Adverbs with Adjectives

• 16 Adverbs with Adjectives

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  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.

  especially格外gé wài (especially / exceptionally)

  An especially bright moon

  • At the Mid-Autumn Festival you look up and the moon is brighter than you've ever seen.
  • tonight今晚jīn wǎn(modifier / structural particle)的dethe moon月亮yuè liàngespecially格外gé wàicircle圆yuán，especially格外gé wàibright亮liàng。 — "Tonight the moon is especially round and especially bright."

  especially格外gé wài + Adj / feeling verb

  • especially格外gé wài = "especially, exceptionally": more than usual, compared with other times or things.
  • It goes before the adjective, like unusual特别tè bié: especially格外gé wàihappy高兴gāo xìng, especially格外gé wàito be careful小心xiǎo xīn.

  rain雨yǔafter后hòu的dethe air空气kōng qìespecially格外gé wàifresh清新qīng xīn。

  

  Compared with usual

  • the first time第一次dì yī cìto depart离开lí kāihome家jiā，he / him他tāespecially格外gé wàito miss想念xiǎng niànmama妈妈mā mā。 — "Away from home for the first time, he missed his mum especially."
  • to snow下雪xià xuě(completed / change)了le，to drive a car开车kāi chēwant / will / need要yàoespecially格外gé wàito be careful小心xiǎo xīn。 — "It's snowing; drive extra carefully."

  snow下雪xià xuě了le，driving开车kāi chēmust要yàoextra格外gé wàicareful小心xiǎo xīn。

  No degree / adjective linker很hěn, a standard to compare with

  • Do not add degree / adjective linker很hěn or very非常fēi cháng: especially格外gé wàihappy高兴gāo xìng, not especially格外gé wàidegree / adjective linker很hěnhappy高兴gāo xìng.
  • especially格外gé wài implies "more than usual"; it sounds odd when nothing is being compared.

  especially格外gé wài versus unusual特别tè bié and very非常fēi cháng

  • very非常fēi cháng = very (no comparison needed): very非常fēi chánggood好hǎo.
  • unusual特别tè bié and especially格外gé wài both stress "more than usual"; especially格外gé wài is a little more literary.

  he他tātoday今天jīn tiānespecially特别tè biéhappy高兴gāo xìng。

  Recap

  • especially格外gé wài + Adj / feeling verb = especially, exceptionally (more than usual).
  • No degree / adjective linker很hěn; close to unusual特别tè bié, more literary.

  Practise this pattern step by step.

  Practice without the models

  especially格外gé wài (especially / exceptionally)

  1601.1 Complete: “After the rain the air is especially fresh.” (literary) to rain雨yǔback后hòu(modifier / structural particle)的deair空气kōng qì…………fresh and clean清新qīng xīn。

  1601.2 Which sentence is correct?

  • A. today今天jīn tiāncold冷lěngespecially格外gé wài。
  • B. today今天jīn tiānespecially格外gé wàicold冷lěng。
  • C. especially格外gé wàitoday今天jīn tiāndegree / adjective linker很hěncold冷lěng。
  • D. today今天jīn tiānespecially格外gé wàidegree / adjective linker很hěncold冷lěng。

  1601.3 Build: “It's snowing; drive extra carefully.”

  Arrange all chunks: ，to drive a car开车kāi chē / want / will / need要yàoespecially格外gé wài / to be careful小心xiǎo xīn。 / to snow下雪xià xuě(completed / change)了le

  1601.4 especially格外gé wài is close in meaning to unusual特别tè bié.

  True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

  1601.5 At the Mid-Autumn Festival you look up and the moon is brighter than you've ever seen. 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

  especially格外gé wài (especially / exceptionally)

  1601.1 especially格外gé wài

  especially格外gé wài + Adj = more than usual.

  1601.2 B. today今天jīn tiānespecially格外gé wàicold冷lěng。

  today今天jīn tiānespecially格外gé wàicold冷lěng is right: especially格外gé wài ("especially") is a degree adverb, so it replaces degree / adjective linker很hěn and goes before a bare adjective.

  1601.3 to snow下雪xià xuě(completed / change)了le，to drive a car开车kāi chēwant / will / need要yàoespecially格外gé wàito be careful小心xiǎo xīn。

  want / will / need要yào + especially格外gé wài + Adj.

  1601.4 True.

  Both stress “more than usual”.

  1601.5 One possible response: tonight今晚jīn wǎn(modifier / structural particle)的dethe moon月亮yuè liàngespecially格外gé wàicircle圆yuán，especially格外gé wàibright亮liàng。

  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.
  • Do not add degree / adjective linker很hěn or very非常fēi cháng: especially格外gé wàihappy高兴gāo xìng, not especially格外gé wàidegree / adjective linker很hěnhappy高兴gāo xìng.
  • especially格外gé wài implies "more than usual"; it sounds odd when nothing is being compared.
  • 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.

All topics · HSK 5 Grammar