除了 … 都 / 还 (except / besides)
IntroducedAn exception differs from an addition
- All classmates arrived except one, and a multilingual student speaks English as well as Chinese.
- except除了him他，everyone大家all都come来(completed / change)了。except除了Chinese中文，she / her她also还can会English英文。 — all都 helps mark the exception; also还 helps mark the additional skill.
All classmates arrived except one, and a multilingual student speaks English as well as Chinese. What does 除了他，大家都来了。除了中文，她还会英文。 communicate?
都 helps mark the exception; 还 helps mark the additional skill. Read the whole predicate and context instead of treating a single partner word as an infallible switch. The first sentence excludes him from the arrival claim; the second includes both skills.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is except除了 … all都 / also还 (except / besides). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
except除了him他，everyone大家all都come来了。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: Everyone came except him: 除了他，大家 ____ 来了。
除了 … ，… 都 … = except: 除了他,大家都来了.
Read examples in context
besides除了Chinese中文，he他also还can会English英文。
- In the opening example, except除了him他，everyone大家all都come来(completed / change)了。except除了Chinese中文，she / her她also还can会English英文。: all都 helps mark the exception; also还 helps mark the additional skill.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
Which makes 除了 mean “besides / in addition”?
都 → except; 还 / 也 → besides / in addition.
Match the second word to the meaning of 除了.
都 excludes; 还 / 也 adds.
Build: “Everyone came except him.”
除了 + N，… 都 …: 除了他 + 大家都 + 来了.
Know the boundary
- Read the whole predicate and context instead of treating a single partner word as an infallible switch.
- The first sentence excludes him from the arrival claim; the second includes both skills.
In the opening situation: 都 helps mark the exception; 还 helps mark the additional skill.
Read the whole predicate and context instead of treating a single partner word as an infallible switch. The first sentence excludes him from the arrival claim; the second includes both skills. 都 helps mark the exception; 还 helps mark the additional skill.
Use the distinction
- all都 helps mark the exception; also还 helps mark the additional skill.
- Read the whole predicate and context instead of treating a single partner word as an infallible switch. The first sentence excludes him from the arrival claim; the second includes both skills.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Complex sentence patterns.
All classmates arrived except one, and a multilingual student speaks English as well as Chinese. 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.
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.