Express a need and respond kindly

Printable paper with separate answer pages Step-by-step lessons

Original teaching practice. Read one pattern, cover its model and try the questions before checking the separate answer section. Examples adapted from Chinese Grammar Wiki (AllSet Learning, CC BY-NC-SA) retain the course-reference provenance.

Express a need and respond kindly

Say how you feel and what you would like to do.

Before you start: Recall I / me我wǒ, today今天jīn tiān and want / think / miss想xiǎng followed by an action. Distinguish a wish from an action already happening; the examples supply new activity words.

Build the meaning

I / me我wǒnot不bùcomfortable舒服shū fú states feeling unwell; I / me我wǒwant / think / miss想xiǎngrest休息xiū xī states a wish to rest. A language exercise does not diagnose illness.

can / will会huì asks about a learned skill; can / be able to能néng can ask about possibility in the situation. Compare can / will会huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng and today今天jīn tiāncan / be able to能néngswimming游泳yóu yǒng.

Say how you feel, then what you want to do

Work through a decision

Compare 我会wǒ huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng with I / me我wǒtoday今天jīn tiāncannot不能bù néngto go去qùswimming游泳yóu yǒng. The first establishes swimming skill. The second says going swimming is not possible today; it does not erase that skill. If the speaker adds swimming pool游泳池yóu yǒng chítoday今天jīn tiānnot不bùto open a door (lit. and…开门kāi mén – the pool is not open today – that supplies a circumstance. Without a reason, leave the reason unknown.

Compare: I / me我wǒnot不bùcomfortable舒服shū fú，want / think / miss想xiǎngrest休息xiū xī reports feeling unwell and wanting rest. It does not name an illness or tell a listener what treatment to give. A kind response can acknowledge the wish. Keep this fictional language situation separate from medical advice or a diagnosis.

Useful words in context

not不bùcomfortable舒服shū fú bù shūfu – feel unwell. I / me我wǒnot不bùcomfortable舒服shū fú。
rest休息xiū xī xiūxi – rest. I / me我wǒwant / think / miss想xiǎngrest休息xiū xī。
swimming游泳yóu yǒng yóuyǒng – swim. 我会wǒ huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng。
can / will会huì huì – know how to. you你nǐcan / will会huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng(yes/no ?)吗ma？
can / be able to能néng néng – can in the situation. you你nǐtoday今天jīn tiāncan / be able to能néngto go去qù(yes/no ?)吗ma？

Listen before reading the script

Ask a partner to read the listening script from the answer section while you keep it covered. Then attempt the listening question. If you work alone without audio, use the script for reading practice; it is not a listening test.

Read a different account

林安会lín ān huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng，but但是dàn shìtoday今天jīn tiānnot不bùcomfortable舒服shū fú。she / her她tātoday今天jīn tiān不去bù qùswimming游泳yóu yǒng，want / think / miss想xiǎngto be at home在家zài jiārest休息xiū xī。

Try the reading question before checking the English meaning in the answer section.

Speak with a partner

Ask a partner whether they can go today. In a fictional role, say you feel unwell and want to rest.

Check the distinction: can / will会huì and can / be able to能néng overlap in some contexts, but a learned skill is different from being able to participate today.

Learn step by step · Practise and review.

Practice without the models

Choose a pattern, cover its teaching examples, and attempt its questions. Use the labels to find feedback in the separate key.

Express a need and respond kindly

0701.1 Listening. What does the speaker want?

A. To rest
B. To learn swimming
C. To go to school

0701.2 Reading. Does the text say Lin An lacks swimming skill?

A. It does not mention swimming
B. Yes
C. No

0701.3 Complete “I want to rest”: I / me我wǒwant / think / miss想xiǎng…………。

0701.4 Match each word with its meaning in this unit.

1. not不bùcomfortable舒服shū fú
1. rest休息xiū xī
1. swimming游泳yóu yǒng
1. can / will会huì
1. can / be able to能néng
A. feel unwell
B. know how to
C. rest
D. swim
E. can in the situation

0701.5 Write two sentences contrasting a skill and today’s possibility.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

0701.6 I / me我wǒwant / think / miss想xiǎngrest休息xiū xī。want / think / miss想xiǎng means want to and rest休息xiū xī means rest. Which statement follows from this sentence alone?

A. The speaker cannot swim.
B. The speaker is already asleep.
C. The speaker wants to rest.

0701.7 我会wǒ huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng，but但是dàn shìswimming pool游泳池yóu yǒng chítoday今天jīn tiānnot不bùto open a door (lit. and…开门kāi mén，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐtoday今天jīn tiāncannot不能bù néngto go去qù。swimming pool游泳池yóu yǒng chí means swimming pool; today今天jīn tiānnot不bùto open a door (lit. and…开门kāi mén means it is closed today; so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ means so. First locate the reason. Why can the speaker not go today?

A. The speaker says that swimming is forbidden everywhere.
B. The pool is closed today.
C. The speaker has never learned to swim.

0701.8 Read: 林安会lín ān huìto sit astride骑qíbicycle自行车zì xíng chē。today今天jīn tiānshe / her她tāwant / will / need要yàoto be at home在家zài jiāto wait for等děngteacher老师lǎo shī，cannot不能bù néngand / with和héfriend朋友péng yǒuin the same place一起yì qǐto go去qù。to sit astride骑qíbicycle自行车zì xíng chē means ride a bicycle, to wait for等děng wait and in the same place一起yì qǐ together. Which interpretation fits?

A. She cannot ride a bicycle and is waiting at home for her friends.
B. She can ride a bicycle but cannot join today because her bicycle is broken.
C. She can ride a bicycle but today must wait at home for the teacher.

0701.9 Use Mandarin for the new sentences or dialogue. You may explain your reasoning in English. Invent a fictional person who knows how to do an activity but cannot join it today. Write the skill, a specific circumstance and a wish. A partner asks whether they can go; give a relevant reply without claiming the skill has disappeared. Read or speak the exchange, then check the meaning.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

A fresh situation

R1. Interpret and repair. A friend says I / me我wǒwant / think / miss想xiǎng喝水hē shuǐ. Another learner reports that the friend has already drunk water. What is unsupported?

R2. Use it yourself. Tell a friend you are tired and would like to rest; give a kind response to someone who is hungry.

Write your responses before opening the key. Compare meaning as well as form; a different valid answer need not copy the model.

Open the answers after your attempt

Answers and explanations

Check after your attempt. For open tasks, compare the message and the stated criteria, then revise one detail.

Express a need and respond kindly

0701.1 A. To rest

I / me我wǒwant / think / miss想xiǎngrest休息xiū xī states the wish directly.

0701.2 C. No

林安会lín ān huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng says she has the skill; today’s condition prevents the activity.

0701.3 rest休息xiū xī

rest休息xiū xī names the action wanted.

0701.4 1–A: not不bùcomfortable舒服shū fú = feel unwell; 2–C: rest休息xiū xī = rest; 3–D: swimming游泳yóu yǒng = swim; 4–B: can / will会huì = know how to; 5–E: can / be able to能néng = can in the situation

Use the example sentences to check each word’s meaning in context.

0701.5 One possible response: 我会wǒ huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng。today今天jīn tiānI / me我wǒcannot不能bù néngto go去qù，want / think / miss想xiǎngrest休息xiū xī。

Check meaning and form:

Use can / will会huì for the skill.
Use today今天jīn tiān to locate the situation.
State the wish clearly.

Compare the meaning and structure with the checklist. Your own response may differ from the model.

0701.6 C. The speaker wants to rest.

want / think / miss想xiǎngrest休息xiū xī expresses a wish. It supplies no evidence of sleep or swimming ability. Return to the difference between wanting an action and reporting it as happening if you chose either extra claim.

0701.7 B. The pool is closed today.

The stated reason is the pool’s closure today. 我会wǒ huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng explicitly supplies the skill, and no universal ban is stated. A present obstacle and an absent learned skill are different claims.

0701.8 C. She can ride a bicycle but today must wait at home for the teacher.

can / will会huìto sit astride骑qíbicycle自行车zì xíng chē gives the learned skill. to be at home在家zài jiāto wait for等děngteacher老师lǎo shī supplies today’s commitment; cannot不能bù néngand / with和héfriend朋友péng yǒuin the same place一起yì qǐto go去qù says she cannot join her friends. No broken bicycle is stated, and the person she waits for is the teacher, not the friends.

0701.9 One possible response: Possible account: 我会wǒ huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng。today今天jīn tiān我要wǒ yàoto be at home在家zài jiāto wait for等děngteacher老师lǎo shī，cannot不能bù néngto go去qù。I / me我wǒwant / think / miss想xiǎngtomorrow明天míng tiānto go去qù。Partner: you你nǐtoday今天jīn tiāncan / be able to能néngto go去qù(yes/no ?)吗ma？Reply: today今天jīn tiāncannot不能bù néngto go去qù，我要wǒ yàoto be at home在家zài jiāto wait for等děngteacher老师lǎo shī。The skill, today’s commitment and tomorrow’s wish are separate. Other coherent activities and circumstances are valid.

How to revise: If the reason is missing, add your invented circumstance explicitly. If your sentences contradict each other, distinguish knowing how from being able to join today. Use a fictional situation; this self-review checks meaning and organisation, not pronunciation or medical knowledge.

Check meaning and form:

State a learned skill with can / will会huì in this context.
Name a circumstance that explains today’s constraint.
State a wish without presenting it as a completed event.
Answer the partner’s actual question; avoid inventing a diagnosis or unstated fact.
Write or speak the requested sentences, questions or dialogue in Mandarin; optional English reasoning does not replace them.

If the reason is missing, add your invented circumstance explicitly. If your sentences contradict each other, distinguish knowing how from being able to join today. Use a fictional situation; this self-review checks meaning and organisation, not pronunciation or medical knowledge.

Listening script and meaning

我会wǒ huìswimming游泳yóu yǒng，but但是dàn shìtoday今天jīn tiāncannot不能bù néngto go去qù。I / me我wǒwant / think / miss想xiǎngrest休息xiū xī。

I know how to swim, but cannot go today. I want to rest.

Reading meaning

Lin An knows how to swim, but feels unwell today. She does not go swimming and wants to rest at home.

Speaking model

A: you你nǐtoday今天jīn tiāncan / be able to能néngto go去qù(yes/no ?)吗ma？ B: I / me我wǒnot不bùcomfortable舒服shū fú，want / think / miss想xiǎngrest休息xiū xī。 A: good好hǎo。

Compare the intended message first. Ask a listener to comment on intelligibility and pronunciation; matching the written model does not establish speaking accuracy.

Fresh-situation answers

R1. want / think / miss想xiǎng喝水hē shuǐ expresses a wish to drink; it does not report the action as completed. The wish and the result are different information.

R2. One possible response. 我累wǒ lèi(completed / change)了le，want / think / miss想xiǎngrest休息xiū xī(used after a verb) give it…一下yī xià。you你nǐto be hungry饿è(completed / change)了le？we / us我们wǒ mento go去qùto have a meal吃饭chī fàn(suggestion)吧ba。These convey a state, a wish and a suggestion. Other suitable responses are possible if they address the stated need.