Learning guides
Practice modes
One sentence can train understanding, recall, listening, reading rhythm, and pronunciation. Choose a mode for the part you want to practice.
Which mode should I use?
| Mode | Your focus | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Watch | Understand | Watch the sentence build, hear Mandarin, and follow its English explanation. |
| Guided | Recall | Use the meaning and audio to rebuild the sentence in plain Pinyin. |
| Dictation | Listen | Listen to Mandarin and type what you hear without the English meaning. |
| Read-Along | Follow | Read along with the audio and get familiar with the rhythm. |
| Speak | Say it | Say the sentence aloud and use pronunciation feedback to guide another try. |
For a new sentence, try Watch followed by Guided. When it feels familiar, test your listening in Dictation, follow the audio in Read-Along, or say it aloud in Speak.
All five modes are included in both plans. The lessons and content you can open still follow your Free or Pro access.
Watch: understand the sentence
Watch shows the sentence being built in Chinese order, with Mandarin audio and English explanations. Use it when the words or structure are new.
Listen, follow the highlighted words, and replay the parts you need. Then switch to Guided to try the sentence yourself. Read the full Watch Mode guide.
Guided: rebuild it yourself
- Read the English meaning and listen to the Mandarin.
- Type the Pinyin for the active word, without tone marks.
- Use the feedback and hints to correct missing or extra letters.
- Complete the sentence, then continue or practice it again.
Guided is the main typing mode. Settings → Answering controls Pinyin hints, word meanings, and whether practice advances automatically.
If you needed help for a word, listen again and try the sentence once more. Repeating a short sentence is more useful than rushing past it.
Dictation: listen before typing
Dictation removes the English meaning cue. Listen to the Mandarin and rebuild what you hear in plain Pinyin.
- Play the sentence and listen for familiar words.
- Type the Pinyin, replaying the audio when needed.
- Check the feedback before moving on.
If you are guessing most of the words, return to Watch or Guided first, then try Dictation again.
Read-Along: follow the rhythm
Read-Along lets you follow the sentence while listening, without typing each word. Use it to become familiar with the sound and pace of a sentence.
Play the audio, follow the text, and repeat aloud if you want. Adjust playback speed and repeats in Settings → Playback. Use the playback controls to pause or revisit a sentence.
Speak: practice pronunciation
- Listen to the sentence before recording.
- Allow microphone access when your browser asks.
- Record yourself saying the sentence in a quiet place.
- Read the pronunciation feedback, listen again, and repeat the parts that need work.
Pronunciation feedback helps you decide what to practice next. Treat one result as feedback on that attempt, and compare it with what you hear in the model audio.
Successful pronunciation checks have a daily plan limit. See Free and Pro limits, or get microphone help.
Type plain Pinyin
Use Latin letters without tone marks for typing practice. You can read the tones in the learning material and hear them in the audio.
| Chinese | Pinyin you read | What you type |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 | nǐ hǎo | ni hao |
| 我在家学习中文。 | wǒ zài jiā xuéxí Zhōngwén | wo zai jia xuexi zhongwen |
Follow the word grouping shown in Practice. If an answer is not accepted, check the active word, spelling, missing words, and sentence order. Get input help.
Adding formatted material to a course uses a different format, including Pinyin with tone marks. See the import example.
Choose a comfortable setup
A computer with a physical keyboard is best for longer Guided and Dictation sessions. Watch and Read-Along are useful on a phone or tablet when you want to listen and follow the text.
For speaking practice, check that your browser can use the microphone. Read about devices and settings.