Primary Chinese | Expanding Feature Paragraphs (for tutors)

Primary Chinese | Expanding Feature Paragraphs (for tutors) | Parts, comparison, example

2026-11-04

Tutor lesson-prep guides · Primary Chinese

Pupils write one line, “it is very convenient”, because they own adjectives but no method for expanding. This lesson gives them three routes: split into parts, compare with a similar object, or give one example.

Objectives — Pupils can: (1) name the 3 expansion routes (parts, comparison, example); (2) turn one feature sentence into three or four sentences with one of them; (3) say why that route suits that paragraph (many parts to cover, a difference to show, or a concrete case to prove); (4) expand 2 paragraphs independently in 18 minutes (40 per cent of the lesson).

01 Prerequisites (3-minute check)

If any of these fails, fix it before the lesson starts.

Skill	Quick check	Pass mark
Topic	What is this piece explaining?	Names the object in one sentence
Features	Which three features stand out?	Gives three without adjectives
Sentence	What makes a complete sentence?	Subject and predicate, one finished idea

02 Lesson flow (45 minutes)

Time	Stage	Tutor does	Student does
0-5 min	Opening: three sentences, one feature	Write three versions of “it is convenient”	Picks the clearest and says why
5-10 min	Script 1: parts	Splits the object into three parts	Names the three parts
10-15 min	Script 2: comparison	Sets it against a similar object	Writes one contrast pair
15-20 min	Script 3: example	Uses one real occasion as evidence	Writes one “for example” line
20-38 min	Timed writing (18 min)	2 paragraphs at 9 minutes each	One route per paragraph
38-42 min	Peer reading	Reads two paragraphs aloud, asks which route	Names the partner route
42-45 min	Exit check	Three oral questions	Rewrites one sentence on the spot

03 Teaching script (read it out)

Scene 1: Three sentences, one feature

Write on the board: “This bag is convenient.” “This bag has three compartments, each for different things, so it is convenient.” “This bag is half the weight of the old model, so it is convenient.”
Ask which one a reader would trust. Pupils pick the longest and answer “because it gives a reason”.That is the lesson: a feature needs evidence, not another adjective.

Ask: which sentence would you believe, and why that one?

Scene 2: Three routes, one at a time

Draw three boxes: parts, comparison, example. Model parts with “three compartments, the first holds…”, comparison with “half the weight of the old model”, example with “last camping trip it held…”.
After each route, ask for one more sentence about the same object. If nobody can add one, model it again before moving on. Parts builds length fastest, comparison is hardest to get wrong, example is most often mistaken for narrative.

Warn: the example route allows one occasion only; two occasions turn the paragraph into a story.

Scene 3: Choosing the route

Give one decision line: “many parts, use parts; a difference to show, use comparison; a reader to convince, use an example.” Write it beside the board and ask for the route and the reason before every expansion.
Model a wrong choice: using parts to explain that the pool is ten metres shorter than a standard one produces a list of poolside facilities and loses the point.

Ask: does this paragraph give parts, a difference, or a case?

04 Question types and worked steps

Type	Example	Steps	Answer
Expand	Turn “it is convenient” into four sentences	Pick a route, add detail, close	Four sentences on parts
Identify	Which route does each paragraph use?	Look for part lists, contrasts, examples	Comparison and example
Repair	Read a feature paragraph of adjectives only	Find the unsupported sentence	Replace with a number or case
Close	Add one closing sentence to three features	Use “so” or “in short”	Closing returns to the object

Sanity check (teach this): Check: 3 routes, one model paragraph each, 15 minutes of modelling at 5 minutes per route; 18 minutes of writing (2 paragraphs at 9 minutes) is 40 per cent of the lesson; opening 5, peer reading 4 and exit 3 minutes total 45. Two paragraphs cover two routes, so the third is modelled but not yet written under time.

05 Independent practice (3 questions)

Question	Answer	What to watch
Parts	Describe a library in three parts	All three parts named
Comparison	Contrast an electric bus with a minibus	One concrete difference
Example	Describe a reusable bag with one occasion	No second occasion

06 Common mistakes and what to say

Mistake	Student writes	Say this
Adjectives only	“It is beautiful and useful”	Beautiful where? Point to a part or a number.
Same route three times	Every paragraph splits into parts	Switch one paragraph to comparison or the reader will drift.
Example becomes story	Five lines about one trip	One or two lines, then back to the feature.
Closing drifts	“So I like it”	In explanatory writing the closing returns to the object, not to you.

07 Homework (paper, section and question numbers)

Primary 4 Chinese paper — Writing task: expand one feature using parts
Primary 5 Chinese paper — Writing task: expand one feature using comparison
Primary Chinese chapter index — All chapters

08 Exit check (last 5 minutes)

Question	Answer	Decision
Name the three expansion routes.	Parts, comparison, example	Any missing route is retaught
Which route shows a difference from a similar object?	Comparison	Wrong answer returns to the decision line
How many occasions may the example route use?	One	Two occasions must be cut

09 Tutor FAQ

Must all three routes be taught in one lesson?

Yes, but only one paragraph each. Taught separately, pupils assume there is one correct way and use it every time.

The length is there but the content is empty. What then?

Every sentence must point to something: a part name, a number or a real occasion. Rewrite only the sentence that fails.

Does this work in narrative writing?

Yes when describing an object; keep the story line and allow the example to run a little longer.

Find a tutor — free Tutor Registration →

A TutorZone lesson-prep guide. Written by the TutorZone team; questions and lesson flow are original and are not taken from any school or publisher material.