Chinese course / HSK5 handouts
"But" statements
Printable paper with separate answer pages Step-by-step lessons
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.
on the contrary反而 (on the contrary / instead)
It backfired
- You tried to help your little brother with maths, but he got more confused.
- I / me我explanation解释(completed / change)了half of the day半天，he / him他on the contrary反而more更muddled糊涂(completed / change)了。 – "I explained for ages, and he only got more confused."
Subject + on the contrary反而 + predicate
- on the contrary反而 = "instead, on the contrary": the result goes the opposite way to what was expected.
- It sits after the subject, before the verb: he / him他on the contrary反而…, not on the contrary反而he / him他….
take吃了medicine药，the illness病instead反而more更serious重了。
not only (... but also ...)不但not不 / not / haven't没…，on the contrary反而…
- he / him他not only (... but also ...)不但没生气，on the contrary反而to laugh笑(completed / change)了。 – "Far from getting angry, he actually laughed."
- The first half says what didn't happen; the second, the opposite that did.
he他not only不但didn't没get angry生气，instead反而laughed笑了。
After the subject
- on the contrary反而 is an adverb: (literary) to rain雨on the contrary反而更大(completed / change)了, not on the contrary反而(literary) to rain雨more更see 大夫大(completed / change)了.
- It needs an expectation to go against; for a plain contrast use but但是 / but却.
on the contrary反而 versus opposite相反
- on the contrary反而 is an adverb inside the clause: he / him他on the contrary反而not不happy高兴(completed / change)了.
- opposite相反 is "the opposite" or "on the contrary" starting a sentence: opposite相反，he / him他degree / adjective linker很happy高兴.
on the contrary相反，he他very很happy高兴。
Recap
- Subject + on the contrary反而 + predicate = instead, on the contrary (the opposite of what was expected).
- Often after not only (... but also ...)不但not不/not / haven't没…; opposite相反 opens a sentence.
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.
on the contrary反而 (on the contrary / instead)
1301.1 Complete: “After the rain, it got hotter instead.” down下(completed / change)了(literary) to rain雨，weather天气…………more更to warm up热(completed / change)了。
1301.2 Which sentence is correct?
- A. he / him他not / haven't没to cry哭on the contrary反而，to laugh笑(completed / change)了。
- B. he / him他on the contrary反而not only (... but also ...)不但没哭，to laugh笑(completed / change)了。
- C. he / him他not only (... but also ...)不但没哭，on the contrary反而to laugh笑(completed / change)了。
- D. on the contrary反而he / him他to laugh笑(completed / change)了。
1301.3 Build: “Far from getting angry, he actually laughed.”
Arrange all chunks: ， / on the contrary反而 / he / him他not only (... but also ...)不但没生气 / to laugh笑(completed / change)了。
1301.4 opposite相反 can open a sentence followed by a comma.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
1301.5 You tried to help your little brother with maths, but he got more confused. 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 team expected a delay to harm the result, but extra time improved it. A learner uses on the contrary反而 merely to add an unrelated second fact. What relation is needed?
R2. Use it yourself. Describe an expected difficulty that instead helped your understanding.
Write your responses before opening the key. Compare meaning as well as form; a different valid answer need not copy the model.
Open the answers after your attempt
Answers and explanations
Check after your attempt. For open tasks, compare the message and the stated criteria, then revise one detail.
on the contrary反而 (on the contrary / instead)
1301.1 on the contrary反而
on the contrary反而 marks the opposite of what you'd expect.
1301.2 C. he / him他not only (... but also ...)不但没哭，on the contrary反而to laugh笑(completed / change)了。
not only (... but also ...)不但not / haven't没…，on the contrary反而… with on the contrary反而 after the (omitted) subject.
1301.3 he / him他not only (... but also ...)不但没生气，on the contrary反而to laugh笑(completed / change)了。
not only (... but also ...)不但not / haven't没…，on the contrary反而….
1301.4 True.
True. opposite相反 can open a sentence, followed by a comma, to mean “on the contrary”: he / him他没生气，opposite相反，he / him他degree / adjective linker很happy高兴.
1301.5 One possible response: I / me我explanation解释(completed / change)了half of the day半天，he / him他on the contrary反而more更muddled糊涂(completed / change)了。
Check meaning and form:
- My response conveys a message that fits the opening situation.
- I can explain the meaning of the pattern, rather than only naming it.
- on the contrary反而 is an adverb: (literary) to rain雨on the contrary反而更大(completed / change)了, not on the contrary反而(literary) to rain雨more更see 大夫大(completed / change)了.
- It needs an expectation to go against; for a plain contrast use but但是 / but却.
- I tried a second response with a name, time, place, or description changed.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.
Fresh-situation answers
R1. on the contrary反而 marks an outcome opposite to an expectation. State the expectation or make it recoverable: although虽然evening晚(completed / change)了一天，outcome结果on the contrary反而更好. An unrelated addition needs another connector.
R2. One possible response. I / me我to think (i.e. to take it…以为这道题太难，to discuss讨论after以后on the contrary反而more更clear明白(completed / change)了。The reverse outcome concerns understanding after discussion; it does not establish that all difficult questions help everyone.
Recall later. Later, state an expectation before composing a fresh on the contrary反而 result.