Frequently asked questions
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The 把 Construction
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1. When can I use 把 sentences?
2. How can I form a sentence with 把?
3. What are the commonly used attached verb elements in the 把 construction?
4. Apart from a subject of a sentence, what other elements which can be placed before 把?
5. Where should the negation 不 be placed if the 得 (complement of degree) construction is used in a 把 sentence?
6. Sometimes a 把 sentence contains only a simple main verb and the particle 了. Does that mean that any simple verb + 了 can be used in 把 sentences?
7. Is it right that the 把 construction can only be used for real objects, and not for abstract objects?
8. What shouldn't be used in 把 sentences?
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1. When should I use 被 sentences?
2. Which verb forms are used in 被 sentences?
3. How can I form 被 sentences?
4. Can all 把 sentences be turned into 被 sentences?
5. Do 被 sentences always have a negative sense?
6. Can a simple monosyllabic verb be used in the 被 construction?
7. Should the agent always appear after 被?
8. Is there any other difference between 被, 让, 叫 and 给 in passive sentences?
9. Is it necessary to use 被 or 给 if the agent is not there?
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1. When should I use this construction?
2. Are there any differences between the sentences without 被 and ones with 被?
3. What do I need to form this type of sentences?
4. Are there any other constructions in the passive voice, apart from 被, 让,叫 , 给 sentences and notional passives?
5. What is the difference between 被 sentences and 是...的 sentences, as in 这本书是他写的?
Comparatives 比, 跟/像...一样...﹐比起来....
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1. How many comparative constructions are there?
2. How can I form a 比 sentence, and what should I be aware of?
3. Can the words “very much”, “extremely” and “really” be used in the 比 construction?
4. How do I form a sentence if I want to describe exactly how much more or less “A” is than “B”?
5. Can I use 比 to compare feelings and capabilities?
6. Can I use the 比 construction to compare two actions?
7. Can I use the 比 construction to compare the difference in quantity between two actions?
8. Apart from 比 can any other word be used in comparisons?
9. How can I form a sentence with ...跟 ...一 样？
10. How can I say that I prefer A to B?
11. Can I use the negation 没 before 比?
12. Can I use the negation 没 before 比?
13. Are the negative forms of 比(不比) and 有(没有) the same?
14. What is the difference between 有 sentences and 跟...一样... sentences?
15. What is the difference between the constructions A 跟 B 一样 and A 像 B 一样?
16. Can you demonstrate the different degrees of comparison?
在﹐到﹐给﹐对﹐为﹐从﹐离﹐跟﹐用﹐坐 ......
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2. Why should I treat these words as co-verbs, but not prepositions?
3. How can I form a sentence with a co-v. clause?
4. Where should the adverbs, such as 常常, 总是, and modal verbs such as 可以, 应该 be placed in the sentences which co-verbs are used?
5. What should I do if a sentence has more than one co-v. clause?
6. Can you tell me the difference between 离 and 从?
7. What is the difference between the co-verb 给 and 为?
8. What is the difference between 我跟他说, 我对他说 and 我给他说?
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1. When can I use the 的construction?
2. How do I form the 的 construction?
3. Do I always have to put measure words at the beginning of the 的construction, as in the above sentence?
4. Do I always have to use 的 when I use an adjective to describe a noun?
5. When can a possessive 的 be omitted?
6. It seems that the nouns after 的 are the most important nouns in sentences, but that in some sentences there are no nouns after 的. Why is that?
8. Four "don’ts" for describing nouns.
The 得 Construction
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1. When do I use the 得 construction?
2. How many different ways can I form the 得 construction?
3. What is the negative form for the 得 construction?
4. Is the particle 了 for completed actions used in the 得 construction?
5. I find it difficult to distinguish the 得 construction from potential verb complements. How can I tell which is which?
6. Do I always need 得 to indicate the degree of complement?
7. Where can I place 一点儿 and 一些 in the 得 construction?
8. What is the difference between "请你说得慢一点儿." and "请你慢一点儿说."
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1. When should I use the 地 construction?
2. How can I form a 地 sentence?
3. What should I be aware of when I use the 地 construction?
4. Do I always have to use 地, if I want to describe how an action is carried out?
5. Is the particle 了 for completed action used in 地 constructions?
6. Can verb complements be used in the 地 constructions?
7. How do I use 地 in the 把 and 被 sentences?
8. Are the 地 construction and the 得 constructions interchangeable? For instance A.今天上午他很快地吃完了饭 // B.今天上午他饭吃得很快 Do these two sentences have the same meaning?
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1. Where should I place 就 in a sentence?
2. How do I use 就 to imply an action takes place earlier than I have expected?
3. Can 就 be used to imply anything else apart from “earlier than expected”?
4. What are the implications if 才 is used in the above sentences?
5. Can 就 be used for other purposes?
6. Can 就 and 才 be used in a same sentence?
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2. When should I place the 了 at the end of a sentence, and when should I place it after the main verb of a sentence?
3. Is it incorrect if I place 了 after the verb in a simple-object sentence?
4. Can I place 了 at the end of a sentence that has a complex object?
5. Where should I place 了 if a sentence has a time measure?
6. Is a time measure placed after 了 in a negative sentence?
7. Do I have to put the time-measures before 没 in all negative sentences?
8. Do I have to put 了 after every verb in a sentence, if the sentence has a sequence of actions?
9. Do I always have to place 了 after the last verb of a sentence when describing a sequence of actions?
10. Do I always have to use 了 to indicate a completed action?
11. Apart from the negation, are there any circumstances in which 了 is not used?
12. Is it true that if I use a time-word I don't have to use 了?
13. Are there any constructions that cannot take an aspectual particle 了?
14. Do I always have to consider the use of 了 when I see a past tense in an English sentence?
The use of 了 as a modal particle
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1. What else can 了 be used for, apart from for indicating a completed action?
2. How is 了 used for emphasis?
3. Can 了 be used to emphasize negative actions?
4. Can 了 be used to emphasize stative verbs or complements of degree?
5. How is 了 used to express excessiveness?
6. Can be the following expressions be placed before nouns: 太 stative verb 了; stative verb 极; and 可 stative verb 了?
7. Can the above three expressions have negative forms?
8. When do I use 了 for a change of situation, and where does it go in a sentence?
9. Are the functions of 了 always clear in sentences?
10. How many sentence patterns can be used to indicate imminent action?
11. Do these expressions indicate the same degree of urgency?
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1. How many measure words are there?
2. When do I need a measure word (category 1) in a sentence?
3. Where should I place a measure word in a sentence?
4. Are there any other tips on the use of measure words?
5. Should the word 多 (more, over) appear before or after a measure word?
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1. What are resultative complements?
2. When should I use resultative verb complements in sentences?
3. Where does a resultative verb complement go in a sentence?
4. Where does a resultative verb complement go if a sentence has a direct and indirect object?
5. Can the particle "了" for completed action be used with resultative verb complements?
6. What are the commonly used resultative complements?
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1. What are directional complements?
2. What are the functions of 来 and 去 in directional complements?
3. Can a direction word and 来 or 去 be used together?
4. Can you show me a list of combined directional complements?
5. Can I use a combined directional complement as the main verb in a sentence?
6. When do I use the full version of directional verb complements in sentences?
7. Where should I place the directional verb complements in a sentence?
8. Where should I place a 了 for completed action when I use a directional complement?
9. Can the particle 着 be used with a directional complement?
10. Can the particle 过 be used with a directional complement?
11. Where should I place the object of a sentence if a directional verb complement is used?
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1. What are potential complements?
2. Are there any PVC which are only used idiomatically?
3. How can I form a sentence with potential complements?
4. Can I use the particle 了 for completed action in a sentence which has a potential complement?
5. How do you differentiate complements of degree (得 construction) from potential complements?
6. Are 能 constructions and potential verb complements interchangeable?
The uses of 什么… 都…, 哪儿 都…, and 谁 都…
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1. When do I use the 什么… 都…, 哪儿 都…, and 谁 都…constructions?
2. How do I form a sentence with these constructions?
3. How do I form a negative sentence with these constructions?
4. Is there any difference in meaning between都and 也 here?
5. Are there any differences between these 什么…都, 谁…都 and哪儿…都constructions?
6. What is the difference between using 任何or 所有的and these constructions?
7.How can I form a 比or a 把sentence with these constructions?
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1. How do I form a sentence that implies progressive action?
2. Is there any difference in meaning between the use of正, 在, 着 and呢?
3. Do any of the functional elements 正, 在, 着 and呢imply longer or shorter duration?
4. Is a co-verb clause always placed after 正and before a verb?
5. Where should I place an adverbial 地clause in a 正在sentence?
6. Does着have any other usages?