Use word lists to write essys

[Scoobyqueen]

My teacher often gives me a long list of words and expressions (many chengyus)

[Meng Lelan]

They use this method a lot in the intermediate and advanced classes when I was a student.

[Kiz]

I think it's useful for both Chinese and foreigners. As you write essays, you need to get the detailed meaning of those words. Then you may try very hard to study the usage, during which, you will get a thorough understanding of the words. In this case, you can retain the words better.

[Hofmann]

What I found most difficult was using the words without making it look like you wrote that just so you could use the word.

[Glenn]

And it's extremely difficult to use something you've just learned and is pretty new to you. At least it was for me. I remember thinking "uh... I have no idea how to use this" a few times when faced with that situation.

[hbuchtel]

Just FYI, a friend just took the (new) HSK level 5 exam, and said that writing a short essay using a few given characters was part of the exam.

So if you are preparing for the HSK, this would be a good exercise to practice.

[imron]

Sounds like a good idea to me - so long as the teacher corrects you if there are any mistakes, or if you use it in a less than ideal way. No better way to get to know a word than to use it.

[xiaotao]

My kid has to write essays every summer using a wordlist that she has previously learned. I think it's an excellent assessment of their chinese level.

[amandagmu]

Honestly, writing essays is the only way I've ever found to truly retain vocabulary in Chinese -- not only for remembering but for actually using in conversation. Essays are difficult though, not just because of the creativity it takes but because you basically need an intermediate level in the language.

[Suetonius N]

"zuoyes"???!

[imron]

作业s

[gato]

Using them in sentences is sufficient, I think. Essays are a bit of an overkill and promotes a wrong view of essays. Essays are supposed to be a means of self-expression, but in many Chinese classrooms, it's just an academic exercise.

[skylee]

I think there are benefits of learning vocabs on specific topics. Writing essays could be a good exercise to learn to use the vocabs.

But my personal experience is like this - I went to an exam prep class, got a list of vocab/成語/model writing/exercises etc, went back to school and was given an assignment to compose an essay on the same subject, wrote it using the materials from the prep class, and got the lowest mark ever in my school life. My teachers' explanation was that there was no originality in the writing as everyone wrote the same thing, used the same vocab. I quit the prep class afterwards.

[abcdefg]

Do you retain the word better and learn how to use words better by writing such essays...?

I find it so helpful that I also do it on my own via Lang-8 where native speakers correct my attempts.

[Lu]

It certainly helped me. You retain the vocab better and get some writing practice at the same time. My teacher at the time didn't really require essays, you could write whatever you wanted, it could also be a story you made up.