Adverbs with adjectives

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.

straight挺tǐng + Adj + (modifier / structural particle)的de (quite / rather)

How's the new flat?

• A friend asks about your new apartment. It is nice, though not amazing.
• straight挺tǐnggood好hǎo(modifier / structural particle)的de，exactly就是jiù shìaway from离lícompany公司gōng sīslightly有点儿yǒu diǎn érto distance oneself from…远yuǎn。 – "It's pretty nice – just a bit far from the office."

straight挺tǐng + Adjective + (modifier / structural particle)的de

• straight挺tǐng + Adj (+ (modifier / structural particle)的de) = "quite, pretty, rather" in casual speech: straight挺tǐnggood好hǎo(modifier / structural particle)的de, 挺贵tǐng guì(modifier / structural particle)的de, 挺忙tǐng máng(modifier / structural particle)的de.
• (modifier / structural particle)的de at the end is common and makes it sound natural and relaxed.

this这zhè(measure word)家jiāshop店diàn的dethings东西dōng xiquite挺tǐngexpensive贵guì的de。

Feelings and verbs

• Feeling verbs take straight挺tǐng too: I / me我wǒstraight挺tǐngto like喜欢xǐ huanthis这个zhè gecity城市chéng shì(modifier / structural particle)的de。 – "I quite like this city."
• he / him他tā挺会tǐng huìto speak说话shuō huà(modifier / structural particle)的de。 – "He's pretty good with words."

I我wǒquite挺tǐnglike喜欢xǐ huanthis这个zhè gecity城市chéng shì的de。

Negative and register

• "Not very" is 不太bù tài or not very不怎么bù zěn me, not 不挺bù tǐng: not so good不太好bù tài hǎo, not not不bùstraight挺tǐnggood好hǎo. (挺不错tǐng bù cuò / straight挺tǐngno good不好bù hǎo put not不bù after straight挺tǐng.)
• straight挺tǐng is spoken; in an essay prefer fairly / rather比较bǐ jiào or degree / adjective linker很hěn.

straight挺tǐng versus degree / adjective linker很hěn and too太tài

• degree / adjective linker很hěn + Adj is the neutral default: degree / adjective linker很hěngood好hǎo.
• straight挺tǐng is friendly and casual; too太tài…(completed / change)了le is stronger and often "too": 太贵tài guì(completed / change)了le！

too太tàiexpensive贵guì了le！

Recap

• straight挺tǐng + Adj / feeling verb + (modifier / structural particle)的de = quite, pretty (casual).
• "Not very" = 不太bù tài; in writing use fairly / rather比较bǐ jiào or degree / adjective linker很hěn.

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.

straight挺tǐng + Adj + (modifier / structural particle)的de (quite / rather)

0301.1 Casually: “The food here is pretty good.” here这儿zhè ér(modifier / structural particle)的devegetable菜cài…………to be fond of eating好吃hǎo chī(modifier / structural particle)的de。

0301.2 Which says “It isn't very expensive”?

• A. 不挺bù tǐng太贵tài guì。
• B. 不挺贵bù tǐng guì(modifier / structural particle)的de。
• C. not不bù太贵tài guì。
• D. straight挺tǐngnot不bù太贵tài guì。

0301.3 Build: “I quite like this city.”

Arrange all chunks: I / me我wǒ / straight挺tǐngto like喜欢xǐ huan / (modifier / structural particle)的de。 / this这个zhè gecity城市chéng shì

0301.4 straight挺tǐng is more casual than degree / adjective linker很hěn.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

0301.5 A friend asks about your new apartment. It is nice, though not amazing. 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 casual description says this这个zhè gearea地方dì fāng不挺bù tǐngconvenient方便fāng biàn. Repair the intended not very convenient meaning.

R2. Use it yourself. Give a positive but qualified opinion of a new room using straight挺tǐng.

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