Sample 1
请谈谈你学习汉语的原因。
qǐng tán tán nǐ xué xí hàn yǔ de yuán yīn 。
Why did you start learning Chinese?
Show a model answer
我学汉语主要有两个原因，第一是工作需要……
HSK 3.0 · HSK 4 · Speaking · Part 3
HSK 4 Speaking Part 3: Answer the Question
This part tests whether you can talk at length on an everyday topic. 2 questions — answer format: speak for the set time, which is recorded.
2Questions in this part
Part 3 of 3Speaking section
~11 minWhole Speaking section
By an examinerMarking
Not printedPinyin
How HSK 4 Speaking Part 3 works
A question is printed on a familiar topic — your day, your hobbies, your views on something. After a short preparation you speak on it for a set time, often one to two minutes.
Markers look at content, fluency, range and accuracy. An organised answer — an opening, two or three points with examples, a close — beats a stream of disconnected sentences.
The instruction on the paper
回答问题。
Answer the question. You have preparation time first.
At HSK 4 the speaking section is taken as the separate HSKK exam (HSKK Intermediate) and certified on its own.
HSK 4 Speaking Part 3 sample questions with answers
4 questions from our practice bank, in the format of the real paper. Try each one before opening the answer.
Sample 2
你觉得住在大城市好还是小城市好？为什么？
nǐ jué de zhù zài dà chéng shì hǎo hái shì xiǎo chéng shì hǎo ？ wèi shén me ？
Big city or small city, and why?
Show a model answer
我觉得各有各的好处。大城市机会多……
Sample 3From the HSK 3 paper
- Question
请说一说你的一天。
qǐng shuō yī shuō nǐ de yī tiān 。
Describe your day.
Show a model answer
我每天六点半起床，先跑二十分钟步，然后吃早饭。八点半到公司上班，中午和同事一起吃饭。下班以后我常常去图书馆看书，十一点左右睡觉。
Sample 4From the HSK 3 paper
- Question
你最喜欢的季节是什么？为什么？
nǐ zuì xǐ huān de jì jié shì shén me ？ wèi shén me ？
Which season do you like best and why?
Show a model answer
我最喜欢春天，因为春天不冷也不热，花都开了，非常漂亮。周末的时候我喜欢和家人一起去公园散步、照相。
How to approach it
- Use the preparation time to plan three points.
- Open by answering the question in one sentence.
- Develop each point with an example.
- Close with a summary, and keep talking until the time is up.
Common mistakes
- Stopping early.
- Wandering off topic.
- Using only very simple sentences at the higher levels.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in HSK 4 Speaking Part 3?
2. It is part 3 of 3 in the HSK 4 Speaking section, which has 14 questions and lasts about 11 minutes, for 100 points.
How is HSK 4 Speaking Part 3 marked?
By trained examiners, not automatically. Your answer is marked against set criteria: whether the task is done, how accurate and varied the language is, and how well it is organised. At HSK 4 the speaking section is the separate HSKK exam (HSKK Intermediate), with a certificate of its own.
Is pinyin printed at HSK 4?
No. At HSK 4 the paper is printed in characters only, so you need to recognise the characters themselves.
How long should I speak?
Use the full time shown on the paper.
Is there preparation time?
Yes, a short preparation time is given before you record.
Can I practise HSK 4 Speaking Part 3 online?
Yes. HSK Test has practice sets for this part, built like the real paper. Create a free account to start; your answers and scores are saved, so you can see how you are improving.
Every part of HSK 4
Listening
Reading
Answer the Question at other levels
Ready for HSK 4 Speaking Part 3?
Practise it the way it is set on the day, and see your score straight away.