Lesson 20: HSK 4 Review
Consolidate B1 grammar patterns and HSK 4-specific vocabulary through integrated review exercises and extended practice.
Overview
This final lesson consolidates everything from the preceding nineteen lessons. Rather than introducing new material, it provides a structured review of the B1 grammar patterns you have learned, highlights the vocabulary items that are distinctive to HSK 4 (words unlikely to appear at HSK 3 or below), and offers integrated exercises that require you to combine multiple patterns in single pieces of writing. At B1 level, the test of real competence is not whether you can produce each pattern in isolation but whether you can deploy them naturally in connected, purposeful discourse.
Learning Objectives
- Recall and correctly produce all major B1 grammar patterns from Lessons 1-19.
- Identify and use HSK 4-specific vocabulary that distinguishes B1 from A1/A2 output.
- Write a coherent 150-word essay combining at least five B1 patterns.
- Self-assess areas of strength and areas for further review.
Vocabulary
This lesson's vocabulary is a curated selection of HSK 4 items that are distinctive to this level. These are words that are unlikely to appear in HSK 3 and below, and that frequently appear in HSK 4 reading passages and speaking prompts.
| Character | Pinyin | Type | Meaning | Lesson Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 甚至 | shènzhì | adv | even, going so far as | L1 |
| 差距 | chājù | n | gap, disparity | L2 |
| 而且 | érqiě | conj | moreover, and also | L3 |
| 允许 | yǔnxǔ | v | to permit, allow | L4 |
| 至于 | zhìyú | prep | as for, as to | L5 |
| 越来越 | yuèláiyuè | adv | increasingly | L6 |
| 未必 | wèibì | adv | not necessarily (formal) | L7 |
| 遗憾 | yíhàn | n/adj | regret, regrettable | L8 |
| 以免 | yǐmiǎn | conj | so as not to, to avoid | L9 |
| 尽管 | jǐnguǎn | conj | even though | L10 |
| 观念 | guānnian | n | concept, values | L11 |
| 可持续 | kě chíxù | adj | sustainable | L12 |
| 谈判 | tánpàn | v/n | to negotiate; negotiation | L13 |
| 依靠 | yīkào | v | to rely on | L14 |
| 舆论 | yúlùn | n | public opinion | L15 |
| 副作用 | fùzuòyòng | n | side effect | L16 |
| 节奏 | jiézòu | n | pace, rhythm | L17 |
| 利用 | lìyòng | v | to make use of, leverage | L18 |
| 融入 | róngrù | v | to blend into | L19 |
Grammar Focus
B1 Pattern Summary Table
| Pattern | Structure | Meaning | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 连...也/都 | 连+NP+也/都+不V | Not even X | L1 |
| 是...的N倍 | A是B的N倍 | A is N times B | L2 |
| 不但...而且 | 不但VP1，而且VP2 | Not only...but also | L3 |
| 使+S+Adj | 使+pivot+result | Cause to become | L4 |
| 就...而言 | 就NP而言，comment | As far as X is concerned | L5 |
| 越...越 | 越V1，越V2 | The more...the more | L6 |
| 不见得 | S+不见得+VP | Not necessarily | L7 |
| 要是...就好了 | 要是VP，就好了 | If only... | L8 |
| 以免 | VP，以免+bad outcome | So as not to | L9 |
| 即使...也 | 即使VP，也VP | Even if...still | L10 |
| 随着...变化 | 随着NP+发展 | As X develops | L11/17 |
| 由于 | 由于NP，result | Due to | L12 |
| 在...方面 | 在NP方面，comment | In the area of | L13 |
| 通过...V | 通过means+V | By means of | L14 |
| 据...报道 | 据source报道 | According to | L15 |
| 受+NP影响 | 受到NP的影响 | Affected by | L16 |
| 一方面...另一方面 | 一方面...另一方面 | On the one hand...on the other | L17 |
| 利用...V | 利用NP+VP | Leverage X to do Y | L18 |
| 给...留下印象 | 给person留下深刻印象 | Leave an impression on | L19 |
Integrated Pattern Practice
The following examples each combine three or more B1 patterns. Study them closely.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 尽管学习中文很难，但通过坚持练习，越来越多的人发现中文没有想象的那么难。 | Jǐnguǎn xuéxí Zhōngwén hěn nán, dàn tōngguò jiānchí liànxí, yuèlái yuè duō de rén fāxiàn Zhōngwén méiyǒu xiǎngxiàng de nàme nán. | Even though learning Chinese is hard, through persistent practice, more and more people are finding that Chinese is not as hard as they imagined. |
| 由于技术的发展，人们越来越依赖手机，连面对面的交流都减少了，这未必是一件好事。 | Yóuyú jìshù de fāzhǎn, rénmen yuèlái yuè yīlài shǒujī, lián miànduìmiàn de jiāoliú dōu jiǎnshǎo le, zhè wèibì shì yī jiàn hǎoshì. | Due to technological development, people are increasingly relying on phones, and even face-to-face communication has decreased. This is not necessarily a good thing. |
Dialogue
Context: Two HSK 4 students reviewing for their exam.
A: 我觉得我最不熟悉的是让步结构，比如即使、尽管、不管这几个词。
Wǒ juéde wǒ zuì bù shúxī de shì ràngbù jiégòu, bǐrú jíshǐ, jǐnguǎn, bùguǎn zhè jǐ gè cí.
I feel the structures I'm least familiar with are the concession patterns, like 即使, 尽管, 不管.
B: 这几个要区分开来。即使用于假设，尽管用于事实，不管强调结果不变。
Zhè jǐ gè yào qūfēn kāi lái. Jíshǐ yòng yú jiǎshè, jǐnguǎn yòng yú shìshí, bùguǎn qiángdiào jiéguǒ bù biàn.
These need to be distinguished. 即使 is for hypotheticals, 尽管 is for facts, 不管 emphasizes that the result is unchanged regardless.
A: 啊，这样区分就清楚多了。那目的句呢，为了、以便、以免有什么不同？
Ā, zhèyàng qūfēn jiù qīngchǔ duō le. Nà mùdì jù ne, wèile, yǐbiàn, yǐmiǎn yǒu shénme bùtóng?
Ah, that distinction makes it much clearer. What about purpose clauses? What's the difference between 为了, 以便, and 以免?
B: 为了是正向目的，你主动去做A是为了实现B。以便是B因为A而成为可能。以免是做A来防止坏的B发生。
Wèile shì zhèngxiàng mùdì, nǐ zhǔdòng qù zuò A shì wèile shíxiàn B. Yǐbiàn shì B yīnwèi A ér chéngwéi kěnéng. Yǐmiǎn shì zuò A lái fángzhǐ huài de B fāshēng.
为了 is a positive goal: you proactively do A in order to achieve B. 以便 means B becomes possible because of A. 以免 means doing A to prevent bad B from happening.
A: 说得很清楚。还有，连...也/都这个句子，我有时候会忘记用连。
Shuō de hěn qīngchǔ. Hái yǒu, lián...yě/dōu zhège jùzi, wǒ yǒushíhòu huì wàngjì yòng lián.
Very clearly explained. Also, with 连...也/都 sentences, I sometimes forget to use 连.
B: 是，没有连的话，句子就缺少了那种强调感。连...也/都的作用就是把一个极端的例子挑出来强调。
Shì, méiyǒu lián de huà, jùzi jiù quēshǎo le nà zhǒng qiángdiào gǎn. Lián...yě/dōu de zuòyòng jiù shì bǎ yīgè jíduān de lìzi tiāo chūlái qiángdiào.
Right. Without 连, the sentence loses that emphasis. The function of 连...也/都 is to single out an extreme example for emphasis.
A: 好，我觉得今天复习了这么多，对我帮助很大。要是早点开始系统复习就好了。
Hǎo, wǒ juéde jīntiān fùxí le zhème duō, duì wǒ bāngzhù hěn dà. Yàoshi zǎo diǎn kāishǐ xìtǒng fùxí jiù hǎo le.
Okay, I feel that reviewing so much today has been very helpful to me. If only I had started systematic review earlier.
B: 哈，这本身就是一个完美的HSK 4例句。
Hā, zhè běnshēn jiùshì yīgè wánměi de HSK 4 lìjù.
Ha, that itself is a perfect HSK 4 example sentence.
Extended Reading
在过去的二十节课中，我们系统学习了HSK 4级别的核心语法和词汇。从连...也/都的强调结构，到越...越的递进比较，再到即使...也的让步表达，每一个语法点都代表了B1水平的一种思维方式。不但语法本身重要，而且在实际使用中能够灵活结合不同句式才是真正的掌握。就整体学习而言，坚持练习和大量阅读是提高最快的两种方法。尽管学习过程中会遇到很多困难，但只要不放弃，就能看到明显的进步。早知道中文语法这么有趣，当初就应该更早开始学习。不管前方还有多少挑战，现在的基础已经足够让你继续向HSK 5迈进。
Zài guòqù de èrshí jié kè zhōng, wǒmen xìtǒng xuéxí le HSK 4 jíbié de héxīn yǔfǎ hé cíhuì. Cóng lián...yě/dōu de qiángdiào jiégòu, dào yuè...yuè de dìjìn bǐjiào, zài dào jíshǐ...yě de ràngbù biǎodá, měi yīgè yǔfǎ diǎn dōu dàibiǎo le B1 shuǐpíng de yī zhǒng sīwéi fāngshì. Bùdàn yǔfǎ běnshēn zhòngyào, érqiě zài shíjì shǐyòng zhōng néng gòu línghuó jiéhé bùtóng jùshì cái shì zhēnzhèng de zhǎngwò. Jiù zhěngtǐ xuéxí éryán, jiānchí liànxí hé dàliàng yuèdú shì tígāo zuì kuài de liǎng zhǒng fāngfǎ. Jǐnguǎn xuéxí guòchéng zhōng huì yùdào hěn duō kùnnán, dàn zhǐyào bù fàngqì, jiù néng kàndào míngxiǎn de jìnbù.
Over the past twenty lessons, we have systematically studied the core grammar and vocabulary of HSK 4 level. From the emphasis structure of 连...也/都, to the progressive comparison of 越...越, to the concessive expression of 即使...也, each grammar point represents a way of thinking at the B1 level. Not only is the grammar itself important, but being able to flexibly combine different sentence patterns in actual use is what true mastery means. In terms of overall learning, consistent practice and extensive reading are the two methods that produce the fastest improvement. Even though you will encounter many difficulties in the learning process, as long as you don't give up, you will see obvious progress.
Practice
Exercise 1: Grammar Pattern Recognition. Identify the main B1 grammar pattern in each sentence.
- 不管天气多差，他都坚持跑步。→ ___
- 要是我当时多思考一下就好了。→ ___
- 她越学越觉得中文有意思。→ ___
- 连经理都不知道这件事。→ ___
- 由于天气原因，航班被迫取消。→ ___
Exercise 2: Error Correction. Find and fix the grammar error in each sentence.
- 他比我很聪明。
- 即使他反对，但我们还是做了。（hint: wrong connector in result clause）
- 为了不迟到，以免他提前出发了。
- 他不但勤奋，但是而且很聪明。
- 据说她学了三年中文，连一句话也能说流利。
Exercise 3: Integrated Writing. Write a 150-200 word essay on one of the following topics. Use at least five B1 patterns from the summary table. Underline each pattern you use.
Topics:
- The impact of social media on Chinese society
- Why learning a foreign language is important
- The tradeoffs of living in a big city versus a small town
Cultural Note
Reaching HSK 4 means you can navigate most everyday situations in Chinese, engage with current events, express opinions, and understand much of what you hear in natural conversation. In China's education and professional context, HSK 4 is often cited as the minimum standard for meaningful engagement in Chinese-medium work environments. But it is also the level where many learners plateau: the jump from B1 to B2 (HSK 5) requires not just more vocabulary but a qualitative shift in how you process Chinese. The key from here is extensive reading of authentic texts, consistent listening to natural speech, and deliberately practicing the structures from this course in real communicative contexts. The grammar is now in place; what remains is to make it feel automatic.