Misdei: sorry, didnt read your first post properly.
What kind of writing level are you trying to achieve? just the continuers level? if that's what you're trying for...i think you can easily get a band 6 especially since you can already speak mandarin..seriously, have you read the sentences some of those cantonese ABC write? *shivers* i've known a few of them who can barely put together a normal sounding sentence get band 6's...
just putting what you usually speak into words is probably enough...you gotta remember you're doing
NON-BACKGROUND chinese..
plus, there's always gonna be that prick who's totally fluent with perfect written chinese who should be in background speakers
that you can't match...
better to just use words you learn in class and structure them how your teacher showed..it'll still be band 6 material..
hehe...i did cont/ext in my year...at strathfield saturday school!!..now i can proudly say i've studied at both north sydney boys and strathfield girls before...