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.
A or或者 B (or — in statements)
Either day is fine
- A friend wants to meet this weekend and asks which day suits you. Both are free.
- Saturday星期六or或者Sunday星期天all / both都can / may可以。 — "Saturday or Sunday are both fine."
A or或者 B (in statements)
- or或者 = "or" in statements, offers and suggestions: you你can / may可以坐地铁or或者to take a taxi (in town)打车.
- It can join nouns, verbs or whole clauses.
you你can可以take坐the subway地铁or或者take a taxi打车。
Choices, alternatives, either-way
- you你tomorrow明天or或者the day after tomorrow后天to / for / give给I / me我to make a telephone call打电话(suggestion)吧。 — "Call me tomorrow or the day after."
- weekend周末I / me我often常常to read看书，or或者to go去park (for public recreation)公园to take a walk散步。 — "At weekends I often read, or go for a walk in the park."
at weekends周末I我often常常read看书，or或者go to去the park公园walk散步。
Not for questions
- To ask "A or B?", use or / still还是: you你to drink tea喝茶or / still还是coffee (loanword)咖啡？, not you你to drink tea喝茶or或者coffee (loanword)咖啡？
- or或者 does not mean "and": I / me我to buy买(completed / change)了apple苹果and / with和banana香蕉 (both), not apple苹果or或者banana香蕉.
or或者…or或者…
- Repeated, it lists alternatives: or或者you你to come来，or或者I / me我to go去，都行。 — "Either you come or I go — either is fine."
- also也can / may可以 often follows: 坐火车also也can / may可以.
either或者you你come来，or或者I我go去。
Recap
- A or或者 B = A or B in statements and suggestions; or或者…or或者… = either … or ….
- Questions use or / still还是; "and" is and / with和.
Practise this pattern step by step.
like that那么 … (then / in that case)
The cinema is full
- A friend says the cinema is fully booked tonight. You quickly suggest another plan.
- like that那么，we / us我们tomorrow明天to go去(suggestion)吧。 — "In that case, let's go tomorrow."
like that那么 / that那 = "then, in that case"
- At the start of a reply, like that那么 (spoken: that那) draws a conclusion from what was just said.
- It often leads to a suggestion or a question: that那you你to plan打算what's to be done怎么办？
then那you你plan打算what to do怎么办？
In conversation
- A: I / me我not不too太to be hungry饿。 B: that那we / us我们喝杯咖啡吧。 — "Then let's just have a coffee."
- After if如果: if如果you你not不to like喜欢，like that那么then / just就to exchange换一个(suggestion)吧。 — "If you don't like it, then change it."
if如果you你don't不like喜欢，then那么(then)就change换one一个吧。
Two different like that那么
- At the start of a clause, like that那么 = "then, in that case".
- Before an adjective, like that那么 = "so": like that那么expensive贵. Check its position.
like that那么 versus so / therefore所以
- so / therefore所以 gives a result of a cause: to rain下雨(completed / change)了，so / therefore所以I / me我not / haven't没to go去.
- like that那么 responds to what someone else said, often with a suggestion: A: to rain下雨(completed / change)了。 B: like that那么we / us我们别去了。
rain下雨了，so所以I我didn't没go去。
Recap
- like that那么 / that那, … = then, in that case; it reacts to what was just said.
- if如果…，like that那么(then / just就)… is common. like that那么 + Adj = so.
Practise this pattern step by step.
with / and跟 + Person + Verb (with someone)
Who are you going with?
- Your mum asks about your plans for the holiday.
- I / me我with / and跟friend朋友in the same place一起to go去Yunnan province in…云南。 — "I'm going to Yunnan with friends."
Subject + with / and跟 + Person + (in the same place一起) + Verb
- with / and跟 + person = "with", placed before the verb. in the same place一起 (together) often follows: with / and跟he / him他in the same place一起to have a meal吃饭.
- and / with和 works the same way: I / me我and / with和to study at the same school同学in the same place一起to learn学习.
I我with跟friends朋友together一起go to去Yunnan云南。
Talking to someone
- with / and跟 also marks who you talk to: I / me我want / think / miss想with / and跟you你variant of 说说一件matter事。 — "I want to tell you something."
- you你with / and跟teacher老师variant of 说说(completed / change)了(yes/no ?)吗？ — "Have you told the teacher?"
I我want想to跟you你tell说something一件事。
with / and跟 goes before the verb
- "With friends" comes before the verb: with / and跟friend朋友to go去, not to go去with / and跟friend朋友 (unless with / and跟 means "and" between two nouns).
- Put not不 or not / haven't没 before with / and跟: I / me我not不with / and跟he / him他to go去 — "I won't go with him" — not I / me我with / and跟he / him他not不to go去.
with / and跟 as "and"
- Between two nouns, with / and跟 = "and": I / me我with / and跟he / him他all / both都to be / is是student学生 — "He and I are both students."
- Before a verb phrase, with / and跟 + person = "with".
I我and跟he他both都are是students学生。
Recap
- with / and跟 + person + (in the same place一起) + Verb = do it with someone; with / and跟 + person + variant of 说说 = tell someone.
- with / and跟 comes before the verb; negatives go before with / and跟. Between nouns, with / and跟 = and.
Practise this pattern step by step.
A or / still还是 B? (or — in questions)
Tea or coffee?
- A waiter asks what you would like to drink.
- you (polite)您to drink tea喝茶or / still还是喝咖啡？ — "Would you like tea or coffee?"
A or / still还是 B？ (choice question)
- A or / still还是 B? asks someone to choose; no (yes/no ?)吗 is needed.
- It can join nouns, verbs or clauses: you你today今天to go去or / still还是tomorrow明天to go去？
you你today今天go去or还是tomorrow明天go去？
to be / is是…or / still还是…
- With to be / is是: you你to be / is是teacher老师or / still还是student学生？ — "Are you a teacher or a student?"
- we / us我们坐地铁or / still还是to take a taxi (in town)打车？ — "Shall we take the subway or a taxi?"
you你are是a teacher老师or还是a student学生？
No (yes/no ?)吗 with or / still还是
- or / still还是 already makes a question: you你to drink tea喝茶or / still还是coffee (loanword)咖啡？, not you你to drink tea喝茶or / still还是coffee (loanword)咖啡(yes/no ?)吗？
- In a statement, "or" is or或者: tea茶or或者coffee (loanword)咖啡all / both都can / may可以.
or / still还是 in "I don't know whether …"
- After not不to know知道 or to decide (to do something)决定, or / still还是 keeps its "whether … or" meaning: I / me我not不to know知道他来or / still还是not不to come来。 — "I don't know whether he's coming or not."
- or / still还是 can also mean "had better": or / still还是to walk走(suggestion)吧 — "We'd better go."
I我don't不know知道he他comes来or还是not不come来。
Recap
- A or / still还是 B？ = A or B? (a choice question, no (yes/no ?)吗).
- In statements use or或者; not不to know知道 A or / still还是 B = don't know whether A or B.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Practice without the models
A or或者 B (or – in statements)
0701.1 Complete: “You can pay in cash or by card.” you你can / may可以付现金…………to use a credit card (or…刷卡。
0701.2 Which asks “Do you want tea or coffee?”
- A. you你want / will / need要tea茶or或者coffee (loanword)咖啡？
- B. you你want / will / need要tea茶and / with和coffee (loanword)咖啡？
- C. you你want / will / need要tea茶or或者coffee (loanword)咖啡(yes/no ?)吗or / still还是？
- D. you你want / will / need要tea茶or / still还是coffee (loanword)咖啡？
0701.3 Build: “Call me tomorrow or the day after.”
Arrange all chunks: to / for / give给I / me我 / tomorrow明天or或者the day after tomorrow后天 / you你 / to make a telephone call打电话(suggestion)吧。
0701.4 I / me我to buy买(completed / change)了apple苹果or或者banana香蕉 means “I bought apples and bananas.”
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0701.5 A friend wants to meet this weekend and asks which day suits you. Both are free. 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.
like that那么 … (then / in that case)
0702.1 A: “I'm not free today.” B: “Then let's meet tomorrow.” …………we / us我们tomorrow明天to appear见(suggestion)吧。
0702.2 In 这件clothes衣服like that那么expensive贵, what does like that那么 mean?
- A. or
- B. because
- C. then
- D. so
0702.3 Build: “If you don't like it, then change it.”
Arrange all chunks: then / just就to exchange换 / ，like that那么 / 一个(suggestion)吧。 / if如果you你not不to like喜欢
0702.4 like that那么 at the start of a reply usually responds to what someone else has just said.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0702.5 A friend says the cinema is fully booked tonight. You quickly suggest another plan. 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.
with / and跟 + Person + Verb (with someone)
0703.1 Complete: “I play basketball with my brother.” I / me我…………older brother哥哥in the same place一起打篮球。
0703.2 Which says “I won't go with him.”?
- A. I / me我with / and跟he / him他not不to go去。
- B. I / me我to go去not不with / and跟he / him他。
- C. I / me我not不with / and跟he / him他to go去。
- D. I / me我with / and跟not不he / him他to go去。
0703.3 Build: “I want to tell you something.”
Arrange all chunks: I / me我want / think / miss想 / variant of 说说 / with / and跟you你 / 一件matter事。
0703.4 In I / me我with / and跟he / him他all / both都to be / is是student学生, with / and跟 means “and”.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0703.5 Your mum asks about your plans for the holiday. 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 or / still还是 B? (or – in questions)
0704.1 Ask: “Are you going today or tomorrow?” you你today今天to go去…………tomorrow明天to go去？
0704.2 Which question is correct?
- A. you你to be / is是China中国person人or或者South Korea (Republic of…韩国person人？
- B. you你to be / is是China中国person人or / still还是South Korea (Republic of…韩国person人？
- C. you你to be / is是China中国person人or / still还是South Korea (Republic of…韩国person人(yes/no ?)吗？
- D. you你to be / is是China中国person人(yes/no ?)吗or / still还是South Korea (Republic of…韩国person人？
0704.3 Build: “Shall we take the subway or a taxi?”
Arrange all chunks: 坐地铁 / or / still还是 / to take a taxi (in town)打车？ / we / us我们
0704.4 I / me我not不to know知道他来or / still还是not不to come来 is correct.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0704.5 A waiter asks what you would like to drink. 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
A or或者 B (or – in statements)
0701.1 or或者
A statement offering alternatives uses or或者.
0701.2 D. you你want / will / need要tea茶or / still还是coffee (loanword)咖啡？
An “A or B?” question uses or / still还是.
0701.3 you你tomorrow明天or或者the day after tomorrow后天to / for / give给I / me我to make a telephone call打电话(suggestion)吧。
Time A or或者 time B + verb phrase.
0701.4 False.
or或者 is “or”; “and” is and / with和.
0701.5 One possible response: Saturday星期六or或者Sunday星期天all / both都can / may可以。
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.
- To ask "A or B?", use or / still还是: you你to drink tea喝茶or / still还是coffee (loanword)咖啡？, not you你to drink tea喝茶or或者coffee (loanword)咖啡？
- or或者 does not mean "and": I / me我to buy买(completed / change)了apple苹果and / with和banana香蕉 (both), not apple苹果or或者banana香蕉.
- 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.
like that那么 … (then / in that case)
0702.1 that那
that那(variant of 么么) at the start of a reply = in that case.
0702.2 D. so
Before an adjective, like that那么 = so.
0702.3 if如果you你not不to like喜欢，like that那么then / just就to exchange换一个(suggestion)吧。
if如果…，like that那么then / just就….
0702.4 True.
It draws a conclusion from the situation just described.
0702.5 One possible response: like that那么，we / us我们tomorrow明天to go去(suggestion)吧。
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.
- At the start of a clause, like that那么 = "then, in that case".
- Before an adjective, like that那么 = "so": like that那么expensive贵. Check its position.
- 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.
with / and跟 + Person + Verb (with someone)
0703.1 with / and跟
with / and跟 + person + in the same place一起 + verb.
0703.2 C. I / me我not不with / and跟he / him他to go去。
The negative goes before with / and跟.
0703.3 I / me我want / think / miss想with / and跟you你variant of 说说一件matter事。
with / and跟 + person + variant of 说说.
0703.4 True.
Between two nouns, with / and跟 joins them.
0703.5 One possible response: I / me我with / and跟friend朋友in the same place一起to go去Yunnan province in…云南。
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.
- "With friends" comes before the verb: with / and跟friend朋友to go去, not to go去with / and跟friend朋友 (unless with / and跟 means "and" between two nouns).
- Put not不 or not / haven't没 before with / and跟: I / me我not不with / and跟he / him他to go去 – "I won't go with him" – not I / me我with / and跟he / him他not不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.
A or / still还是 B? (or – in questions)
0704.1 or / still还是
or / still还是 joins the choices in a question.
0704.2 B. you你to be / is是China中国person人or / still还是South Korea (Republic of…韩国person人？
or / still还是 questions take no (yes/no ?)吗.
0704.3 we / us我们坐地铁or / still还是to take a taxi (in town)打车？
A or / still还是 B?
0704.4 True.
After not不to know知道, or / still还是 means “whether … or”.
0704.5 One possible response: you (polite)您to drink tea喝茶or / still还是喝咖啡？
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.
- or / still还是 already makes a question: you你to drink tea喝茶or / still还是coffee (loanword)咖啡？, not you你to drink tea喝茶or / still还是coffee (loanword)咖啡(yes/no ?)吗？
- In a statement, "or" is or或者: tea茶or或者coffee (loanword)咖啡all / both都can / may可以.
- 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.