| FDTL 46/99 |
Chinese language skills for Britain: Disseminating Best Practice |
Sentence Patterns - Reading Week 5
The use of 性 is often seen in formal written Chinese. 性 can change a stative verb into a noun, and can also change a noun into an attributive adjective. 重要 to be important is a stative verb. If it is followed by 性, then it becomes a noun 重要 性 importance. 历史 means history, and 历史性 means historic.
重要 used as a stative verb
|
这 件 事 |
很 重要。 |
|
this JIAN matter |
very important |
This matter is very important.
重要 used as a noun
|
这件事 的重要性 |
是什么？ |
|
This jian matter de importance |
is what |
What is the importance of this matter?
历史 used as a noun
|
这 |
是历史。 |
|
This |
is history |
This is history.
历史used as an adjective
|
这 |
是历史性的改革。 |
|
This |
is historic de reform |
This is a historic reform.
This sentence pattern is frequently used in newspapers. The nouns preceded by 进 行 are used as verbs in sentences: words such as 讨 论 to discuss and discussion, 发 展 to develop and development, 谈 判 to negotiate and negotiation are often seen after the verb 进 行. When you learn a new word which is preceded by 进 行, you should remember it as a phrase: for example:
|
...进行 |
谈判 |
Carry out negotiations
|
...进行 |
发展 |
Carry out developments
…fŏu …否: 是否/能否 ... WHETHER... OR NOT (5)
是, 有and most monosyllabic modal verbs can be placed before 否 to form a choice type expression. For example, 是否 whether ... is... or not, 有否 whether... have... or no, 会 否 whether... will... or not, 应 否 whether... should... or not.
|
这些 学生 |
能 否 毕业, |
取决于 他们的 学习成绩. |
|
these students |
can or cannot graduate |
depends on their study results |
Whether these students can graduate or not depends on their academic results.
…fāng …方 SIDE. (5)
方 is placed after a monosyllabic word:
|
西 |
方 |
The Western world.
|
英 |
方 |
The British side.
|
我 |
方 |
Our side.
|
敌 |
方 |
The enemy side.
[ Vocabulary |
Sentence patterns
| Tips
|
| Reading
practice ||
Lesson 5| List of Lessons| Project Homepage]