Comparing similar time words

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.

after以后yǐ hòu vs (modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòu (after vs when)

When or after?

• You tell a friend about last night: you were cooking when he called, and you called back after dinner.
• you你nǐto make a telephone call打电话dǎ diàn huà(modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòuI / me我wǒat / in在zàito prepare a meal做饭zuò fàn，吃完饭chī wán fànafter以后yǐ hòuI / me我wǒto / for / give给gěiyou你nǐvariant of 回回huí(completed / change)了letelephone电话diàn huà。 – "When you called, I was cooking; after dinner I called you back."

(modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòu = at the same time

• A (modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòu，B = when A (is happening), B: the two overlap.
• I / me我wǒto / arrive到dào(modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòu，he / him他tāin the middle of正在zhèng zàito have a meal吃饭chī fàn – "When I arrived, he was eating."

I我wǒarrive到dàowhen的时候de shí hou，he他tāwas正在zhèng zàieating吃饭chī fàn。

after以后yǐ hòu = after, one then the other

• A after以后yǐ hòu，B = after A has finished, B: the second follows the first.
• to finish class下课xià kèafter以后yǐ hòu，we / us我们wǒ mento go去qùto play ball打球dǎ qiú – "After class, we'll go and play ball."

class ends下课xià kèafter以后yǐ hòu，we我们wǒ mengo去qùplay ball打球dǎ qiú。

Overlap or sequence?

• If B happens during A, use (modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòu; if B happens after A ends, use after以后yǐ hòu.
• to have a meal吃饭chī fàn(modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòudon't be fooled by the fact…别看bié kàncell phone手机shǒu jī (during the meal) is different from to have a meal吃饭chī fànafter以后yǐ hòudon't别biéright away马上mǎ shàngto go to bed睡觉shuì jiào (after the meal).

With completed verbs

• Verb + (completed / change)了le + after以后yǐ hòu stresses completion: you你nǐto / arrive到dào(completed / change)了leafter以后yǐ hòuto / for / give给gěiI / me我wǒto make a telephone call打电话dǎ diàn huà.
• For one finished event followed by another, after以后yǐ hòu is the safe choice: I / me我wǒ做完作业zuò wán zuò yèafter以后yǐ hòuto go去qùto go to bed睡觉shuì jiào.

you你nǐarrive到dào了leafter以后yǐ hòuto给gěime我wǒmake打dǎa call电话diàn huà。

Recap

• (modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòu = when (overlapping time); after以后yǐ hòu = after (one event follows another).
• Ask: does B happen during A or after it?

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.

after以后yǐ hòu vs (modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòu (after vs when)

3001.1 During the meal: “Don't look at your phone while eating.” to have a meal吃饭chī fàn…………don't be fooled by the fact…别看bié kàncell phone手机shǒu jī。

3001.2 “After eating, don't go to bed straight away.” Which fits? to have a meal吃饭chī fàn____don't别biéright away马上mǎ shàngto go to bed睡觉shuì jiào。

• A. before以前yǐ qián
• B. time时候shí hòu
• C. (modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòu
• D. after以后yǐ hòu

3001.3 Build: “After class, we'll go and play ball.”

Arrange all chunks: to play ball打球dǎ qiú。 / to finish class下课xià kèafter以后yǐ hòu / ， / we / us我们wǒ mento go去qù

3001.4 I / me我wǒto / arrive到dào(modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòu，he / him他tāin the middle of正在zhèng zàito have a meal吃饭chī fàn means he was eating when I arrived.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

3001.5 You tell a friend about last night: you were cooking when he called, and you called back after dinner. 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 translates to finish class下课xià kè(modifier / structural particle)的detime时候shí hòu as after class. What timing difference is lost?

R2. Use it yourself. Say you will phone after arriving and that you were tired when you arrived yesterday.

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