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:

      

we

midday

at teacher’s  home

hold       meeting

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

                                                

zuì MOST (2)

This is placed before stative verbs or adverbs such as

most

good    

Best.                                

most

good     eat

Most delicious.

 

zài…xià clause UNDER… (2/12/13)

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

  

     

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 particle used for completed action (2)

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

 

      

        

today

my teacher  

at meeting      

make   LE    speech

My teacher made a speech at the meeting.

 


 

le particle for completed action is not used (2)

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

      

   

                      16        

responsible person

announce

immediately           arrest      16 MING criminals

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

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

 

Measure words (2)

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.

three

ming

students

Three students.

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

this

ge

teacher

This teacher.

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

you

have

how many

ge

teachers 

How many teachers do you have?

 

The following two measures words are used in the text:

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

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

 

Form phrases

Anti…

noun

Pro…

noun

(China)

(Japan)

Head of…

noun

…Dept./ …ministry

noun

Return…

noun

        

Directional verbs

 

up

back

in

out

come

   come up

up  come

       come back

back come

    come in

in   come

come out

out come

go

   go up

up  go

          go back

back go

    go in

 in  go

go out

out go