Exam guides, vocabulary systems and honest learning tips for Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. No fluff.
38 guides
All four papers, the themes and topics examiners draw on, and the writing and speaking moves that separate a grade 9 from a grade 6 — for both AQA and Edexcel.
Listening and speaking carry roughly half the marks in most IGCSE French syllabuses. Here is how to prepare for both, with question-by-question technique and role-play scripts.
The two DELF levels most learners take first — exact format and timing, pass marks, the writing and speaking tasks, and an eight-week preparation plan.
The structure and timing of the individual oral, how to use the extract as evidence rather than a script, and what the language criteria reward.
Every paper explained for both boards, the individual research project, film and literature essays, and the accuracy and range that push a grade B to an A*.
The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 is the certificate most visa, citizenship and job applications ask for. Here is exactly how the four modules work, how they are scored, and how to pass each one.
Three recognised German exams, three different purposes. This comparison covers levels, format, validity and which certificate your university, employer or visa office actually accepts.
All four GCSE German papers, the themes examiners draw on, and the writing and speaking moves that separate a grade 9 from a grade 6 — for both AQA and Edexcel.
The IB German oral rewards structure and interaction, not perfect grammar. Here is how the presentation and discussion work at SL and HL, what the criteria reward, and how to prepare.
A sixteen-week schedule for N3 with four phases, a weekly routine, section-by-section strategy and an eight-week compressed option — built around the actual scoring rules.
What N1 actually measures, how the two test sections and three scoring sections work, how many hours it takes, and how to build the reading speed and listening that decide the result.
Every JLPT level in one place: kanji and vocabulary scale, typical study hours, pass marks, what each level lets you do, and which level you should actually book.
An eight-week schedule for TOPIK I Level 2: the real format, the 140-point pass mark, a weekly routine, listening tactics and the five mistakes that cost marks.
Questions 53 and 54 are worth 80 of the 100 writing points. Here are the templates, the syllable limits, the scoring criteria and a practice loop that lifts both scores.
Every TOPIK II listening and reading question type, what to do in the first ten seconds, and a time budget that gets you to the final passage with room to spare.
Two tests that look alike and are not. What EPS-TOPIK contains, how the KIIP levels and tests work, and how to tell which one your situation requires.
Six weeks to HSK 1: the real format, the 120-point pass mark, why pinyin comes first, the 150 words grouped by theme, and five mistakes that delay beginners.
HSK 3 is where Chinese stops being a phrasebook: 600 words, longer texts and a handwritten writing section. A twelve-week plan in four phases.
What changes between the two top levels, why the HSK 6 essay is a different skill, and a sixteen-week structure that covers vocabulary, speed and writing.
The recorded oral exam that sits beside HSK: three levels, three parts, 60 to pass, and the structures that keep you talking when the prompt runs out.
A week-by-week JLPT N5 study plan for the December 6, 2026 exam — vocabulary, kanji, grammar, reading and listening, plus free practice tips and a 4-week compressed option.
The official French proficiency diplomas — six CEFR levels, how scoring works, which one you need for university or residency, and how to choose the right level for your goals.
Which Goethe-Zertifikat do you need? Every level from A1 to C2 explained — format, modular structure, scoring, what each level lets you do in Germany, and how to prepare.
HSK is moving from 6 to 9 levels. What changed, how old and new levels compare, and how to choose the right study materials for your exam date.
The jump from N5 to N4 — roughly 1,500 words and 300 kanji — with a 12-week schedule, theme-based vocabulary lists, a section-by-section strategy, and a 6-week compressed option.
JLPT N2 is the level most Japanese employers and universities ask for. Exam structure, passing score, the vocabulary and kanji load, how many hours you need, and a section-by-section strategy.
The official Korean proficiency exam — TOPIK I and TOPIK II, the six levels, how scoring works, which level you need for university or work in Korea, and how to choose the right test.
A week-by-week TOPIK II study plan for levels 3–6 — vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening, and the two writing essays, with section strategy and an 8-week compressed option.
The official Mandarin proficiency exam — how HSK 2.0 (levels 1–6) differs from the new HSK 3.0 (levels 1–9), how scoring works, which level you need for study or work in China, and how to choose the right test.
A week-by-week HSK 4 (HSK 2.0) study plan — about 1,200 words and 1,000 characters, listening, reading, and the character-writing section, with section strategy and an 8-week compressed option.
Question-by-question breakdown of Paper 1 — the six question sets, distractor trap patterns Cambridge uses in select-two questions, and an 8-week preparation timeline.
All four DELE A2 components, the grouped pass system explained, and a 12-week preparation timeline for the most widely taken entry-level Spanish proficiency diploma.
Six question groups broken down — the near-synonym vocabulary trap in Group 4, the distractor pattern in Group 5 matching, and time allocation for all 40 marks.
The new paper pattern, marks distribution, assessment objectives, and skill-by-skill tips — with toggle buttons for each of the four papers. Written in clear, simple English.
A deep dive into Paper 4 (Writing) and Paper 3 (Speaking) for the 2028–2030 syllabus: the new mark scheme, band descriptors, and exactly what separates an A* from an A.
Everything about the official Instituto Cervantes Spanish proficiency diploma: all six levels, how grading actually works, registration dates, the CCSE link for citizenship, and how to choose the right level.
Every question group, band descriptor, and assessment objective across all four papers — the mark-scheme guide serious IGCSE candidates need.
Full breakdown of all three writing tasks: form-filling, directed writing, and extended writing — with mark schemes, band descriptors, grammar requirements, and A* strategy.