Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Build HSK 2 vocabulary and expand character recognition
4 weeks
HSK 2 requires approximately 300 vocabulary items (150 new items above HSK 1). At this level, learners can express past experiences (using 了 and 过), ongoing actions (using 在/正在), and frequency (using 经常, 常常, 有时候, 很少). Character recognition expands to include common radicals and compound characters. Vocabulary study should prioritise high-frequency verbs and their common collocations rather than noun lists.
Proof required
Complete a 75-item HSK 2 practice set and submit a photo with a score of 75% or above, plus a handwritten vocabulary study sheet showing 20 new HSK 2 words in characters + pinyin + a collocating word for each (e.g. 喜欢 + 音乐, 看 + 书).
What gets checked
- 75% or above on a 75-item HSK 2 practice set
- 20 vocabulary items written in characters (not Pinyin only)
- Each vocabulary item paired with a real collocation — not a definition
Common mistakes
- Studying HSK 2 vocabulary in isolation without context — Chinese words often change meaning or usage depending on what they combine with
- Skipping character writing practice — HSK 2 exam recognition questions use characters without Pinyin support
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- The collocation pairs should be real, natural combinations — not grammatically forced sentences used to insert the target word
- Check that character writing is legible simplified Chinese — traditional characters are not tested in HSK
- Ask the learner to pronounce 5 of the 20 items with tones — vocabulary study without tonal production is incomplete
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Master HSK 2 grammar — 了, 过, progressive, 把
3 weeks
HSK 2 introduces four key grammatical structures. 了 (le) marks completed actions (我吃了) or signals a change of state. 过 (guò) marks past experience (我去过北京 — I have been to Beijing before). The progressive aspect is marked by 在 or 正在 before the verb (他正在看书 — he is reading right now). 把 sentences move the object before the verb to emphasise what is done to it (我把书放在桌子上 — I put the book on the table). These four structures are foundational to all further Mandarin grammar.
Proof required
Submit a handwritten grammar page (photo or scan) with: (1) two sentences contrasting 了 (completion) vs. 过 (experience) using the same verb, (2) a 正在 sentence and a non-progressive sentence showing the contrast, (3) one 把 sentence with a context note explaining what happens to the object.
What gets checked
- 了 and 过 contrast sentences use the same base verb (e.g. 吃了 vs. 吃过) to show the semantic difference clearly
- 正在 sentence correctly places 正在 before the verb and shows an ongoing action
- 把 sentence correctly moves the object before the verb and specifies a result or disposition of the object
Common mistakes
- Treating 了 as simply the past tense — Mandarin has no tense, 了 marks aspect (completion or change of state), not time
- Creating 把 sentences where the object is indefinite or the verb has no result/directional complement — 把 requires a definite object and a result
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- The 了/过 contrast must use the same verb — 我吃了 (I ate, action completed) vs. 我吃过日本料理 (I've had Japanese food before, experience). Ask the learner to explain the difference
- 把 sentence: the object must be definite (this book, the letter, my phone), and the verb must have a complement showing what happened to it — 我把书放在桌子上 (I put the book on the table) works; 我把书看 does not
- Progressive: 正在看书 vs. 看书 — the learner should be able to explain when each is appropriate
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Pass HSK 2 and hold a 10-minute Mandarin conversation
2 weeks
Submit your official HSK 2 certificate. Because HSK 2 tests only reading and listening — not speaking — also record a 10-minute unscripted conversation with a native or near-native Mandarin speaker. At HSK 2 level, the conversation should include discussing past experiences (using 过), describing ongoing situations, and narrating a simple sequence of events. Tones should be consistently attempted in connected speech.
Proof required
Submit (1) your official HSK 2 certificate or score report, AND (2) a video recording of a 10-minute unscripted conversation with a native or near-native Mandarin speaker, with both sides audible.
What gets checked
- Official HSK 2 certificate or score report showing a passing result
- Conversation is at least 10 minutes and goes beyond single-sentence exchanges
- Learner uses at least one 了 or 过 structure naturally in conversation
Common mistakes
- Practising only reading and listening for the exam without having a real Mandarin conversation — speaking is a separate cognitive skill that deteriorates without deliberate practice
- Defaulting to English loan-word Mandarin (e.g. internet, OK, bye-bye) to avoid vocabulary gaps — at HSK 2, these are crutches that hide real vocabulary knowledge
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- The certificate should be Hanban/CTCSOL-issued and show HSK Level 2 and a passing score
- Check that the conversation partner is a native or near-native speaker — a fellow learner conversation does not satisfy the native/near-native requirement
- Natural 了 or 过 use in conversation is a strong indicator that grammar has transferred from study to production
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