Every paper and piece of coursework for Mandarin ab initio, with its time, marks and share of the grade, then the grade boundaries the IB set for recent sessions.
2 exams, 2 h 45 min in total, internal assessment 25% of the grade. The weight is each part’s share of your final grade.
| Component | Time | Marks | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
Paper 1 1 h · 30 marks Two written tasks of 70 to 150 words each, each chosen from three options, in a text type you choose. | 1 h | 30 | 25% |
Paper 2 1 h 45 min · 65 marks Two sections drawn from all five themes: listening (45 minutes, three audio passages, 25 marks) and reading (1 hour, three written texts, 40 marks). | 1 h 45 min | 65 | 50% |
Individual oralInternal 10 min · 30 marks A 7 to 10 minute conversation with your teacher: a short presentation on a visual stimulus, then a discussion of its theme and at least one other, after 15 minutes’ preparation. Marked by your teacher and moderated by the IB. | 10 min | 30 | 25% |
Individual oral, 25% of the grade, marked out of 30, 10 min. A 7 to 10 minute conversation with your teacher: a short presentation on a visual stimulus, then a discussion of its theme and at least one other, after 15 minutes’ preparation. Marked by your teacher and moderated by the IB.
The lowest overall percentage for each grade. The IB sets them after every session, sometimes per timezone, so treat them as a guide to the standard, not a promise.
| Grade | May 2025 | November 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TZ1 | TZ2 | TZ3 | All | |
| 7 | 74–100% | 73–100% | 75–100% | 74–100% |
| 6 | 59–73% | 59–72% | 60–74% | 60–73% |
| 5 | 46–58% | 47–58% | 47–59% | 48–59% |
| 4 | 32–45% | 32–46% | 31–46% | 34–47% |
| 3 | 17–31% | 17–31% | 17–30% | 19–33% |
| 2 | 8–16% | 8–16% | 8–16% | 9–18% |
| 1 | 0–7% | 0–7% | 0–7% | 0–8% |
Each paper rewards practice under its own conditions: its length, its calculator rule, the kind of answer it wants. Read the paper descriptions above, then practice with the clock running, using the past papers your school gives you.
Augment has nothing to practice for Mandarin ab initio yet. The syllabus on the subject page is the list of what the exams can ask about.
A free account keeps your six subjects and levels in one place.