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.

along with随着suí zhe (as / along with)

A changing city

• Your grandfather explains how his hometown has changed over forty years.
• along with随着suí zheeconomy经济jīng jì(modifier / structural particle)的dedevelopment发展fā zhǎn，people人们rén men(modifier / structural particle)的deto live生活shēng huómore and more越来越yuè lái yuègood好hǎo。 – "As the economy has developed, people's lives have got better and better."

along with随着suí zhe + change，result

• along with随着suí zhe + noun phrase = "as, along with": link accompanying developments without treating the connector alone as proof of causation.
• The noun phrase is usually a process: development发展fā zhǎn, (intransitive) to change变化biàn huà, (concept of) time时间shí jiān(modifier / structural particle)的de(of time) to elapse or pass推移tuī yí, (a person's) age年龄nián líng(modifier / structural particle)的deto grow增长zēng zhǎng.

as随着suí zheage年龄nián líng的deincrease增长zēng zhǎng，he他tāmore and more越来越yuè lái yuèmature成熟chéng shú。

Typical results: more and more越来越yuè lái yuè, also也yě, to change变biàn

• along with随着suí zheweather天气tiān qì变冷biàn lěng，to catch cold感冒gǎn mào(modifier / structural particle)的deperson人rénmany多duō(completed / change)了le(after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái。 – "As the weather turns cold, more people are catching colds."
• The result often uses more and more越来越yuè lái yuè, also也yě, to start开始kāi shǐ or a change word.

as随着suí zhethe weather天气tiān qìturns变biàncold冷lěng，catch a cold感冒gǎn mào的depeople人rénmore多duō了le(start to)起来qi lai。

A process, not a single moment

• along with随着suí zhe needs a gradual change; for a single event, use because因为yīn wèi or since (a time)自从zì cóng: since (a time)自从zì cóng他来tā lái(completed / change)了leafter以后yǐ hòu….
• The along with随着suí zhe phrase may precede the subject or follow it. Choose a complete clause that clearly identifies the accompanying development.

along with随着suí zhe versus because因为yīn wèi

• because因为yīn wèi gives a cause: because因为yīn wèito rain下雨xià yǔ，competition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sàito cancel取消qǔ xiāo(completed / change)了le.
• along with随着suí zhe links two changes that grow together over time: along with随着suí zhenetwork (computing…网络wǎng luò(modifier / structural particle)的deto spread extensively普及pǔ jí，Internet shopping网购wǎng gòumore and more越来越yuè lái yuèconvenient方便fāng biàn.

as随着suí zhethe internet网络wǎng luò的despreads普及pǔ jí，online shopping网购wǎng gòumore and more越来越yuè lái yuèconvenient方便fāng biàn。

Recap

• along with随着suí zhe + process，result = as / along with …, … changes too.
• It needs a gradual change; single causes take because因为yīn wèi.

Practise this pattern step by step.

at / in在zài … (bound form) up上shàng (in terms of / regarding)

Strong in one area

• Your teacher writes a report on your progress this term.
• he / him他tāat / in在zàito learn学习xué xí(bound form) up上shàngdegree / adjective linker很hěnto make an effort努力nǔ lì，在生活上zài shēng huó shàngalso也yědegree / adjective linker很hěnindependent独立dú lì。 – "He works hard in his studies and is also very independent in daily life."

at / in在zài + area + (bound form) up上shàng = in terms of

• at / in在zài + abstract noun + (bound form) up上shàng = "in terms of, as far as … is concerned": at / in在zàito learn学习xué xí(bound form) up上shàng, at / in在zàito work工作gōng zuò(bound form) up上shàng, at / in在zàithis这个zhè gequestion问题wèn tí(bound form) up上shàng.
• It goes before the verb or at the start of the sentence.

in在zàiwork工作gōng zuò(terms of)上shang，she她tāhelped帮bāng了leme我wǒa lot很多hěn duō。

Opinions and differences

• at / in在zàithis这个zhè gequestion问题wèn tí(bound form) up上shàng，we / us我们wǒ men(modifier / structural particle)的deway of looking at a thing看法kàn fǎnot不bùsame一样yī yàng。 – "On this question, our views differ."
• China中国zhōng guóand / with和héUnited States美国měi guóat / in在zàiculture文化wén huà(bound form) up上shàngto have / there is有yǒu很多hěn duōdifferent不同bù tóng。 – "China and the US differ a lot culturally."

on在zàithis这个zhè gequestion问题wèn tí(on)上shang，our我们wǒ men的deviews看法kàn fǎdiffer不一样bù yí yàng。

Abstract area, not a place

• Here (bound form) up上shàng is not "on top of": at / in在zàito learn学习xué xí(bound form) up上shàng is about study as an area, not a physical place.
• Use (bound form) up上shàng for an area of activity: at / in在zàito learn学习xué xí(bound form) up上shàng, not at / in在zàito learn学习xué xíli, ancient measure of…里lǐ.

at / in在zài…(bound form) up上shàng, at / in在zài…to hit (the mark)中zhōng, at / in在zài…down下xià

• at / in在zài…to hit (the mark)中zhōng = in the course of: at / in在zàito learn学习xué xíto hit (the mark)中zhōngto meet遇到yù dàoquestion问题wèn tí – "meet problems while studying".
• at / in在zài…down下xià = under (help or conditions): at / in在zàiteacher老师lǎo shī(modifier / structural particle)的deassistance帮助bāng zhùdown下xià – "with the teacher's help".

with在zàithe teacher's老师lǎo shī的dehelp帮助bāng zhù(under)下xià，I我wǒimproved进步jìn bù了le。

Recap

• at / in在zài + area + (bound form) up上shàng = in terms of, regarding an abstract area.
• at / in在zài…to hit (the mark)中zhōng = in the course of; at / in在zài…down下xià = under (help or conditions).

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.

along with随着suí zhe (as / along with)

0901.1 Complete: “As time passes, the city keeps changing.” …………(concept of) time时间shí jiān(modifier / structural particle)的de(of time) to elapse or pass推移tuī yí，city城市chéng shìunceasing不断bù duàn(intransitive) to change变化biàn huà。

0901.2 Which sentence uses along with随着suí zhe correctly?

• A. along with随着suí zhehe / him他tāto make a telephone call打电话dǎ diàn huà，I / me我wǒto go out出门chū mén(completed / change)了le。
• B. along with随着suí zhe(a person's) age年龄nián líng(modifier / structural particle)的deto grow增长zēng zhǎng，he / him他tāmore and more越来越yuè lái yuèto grow beyond the naivete…懂事dǒng shì。
• C. along with随着suí zheto rain下雨xià yǔ，competition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sàito cancel取消qǔ xiāo(completed / change)了le。
• D. he / him他tāalong with随着suí zheto fall ill生病shēng bìng，not / haven't没méito come来láito go to class上课shàng kè。

0901.3 Build: “As the weather turns cold, more people catch colds.”

Arrange all chunks: along with随着suí zheweather天气tiān qì变冷biàn lěng / to catch cold感冒gǎn mào(modifier / structural particle)的deperson人rén / ， / many多duō(completed / change)了le(after a verb) indicating…起来qǐ lái。

0901.4 along with随着suí zhe is the best choice for one single cause.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

0901.5 Your grandfather explains how his hometown has changed over forty years. 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.

at / in在zài … (bound form) up上shàng (in terms of / regarding)

0902.1 Complete: “In terms of work, he is very serious.” at / in在zàito work工作gōng zuò…………，he / him他tādegree / adjective linker很hěnconscientious认真rèn zhēn。

0902.2 “With the teacher's help, I improved a lot.” Which fits? at / in在zàiteacher老师lǎo shī(modifier / structural particle)的deassistance帮助bāng zhù____，I / me我wǒprogress进步jìn bù(completed / change)了le很多hěn duō。

• A. down下xià
• B. li, ancient measure of…里lǐ
• C. (bound form) up上shàng
• D. to hit (the mark)中zhōng

0902.3 Build: “On this question, our views differ.”

Arrange all chunks: ， / we / us我们wǒ men(modifier / structural particle)的deway of looking at a thing看法kàn fǎ / not不bùsame一样yī yàng。 / at / in在zàithis这个zhè gequestion问题wèn tí(bound form) up上shàng

0902.4 In at / in在zàito learn学习xué xí(bound form) up上shàng, (bound form) up上shàng means “on top of”.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

0902.5 Your teacher writes a report on your progress this term. 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 says along with随着suí zhe must always precede the sentence subject. Is price价格jià géalong with随着suí zherequirement需求xū qiú(modifier / structural particle)的de(intransitive) to change变化biàn huàand / but而ér(intransitive) to change变化biàn huà impossible?

R2. Use it yourself. Describe prices changing with demand and then discuss a difficulty in the area of study.

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