Mandarin level 2 plus

Revised August 2025

Prerequisite for entry

Successful completion of Mandarin syllabus level 2 at UCL CLIE, or equivalent.

Term duration

10 x 2-hour classes.

Aims and objectives

This course is designed to build on your foundational Mandarin skills, helping you achieve an intermediate level. By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Communicate effectively in everyday situations.
• Engage in discussions on cultural and practical topics.
• Read simple texts in Mandarin without relying on pinyin.

Functions

• Making invitations and explaining your reasons.
• Talking about weather and appropriate clothing.
• Hosting or visiting someone at home.
• Asking for/giving directions and making suggestions.

Course content

Main topics/themes to be covered:

• Daily routines.
• Weather, seasons, and clothing.
• Home visits and Chinese New Year traditions.
• Transport, distance, and giving directions.

Phonetics

• Pronunciation differences:
  • "z" vs. "zh"
  • "c" vs. "ch"
  • "uo" vs. "e"
  • The initials: "zh," "ch," "sh"

Grammar

• Using auxiliary words like 得.
• Topic-comment sentence patterns.
• Functions of 了 (particle and auxiliary word).
• Expressing succession with 一……就…….
• Comparing things:
  • A和B差不多/一样 (A and B are similar).
  • A比/没有B+adjective (A is more/less than B).
• Talking about future actions using 要/会.
• Describing ongoing actions with 正在.
• Expressing “both…and…” using 又……又…….
• Sequencing actions with 先……然后…….
• Talking about distance with 从A到B.
• Using 以后 or ……的时候 for timing.

Learning resources

Books

Discover China: Student's Book Two, edited by Chen Xin, Jing Lili , Macmillan, Chapters 1-4
ISBN: 9780230406391

Discover China: Workbook Two, Chapters 1-4
ISBN: 9780230406407

Bilingual Dictionaries

• Oxford Concise English Chinese/Chinese English Dictionary

Websites

Dictionary

In addition there are supplementary materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre.