre like Ruixing Active Chinese Centre:
- Receive quality education
- Learn from highly experienced tutors
- Follow a structured curriculum (MOE syllabus)
- Get individual attention and support
- Study from interactive and engaging lessons
- Get exposed to an immersive learning environment
- Address the weak areas and consolidate the strong points
- Receive access to essential study resources and past papers
- Carry out regular mock revisions
- Build a solid foundation and brighten your future
Interested in discovering more tips and tricks? Don’t wait! Get in touch with our friendly and dedicated team at Ruixing Active Chinese Centre today! A successful future awaits you!