Comparing similar prepositions

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.

pertaining to关于guān yú vs regarding对于duì yú (about vs regarding)

A book about it, an attitude towards it

• You write a report on a documentary about climate change and how students feel about it.
• 这是zhè shì一部yī bùpertaining to关于guān yúclimate change气候变化qì hòu biàn huà(modifier / structural particle)的denewsreel纪录片jì lù piàn。regarding对于duì yúthis这个zhè gequestion问题wèn tí，everyone大家dà jiā(modifier / structural particle)的deway of looking at a thing看法kàn fǎdifferent不同bù tóng。 – "This is a documentary about climate change. On this issue, opinions differ."

pertaining to关于guān yú = about (the topic)

• pertaining to关于guān yú introduces the topic or content: pertaining to关于guān yúChina中国zhōng guóhistory历史lì shǐ(modifier / structural particle)的debook书shū, pertaining to关于guān yú这件zhè jiànmatter事shì.
• As a topic at the start of a sentence: pertaining to关于guān yúto take an exam考试kǎo shì，teacher老师lǎo shīstill / also还háinot / haven't没méito notify通知tōng zhī.

about关于guān yúthe exam考试kǎo shì，the teacher老师lǎo shīstill还háihasn't没méiannounced通知tōng zhī。

regarding对于duì yú = regarding (the target of an attitude)

• regarding对于duì yú introduces what a judgement or action is directed at: regarding对于duì yúthis这个zhè geto decide (to do something)决定jué dìng，I / me我wǒdegree / adjective linker很hěnsatisfied满意mǎn yì。 – "I'm very satisfied with this decision."
• It can follow the subject: I / me我wǒregarding对于duì yú这件zhè jiànmatter事shìnot have / haven't没有méi yǒuidea意见yì jiàn.

regarding对于duì yúthis这个zhè gedecision决定jué dìng，I我wǒvery很hěnsatisfied满意mǎn yì。

The subject's position

• pertaining to关于guān yú phrases do not go after the subject: pertaining to关于guān yú这件zhè jiànmatter事shì，I / me我wǒnot不bùto know知道zhī dào, not I / me我wǒpertaining to关于guān yú这件zhè jiànmatter事shìnot不bùto know知道zhī dào.
• regarding对于duì yú can go either before or after the subject: regarding对于duì yúhe / him他tā，… / he / him他tāregarding对于duì yú….

Titles use pertaining to关于guān yú

• A book, talk or article title takes pertaining to关于guān yú: 《pertaining to关于guān yúenvironmental protection环境保护huán jìng bǎo hù》.
• regarding对于duì yú suits opinions and attitudes: regarding对于duì yústudent学生xué shēng来说lái shuō, regarding对于duì yúthis这个zhè gequestion问题wèn tí，I / me我wǒ(modifier / structural particle)的deway of looking at a thing看法kàn fǎto be / is是shì….

a一yí(measure word)篇piānabout关于guān yúthe environment环保huán bǎo的dearticle文章wén zhāng。

Recap

• pertaining to关于guān yú = about, introducing a topic. It often starts a topic phrase and can also occur inside a noun phrase; the whole construction controls its position.
• regarding对于duì yú = regarding (target of an attitude or judgement); before or after the subject.

Practise this pattern step by step.

away from离lí vs from从cóng (gap from vs starting point)

How far, and from where?

• A new classmate asks where you live and how you get to school.
• 我家wǒ jiāaway from离líschool学校xué xiào很近hěn jìn，I / me我wǒevery day每天měi tiān从家cóng jiāto walk走路zǒu lùto come来lái。 – "My home is close to school; every day I walk here from home."

away from离lí = distance from

• A away from离lí B + to distance oneself from…远yuǎn / near近jìn / distance = how far A is from B: 我家wǒ jiāaway from离líschool学校xué xiào很近hěn jìn.
• Also for time: away from离líto take an exam考试kǎo shìfurthermore还有hái yǒu三天sān tiān – "There are still three days until the exam."

until离líthe exam考试kǎo shìthere are still还有hái yǒuthree days三天sān tiān。

from从cóng = starting point

• from从cóng + place / time = from (the starting point of movement or time): from从cóngBeijing, capital of the…北京běi jīngto set off出发chū fā, from从cóng八点bā diǎnto start开始kāi shǐ.
• Often with to / arrive到dào: 从家cóng jiāto / arrive到dàoschool学校xué xiàowant / will / need要yào二十分钟èr shí fēn zhōng.

from从cónghome家jiāto到dàoschool学校xué xiàotakes要yàotwenty二十èr shíminutes分钟fēn zhōng。

Distance or starting point?

• A gap (to distance oneself from…远yuǎn, near近jìn, how many km) takes away from离lí: away from离líhere这儿zhè érdegree / adjective linker很hěnto distance oneself from…远yuǎn, not from从cónghere这儿zhè érdegree / adjective linker很hěnto distance oneself from…远yuǎn.
• Movement or a beginning takes from从cóng: from从cónghere这儿zhè érto walk走zǒu, not away from离líhere这儿zhè érto walk走zǒu.

One sentence, both words

• from从cóng我家wǒ jiāto / arrive到dàocompany公司gōng sīdegree / adjective linker很hěnto distance oneself from…远yuǎn，because因为yīn wèicompany公司gōng sīaway from离lícity center市中心shì zhōng xīndegree / adjective linker很hěnto distance oneself from…远yuǎn。 – "It's a long way from my home to the office, because the office is far from the city centre."
• from从cóng…to / arrive到dào… measures a route; away from离lí measures a gap.

the office公司gōng sīfrom离líthe city centre市中心shì zhōng xīnvery很hěnfar远yuǎn。

Recap

• away from离lí = the gap between two points (place or time): away from离líschool学校xué xiào很近hěn jìn, away from离líto take an exam考试kǎo shì三天sān tiān.
• from从cóng = the starting point of movement or time: 从家cóng jiāto set off出发chū fā, from从cóng八点bā diǎnto start开始kāi shǐ.

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.

pertaining to关于guān yú vs regarding对于duì yú (about vs regarding)

2801.1 Complete: “an article about the environment” 一篇yī piān…………environment环境huán jìng(modifier / structural particle)的dearticle文章wén zhāng

2801.2 Which sentence is correct?

• A. I / me我wǒpertaining to关于guān yú这件zhè jiànmatter事shìdegree / adjective linker很hěnsatisfied满意mǎn yì。
• B. pertaining to关于guān yú这件zhè jiànmatter事shì，I / me我wǒnot不bùto know知道zhī dào。
• C. I / me我wǒ这件zhè jiànmatter事shìpertaining to关于guān yúnot不bùto know知道zhī dào。
• D. I / me我wǒpertaining to关于guān yú这件zhè jiànmatter事shìnot不bùto know知道zhī dào。

2801.3 Build: “I'm very satisfied with this decision.”

Arrange all chunks: I / me我wǒ / regarding对于duì yúthis这个zhè geto decide (to do something)决定jué dìng / degree / adjective linker很hěnsatisfied满意mǎn yì。 / ，

2801.4 regarding对于duì yú can come after the subject.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

2801.5 You write a report on a documentary about climate change and how students feel about it. 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.

away from离lí vs from从cóng (gap from vs starting point)

2802.1 Complete: “The station is very close to here.” rail station车站chē zhàn…………here这儿zhè ér很近hěn jìn。

2802.2 “The meeting starts at nine.” Which fits? meeting会议huì yì____九点jiǔ diǎnto start开始kāi shǐ。

• A. from从cóng
• B. at / in在zài
• C. towards向xiàng
• D. away from离lí

2802.3 Build: “It takes twenty minutes from home to school.”

Arrange all chunks: 二十分钟èr shí fēn zhōng。 / 从家cóng jiā / want / will / need要yào / to / arrive到dàoschool学校xué xiào

2802.4 away from离líto take an exam考试kǎo shìfurthermore还有hái yǒu三天sān tiān uses away from离lí for time.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

2802.5 A new classmate asks where you live and how you get to school. 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 traveller says away from离líBeijing, capital of the…北京běi jīngto set off出发chū fā to mean depart from Beijing. Repair the source phrase.

R2. Use it yourself. Name the topic of a talk and a personal attitude toward learning.

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