Sentence patterns — comparison

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.

to use以yǐ A for为wèi B (take A as B)

What do people eat there?

• You are describing food in different parts of China for a class presentation.
• 南方人nán fāng rénto use以yǐ(cooked) rice米饭mǐ fànto rely mainly on为主wéi zhǔto feed (a person or animal)食shí。 – "People in the south take rice as their staple food."

to use以yǐ A for为wèi B = take A as B

• to use以yǐ A for为wèi B = "take A as B, regard A as B": a formal, written pattern.
• Common fixed forms: to use以yǐ…to rely mainly on为主wéi zhǔ (mainly …), to use以yǐ…for为wèicenter中心zhōng xīn (with … at the centre), to use以yǐ…used in the construction…为例wèi lì (take … as an example).

this这zhètime次cìthe competition比赛bǐ sàitakes以yǐstudents学生xué shengas the main part为主wéi zhǔ。

Examples and focus

• to use以yǐBeijing, capital of the…北京běi jīngused in the construction…为例wèi lì，underground railway地铁dì tiě(electricity) line线路xiàn lùalready已经yǐ jīngto surpass超过chāo guò二十条èr shí tiáo。 – "Take Beijing as an example: it already has more than twenty metro lines."
• we / us我们wǒ men(modifier / structural particle)的de课以kè yǐcolloquial speech口语kǒu yǔto rely mainly on为主wéi zhǔ。 – "Our classes focus mainly on speaking."

take以yǐBeijing北京Běi jīngas an example为例wéi lì。

Read for为wèi as wéi

• In this pattern for为wèi is read wéi ("as, to be"), not wèi ("for").
• It is written style; in speech say main主要zhǔ yàoto be / is是shì… or for example比如bǐ rú….

to use以yǐ…to rely mainly on为主wéi zhǔ versus main主要zhǔ yào

• Written: 这家zhè jiā店以diàn yǐSichuan or Szechuan cuisine川菜chuān càito rely mainly on为主wéi zhǔ – "This restaurant mainly serves Sichuan food."
• Spoken: 这家zhè jiāinn店diànmain主要zhǔ yàoto make做zuòSichuan or Szechuan cuisine川菜chuān cài. Same meaning, plainer style.

this这zhè(measure word)家jiārestaurant店diànmainly主要zhǔ yàomakes做zuòSichuan food川菜chuān cài。

Recap

• to use以yǐ A for为wèi B = take A as B (written); to use以yǐ…to rely mainly on为主wéi zhǔ = mainly …, to use以yǐ…used in the construction…为例wèi lì = take … as an example.
• for为wèi is read wéi here; in speech use main主要zhǔ yào / for example比如bǐ rú.

Practise this pattern step by step.

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.

to use以yǐ A for为wèi B (take A as B)

1101.1 Complete (written): “Take Shanghai as an example.” …………Shanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎiused in the construction…为例wèi lì。

1101.2 How is for为wèi read in to use以yǐ(cooked) rice米饭mǐ fànto rely mainly on为主wéi zhǔ?

• A. wéi
• B. wěi
• C. wēi
• D. wèi

1101.3 Build: “Our classes focus mainly on speaking.”

Arrange all chunks: to use以yǐcolloquial speech口语kǒu yǔ / to rely mainly on为主wéi zhǔ。 / we / us我们wǒ men(modifier / structural particle)的desubject课kè

1101.4 这家zhè jiāinn店diànmain主要zhǔ yàoto make做zuòSichuan or Szechuan cuisine川菜chuān cài is a spoken way to say 这家zhè jiā店以diàn yǐSichuan or Szechuan cuisine川菜chuān càito rely mainly on为主wéi zhǔ.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

1101.5 You are describing food in different parts of China for a class presentation. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

A fresh situation

R1. Interpret and repair. A learner interprets to use以yǐsafe安全ān quánfor为wèiimportant point重点zhòng diǎn as saying safety is the tool used to make a point. Clarify the frame.

R2. Use it yourself. Write a sentence taking accuracy as the main aim of a review.

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