← Back to the HSK 5 exam format
How HSK 5 writing is graded
The HSK 5 writing section has no answer key: every part is marked against a rubric. So here is the rubric itself, every criterion and what it is worth, what separates one band from the next, and a worked answer at each band with the correction. It is the same scheme this site grades against, not a summary of it.
Compared with HSK 4, the prescribed vocabulary rises by 1,755 words to 5,000, the CEFR band moves from B1 to B2. On the paper itself, sentence ordering appears for the first time, fill the blanks from a word list, sentence gap-fill and write a sentence drop out, the writing minimum rises from 300 characters to 450.
HSK 3.0 · Writing · 2 graded parts with marking criteria · free to read, no account
What HSK 5 writing asks of you, officially
Length: no less than 450 Chinese characters, in a limited time.
What you write: common narratives, expositions and argumentations, plus practical writing formats.
Quality expected: comparatively appropriate vocabulary, basically correct sentence patterns, comparatively complete content and comparatively clear expression, with correct format and basically standard expression.
Characters: the standard expects you to be able to handwrite 250 handwritten characters from the Intermediate Level list.
Quoted from GF0025-2021, 《国际中文教育中文水平等级标准》, the official standard published by China's Ministry of Education and effective from 1 July 2021. The criteria below are how this site marks against it.
Short composition
The learner must write a short essay (typically 80+ characters) responding to a prompt, on topic and appropriately organized.
请根据下面四张图，写一篇不少于100字的作文。
There is no answer key for this task. What you write is judged against the criteria below.
How it is marked
Marked against HSK 5 (CEFR B2) on a 10 point scale, across 4 criteria weighted as below. This is the same scheme the grader on this site uses, not a summary of it.
Task achievement
worth 3 of 10Does the essay actually answer the prompt, stay on topic, and reach the expected length/development?
- No credit 0 pts
- blank, off-task, or wholly unrelated to the prompt.
- Weak 1 to 4 pts
- addresses the prompt only partially or far too briefly; key parts missing.
- Adequate 5 to 7 pts
- answers the prompt with adequate development, minor gaps or padding.
- Strong 8 to 10 pts
- fully answers the prompt with well-developed, relevant content and appropriate length.
Grammar & accuracy
worth 3 of 10Sentence structures, particles, aspect (了/过/着), word order. Judge how often errors occur and whether they block meaning.
- No credit 0 pts
- so many errors the text is largely unintelligible.
- Weak 1 to 4 pts
- frequent errors that repeatedly obscure meaning.
- Adequate 5 to 7 pts
- generally controlled; noticeable errors that rarely block meaning.
- Strong 8 to 10 pts
- accurate and varied structures; only occasional slips.
Vocabulary & expression
worth 2 of 10Range, precision, and naturalness of word choice for the level; measure words and collocations.
- No credit 0 pts
- vocabulary far too limited to convey the message.
- Weak 1 to 4 pts
- narrow or repeatedly misused vocabulary; frequent wrong word choice.
- Adequate 5 to 7 pts
- adequate range with some imprecision or repetition.
- Strong 8 to 10 pts
- precise, varied, natural word choice appropriate to the level.
Coherence & cohesion
worth 2 of 10Logical flow, paragraphing, and use of connectives (因为/所以, 但是, 首先/然后, etc.).
- No credit 0 pts
- no discernible organization.
- Weak 1 to 4 pts
- ideas jump around; connectives missing or misused.
- Adequate 5 to 7 pts
- mostly logical with some abrupt transitions.
- Strong 8 to 10 pts
- clear, well-linked progression of ideas throughout.
What each band looks like
Worked examples that fix where one band ends and the next begins. The grader is given these same examples, so they are what the marking is calibrated to.
我最喜欢夏天。
- Far too brief: states a preference but gives no reasons or development.
因为夏天的时候，我可以去游泳，也能和朋友一起去旅游，所以我最喜欢夏天。
我的家乡有很多好吃的。天气很热。人很好。我喜欢。有山。
- Disconnected short statements with no connectives or logical order.
Short composition
The learner must write a short essay (typically 80+ characters) responding to a prompt, on topic and appropriately organized.
有人说，人生最大的遗憾不是失败，而是从来没有尝试过。请以“尝试”为话题，写一篇不少于200字的短文，谈谈你的看法，并举例说明。
There is no answer key for this task. What you write is judged against the criteria below.
How it is marked
Marked against HSK 5 (CEFR B2) on a 10 point scale, across 4 criteria weighted as below. This is the same scheme the grader on this site uses, not a summary of it.
Task achievement
worth 3 of 10Does the essay actually answer the prompt, stay on topic, and reach the expected length/development?
- No credit 0 pts
- blank, off-task, or wholly unrelated to the prompt.
- Weak 1 to 4 pts
- addresses the prompt only partially or far too briefly; key parts missing.
- Adequate 5 to 7 pts
- answers the prompt with adequate development, minor gaps or padding.
- Strong 8 to 10 pts
- fully answers the prompt with well-developed, relevant content and appropriate length.
Grammar & accuracy
worth 3 of 10Sentence structures, particles, aspect (了/过/着), word order. Judge how often errors occur and whether they block meaning.
- No credit 0 pts
- so many errors the text is largely unintelligible.
- Weak 1 to 4 pts
- frequent errors that repeatedly obscure meaning.
- Adequate 5 to 7 pts
- generally controlled; noticeable errors that rarely block meaning.
- Strong 8 to 10 pts
- accurate and varied structures; only occasional slips.
Vocabulary & expression
worth 2 of 10Range, precision, and naturalness of word choice for the level; measure words and collocations.
- No credit 0 pts
- vocabulary far too limited to convey the message.
- Weak 1 to 4 pts
- narrow or repeatedly misused vocabulary; frequent wrong word choice.
- Adequate 5 to 7 pts
- adequate range with some imprecision or repetition.
- Strong 8 to 10 pts
- precise, varied, natural word choice appropriate to the level.
Coherence & cohesion
worth 2 of 10Logical flow, paragraphing, and use of connectives (因为/所以, 但是, 首先/然后, etc.).
- No credit 0 pts
- no discernible organization.
- Weak 1 to 4 pts
- ideas jump around; connectives missing or misused.
- Adequate 5 to 7 pts
- mostly logical with some abrupt transitions.
- Strong 8 to 10 pts
- clear, well-linked progression of ideas throughout.
What each band looks like
Worked examples that fix where one band ends and the next begins. The grader is given these same examples, so they are what the marking is calibrated to.
我最喜欢夏天。
- Far too brief: states a preference but gives no reasons or development.
因为夏天的时候，我可以去游泳，也能和朋友一起去旅游，所以我最喜欢夏天。
我的家乡有很多好吃的。天气很热。人很好。我喜欢。有山。
- Disconnected short statements with no connectives or logical order.
Ready for the whole paper?
These are single questions with the answers next to them. The exam is all 72 of them under the real clock, with audio that plays once. Your first HSK 5 mock is free.
Take a full HSK 5 mock examNot sure what is on the paper yet? Read the HSK 5 exam format guide.