Mattie & Me · P4 Chinese in Singapore: what's tested and how to practise
P4 Chinese uses the 欢乐伙伴 (Huanle Huoban) 4A and 4B textbooks: 16 lessons in all. In the past-year P4 school papers we hold, reading comprehension, passage cloze, word pairing and word choice carry about three-quarters of the written marks.
Try a free P4 paper · P4 听写 lists
Which textbook and lessons does P4 Chinese use?
P4 uses the 2015 edition of 欢乐伙伴. Book 4A has 9 lessons, from 一起看电视 ("Watching TV together") to 爱心无障碍 ("Kindness without barriers"). Book 4B has 7 lessons, from 这样才对 ("That's the right way") to 多彩的动物世界 ("The colourful animal world"). Our free P4 听写 (spelling) lists cover all 16 lessons, with pinyin, English meanings and read-aloud.
What do P4 Chinese school papers test most?
We looked at the P4 Chinese papers dated 2023 onwards in our collection (241 papers). Multiple-choice items carry about two-thirds (66%) of the written-paper marks. By share of marks:
| Section (Chinese name) | Share of marks |
|---|---|
| Reading comprehension (阅读理解) | 30% |
| Passage cloze (短文填空) | 20% |
| Word pairing (词语搭配) | 16% |
| Word choice (词语选择) | 14% |
| Spot the right character (辨字) | 8% |
| Language use (语文应用) | 8% |
| Written comprehension questions (理解问答) | 4% |
These figures describe the school papers we hold. They are not an official MOE or SEAB format, and each school sets its own papers. Our P4 exam guide walks through a typical paper section by section.
Which P4 Chinese words come up most?
These are the words tested in the most P4 papers in our collection. The count is the number of different papers that tested each word.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Papers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 担心 | dānxīn | to worry | 110 |
| 竟然 | jìngrán | unexpectedly | 103 |
| 报名 | bàomíng | to sign up | 97 |
| 批评 | pīpíng | to criticise, scold | 96 |
| 欣赏 | xīnshǎng | to admire, enjoy | 94 |
| 帮助 | bāngzhù | to help | 90 |
| 道歉 | dàoqiàn | to apologise | 89 |
| 放弃 | fàngqì | to give up | 87 |
| 建议 | jiànyì | to suggest | 87 |
| 尊敬 | zūnjìng | to respect | 84 |
Seven of the ten are 4A textbook words. 报名 (5B) and 帮助 (2B) come from other books, which is a reminder that papers also test words from earlier and later years.
What can my child practise for free?
- Over 400 past-year P4 school papers (over 11,000 questions), one section at a time. The right option is shown after a wrong pick. Browse P4 papers
- 16 P4 听写 lists with pinyin, meanings and read-aloud. Open the lists
- Picture-talk practice (看图说话) with 50 P4 picture cards, to practise for next year's oral. Chinese oral practice
- The Mattie & Me island game: everyday tasks that use textbook words.
Listening sections in papers aren't part of the free papers.
How does Learning help with P4 Chinese?
Learning adds Smart Practice. Your child doesn't pick a paper: after a short 10-question check, each next question targets words likely to come up in their school's exams that they don't know yet. Where we don't have their school's papers, we use same-level papers from other schools. Wrong picks are explained in English, with pinyin and read-aloud, so you can follow along even if you don't read Chinese. 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. You can cancel anytime. See Smart Practice
Is P4 Chinese tuition worth it?
It depends on what your child needs. A tutor can coach writing and speaking face to face. Daily short practice at home can cover words and reading.
Practise P4 Chinese now
FAQ
Which Chinese textbook does P4 use in Singapore?
欢乐伙伴 (Huanle Huoban), books 4A (9 lessons) and 4B (7 lessons).
What is tested most in P4 Chinese papers?
In the 2023-onwards P4 school papers we hold, reading comprehension (about 30% of marks) and passage cloze (about 20%) lead, followed by word pairing and word choice. Schools set their own papers, so this varies.
Are there free P4 Chinese exam papers?
Yes. Over 400 past-year P4 school papers are free to practise on Mattie & Me, one section at a time, with no sign-up.
Do I need to read Chinese to help my child?
No. Our 听写 lists show English meanings and pinyin. With Learning, wrong picks are explained in English and read aloud.
What does Learning cost?
S$12.99 a month or S$99 a year, after a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.