Mattie & Me · P4 Chinese composition (看图作文): what school papers ask, and how to plan one
In the P4 school papers we hold, composition is almost always picture composition (看图作文). Children see a series of pictures with suggested words, then write what happened. Most papers ask for at least 80 characters; some ask for 100–120.
What does a P4 Chinese composition task look like?
Across the past-year P4 school papers in our collection that include a composition task, the pattern is very consistent:
- A picture series tells a short story.
- Suggested words (参考词语): about 8–10 words or phrases, sometimes one set per picture.
- A minimum length, printed in the instructions: most often 80 characters (不少于80字). Some papers, often Higher Chinese, ask for 100 or 120.
- Marks: where a paper prints them in the section title, it's usually 15 marks (one paper shows 20). Many papers don't print the marks.
Some papers vary the task: finish the middle of a story whose start and end are given, or write a short diary-style entry (周记) from the pictures.
These describe the school papers we hold, not an official format. Schools set their own papers.
What are the stories usually about?
The picture stories in our P4 papers are everyday situations with a small problem and a lesson. Common themes, in our own words:
- Being careless, then saying sorry: teasing a classmate, being scolded, apologising.
- Helping someone: picking up dropped things, helping an older person cross the road.
- Honesty: finding a wallet or money and handing it in.
- Safety: playing near a road or bus stop, a near-accident.
- Caring for animals: finding an injured bird and looking after it.
- Keeping places clean and following rules: classrooms, canteens, parks.
- Family: helping a parent or grandparent, or making a sick person feel better.
How do you plan a picture composition? (our guidance)
This is a simple way to plan. It's not an official marking scheme.
1. Beginning (开头): who, where, when. One or two sentences.
2. Middle (经过): go through the pictures in order. For each picture, say what happened, how the person felt, and what they said. Use the suggested words, but in full sentences.
3. End (结尾): how it turned out, and what the character learnt or felt.
4. Joining words keep the story flowing: 然后 (then), 接着 (next), 最后 (finally), 突然 (suddenly).
5. Check: the length meets the minimum, every picture is covered, and characters are written correctly.
Example plan (ours, not from a school paper)
Four pictures: a girl drops her water bottle in the library; it spills on a book; she tells the librarian; the librarian thanks her for being honest.
- Beginning: 星期六下午，小美和妈妈去图书馆看书。 (On Saturday afternoon, Xiaomei and her mum went to the library.)
- Middle: 小美不小心把水瓶打翻了，水洒在书上。她很紧张，可是她决定告诉图书馆员。 (Xiaomei accidentally knocked over her water bottle and water spilled on a book. She was nervous, but she decided to tell the librarian.)
- End: 图书馆员称赞她诚实。小美明白了做错事要勇敢承认。 (The librarian praised her honesty. Xiaomei learnt to own up bravely when she makes a mistake.)
Words that help in P4 compositions
Feelings and reactions come up in both compositions and comprehension. Several are among the most-tested P4 words in our papers:
- 担心 dānxīn (to worry)
- 批评 pīpíng (to scold)
- 道歉 dàoqiàn (to apologise)
- 欣赏 xīnshǎng (to admire)
- 帮助 bāngzhù (to help)
See the full list on our P4 Chinese page.
Can Mattie & Me mark my child's composition?
No. We don't mark compositions. On our free paper pages, a composition task is shown as a writing prompt for a teacher or parent to check. What we do help with is the words: free P4 听写 lists, past-year P4 papers, and, in Learning, Smart Practice, which targets likely exam words your child doesn't know yet and explains wrong picks in English. Learning costs S$12.99/month or S$99/year, with a 7-day free trial; cancel anytime. If your child needs feedback on their writing, a teacher or tutor is the better choice. See our tuition guide.
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FAQ
How long is a P4 Chinese composition?
In the P4 school papers we hold, most ask for at least 80 characters. Some, often Higher Chinese, ask for 100 or 120.
How many marks is P4 Chinese composition?
Where papers in our collection print the marks, it's usually 15 (one shows 20). Many don't print the marks, and schools set their own papers.
What is 看图作文?
Picture composition: the child looks at a series of pictures, often with suggested words, and writes the story in order, from beginning to end.
How should my child structure it?
Beginning (who, where, when), middle (each picture in order, with actions, feelings and speech), and end (the result and the lesson). That's our guidance, not an official scheme.
Does Mattie & Me mark compositions?
No. We help with words and reading. For feedback on writing, a teacher or tutor is the better choice.