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.
despite尽管 … ，but但是 … (although)
Despite the snow
- The school sports day went ahead even though it was snowing.
- despite尽管下着雪，sports competition运动会or / still还是as usual照常to hold (a meeting…举行(completed / change)了。 — "Although it was snowing, the sports day still went ahead as planned."
despite尽管 A，but但是 / but可是 / or / still还是 B
- despite尽管 A，(but但是) B = "although / despite A, B": the fact A does not stop B.
- The second clause often has but但是, but可是, or / still还是, also也 or but却.
although尽管very很tired累，but但是he他still还是kept坚持running跑to the end完了。
A fact, not a possibility
- despite尽管he / him他degree / adjective linker很to make an effort努力，but可是achievement成绩or / still还是not so good不太好。 — "Although he works hard, his grades still aren't very good."
- despite尽管 states something true; for "even if" (maybe true), use even if即使.
although尽管he他very很hard-working努力，but可是grades成绩still还是not very不太good好。
despite尽管 versus despite尽管 + Verb
- despite尽管 at the start of a clause = "although". Before a verb, despite尽管 = "feel free to": to have / there is有question问题despite尽管to ask问.
- Do not combine despite尽管 with even if即使 or although虽然 in the same clause; one is enough.
despite尽管 versus although虽然
- although虽然 is the everyday "although": although虽然to rain下雨，we / us我们or / still还是to go去(completed / change)了.
- despite尽管 is a bit stronger and more formal, and stresses that the fact really holds.
although虽然it rained下雨，we我们still还是went去了。
Recap
- despite尽管 A，but但是 / or / still还是 B = although A (a fact), B anyway.
- despite尽管 + Verb = feel free to; even if即使 = even if (hypothetical).
Practise this pattern step by step.
to invert倒 (actually / on the contrary)
Not what you'd expect
- Your friend expected the small restaurant to be cheap, but it was pricey and the fancy one was cheap.
- 这家small小restaurant饭馆to invert倒straight挺expensive贵(modifier / structural particle)的。 — "This little restaurant is actually quite expensive (surprisingly)."
to invert倒 + predicate = actually, contrary to expectation
- to invert倒 marks a result opposite to what you would expect: "actually, on the contrary".
- It sits after the subject, before the verb or adjective: he / him他to invert倒not不to worry着急.
everyone大家all都very很worried担心，he他actually倒not不anxious着急。
Softening or conceding
- thing东西to invert倒to be / is是correct不错，exactly就是太贵(completed / change)了。 — "The goods are fine, it's just that they're too expensive." (to invert倒to be / is是 concedes a point before a "but")
- you你variant of 说说(degree marker)得to invert倒easy容易！ — "That's easy for you to say!" (ironic)
the goods东西admittedly倒是fine不错，it's just that就是too太expensive贵了。
Contrast with an expectation
- to invert倒 needs an expectation to go against (stated or obvious); without one it sounds odd.
- It goes after the subject: he / him他to invert倒not不to worry着急, not to invert倒he / him他not不to worry着急.
to invert倒 versus but却 and on the contrary反而
- but却 = "but, yet", a plain contrast: he / him他degree / adjective linker很rope累，but却睡不着.
- on the contrary反而 = "on the contrary, instead", stronger: variant of 吃吃(completed / change)了medicine药，illness病on the contrary反而更重(completed / change)了.
take吃了medicine药，the illness病instead反而even more更serious重了。
Recap
- to invert倒 + predicate = actually (contrary to expectation); to invert倒to be / is是…，exactly就是… = granted …, but ….
- but却 = plain contrast; on the contrary反而 = the opposite happened.
Practise this pattern step by step.
but却 + Predicate (however / yet)
Tired but awake
- After a long day you lie in bed, exhausted, but your mind won't stop.
- I / me我degree / adjective linker很rope累，but却睡不着。 — "I'm exhausted, yet I can't sleep."
Subject + but却 + predicate = yet, however
- but却 marks a contrast and goes after the subject of the second clause, before the verb.
- he / him他degree / adjective linker很well-off有钱，but却not不happy快乐 — "He's rich, but he isn't happy."
he他very很rich有钱，yet却not不happy快乐。
With but但是 / but可是
- It can follow but但是: I / me我want / think / miss想to help帮he / him他，but但是he / him他but却not不to need需要。 — "I wanted to help him, but he didn't need it."
- It often appears in writing and stories.
I我wanted to想help帮him他，but但是he他yet却not不need it需要。
but却 never comes first
- but却 is an adverb: it goes after the subject, never at the start: he / him他but却not不to come来, not but却he / him他not不to come来.
- but但是 starts the clause; but却 follows the subject. They can be used together.
but却 versus but但是
- but但是 is the general "but" and opens the clause.
- but却 stresses the surprising contrast and sits inside the clause: day天degree / adjective linker很cold冷，he / him他but却only只to wear穿(completed / change)了一件Tvariant of 恤恤.
it天very很cold冷，he他yet却only只wore穿了a一件T-shirtT恤。
Recap
- Subject + but却 + predicate = yet, however (a surprising contrast).
- After the subject, never first; can combine with but但是 / but可是.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Practice without the models
despite尽管 … ，but但是 … (although)
1501.1 Complete: “Although it was late, he was still working.” …………degree / adjective linker很evening晚(completed / change)了，he / him他still / also还at / in在to work工作。
1501.2 In to have / there is有question问题despite尽管to ask问I / me我, what does despite尽管 mean?
- A. because
- B. although
- C. even if
- D. feel free to
1501.3 Build: “Although he works hard, his grades still aren't good.”
Arrange all chunks: achievement成绩or / still还是 / not so good不太好。 / despite尽管he / him他degree / adjective linker很to make an effort努力 / ，but可是
1501.4 despite尽管 introduces something that is actually true.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
1501.5 The school sports day went ahead even though it was snowing. 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.
to invert倒 (actually / on the contrary)
1502.1 Complete: “Everyone was nervous; he, surprisingly, was calm.” everyone大家all / both都degree / adjective linker很nervous紧张，he / him他…………degree / adjective linker很tranquil平静。
1502.2 What does you你variant of 说说(degree marker)得to invert倒easy容易 suggest?
- A. You said it again.
- B. You spoke slowly.
- C. It's easy for you to say (but hard to do).
- D. The speaker agrees it is easy.
1502.3 Build: “The goods are fine, it's just that they're too expensive.”
Arrange all chunks: ， / exactly就是 / 太贵(completed / change)了。 / thing东西to invert倒to be / is是correct不错
1502.4 on the contrary反而 is stronger than but却.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
1502.5 Your friend expected the small restaurant to be cheap, but it was pricey and the fancy one was cheap. 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.
but却 + Predicate (however / yet)
1503.1 Complete: “It's spring, yet it's still very cold.” already已经to be / is是spring (season)春天(completed / change)了，weather天气…………still / also还degree / adjective linker很cold冷。
1503.2 Which sentence is correct?
- A. he / him他degree / adjective linker很intelligent聪明，he / him他but却not不to make an effort努力。
- B. but却he / him他degree / adjective linker很intelligent聪明，not不to make an effort努力。
- C. he / him他degree / adjective linker很intelligent聪明，not不to make an effort努力but却。
- D. he / him他degree / adjective linker很intelligent聪明，but却he / him他not不to make an effort努力。
1503.3 Build: “I wanted to help him, but he didn't need it.”
Arrange all chunks: ，but但是 / he / him他but却 / I / me我want / think / miss想to help帮he / him他 / not不to need需要。
1503.4 but却 can open a clause on its own, like but但是.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
1503.5 After a long day you lie in bed, exhausted, but your mind won't stop. 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
despite尽管 … ，but但是 … (although)
1501.1 despite尽管
despite尽管 + fact, then the result despite it.
1501.2 D. feel free to
Before a verb, despite尽管 = feel free to.
1501.3 despite尽管he / him他degree / adjective linker很to make an effort努力，but可是achievement成绩or / still还是not so good不太好。
despite尽管 A，but可是 … or / still还是 B.
1501.4 True.
For a hypothetical “even if”, use even if即使.
1501.5 One possible response: despite尽管下着雪，sports competition运动会or / still还是as usual照常to hold (a meeting…举行(completed / change)了。
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.
- despite尽管 at the start of a clause = "although". Before a verb, despite尽管 = "feel free to": to have / there is有question问题despite尽管to ask问.
- Do not combine despite尽管 with even if即使 or although虽然 in the same clause; one is enough.
- 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.
to invert倒 (actually / on the contrary)
1502.1 to invert倒
to invert倒 marks a result against expectation.
1502.2 C. It's easy for you to say (but hard to do).
Ironic to invert倒: easy to say, not to do.
1502.3 thing东西to invert倒to be / is是correct不错，exactly就是太贵(completed / change)了。
to invert倒to be / is是…，exactly就是….
1502.4 True.
on the contrary反而 says the opposite of what you'd expect actually happened.
1502.5 One possible response: 这家small小restaurant饭馆to invert倒straight挺expensive贵(modifier / structural particle)的。
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 invert倒 needs an expectation to go against (stated or obvious); without one it sounds odd.
- It goes after the subject: he / him他to invert倒not不to worry着急, not to invert倒he / him他not不to worry着急.
- 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.
but却 + Predicate (however / yet)
1503.1 but却
but却 after the subject marks the contrast.
1503.2 A. he / him他degree / adjective linker很intelligent聪明，he / him他but却not不to make an effort努力。
he / him他degree / adjective linker很intelligent聪明，he / him他but却not不to make an effort努力 is right: but却 is an adverb, so it goes after the subject of its clause. Unlike but但是, it can never start the clause.
1503.3 I / me我want / think / miss想to help帮he / him他，but但是he / him他but却not不to need需要。
but但是 + subject + but却 + predicate.
1503.4 False.
but却 is an adverb after the subject.
1503.5 One possible response: I / me我degree / adjective linker很rope累，but却睡不着。
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.
- but却 is an adverb: it goes after the subject, never at the start: he / him他but却not不to come来, not but却he / him他not不to come来.
- but但是 starts the clause; but却 follows the subject. They can be used together.
- 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.