Sentence patterns and function words
Time phrase and place phrase (1)
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 (2)
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… (2/12/13)
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 (2)
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 (2)
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 (2)
Measure words are needed in the following situations.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Anti…
反 |
noun |
反 |
政 府 |
反 |
毒 品 |
反 |
领 导 |
反 |
群 众 |
Pro…
亲 |
noun |
亲 |
政 府 |
亲 |
中(China) |
亲 |
日(Japan) |
Head of…
noun |
长 |
家 |
长 |
部 |
长 |
校 |
长 |
…Dept./ …ministry
noun |
部 |
公 安 |
部 |
Return…
回 |
noun |
回 |
学 校 |
回 |
家 |
回 |
中 国 |
Directional verbs
|
上 up |
回 back |
进 in |
出 out |
来 come |
上 来 come up up come |
回 来 come back back come |
进 来 come in in come |
出 来 come out out come |
去 go |
上 去 go up up go |
回 去 go back back go |
进 去 go in in go |
出 去 go out out go |