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.
Approximating with sequential numbers
About how many?
- Your teacher asks how many people came to the club meeting. You did not count exactly.
- to come来(completed / change)了七八个person人。 — "Seven or eight people came."
Two neighbouring numbers
- Two numbers side by side = "about, roughly": 三四个, 五六天, 七八个person人. The measure word follows both.
- Use numbers that are next to each other, smaller first.
I我go去了three or four三四times次。
how many / a few几 and many多 for "-something" and "over"
- more than ten十几 / 几十: 十几个 = "a dozen or so (11–19)", 几十个 = "dozens".
- Number + many多: 二十多个person人 = "twenty-odd people", 一百多块 = "a hundred and something yuan".
this这(measure word)件clothes衣服a hundred一百and more多yuan块。
Where the measure word goes
- The measure word comes after both numbers: 三四个person人, not 三个四个person人.
- With many多 and round tens, many多 goes before the measure word: 二十多个, not 二十个many多 (for amounts under ten, many多 follows the measure word: 三个many多hour小时).
left and right左右 and about the same差不多
- left and right左右 after a number = "around": 三十岁left and right左右 — "around thirty years old".
- about the same差不多 before a number = "about, nearly": about the same差不多五十个person人.
he他thirty三十years old岁around左右。
Recap
- Neighbouring numbers (三四个, 七八天) = about; more than ten十几 = 11–19; 几十 = dozens; over 20二十多 = twenty-odd.
- The measure word follows; left and right左右 after or about the same差不多 before a number also mean "about".
Practise this pattern step by step.
Big numbers: ten thousand万 / 100 million亿
How many people live there?
- You read that the city of Chongqing has about thirty million people and wonder how to say it.
- Chongqing city (Chungking)…重庆to have / there is有三千多万person人。 — "Chongqing has over thirty million people."
Count in ten thousand万 (ten thousand)
- ten thousand万 = 10,000. Chinese groups big numbers in fours: 一万 (10,000), hundred thousand十万 (100,000), 一百万 (1,000,000), 一千万 (10,000,000).
- 两万五千 = 25,000; 三十万 = 300,000.
this这(measure word)辆car车150,000十五万yuan块。
100 million亿 (a hundred million)
- 100 million亿 = 100,000,000: China中国to have / there is有fourteen十四亿人 — "China has 1.4 billion people."
- one billion十亿 = one billion; 一百亿 = ten billion.
China中国has有1.4 billion十四亿people人。
Don't count in thousands
- 100,000 is hundred thousand十万, not one / a一百千: Chinese has no "hundred thousand" unit, so regroup by fours.
- A million is 一百万, not 一万万; 一万万 is an old word for 一亿.
Converting quickly
- Move four places for ten thousand万: 2,000,000 → 200|0000 → 两百万.
- Move eight places for 100 million亿: 300,000,000 → 3|0000|0000 → 三亿.
two million两百万people人。
Recap
- ten thousand万 = 10,000 and 100 million亿 = 100,000,000; group large numbers in fours.
- hundred thousand十万 = 100,000, 一百万 = a million, one billion十亿 = a billion.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Times to the minute (point点 … part分)
When does the train leave?
- You are buying a train ticket and the clerk tells you the departure time.
- train火车八点二十五to separate分开。 — "The train leaves at 8:25."
Number + point点 + Number + part分
- Xpoint点Ypart分 = X:Y. 八点二十五分 = 8:25. In speech part分 is often dropped after ten minutes: 八点二十五.
- For 1–9 minutes, add zero零 (líng): 八点零五分 = 8:05.
now现在is是three o'clock三点zero零five minutes五分。
half半, quarter (hour)刻 and used in 参差差
- half半 = half past: 七点half半 = 7:30. quarter (hour)刻 = quarter: 九点一刻 = 9:15, 九点三刻 = 9:45.
- used in 参差差 = "to": used in 参差差五分十点 = five to ten (9:55).
we我们half past seven七点半meet见面吧。
The time comes before the verb
- Put the clock time before the verb: I / me我七点to get out of bed起床, not I / me我to get out of bed起床七点.
- Say 两点 for 2:00, not 二点.
Morning, afternoon, evening
- Add the part of the day first: early morning早上六点, afternoon下午三点, evening晚上十点.
- afternoon下午两点一刻 — "2:15 p.m." The larger unit always comes first.
afternoon下午two o'clock两点a quarter一刻。
Recap
- Xpoint点Ypart分; zero零 for 1–9 minutes; half半 = :30, 一刻 = :15, 三刻 = :45; used in 参差差 = to.
- Part of the day first (afternoon下午两点), time before the verb, 两点 not 二点.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Telling the hour (Number + point点)
An early start
- Your new school timetable starts much earlier than you are used to.
- we / us我们early morning早上七点to go to class上课。 — "We start class at seven in the morning."
Number + point点 (o'clock)
- Number + point点 = o'clock: a bit一点, 三点, 十二点. Ask with what time?几点: now现在what time?几点？ — "What time is it?"
- 2 o'clock is 两点, never 二点.
now现在what time几点？
Saying when something happens
- you你what time?几点to finish work下班？ — "What time do you finish work?" I / me我六点to finish work下班。 — "I finish at six."
- Part of the day goes first: evening晚上九点, noon中午十二点.
I我in the evening晚上nine o'clock九点go to bed睡觉。
Order matters
- The time goes before the verb: I / me我六点to finish work下班, not I / me我to finish work下班六点.
- Use 两点 for 2 o'clock, not 二点.
point点 versus hour小时
- point点 is a point on the clock: 三点 = 3 o'clock.
- hour小时 is a length of time: 三个hour小时 = three hours. I / me我三点to start开始，学了三个hour小时。
I我study学了three三个hours小时。
Recap
- Number + point点 = o'clock; what time?几点 asks the time; 2:00 = 两点.
- Part of the day first, time before the verb; hour小时 measures a length of time.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Practice without the models
Approximating with sequential numbers
0507.1 Complete: “There are a dozen or so students in the class.” 班里to have / there is有…………(measure word)个student学生。
0507.2 Which says “five or six days”?
- A. 五个六天
- B. six六五天
- C. 五天六天
- D. 五六天
0507.3 Match each phrase to its meaning.
-
- 二十多个
-
- 几十个
-
- 三十岁left and right左右
-
- 七八个
-
A. seven or eight
-
B. twenty-odd
-
C. around thirty years old
-
D. dozens
0507.4 Build: “Seven or eight people came.”
Arrange all chunks: person人。 / to come来(completed / change)了 / (measure word)个 / 七八
0507.5 Your teacher asks how many people came to the club meeting. You did not count exactly. 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.
Big numbers: ten thousand万 / 100 million亿
0508.1 Write 50,000 in Chinese: …………
0508.2 How do you say 100,000?
- A. 一万
- B. 一百万
- C. hundred thousand十万
- D. one / a一百千
0508.3 Match the numbers.
-
- 一万
-
- 一百万
-
- 一亿
-
- one billion十亿
-
A. 1,000,000,000
-
B. 1,000,000
-
C. 10,000
-
D. 100,000,000
0508.4 一千万 means ten million.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0508.5 You read that the city of Chongqing has about thirty million people and wonder how to say it. 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.
Times to the minute (point点 … part分)
0509.1 Write 10:30 with half半: 十点…………
0509.2 What time is used in 参差差very十分九点?
- A. 10:09
- B. 8:50
- C. 9:10
- D. 9:50
0509.3 Build: “I get up at a quarter past six.”
Arrange all chunks: early morning早上 / 六点一刻 / I / me我 / to get out of bed起床。
0509.4 8:05 is said 八点五分 with no zero零.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0509.5 You are buying a train ticket and the clerk tells you the departure time. 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.
Telling the hour (Number + point点)
0510.1 Ask: “What time is it now?” now现在…………point点？
0510.2 How do you say “2 o'clock in the afternoon”?
- A. afternoon下午两点
- B. afternoon下午二点
- C. afternoon下午两个hour小时
- D. 两点afternoon下午
0510.3 Build: “I go to bed at nine in the evening.”
Arrange all chunks: 九点 / evening晚上 / I / me我 / to go to bed睡觉。
0510.4 三点 and 三个hour小时 mean the same.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0510.5 Your new school timetable starts much earlier than you are used to. 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.
Answers and explanations
Approximating with sequential numbers
0507.1 more than ten十几
more than ten十几 = between eleven and nineteen.
0507.2 D. 五六天
Two neighbouring numbers, smaller first, then the measure word or noun.
0507.3 1–B: 二十多个 = twenty-odd; 2–D: 几十个 = dozens; 3–C: 三十岁left and right左右 = around thirty years old; 4–A: 七八个 = seven or eight
many多, how many / a few几, left and right左右 and neighbouring numbers all give approximate amounts.
0507.4 to come来(completed / change)了七八个person人。
Neighbouring numbers + measure word + noun.
0507.5 One possible response: to come来(completed / change)了七八个person人。
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.
- The measure word comes after both numbers: 三四个person人, not 三个四个person人.
- With many多 and round tens, many多 goes before the measure word: 二十多个, not 二十个many多 (for amounts under ten, many多 follows the measure word: 三个many多hour小时).
- 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.
Big numbers: ten thousand万 / 100 million亿
0508.1 五万
50,000 = 5 × 10,000 = 五万.
0508.2 C. hundred thousand十万
100,000 = 10 × 10,000 = hundred thousand十万.
0508.3 1–C: 一万 = 10,000; 2–B: 一百万 = 1,000,000; 3–D: 一亿 = 100,000,000; 4–A: one billion十亿 = 1,000,000,000
Chinese groups large numbers in fours.
0508.4 True.
1,000 × 10,000 = 10,000,000.
0508.5 One possible response: Chongqing city (Chungking)…重庆to have / there is有三千多万person人。
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.
- 100,000 is hundred thousand十万, not one / a一百千: Chinese has no "hundred thousand" unit, so regroup by fours.
- A million is 一百万, not 一万万; 一万万 is an old word for 一亿.
- 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.
Times to the minute (point点 … part分)
0509.1 half半
half半 after point点 = half past.
0509.2 B. 8:50
used in 参差差very十分九点 = ten minutes to nine.
0509.3 I / me我early morning早上六点一刻to get out of bed起床。
Subject + part of the day + time + verb.
0509.4 False.
For 1–9 minutes add zero零: 八点零五分.
0509.5 One possible response: train火车八点二十五to separate分开。
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.
- Put the clock time before the verb: I / me我七点to get out of bed起床, not I / me我to get out of bed起床七点.
- Say 两点 for 2:00, not 二点.
- 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.
Telling the hour (Number + point点)
0510.1 how many / a few几
what time?几点 asks the hour.
0510.2 A. afternoon下午两点
Part of the day first, and 2:00 is 两点.
0510.3 I / me我evening晚上九点to go to bed睡觉。
Subject + part of the day + time + verb.
0510.4 False.
三点 is 3 o'clock; 三个hour小时 is three hours.
0510.5 One possible response: we / us我们early morning早上七点to go to class上课。
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.
- The time goes before the verb: I / me我六点to finish work下班, not I / me我to finish work下班六点.
- Use 两点 for 2 o'clock, not 二点.
- 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.