Is writing chinese compositions a waste of time?
Any form of writing, no matter what the language, cannot be considered a waste of time. It is important to be able to formulate your thoughts and to be able to communicate them in a clear, concise manner. When learning a foreign language, writing is even more important. This is because it allows both yourself and your evaluator to determine if you have grasped grammar, sentence formulation, spelling (or stroke order/correct radicals, etc), and content flow. Are you able to compose an introduction? Body/Content? Closing? All of these are important in a composition. Do your ideas flow together? Can the reader understand the purpose of your composition? These are all good questions to ask yourself as you check your work. Good luck.