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.
pertaining to关于 vs regarding对于 (about vs regarding)
A book about it, an attitude towards it
- You write a report on a documentary about climate change and how students feel about it.
- 这是一部pertaining to关于climate change气候变化(modifier / structural particle)的newsreel纪录片。regarding对于this这个question问题，everyone大家(modifier / structural particle)的way of looking at a thing看法different不同。 — "This is a documentary about climate change. On this issue, opinions differ."
pertaining to关于 = about (the topic)
- pertaining to关于 introduces the topic or content: pertaining to关于China中国history历史(modifier / structural particle)的book书, pertaining to关于这件matter事.
- As a topic at the start of a sentence: pertaining to关于to take an exam考试，teacher老师still / also还not / haven't没to notify通知.
about关于the exam考试，the teacher老师still还hasn't没announced通知。
regarding对于 = regarding (the target of an attitude)
- regarding对于 introduces what a judgement or action is directed at: regarding对于this这个to decide (to do something)决定，I / me我degree / adjective linker很satisfied满意。 — "I'm very satisfied with this decision."
- It can follow the subject: I / me我regarding对于这件matter事not have / haven't没有idea意见.
regarding对于this这个decision决定，I我very很satisfied满意。
The subject's position
- pertaining to关于 phrases do not go after the subject: pertaining to关于这件matter事，I / me我not不to know知道, not I / me我pertaining to关于这件matter事not不to know知道.
- regarding对于 can go either before or after the subject: regarding对于he / him他，… / he / him他regarding对于….
Titles use pertaining to关于
- A book, talk or article title takes pertaining to关于: 《pertaining to关于environmental protection环境保护》.
- regarding对于 suits opinions and attitudes: regarding对于student学生来说, regarding对于this这个question问题，I / me我(modifier / structural particle)的way of looking at a thing看法to be / is是….
a一(measure word)篇about关于the environment环保的article文章。
Recap
- pertaining to关于 = about, introducing a topic. It often starts a topic phrase and can also occur inside a noun phrase; the whole construction controls its position.
- regarding对于 = regarding (target of an attitude or judgement); before or after the subject.
Practise this pattern step by step.
away from离 vs from从 (gap from vs starting point)
How far, and from where?
- A new classmate asks where you live and how you get to school.
- 我家away from离school学校很近，I / me我every day每天从家to walk走路to come来。 — "My home is close to school; every day I walk here from home."
away from离 = distance from
- A away from离 B + to distance oneself from…远 / near近 / distance = how far A is from B: 我家away from离school学校很近.
- Also for time: away from离to take an exam考试furthermore还有三天 — "There are still three days until the exam."
until离the exam考试there are still还有three days三天。
from从 = starting point
- from从 + place / time = from (the starting point of movement or time): from从Beijing, capital of the…北京to set off出发, from从八点to start开始.
- Often with to / arrive到: 从家to / arrive到school学校want / will / need要二十分钟.
from从home家to到school学校takes要twenty二十minutes分钟。
Distance or starting point?
- A gap (to distance oneself from…远, near近, how many km) takes away from离: away from离here这儿degree / adjective linker很to distance oneself from…远, not from从here这儿degree / adjective linker很to distance oneself from…远.
- Movement or a beginning takes from从: from从here这儿to walk走, not away from离here这儿to walk走.
One sentence, both words
- from从我家to / arrive到company公司degree / adjective linker很to distance oneself from…远，because因为company公司away from离city center市中心degree / adjective linker很to distance oneself from…远。 — "It's a long way from my home to the office, because the office is far from the city centre."
- from从…to / arrive到… measures a route; away from离 measures a gap.
the office公司from离the city centre市中心very很far远。
Recap
- away from离 = the gap between two points (place or time): away from离school学校很近, away from离to take an exam考试三天.
- from从 = the starting point of movement or time: 从家to set off出发, from从八点to start开始.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Practice without the models
pertaining to关于 vs regarding对于 (about vs regarding)
2801.1 Complete: “an article about the environment” 一篇…………environment环境(modifier / structural particle)的article文章
2801.2 Which sentence is correct?
- A. I / me我pertaining to关于这件matter事degree / adjective linker很satisfied满意。
- B. pertaining to关于这件matter事，I / me我not不to know知道。
- C. I / me我这件matter事pertaining to关于not不to know知道。
- D. I / me我pertaining to关于这件matter事not不to know知道。
2801.3 Build: “I'm very satisfied with this decision.”
Arrange all chunks: I / me我 / regarding对于this这个to decide (to do something)决定 / degree / adjective linker很satisfied满意。 / ，
2801.4 regarding对于 can come after the subject.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
2801.5 You write a report on a documentary about climate change and how students feel about 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.
away from离 vs from从 (gap from vs starting point)
2802.1 Complete: “The station is very close to here.” rail station车站…………here这儿很近。
2802.2 “The meeting starts at nine.” Which fits? meeting会议____九点to start开始。
- A. from从
- B. at / in在
- C. towards向
- D. away from离
2802.3 Build: “It takes twenty minutes from home to school.”
Arrange all chunks: 二十分钟。 / 从家 / want / will / need要 / to / arrive到school学校
2802.4 away from离to take an exam考试furthermore还有三天 uses away from离 for time.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
2802.5 A new classmate asks where you live and how you get to school. 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
pertaining to关于 vs regarding对于 (about vs regarding)
2801.1 pertaining to关于
Topic and content take pertaining to关于.
2801.2 B. pertaining to关于这件matter事，I / me我not不to know知道。
pertaining to关于这件matter事，I / me我not不to know知道 is right: a pertaining to关于 phrase ("about …") goes at the start, before the subject. For an attitude such as satisfied满意, use to / towards / correct对 instead.
2801.3 regarding对于this这个to decide (to do something)决定，I / me我degree / adjective linker很satisfied满意。
regarding对于 + target, then the attitude.
2801.4 True.
True. regarding对于 can follow the subject: he / him他regarding对于这件matter事not have / haven't没有idea意见. pertaining to关于 cannot; it normally starts the sentence or follows (modifier / structural particle)的.
2801.5 One possible response: 这是一部pertaining to关于climate change气候变化(modifier / structural particle)的newsreel纪录片。regarding对于this这个question问题，everyone大家(modifier / structural particle)的way of looking at a thing看法different不同。
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.
- pertaining to关于 phrases do not go after the subject: pertaining to关于这件matter事，I / me我not不to know知道, not I / me我pertaining to关于这件matter事not不to know知道.
- regarding对于 can go either before or after the subject: regarding对于he / him他，… / he / him他regarding对于….
- 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.
away from离 vs from从 (gap from vs starting point)
2802.1 away from离
A gap takes away from离.
2802.2 A. from从
A starting point in time takes from从.
2802.3 从家to / arrive到school学校want / will / need要二十分钟。
from从…to / arrive到… + time needed.
2802.4 True.
away from离 can measure the gap until an event.
2802.5 One possible response: 我家away from离school学校很近，I / me我every day每天从家to walk走路to come来。
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.
- A gap (to distance oneself from…远, near近, how many km) takes away from离: away from离here这儿degree / adjective linker很to distance oneself from…远, not from从here这儿degree / adjective linker很to distance oneself from…远.
- Movement or a beginning takes from从: from从here这儿to walk走, not away from离here这儿to walk走.
- 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.