Modern Mandarin Chinese

Structure Drills

1. The whole time (Use and structure note 20.1)

Click “Prompt” to hear a sentence followed by a time. Say that the sentence was true for the entire time, using “ 一 time word”. Then click “Response” to hear the correct response.
Example
Prompt: 我同屋没睡觉，yè my roommate didn’t sleep, night
Response: 我同屋一yè 没睡觉。My roommate didn’t sleep the entire night.

Example. Prompt:

我同屋没睡觉，yè

Example. Response:

我同屋一yè 没睡觉。

a. Prompt

a. Response

b. Prompt

b. Response

c. Prompt

c. Response

d. Prompt

d. Response

e. Prompt

e. Response

f. Prompt

f. Response

g. Prompt

g. Response

h. Prompt

h. Response

i. Prompt

i. Response

j. Prompt

j. Response

2. Are you able to do it? (Use and structure note 20.6)

Click “Prompt” to hear a resultative verb and its object. Ask if you are able to do the action, using the potential form of the resultative verb. Then click “Response” to hear the correct response.
Example
Prompt: 看懂中文书 read and understand Chinese books
Response: 中文书你看得懂看不懂？Can you read and understand Chinese books?

Example. Prompt:

看懂中文书

Example. Response:

中文书你看得懂看不懂？

a. Prompt

a. Response

b. Prompt

b. Response

c. Prompt

c. Response

d. Prompt

d. Response

e. Prompt

e. Response

f. Prompt

f. Response

g. Prompt

g. Response

h. Prompt

h. Response

3. Focusing on a detail of a past event with 是。。。的 (Use and structure note 20.9)

Click “Prompt” to hear a sentence stating an action that was completed in the past. Rephrase the sentence to focus on a detail of the event, the time, location, or people the subject did the event with, using 是。。。的. Then click “Response” to hear the correct response.
Example
Prompt: 我昨天去了。 I went yesterday.
Response: 我是昨天去的。It was yesterday when I went.

Example. Prompt:

我昨天去了。

Example. Response:

我是昨天去的。

a. Prompt

a. Response

b. Prompt

b. Response

c. Prompt

c. Response

d. Prompt

d. Response

e. Prompt

e. Response

f. Prompt

f. Response

g. Prompt

g. Response

h. Prompt

h. Response

i. Prompt

i. Response

j. Prompt

j. Response

4. Asking about a detail of a past event with 是。。。的 (Use and structure note 20.9)

Click “Prompt” to hear a sentence that focuses on a detail of a past event with 是。。。的 followed by a question phrase. Use that question phrase to ask the question with 是。。。的 that elicits that response. Then click “Response” to hear the correct response.
Example
Prompt: 我是在图书馆认识他的。（在哪儿？） It was at the library where I met him. (where?)
Response: 你是在哪儿认识他的？Where was it that you met him?

Example. Prompt:

我是在图书馆认识他的。（在哪儿？）

Example. Response:

你是在哪儿认识他的？

a. Prompt

a. Response

b. Prompt

b. Response

c. Prompt

c. Response

d. Prompt

d. Response

e. Prompt

e. Response

f. Prompt

f. Response

g. Prompt

g. Response

h. Prompt

h. Response

i. Prompt

i. Response

5. When did it begin? 从time开始

Click “Prompt” to hear a verb phrase followed by a time phrase. Say that the action described in the verb phrase started at that time. Then click “Response” to hear the correct response.
Example
Prompt: lā dù子，昨天晚上 have diarrhea, last night
Response: 我从昨天晚上开始lā dù子。Starting last night I began to have diarrhea.

Example. Prompt:lā dù子，昨天晚上

Example. Response:

我从昨天晚上开始lā dù子。

a. Prompt

a. Response

b. Prompt

b. Response

c. Prompt

c. Response

d. Prompt

d. Response

e. Prompt

e. Response

f. Prompt

f. Response

g. Prompt

g. Response

h. Prompt

h. Response

i. Prompt

i. Response

j. Prompt

j. Response

6. Focusing on when something began 是从 time 开始的 (Use and structure note 20.9)

Click “Prompt” to hear a verb phrase followed by a time phrase. Say that the action described in the verb phrase started at that time, using 是。。。的 to focus on the time. Then click “Response” to hear the correct response.
Example
Prompt: lā dù子，昨天晚上 have diarrhea, last night
Response: 我是从昨天晚上开始lā dù子的。It was last night that I began to have diarrhea.

Example. Prompt:lā dù子，昨天晚上

Example. Response:

我是从昨天晚上开始lā dù子的。

a. Prompt

a. Response

b. Prompt

b. Response

c. Prompt

c. Response

d. Prompt

d. Response

e. Prompt

e. Response

f. Prompt

f. Response

g. Prompt

g. Response

h. Prompt

h. Response

i. Prompt

i. Response

j. Prompt

j. Response

7. Saying besides X with chú了 … 以外，也VP (Use and structure note 20.10)

Click “Prompt” to hear a statement about you and also us. Rephrase the statement using chú了 … 以外 to say that besides you, the statement is also true for us. Then click “Response” to hear the correct response.
Example
Prompt: 你学中文，我们也学中文。You study Chinese, we also study Chinese.
Response: Chú了你以外，我们也学中文。Besides you, we also study Chinese.

Example. Prompt:

你学中文，我们也学中文。