FDTL 46/99

Chinese language skills for Britain: Disseminating Best Practice

Sentence Patterns - Reading Week 2

Time phrase and place phrase

Time phrases and place phrases are placed before the main verb in a sentence. For instance:

我 们

中 午

在 老 师       家

开        会

we

midday

at teacher’s  home

hold      meeting

We will hold a meeting at the teacher’s home at midday.

zuì 最 MOST

This is placed before stative verbs or adverbs such as

最        好
most     good

Best

最        好        吃
most     good    eat

Most delicious.

zài…xià 在 …下 clause UNDER…

This clause is often placed before the main verb of a sentence. For instance,

小          学 生

在 老 师   和 家 长   的 帮 助 下

都 考 上 了 中 学

primary schoolchildren 

at    teachers    and   parents    de      help  under

all   passed   le secondary

                 (entrance exams)

All the primary schoolchildren passed their secondary school entrance exams.

 

le 了 particle used for completed action

When the particle了 is placed after a verb, it implies that the action is complete. A verb before the particle 了 is usually the main verb of a sentence. For instance,

今 天

我 老 师 

在 会       上

作   了  讲 话

today

my teacher  

at meeting      

make   LE    speech

My teacher made a speech at the meeting.

le 了particle for completed action is not used

When direct or indirect speech is used, 了 is not used after the verb “to speak”. For instance,

负 责       人

宣 布   

立 刻               逮 捕  16名       罪 犯

responsible person

announce

immediately         arrest             16 MING criminals

The person in charge announced that 16 criminals would be arrested immediately.

Particle 了 for completed action is not used after the verb 宣 布, to announce

 Measure words

Measure words are needed in the following situations.

  1. When a quantity is involved, for instance, if you use a number in front of a noun.

三

名

学 生

three

ming

students

Three students.

  1. When you want to specify a noun, in other words if you use 这 this, 那 that, 每 every. For instance,

这

个

老 师

this

ge

teacher

This teacher.

  1. When the question words 哪 which and 几 how many are used. For example,

你

有

几

个

老 师 ？

you

have

how many

ge

teachers　

How many teachers do you have?

The following two measures words are used in the text

míng 名is used for members of an institution or major organisation, such as party members and university teachers: 两名大学老师 two university teachers.

gè 个  units of something. It is a common measure word for both abstract and physical objects such as people, schools, and ideas, as in 五个人 five people.

Form phrases

反 noun                 
反 政 府
反 毒 品
反 领 导
反 群 众

 

亲  noun                 
亲        政 府 
亲        中(China)
亲        日(Japan)

 

noun 长            
家  长                   
部 长                   
校           长                   

 

noun 部
公 安 部
国 务 部

                                                                          

回 noun
回        学 校
回        家   
回        中 国

 

Directional verbs

 

上

up

回

back

进

in

来

come

上 来    come up

up  come

回    来   come back

back come

进 来     come in

in   come

去

go

上 去    go up

up go

回 去     go back

back go

进 去     go out

 in   go

 

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