Kilo Lingo

Mandarin · AQA GCSE 8673

The Mandarin GCSE course, start to finish.

The AQA minimum core vocabulary list: 698 of the list's 736 items so far (601 of 633 Foundation), taught in the order the specification is organised: the core words first, then the 3 themes, Foundation before Higher. AQA calls it a guide rather than a closed list, so the exam will also use words beyond it. 718 words across 12 chapters, with the prescribed grammar interleaved.

Start chapter 1 Explore the trail Grammar coverage
12
Chapters
196
Lessons
718
Words
45
Grammar lessons
What is a GCSE? Levels, tiers and CEFR

Foundation

Everything a Foundation candidate is assessed on. Higher candidates need all of it too.

  1. Core words: the first 85

    The words AQA lists outside any topic - Foundation tier.

    10 vocab · 85 words 3 grammar

  2. Core words: 86 to 154

    The words AQA lists outside any topic - Foundation tier.

    10 vocab · 69 words 4 grammar

  3. Core words: 155 to 212

    The words AQA lists outside any topic - Foundation tier.

    7 vocab · 58 words 3 grammar

  4. Identity and culture (1 of 2)

    AQA Foundation vocabulary for identity and culture.

    10 vocab · 87 words 4 grammar

  5. Identity and culture (2 of 2)

    AQA Foundation vocabulary for identity and culture.

    11 vocab · 93 words 4 grammar

  6. Local, national, international and global areas of interest (1 of 2)

    AQA Foundation vocabulary for local, national, international and global areas of interest.

    10 vocab · 86 words 4 grammar

  7. Local, national, international and global areas of interest (2 of 2)

    AQA Foundation vocabulary for local, national, international and global areas of interest.

    10 vocab · 80 words 3 grammar

  8. Current and future study and employment

    AQA Foundation vocabulary for current and future study and employment.

    8 vocab · 63 words 4 grammar

Higher

The words Higher adds on top, across the same 3 themes.

  1. Core words

    The words AQA lists outside any topic - Higher tier.

    2 vocab · 15 words 2 grammar

  2. Identity and culture

    AQA Higher vocabulary for identity and culture.

    5 vocab · 31 words 6 grammar

  3. Local, national, international and global areas of interest

    AQA Higher vocabulary for local, national, international and global areas of interest.

    5 vocab · 37 words 5 grammar

  4. Current and future study and employment

    AQA Higher vocabulary for current and future study and employment.

    2 vocab · 14 words 3 grammar

Foundation or Higher?

Foundation leads to grades 1 to 5 and Higher to grades 4 to 9. Foundation: 633 list entries. Higher adds 103, for 736 in all.

GCSE Mandarin revision

Grammar coverage: every structure AQA prescribes

The full AQA grammar list for Mandarin, Foundation and Higher, with the lesson that teaches each point.

Questions

Foundation or Higher?

Foundation leads to grades 1 to 5 and Higher to grades 4 to 9, and a candidate sits every paper at the same tier. The course teaches Foundation first, because Higher candidates are assessed on all of it too, then the words Higher adds.

How many words do I need for GCSE Mandarin?

The AQA minimum core vocabulary list has 633 Foundation entries, and Higher adds 103. AQA says the exam will also use words beyond it, so treat it as the core rather than the ceiling.

What HSK level is GCSE Mandarin?

There is no official match. By vocabulary, about 40% of the 718 entries on the AQA list are HSK 1 to 3 words and about 53% are within HSK 1 to 4 (HSK 2.0 lists), while 37% are not on the HSK lists at all, because the GCSE list is built around UK school topics. So GCSE covers much of HSK 1 to 3 but is not the same syllabus.

Vocabulary, tiers and themes from section 3.4 of the AQA GCSE Chinese (Spoken Mandarin) 8673 specification, which AQA describes as a minimum core list rather than a defined one. Kilo Lingo is not affiliated with or endorsed by AQA.