Chinese Grammar Core Course — Common grammar mistakes

Chinese often keeps the action early and places time before the action. Build the short subject–verb–object spine first, then add time and place.

A noun predicate normally needs 是, while an adjective can be the predicate directly. 很 often links a neutral description rather than simply meaning “very”.

Time usually comes before the verb; a place where an action happens normally comes before that verb too. Do not copy English post-verbal place phrases blindly.

Use 不 for habits, intention, and future; use 没(有) for an action that did not happen. 别 is a direct negative request.

Question words stay in the slot where the answer would go. Yes–no questions use 吗, an A-not-A pattern, or an interrogative word; the word order does not flip.

的 attaches a modifier to a noun, 地 marks the manner before a verb in formal writing, and 得 introduces a complement after a verb. First decide what is being modified.

A number normally needs a measure word before a noun, and 两 is common before measure words. Learn noun and measure word together as one usable chunk.

有 introduces what exists somewhere; 在 states where a known item is; 是 identifies or classifies. Switching these changes the information focus.

了 marks a bounded or newly relevant event, not a simple past tense. Look for a completed action, a change of situation, or a contrast with the present.

在/正在 show an action in progress, 着 highlights a continuing state, and 过 marks life experience. Choose the viewpoint before choosing a marker.

会 can mean learned ability or prediction; 能 concerns practical possibility; 可以 grants permission; 想 and 要 express desire or plan. Their differences matter more than an English “can”.

With 比, do not add 很 before the adjective. Use 没有 for “not as … as”, and use 一点儿 or 更 to express small or greater degree.

A complement tells whether an action succeeded, finished, found something, or moved in a direction. It is part of the verb phrase, so keep it next to the verb.

Duration answers “for how long”, frequency answers “how often”, and number of times answers “how many times”. Their positions depend on whether the object is definite.

把 brings a definite, affected object before the verb and normally requires a result, location, quantity, or other outcome. It is not a decorative replacement for normal order.

被 foregrounds the person or thing affected, often when the result matters or is unwelcome. Chinese also frequently leaves the agent unstated.

Words such as 在, 从, 到, 给, 跟, and 对 introduce the setting, path, recipient, companion, or viewpoint before the main verb. Read them as a relationship, not as isolated translations.

Several verbs can share one subject without extra “to” or “and”: go somewhere, then do something. Keep the actions in their real-world order.

Because–therefore, although–but, and if–then pairs make the relationship visible. Do not use both halves mechanically when context already makes one clear.

吗, 呢, 吧, and sentence-final 了 manage questions, shared context, softening, and change. Reduplication can make a brief action or a request sound lighter.

Find the main predicate before translating. Then bracket time, place, coverb phrases, modifiers, and complements; a long sentence becomes several manageable blocks.

Draft from a skeleton: topic, time/place, action, result, and reason. Check measure words, negation, and aspect before you add more vocabulary.

A strong revision asks targeted questions: 不 or 没? 的 or 得? 比 or 没有? Then read the sentence aloud for its information order.

A diagnostic should reveal a next step, not merely give a score. Rebuild the answers from meaning, mark weak patterns, and return to a single unit the next day.