Comparing similar conjunctions

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.

with / and跟gēn vs to / towards / correct对duì (with vs toward)

With her, towards her

Your sister talks about her best friend, who is always kind to everyone.
我常wǒ chángwith / and跟gēnshe / her她tāto chat聊天liáo tiān，she / her她tāto / towards / correct对duì每个měi gèperson人rénall / both都dōudegree / adjective linker很hěncordial热情rè qíng。 – "I often chat with her; she's warm towards everyone."

with / and跟gēn = with (doing something together)

with / and跟gēn + person + verb = do it with someone, both taking part: with / and跟gēnfriend朋友péng yǒuto have a meal吃饭chī fàn, with / and跟gēnhe / him他tāto consult商量shāng liáng, with / and跟gēnteacher老师lǎo shīvariant of 说说shuō.
with / and跟gēn…same一样yī yàng compares: with / and跟gēnyou你nǐsame一样yī yànghigh高gāo.

I我wǒwant to想xiǎngwith跟gēnyou你nǐdiscuss商量shāng liangbriefly一下yí xià。

跟: with (together) · 对: towards (an attitude)

to / towards / correct对duì = towards (an attitude or effect)

to / towards / correct对duì + person / thing + attitude = towards, to: to / towards / correct对duìI / me我wǒdegree / adjective linker很hěngood好hǎo, to / towards / correct对duìmusic音乐yīn yuèto be interested感兴趣gǎn xìng qù, to / towards / correct对duìthe body身体shēn tǐto have / there is有yǒubenefit好处hǎo chù.
The action or feeling is aimed one way, at the person or thing.

exercise运动yùn dòngfor对duìthe body身体shēn tǐhas有yǒubenefits好处hǎo chù。

Two-way or one-way?

Talking together (two-way): with / and跟gēnhe / him他tāto speak说话shuō huà. Attitude towards him (one-way): to / towards / correct对duìhe / him他tādegree / adjective linker很hěnpolite客气kè qì.
to / towards / correct对duì…variant of 说说shuō is possible ("say to"): he / him他tāto / towards / correct对duìI / me我wǒvariant of 说说shuō…, but with / and跟gēn…variant of 说说shuō is more common in speech.

to / towards / correct对duì…to be interested感兴趣gǎn xìng qù, with / and跟gēn…to have sth to do with有关yǒu guān

Fixed with to / towards / correct对duì: to / towards / correct对duì…to be interested感兴趣gǎn xìng qù, to / towards / correct对duì…satisfied满意mǎn yì, to / towards / correct对duì…to be responsible for负责fù zé.
Fixed with with / and跟gēn: with / and跟gēn…to have / there is有yǒuvariant of 关系关系guān xì, with / and跟gēn…same一样yī yàng, with / and跟gēn…to marry结婚jié hūn.

he他tāin对duìhistory历史lì shǐvery很hěninterested感兴趣gǎn xìng qù。

Recap

with / and跟gēn = with (together, two-way): with / and跟gēnhe / him他tāto consult商量shāng liáng, with / and跟gēn…same一样yī yàng.
to / towards / correct对duì = towards (attitude, effect, one-way): to / towards / correct对duìhe / him他tādegree / adjective linker很hěngood好hǎo, to / towards / correct对duì…to be interested感兴趣gǎn xìng qù.

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.

with / and跟gēn vs to / towards / correct对duì (with vs toward)

2601.1 Complete: “Exercise is good for your health.” to move运动yùn dòng…………the body身体shēn tǐto have / there is有yǒubenefit好处hǎo chù。

2601.2 “I want to discuss it with my parents.” Which fits? I / me我wǒwant / think / miss想xiǎng____father and mother父母fù mǔto consult商量shāng liáng。

A. with / and跟gēn
B. for为wèi
C. to / for / give给gěi
D. to / towards / correct对duì

2601.3 Match each phrase to the right preposition.

1. ___music音乐yīn yuèto be interested感兴趣gǎn xìng qù
1. ___he / him他tāto marry结婚jié hūn
1. ___to work工作gōng zuòdegree / adjective linker很hěnsatisfied满意mǎn yì
1. ___I / me我wǒsame一样yī yànghigh高gāo
A. to / towards / correct对duì
B. with / and跟gēn
C. with / and跟gēn
D. to / towards / correct对duì

2601.4 with / and跟gēnfriend朋友péng yǒuto have a meal吃饭chī fàn means both people take part.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

2601.5 Your sister talks about her best friend, who is always kind to everyone. 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 I / me我wǒto / towards / correct对duìfriend朋友péng yǒuin the same place一起yì qǐto learn学习xué xí to mean I study with friends. Repair the companion phrase.

R2. Use it yourself. Say you discuss a problem with a teacher and have confidence in the solution.

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.

with / and跟gēn vs to / towards / correct对duì (with vs toward)

2601.1 to / towards / correct对duì

An effect towards something takes to / towards / correct对duì.

2601.2 A. with / and跟gēn

Doing something together takes with / and跟gēn.

2601.3 1–D: ___music音乐yīn yuèto be interested感兴趣gǎn xìng qù = to / towards / correct对duì; 2–B: ___he / him他tāto marry结婚jié hūn = with / and跟gēn; 3–A: ___to work工作gōng zuòdegree / adjective linker很hěnsatisfied满意mǎn yì = to / towards / correct对duì; 4–C: ___I / me我wǒsame一样yī yànghigh高gāo = with / and跟gēn

Attitudes take to / towards / correct对duì; togetherness and comparison take with / and跟gēn.

2601.4 True.

True. with / and跟gēn here means “with, together”: with / and跟gēnfriend朋友péng yǒuto have a meal吃饭chī fàn means both people eat. to / towards / correct对duì instead marks the target of an action or attitude.

2601.5 One possible response: 我常wǒ chángwith / and跟gēnshe / her她tāto chat聊天liáo tiān，she / her她tāto / towards / correct对duì每个měi gèperson人rénall / both都dōudegree / adjective linker很hěncordial热情rè qíng。

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.
Talking together (two-way): with / and跟gēnhe / him他tāto speak说话shuō huà. Attitude towards him (one-way): to / towards / correct对duìhe / him他tādegree / adjective linker很hěnpolite客气kè qì.
to / towards / correct对duì…variant of 说说shuō is possible ("say to"): he / him他tāto / towards / correct对duìI / me我wǒvariant of 说说shuō…, but with / and跟gēn…variant of 说说shuō is more common in speech.
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. I / me我wǒwith / and跟gēnfriend朋友péng yǒuin the same place一起yì qǐto learn学习xué xí。with / and跟gēn identifies companions in this frame. to / towards / correct对duì can introduce the target of an attitude, as in to / towards / correct对duìfriend朋友péng yǒudegree / adjective linker很hěnfriendly友好yǒu hǎo; it does not replace with / and跟gēn here.

R2. One possible response. I / me我wǒwith / and跟gēnteacher老师lǎo shīto discuss讨论tǎo lùnthis这个zhè gequestion问题wèn tí。I / me我wǒto / towards / correct对duìthis这个zhè gemeans办法bàn fǎto have / there is有yǒuconfidence信心xìn xīn。The first names a discussion partner; the second the target of confidence.