Chinese 4 Final: Grammar

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The Particle 了

• can indicate that an action has occurred

• may appear

  • after a verb

  • between a verb and a quantified object

  • or after an unqualified object at end of a sentence

• Examples

  • 昨天晚上我看了一个电影

  • 小王刚才在网上买了两本书

  • Q: 你昨天晚上做什么？A: 洗衣服了

  • 明天我吃了早饭去机场

Sentences with 是。。。的

• used when both the speaker and listener know that an action or event has occurred and speaker wants to draw attention to particulars of the action (time, place, manner, purpose or agent)

• in negative sentences, 是can’t be omitted

• Examples

  • Q: 柯先生来了吗？A: 来了。Q: (是)什么时候来的？A: (是)昨天晚上来的。

  • Q: 你是在中国学的中文吗？A: 我不是在中国学的中文是在美国的。

除了。。。以外，还/都

• 除了: not counting

• 还: the structure introduces something that is in addition to what is already known

• 都: emphasizes that a group of ppl/things shares smth in common, excluding the noted exceptions (means except or except for)

• Examples

  • 他除了学中文以外，还学日本

  • 除了小柯以外，我们班的同学都去过中国

Existential Sentences

• Structure:

  • place word/phase + verb + (着 or 了) + numeral + measure word + noun

• 是 suggests that there is only one, or one type of, object or person at a particular place

• 有 suggests that at the location being referred to, there are multiple objs or types of objs or ppl

• Examples

  • 桌子上放着一本书

  • 床前有一把椅子

  • 桌子上是一个笔

Expressing relative degree or extent using 比较

• the word (meaning relatively, rather) isn’t used to make absolute comparisons

• is more general and used in statements to indicate a relative degree or extent

• Examples

  • 这把椅子比较贵，你别买了

Indicating an extreme extent using 。。。得很

• used after adjectives and certain verbs that denote thoughts or feelings to suggest an extreme extent

• Examples

  • 学校刚开学，大家都忙得很

Topic-Comment sentence structure

• the topic is mentioned in the first part of the sentence and commented on in the latter part

• Examples

  • 这儿的菠菜豆腐汤做得很好。

一 + verb and 一。。。就。。。

• 一 before a verb expresses a brief action + must be followed by a second clause

• 一。。。就。。。 connects two consecutive actions

  • 就 is required in some cases and optional in others

• Examples

  • 外面有人叫我，我开门一看，是送信的。

  • 老师刚才说的话，我一听就懂了。

又。。。又。。。

• used with adjectives to indicate two simultaneous qualities

• Examples

  • 妈妈做的清蒸又嫩又香

The reaffirmative 是

• 是 reaffirms that validity of a prior statement

• Examples

  • A: 住在这个宿舍很方便。B: 住在这个宿舍是很方便，去上课，去医院，去餐厅都不远。

无论。。。都。。。

• 无论 (regardless) signifies that a result will remain the same under any condition or circumstance

• Examples

  • 明天无论谁请客我都不去。

Non-predicative adjectives

• when these adjs are used as predicates, they must be embedded in a 是。。。的 construction

• Examples

  • 李友的中国朋友是个男的。

Adjective/verb + 是 + Adjective/verb, 可是/但是。。。

• equivalent to “…is…(but)…”

• used to express partial agreement

• speak concurs w/ the other person’s statement before going on to point out a different aspect that the other may have ignored

• Examples

  • A: 我打算学音乐。B: 学音乐好是好，可是以后找工作不太容易。

对。。。来说

• used to suggest that the opinion expressed is valid only with a regard to a particular person

• Examples

  • 对他来说，今年最需要做的事情是选一个好大学。

Resultative complements

• Structure

  • Subject + verb + resultative complement (+ object)

• Examples

  • 我搬完家就去购物中心买日用品。

另外

• can be used before a numeral or demonstrative pronoun + noun

• also be used as an adverb before a verb phrase

• or as a conjunction at the beginning of a sentence

• Examples

  • 下个学期我打算选三门课：一门电脑课，应外两门课选什么，还没决定

  • 在这个州买吃的东西，除了东西的价钱以外，另外还的付百分之八的税

  • 请你给我订两张飞机票，另外，麻烦你再帮我买一个大一点儿的包

Comparing 再 and 还

• 再: indicates the repetition or continuation of an action

  • when used in sense of continuation, usually refers to the future

• 还: denotes an increase in number or expansion of scope

  • can refer to past or future

• Examples

  • 先生，您刚才点的菜我没听清楚，麻烦您再说一次。

  • 历史课我选了一门了，还得选一门。

要么。。。，要么。。。

• selective conjunction

• indicates that there are (at least) two possibilities or desires from which one must/will choose

• Examples

  • 您要么学医，要么学经济，就是不能学文学。

在。。。上

• can be combined with an abstract noun to mean “in terms of” (character, interests, studies, etc)

• Examples

  •  在兴趣上，丽莎跟天明不太一样。

Verb 来 verb 去

• signifies a repetitive action

• Examples

  • 你别在房间里走来走去，大家都睡觉了。

Comparing 的，得，and 地

• Structures

  • attributive + 的 + noun (phrase)

  • verb/adjective + 得 + complement

  • adverbial + 地 + verb (phrase)

• Examples

  • 请帮我买点新鲜的青菜水果

  • 教授说我选课选的很好

  • 女儿的病还不好，王太太着急地给医生打了一个电话

原来 as adverb and adjective

• has two meanings

  • used at the beginning of a clause to convey a sudden realization

  • used as an adjective before a noun, or as an adverb before a verb

    • must be followed by 的

• Examples

  • 我早就听说有一个心痛五要来，原来就是你呀。

  • 你还住在原来的宿舍吗？

  • 他原来吃肉，现在吃起素来了

Potential Complements

• takes form of verb + 得/不 + resultative complement/directional complement

• verb + 得了/不了: indicates whether subjective or objective conditions permit the realization of a certain action

  • negative form: 不能 + verb

• Example

  • 我一会儿都离不手机。

  • 我明天晚上有课，那个演唱会我去不了(or 不能去)了。

过来 and 过去 (to come over/to go over)

• 过来: denotes movement of a person or object toward the speaker’s standpoint

• 过来，过去: indicates movement of a person or object away from speaker’s standpoint

• both may/may not pass a location

• Examples

  • 同学们都到教室着乐跑去哦来，想看看新来的音乐老师。

  • 张老师很高兴得住他老朋友那边走过去。