Mattie & Me · P1 Chinese in Singapore: a guide for parents
P1 Chinese uses the new 欢乐伙伴 (Huanle Huoban) 2.0 textbooks, 1A and 1B (19 lessons). In the P1 school papers we hold, the marks centre on reading, building sentences, strokes and radicals, and recognising the right character.
Try a free P1 paper · P1 听写 lists
Which textbook does P1 Chinese use?
Schools now teach P1 from 欢乐伙伴 2.0, the new edition that began rolling out from P1. There are two books: 1A (10 lessons) and 1B (9 lessons).
Good to know: our free P1 听写 lists still follow the 2015 edition, so some lesson titles and their order differ from your child's 2.0 book. Our P1 practice in Learning uses the 2.0 character lists (生字) for each lesson.
What do P1 Chinese school papers test most?
P1 papers are mostly about recognising and choosing: about 60% of the marks in the recent P1 papers we hold are multiple choice. By share of marks, in the 2023-onwards P1 papers in our collection (44 papers, a small sample):
| Section (Chinese name) | Share of marks |
|---|---|
| Reading comprehension (阅读理解) | 22% |
| Sentences: reorder or rewrite (句子) | 16% |
| Other choice questions (选择) | 16% |
| Strokes and radicals (笔画·部首) | 14% |
| Spot the right character (辨字) | 14% |
| Word choice (词语选择) | 10% |
P1 papers also often ask children to count strokes (数笔画), fill in a character (填写汉字) and match pictures with words (看图). These figures describe the papers we hold. They are not an official MOE or SEAB format.
Which P1 Chinese words come up most?
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Papers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 开心 | kāixīn | happy | 61 |
| 书包 | shūbāo | school bag | 57 |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuan | to like | 52 |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher | 50 |
| 问 | wèn | to ask | 48 |
| 也 | yě | also | 41 |
| 一起 | yìqǐ | together | 39 |
| 太阳 | tàiyáng | sun | 39 |
| 唱歌 | chànggē | to sing | 37 |
| 写字 | xiězì | to write (characters) | 36 |
The count is the number of different P1 papers in our collection that tested the word.
What can my child practise for free?
- Over 100 past-year P1 school papers (over 3,000 questions), one section at a time. The right option is shown after a wrong pick. Browse P1 papers
- 19 P1 听写 lists (2015 edition) with pinyin, meanings and read-aloud. Open the lists
- Picture-talk practice (看图说话) with 38 P1 picture cards, to practise for next year's oral. Chinese oral practice
- The Mattie & Me island game: short, playful tasks with first-year words.
How does Learning help with P1 Chinese?
Smart Practice picks each next question for your child: words likely to come up in their school's exams that they don't know yet. It starts after a short 10-question check. For P1, many schools' papers aren't in our collection yet, so practice often draws on same-level papers from other schools. Wrong picks are explained in English, with pinyin and read-aloud. Missed words come back after 1, 3 and 7 days.
Learning costs S$12.99/month or S$99/year, with a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime. See Smart Practice
Does a P1 child need Chinese tuition?
Many don't. At P1, a few minutes a day of reading, listening and recognising characters often matters more than a weekly class.
Practise P1 Chinese now
FAQ
Which Chinese textbook does P1 use in Singapore?
欢乐伙伴 2.0, books 1A (10 lessons) and 1B (9 lessons).
Are your P1 听写 lists for the new textbook?
Not yet. They follow the 2015 edition, so some lessons differ from 2.0. Learning's P1 practice uses the 2.0 character lists.
What is tested in P1 Chinese papers?
In the P1 school papers we hold: reading comprehension, putting sentences in order, strokes and radicals, choosing the right character, and word choice. Most marks are multiple choice.
Are P1 Chinese exam papers free?
Yes. Over 100 past-year P1 school papers are free on Mattie & Me, with no sign-up.
What does Learning cost?
S$12.99 a month or S$99 a year, after a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.