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.
if only只要 … ,then / just就 … (as long as)
If the weather holds
- A friend is worried about tomorrow's picnic. You only need one thing to go right.
- if only只要不下雨,we / us我们then / just就to go去picnic野餐。 — "As long as it doesn't rain, we'll go on the picnic."
if only只要 + condition,then / just就 + result
- if only只要 A,then / just就 B = "as long as A, then B": A is enough for B to happen.
- if only只要 opens the first clause; then / just就 comes after the subject of the second.
as long as只要you你work hard努力,then就can能learn well学好。

Encouragement and easy conditions
- if only只要every day每天to practice练习,you你(modifier / structural particle)的Chinese language中文then / just就can / will会more and more越来越good好。 — "As long as you practise every day, your Chinese will keep improving."
- if only只要to have / there is有(concept of) time时间,I / me我then / just就to go去to see看you你。 — "Whenever I have time, I'll come and see you."
as long as只要have有time时间,I我then就go去see看you你。
then / just就 after the subject
- Put then / just就 after the subject of the second clause: if only只要you你to come来,I / me我then / just就happy高兴, not then / just就I / me我happy高兴.
- if only只要 means the condition is enough; for "only if" (a necessary condition), use only have ...只有…only then / not until才….
if only只要…then / just就 versus only have ...只有…only then / not until才
- if only只要 A then / just就 B: A is sufficient, it is easy: if only只要well-off有钱then / just就can / be able to能to buy买.
- only have ...只有 A only then / not until才 B: A is the only way: only have ...只有to make an effort努力,talent才能success成功。 — "Only through hard work can you succeed."
only if只有work hard努力,only then才can能succeed成功。
Recap
- if only只要 A,(Subject) then / just就 B = as long as A, then B (A is enough).
- then / just就 follows the subject. A necessary condition uses only have ...只有…only then / not until才….
Practise this pattern step by step.
… ,only then / not until才 … (only then / only after)
Only after you finish
- Your parents have one rule about screen time on school nights.
- you你做完作业,talent才能玩游戏。 — "You can only play games after you finish your homework."
Condition,Subject + only then / not until才 + Verb
- A,only then / not until才 B = "only after / only if A, B": B depends on A happening first.
- only then / not until才 follows the subject of the second clause and often goes with can / be able to能 or can / will会: talent才能, only then / not until才can / will会.
you你finish做完homework作业,only then才can能play玩games游戏。

Effort before a result
- you你many多variant of 说说,talent才能to come to an agreement说好。 — "Only by speaking a lot will you speak well."
- I / me我to ask问(completed / change)了he / him他third三次,he / him他only then / not until才to tell告诉I / me我。 — "I asked him three times before he told me."
I我asked问了him他three times三次,he他only then才told告诉me我。
Place only then / not until才 before the result predicate
- Put only then / not until才 after the subject of the result: he / him他only then / not until才to tell告诉I / me我, not only then / not until才he / him他to tell告诉I / me我.
- The simple result model here is he / him他only then / not until才to tell告诉I / me我. Other contexts can allow (completed / change)了; the whole construction matters.
Stronger with only have ...只有
- Adding only have ...只有 explicitly makes this a necessary condition: only have ...只有做完作业,talent才能玩游戏。
- Without only have ...只有, …only then / not until才… still implies the condition must come first.
only if只有finish做完homework作业,only then才can能play玩。
Recap
- A,Subject + only then / not until才 (can / be able to能/can / will会) + B = only after / only if A, B.
- only then / not until才 follows the subject in this frame; only have ...只有 makes the condition necessary, without guaranteeing the result by itself.
Practise this pattern step by step.
only have ...只有 … ,only then / not until才 … (only if)
The only way in
- The building door needs a code, and only residents know it.
- only have ...只有to know知道cipher密码,talent才能to go in进去。 — "Only if you know the code can you get in."
only have ...只有 A,only then / not until才 B
- only have ...只有 A,only then / not until才 B = "only if A, (then) B": A is the one and only condition.
- only then / not until才 goes after the subject of the second clause, often with can / be able to能 or can / will会.
only if只有a lot多practise练习,only then才can能speak well说好。

Only this person, only this way
- With a person: only have ...只有he / him他only then / not until才to know知道answer答案。 — "Only he knows the answer."
- With a method: only have ...只有坐飞机,talent才能today今天to / arrive到。 — "Only by flying can we arrive today."
only只有he他(then)才knows知道the answer答案。
only then / not until才, not then / just就
- Pair only have ...只有 with only then / not until才: only have ...只有you你to go去,he / him他only then / not until才can / will会to go去, not only have ...只有you你to go去,he / him他then / just就can / will会to go去.
- Put only then / not until才 after the subject: he / him他only then / not until才can / will会to go去, not only then / not until才he / him他can / will会to go去.
only have ...只有…only then / not until才 versus if only只要…then / just就
- only have ...只有 A only then / not until才 B: A is necessary — no A, no B.
- if only只要 A then / just就 B: A is enough — easy: if only只要to have / there is有passport护照,then / just就can / be able to能to buy tickets买票。 — "All you need is a passport to buy a ticket."
as long as只要have有a passport护照,then就can能buy a ticket买票。
Recap
- only have ...只有 A,only then / not until才 B = only if A, B (A is necessary).
- if only只要 A,then / just就 B = as long as A, B (A is enough). only have ...只有 pairs with only then / not until才, if only只要 with then / just就.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Practice without the models
if only只要 … ,then / just就 … (as long as)
0708.1 Complete: “As long as you ask, he will help you.” if only只要you你to ask问,he / him他…………can / will会to help帮you你。
0708.2 Which pair fits “Only by taking a taxi can you get there in time”? ___to take a taxi (in town)打车,you你___to have enough time来得及。
- A. because因为 … so / therefore所以
- B. only have ...只有 … only then / not until才
- C. although虽然 … but但是
- D. if only只要 … then / just就
0708.3 Build: “Whenever I have time, I'll come and see you.”
Arrange all chunks: if only只要to have / there is有(concept of) time时间 / to go去to see看you你。 / , / I / me我then / just就
0708.4 if only只要you你to come来,then / just就I / me我degree / adjective linker很happy高兴 has the correct word order.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0708.5 A friend is worried about tomorrow's picnic. You only need one thing to go right. 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.
… ,only then / not until才 … (only then / only after)
0709.1 Complete: “You can only go out after you've eaten.” you你吃了饭,…………can / be able to能to go out出去。
0709.2 Which sentence is correct?
- A. I / me我to wait for等(completed / change)了degree / adjective linker很(long) time久,he / him他only then / not until才to come来。
- B. I / me我to wait for等(completed / change)了degree / adjective linker很(long) time久,他来I / me我only then / not until才。
- C. I / me我to wait for等(completed / change)了degree / adjective linker很(long) time久,only then / not until才he / him他to come来。
- D. I / me我to wait for等(completed / change)了degree / adjective linker很(long) time久,他来only then / not until才。
0709.3 Build: “I asked him three times before he told me.”
Arrange all chunks: , / I / me我to ask问(completed / change)了he / him他third三次 / he / him他only then / not until才 / to tell告诉I / me我。
0709.4 only have ...只有做完作业,talent才能玩游戏 makes finishing homework necessary, without proving it is sufficient by itself.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0709.5 Your parents have one rule about screen time on school nights. 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.
only have ...只有 … ,only then / not until才 … (only if)
0710.1 Complete: “Only if you rest well will you get better quickly.” only have ...只有well好好rest休息,…………can / be able to能to do sth more quickly快点good好。
0710.2 “All you need is a student card to get in for free.” Which pair fits? ___to have / there is有student identity card学生证,___can / be able to能free (of charge)免费to go in进去。
- A. if only只要 … then / just就
- B. only have ...只有 … only then / not until才
- C. only have ...只有 … then / just就
- D. if only只要 … only then / not until才
0710.3 Build: “Only he knows the answer.”
Arrange all chunks: only then / not until才 / to know知道 / only have ...只有he / him他 / answer答案。
0710.4 only have ...只有you你to go去,he / him他then / just就can / will会to go去 is the standard pairing.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0710.5 The building door needs a code, and only residents know 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.
Answers and explanations
if only只要 … ,then / just就 … (as long as)
0708.1 then / just就
if only只要…,then / just就….
0708.2 B. only have ...只有 … only then / not until才
The only way is only have ...只有…only then / not until才….
0708.3 if only只要to have / there is有(concept of) time时间,I / me我then / just就to go去to see看you你。
if only只要 + condition, subject + then / just就 + result.
0708.4 False.
then / just就 follows the subject: I / me我then / just就degree / adjective linker很happy高兴.
0708.5 One possible response: if only只要不下雨,we / us我们then / just就to go去picnic野餐。
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 then / just就 after the subject of the second clause: if only只要you你to come来,I / me我then / just就happy高兴, not then / just就I / me我happy高兴.
- if only只要 means the condition is enough; for "only if" (a necessary condition), use only have ...只有…only then / not until才….
- 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.
… ,only then / not until才 … (only then / only after)
0709.1 only then / not until才
Condition, then only then / not until才 + can / be able to能 + result.
0709.2 A. I / me我to wait for等(completed / change)了degree / adjective linker很(long) time久,he / him他only then / not until才to come来。
only then / not until才 follows the result-clause subject and precedes to come来. These models do not impose a general ban on (completed / change)了.
0709.3 I / me我to ask问(completed / change)了he / him他third三次,he / him他only then / not until才to tell告诉I / me我。
Effort, then subject + only then / not until才 + result.
0709.4 True.
Only if A, B makes A necessary for B. Other conditions can also apply.
0709.5 One possible response: you你做完作业,talent才能玩游戏。
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 only then / not until才 after the subject of the result: he / him他only then / not until才to tell告诉I / me我, not only then / not until才he / him他to tell告诉I / me我.
- The simple result model here is he / him他only then / not until才to tell告诉I / me我. Other contexts can allow (completed / change)了; the whole construction matters.
- 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.
only have ...只有 … ,only then / not until才 … (only if)
0710.1 only then / not until才
only have ...只有 pairs with only then / not until才.
0710.2 A. if only只要 … then / just就
A student card is enough, so if only只要…then / just就….
0710.3 only have ...只有he / him他only then / not until才to know知道answer答案。
only have ...只有 + person + only then / not until才 + verb.
0710.4 False.
only have ...只有 pairs with only then / not until才: he / him他only then / not until才can / will会to go去.
0710.5 One possible response: only have ...只有to know知道cipher密码,talent才能to go in进去。
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.
- Pair only have ...只有 with only then / not until才: only have ...只有you你to go去,he / him他only then / not until才can / will会to go去, not only have ...只有you你to go去,he / him他then / just就can / will会to go去.
- Put only then / not until才 after the subject: he / him他only then / not until才can / will会to go去, not only then / not until才he / him他can / will会to go去.
- 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.