Mandarin level 3

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 helps students build confidence in using Mandarin across all four skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. By the end of the course, you will:

• Communicate effectively in most common situations.
• Gain an intermediate command of the language.
• Enhance your understanding of Chinese culture.

Functions

• Understanding hotel check-in procedures.
• Describing historical periods.
• Ordering food and drinks at restaurants.
• Bargaining while shopping.

Course content

Main topics/themes to be covered:

• Hotel accommodation: check-in and room facilities.
• Museums, history, and cultural relics.
• Eating out: Chinese dishes, food, and drink.
• Shopping for souvenirs and postal services.

Phonetics

• Pronunciation:
  • Tone sandhi: 3rd + 3rd tones.
  • Differences between “ü” and “üe”.
  • Differences between “en” and “eng”.
  • Finals: “ian” and “üan”.

Grammar

• Expressing adequacy with 够/不够.
• Forming the passive voice with 被.
• Describing continuous actions or states with 着.
• Using 是……的 constructions for emphasis.
• Structuring sentences with 把.
• Expressing progression with 越……越…… (The more...the more...).

Learning resources

Books

Discover China: Student's Book Two, edited by Chen Xin, Jing Lili , Macmillan, Chapters 5-8
ISBN: 9780230406391

Discover China: Workbook Two, Chapters 5-8
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.