Pass the HSK 6 With Ease | 10 Tips To Pass With Flying Colours

The following post has been brilliantly put together by Kathryn Miles, a U.S student who spent time studying with LTL. Her progress in this time was impressive. Below she gives ten expert tips on how to pass the HSK 6 exam.

I studied intensive Mandarin 1-on-1 at LTL Beijing during the Fall and decided to take the HSK 6 at the end of my time there.

Although the HSK 6 wasn’t the main focus of my studies at LTL, my teachers were incredibly helpful in preparing me for it.

Here are a handful of tips I learned along the way.

Before taking a look at Kathryn’s top tips, we’ve also got another HSK 6 successor for you. Anthea gives her story with LTL and her thoughts on the HSK 6 Exam.

How to Pass HSK 6 : Tip 1 – Make a Study Plan

How to Pass HSK 6 : Tip 2 – Quick Scan the Listening Section

How to Pass HSK 6 : Tip 3 – Don’t 2nd Guess

How to Pass HSK 6 : Tip 4 – Pay Close Attention to Idioms

How to Pass HSK 6 : Tip 5 – Save Weak Sections Until the End

How to Pass HSK 6 : Tip 6 – Practice Reading About Many Topics

How to Pass HSK 6 : Tip 7 – Do NOT Read Everything

How to Pass HSK 6 : Tip 8 – Create a Strategy for the Writing Section

How to Pass HSK 6 : Tip 9 – Pay Attention to the Writing Conclusion Section

How to Pass HSK 6 : Tip 10 – It’ll Be HARDER Than Mock Exams

#1 – Create a Study Plan. Stick To It

I recommend doing a practice test to see what your weaknesses are well in advance of the test, then creating a study plan based on that.

For example, I added time spent on HSK 6 prep books to my regular study routine and tried to do one practice test per week during the last two months before the test.

It’s also important to have a teacher look at your Writing samples and give you feedback.

#2 – Quickly Scan the Listening Section Answers

Before you listen to the audio scan over the answers and mark what you think the answers are as you hear things in the passage.

If you can scan the answer choices before the audio passage begins, and if you are familiar with the types of questions that are usually asked on the Listening section, you might be able to anticipate the answers to the longer passages.

(Of course, be careful not to focus so much on reading the answer choices that you forget to listen to the passage, and make sure you actually listen to the questions to confirm what you predicted would be asked!)

#3 – Don’t Second Guess On The Listening Section

At the end of the Listening section you will be given 5 minutes to go back and look at/change your answers.

You should be sure to not leave any questions blank, but try to resist the urge to change the answers you’ve already chosen.

You can’t listen to the passages again and you might not even remember what the question was.

#4 – Pay Close Attention To Word Usage & Idioms

Knowing the meaning of a word is not enough. You must know how to use it!

This includes knowing which part of speech it is, as well as knowing how it differs from synonyms.

Idioms in Chinese appear a lot, know them.

#5 – Save Your Weaker Sections For The End

If there is a sub-section you find particularly difficult, it’s better to do sections you are stronger at first, and then go back to that other sub-section.

I think the 语病 section of the test is the most difficult part of the Reading section for me, so I did that section last.

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#6 – Practice a Wide Range of Topics Before

I found practice test subjects to be similar to the subjects on the actual test… and I realized I rarely read things about bacteria and other scientific topics, so I had to start familiarizing myself with those topics in Chinese!

#7 – Do Not Read Everything in The Reading Section!

Time is way too short to read the entire passage.

Read the multiple-choice questions first, then go back and find the answers in the longer article.

#8 – Remember The Sequence of Events in the Writing Section

After reading the Writing passage once, I use my fingers to count the sequence of events and try to memorize them in order.

For example:

• 1 = setting/characters/main theme
• 2 = some point of action that happens next,
• 3 = the next location they’re at/what happened there, and so on.

Before the timer ticks down I review these points in my head.

I use this to jog my memory of the other, smaller details.

One of my teachers suggested a similar strategy, which is to simultaneously read and create a picture or movie in your head so that you can remember the sequence of events and details.

#9 – Pay Attention to The Conclusion of The Writing Section

What is the story trying to teach us? What’s the point of the story?

This is important! You might even want to look at it before you read the rest of the passage.

#10 – Be Prepared For The Test to be Harder Than Practice Papers

I found the computer test to be harder than any of the practice tests I’d taken.

This may be for a few reasons.

First, I think that some of the content was actually harder on the real test.

Secondly, I think doing the reading and listening sections on the computer is a bit harder than using paper because you can’t make any markings, underline things, or make notes.

I strongly recommend doing a practice run for the computer test if your testing site allows it.

Third, I was more nervous on the actual test day!

So, did I pass the HSK6?

I reached my goal of passing the HSK 6!

However, I could still improve my score, so I might take the test again in the future.

Overall, studying for the HSK 6 helped me increase my vocabulary and improve my reading speed, and I’m glad I took this test.

I would also encourage HSK 6 test-takers to never neglect other aspects of language study.

Don’t forget to challenge yourself to improve real-life Mandarin communication skills in addition to preparing for the HSK!

DID YOU KNOW – you can study the HSK exam online with LTL. Check out our preparation courses designed solely to help you pass the HSK.

This gives further information on the HSK Exam, the lengths of the exams and what exactly is included in each test.

Resources You Need

Inspired to take the HSK yourself?

You can study with us online. We have plenty of online Mandarin courses including a course solely focused on passing the HSK.

Want an app to help you pass the HSK, look no further than HSK Online…

HSK6 – FAQ’s

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