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.
to use以 A for为 B (take A as B)
What do people eat there?
- You are describing food in different parts of China for a class presentation.
- 南方人to use以(cooked) rice米饭to rely mainly on为主to feed (a person or animal)食。 — "People in the south take rice as their staple food."
to use以 A for为 B = take A as B
- to use以 A for为 B = "take A as B, regard A as B": a formal, written pattern.
- Common fixed forms: to use以…to rely mainly on为主 (mainly …), to use以…for为center中心 (with … at the centre), to use以…used in the construction…为例 (take … as an example).
this这time次the competition比赛takes以students学生as the main part为主。
Examples and focus
- to use以Beijing, capital of the…北京used in the construction…为例，underground railway地铁(electricity) line线路already已经to surpass超过二十条。 — "Take Beijing as an example: it already has more than twenty metro lines."
- we / us我们(modifier / structural particle)的课以colloquial speech口语to rely mainly on为主。 — "Our classes focus mainly on speaking."
take以Beijing北京as an example为例。
Read for为 as wéi
- In this pattern for为 is read wéi ("as, to be"), not wèi ("for").
- It is written style; in speech say main主要to be / is是… or for example比如….
to use以…to rely mainly on为主 versus main主要
- Written: 这家店以Sichuan or Szechuan cuisine川菜to rely mainly on为主 — "This restaurant mainly serves Sichuan food."
- Spoken: 这家inn店main主要to make做Sichuan or Szechuan cuisine川菜. Same meaning, plainer style.
this这(measure word)家restaurant店mainly主要makes做Sichuan food川菜。
Recap
- to use以 A for为 B = take A as B (written); to use以…to rely mainly on为主 = mainly …, to use以…used in the construction…为例 = take … as an example.
- for为 is read wéi here; in speech use main主要 / for example比如.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Practice without the models
to use以 A for为 B (take A as B)
1101.1 Complete (written): “Take Shanghai as an example.” …………Shanghai municipality…上海used in the construction…为例。
1101.2 How is for为 read in to use以(cooked) rice米饭to rely mainly on为主?
- A. wéi
- B. wěi
- C. wēi
- D. wèi
1101.3 Build: “Our classes focus mainly on speaking.”
Arrange all chunks: to use以colloquial speech口语 / to rely mainly on为主。 / we / us我们(modifier / structural particle)的subject课
1101.4 这家inn店main主要to make做Sichuan or Szechuan cuisine川菜 is a spoken way to say 这家店以Sichuan or Szechuan cuisine川菜to rely mainly on为主.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
1101.5 You are describing food in different parts of China for a class presentation. 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
to use以 A for为 B (take A as B)
1101.1 to use以
to use以 A used in the construction…为例 = take A as an example.
1101.2 A. wéi
In to use以 A for为 B (“take A as B”), for为 is read wéi: to use以(cooked) rice米饭to rely mainly on为主 “mainly rice”. Read wèi, it means “for”, as in why?为什么.
1101.3 we / us我们(modifier / structural particle)的课以colloquial speech口语to rely mainly on为主。
Topic + to use以 A to rely mainly on为主.
1101.4 True.
main主要 is the everyday equivalent of to use以…to rely mainly on为主.
1101.5 One possible response: 南方人to use以(cooked) rice米饭to rely mainly on为主to feed (a person or animal)食。
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.
- In this pattern for为 is read wéi ("as, to be"), not wèi ("for").
- It is written style; in speech say main主要to be / is是… or for example比如….
- 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.