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 + Topic (about / regarding)
A book about China
- In the library you find a book that explains Chinese history for beginners.
- 这是一本pertaining to关于China中国history历史(modifier / structural particle)的book书。 — "This is a book about Chinese history."
pertaining to关于 + topic
- pertaining to关于 + topic = "about, regarding". Before a noun it takes (modifier / structural particle)的: pertaining to关于China中国(modifier / structural particle)的book书.
- At the start of a sentence it introduces the topic: pertaining to关于this这个question问题，we / us我们tomorrow明天again / then再to discuss讨论.
about关于this这个question问题，we我们tomorrow明天then再discuss讨论。
Topics of talks, books and news
- I / me我to see看(completed / change)了一个pertaining to关于panda熊猫(modifier / structural particle)的program节目。 — "I watched a programme about pandas."
- pertaining to关于to take an exam考试(modifier / structural particle)的(concept of) time时间，teacher老师still / also还not / haven't没variant of 说说。 — "The teacher hasn't said anything yet about the exam time."
I我watched看了a一个about关于pandas熊猫的programme节目。
Placement
- A pertaining to关于 phrase describing a noun needs (modifier / structural particle)的: pertaining to关于China中国(modifier / structural particle)的book书, not pertaining to关于China中国book书.
- As a topic, pertaining to关于… comes first, before 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.
pertaining to关于 versus to / towards / correct对
- pertaining to关于 introduces a topic: pertaining to关于environment环境(modifier / structural particle)的article文章 — "an article about the environment".
- to / towards / correct对 shows the target of an attitude: he / him他to / towards / correct对China中国culture文化很感兴趣 — "He's very interested in Chinese culture."
he他in对Chinese中国culture文化very很interested感兴趣。
Recap
- pertaining to关于 + topic (+ (modifier / structural particle)的 + noun) = about …; as a topic marker it starts the sentence.
- to / towards / correct对 marks the target of feelings (to / towards / correct对…to be interested感兴趣), not the topic of a book or talk.
Practise this pattern step by step.
until直到 … ，… only then / not until才 … (all the way until)
Waiting until midnight
- You stayed up for your sister's flight to land; she only messaged you at midnight.
- I / me我all along一直to wait until等到十二点，she / her她only then / not until才给我发news消息。 — "I waited right up until twelve before she messaged me."
until直到 + time / event，… only then / not until才 …
- until直到 + time/event = "right up until"; the result follows with only then / not until才: something happened only then.
- until直到 often comes first: until直到yesterday昨天，I / me我only then / not until才to know知道这件matter事.
not until直到yesterday昨天，I我only then才knew知道this这件事。
Late discoveries and long waits
- until直到graduation毕业，he / him他only then / not until才clear明白teacher老师if (coming after a…的话。 — "It wasn't until he graduated that he understood what the teacher meant."
- With all along一直…to / arrive到: (literary) to rain雨all along一直down下to / arrive到evening晚上。 — "The rain kept falling until the evening."
the rain雨continuously一直fall下until到the evening晚上。
Use only then / not until才 for the delayed result
- The result clause takes only then / not until才 (it was late): until直到十点he / him他only then / not until才to come来, not until直到十点he / him他then / just就to come来(completed / change)了.
- This short result model uses only then / not until才to know知道. Do not infer from it that (completed / change)了 is impossible in all other only then / not until才 constructions.
until直到 versus to / arrive到
- to / arrive到 alone after a verb gives the end point: we / us我们Taiwan pr.玩to / arrive到十点 — "We played until ten."
- until直到 stresses how long it took before something finally happened.
we我们play玩until到ten o'clock十点。
Recap
- until直到 + time/event，Subject + only then / not until才 + Verb = not until then did …
- only then / not until才 highlights the delayed result in this model. Verb + to / arrive到 + time gives an endpoint; (completed / change)了 is not universally banned with only then / not until才.
Practise this pattern step by step.
towards向 + Direction / Person + Verb (towards)
Which way?
- You are lost in an old town, and a shopkeeper points down the street.
- you你向前走，then / after然后towards向(bound form) right右variant of 拐拐。 — "Walk forward, then turn right."
towards向 + direction / person + Verb
- towards向 + direction = towards: 向前走, towards向left左variant of 拐拐, 向东开.
- towards向 + person = to, towards someone: towards向teacher老师to say hello to问好 — "say hello to the teacher".
towards向the left左turn拐。
Actions aimed at people
- I / me我towards向he / him他variant of 借借(completed / change)了one / a一本书。 — "I borrowed a book from him."
- we / us我们should应该towards向she / her她to learn学习。 — "We should learn from her."
we我们should应该from向her她learn学习。
towards向 goes before the verb
- Put towards向 + direction before the verb: towards向(bound form) right右variant of 拐拐, not variant of 拐拐towards向(bound form) right右 in everyday directions.
- "Borrow from someone" is towards向 + person + variant of 借借, not 借向 + person.
towards向 versus towards往
- towards往 also means "towards" for movement: 往前走, towards往left左variant of 拐拐. In directions the two are interchangeable.
- Only towards向 works with people: towards向he / him他to apologize道歉 — "apologise to him", not towards往he / him他to apologize道歉.
I我to向him他apologise道歉。
Recap
- towards向 + direction + Verb = towards (向前走); towards向 + person + Verb = to/from someone (towards向he / him他variant of 借借, towards向she / her她to learn学习).
- towards往 = towards in directions only; people take towards向.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Practice without the models
pertaining to关于 + Topic (about / regarding)
0705.1 Complete: “I want to buy a book about cooking.” I / me我want / think / miss想to buy买一本…………to prepare a meal做饭(modifier / structural particle)的book书。
0705.2 “She is very interested in music.” Which word fits? she / her她____music音乐很感兴趣。
- A. towards向
- B. to / towards / correct对
- C. with / and跟
- D. pertaining to关于
0705.3 Build: “I watched a programme about pandas.”
Arrange all chunks: pertaining to关于panda熊猫(modifier / structural particle)的 / 一个 / program节目。 / I / me我to see看(completed / change)了
0705.4 pertaining to关于China中国book书 is a correct phrase for “a book about China”.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0705.5 In the library you find a book that explains Chinese history for beginners. 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.
until直到 … ，… only then / not until才 … (all the way until)
0706.1 Complete: “It wasn't until yesterday that I knew.” until直到yesterday昨天，I / me我…………to know知道。
0706.2 Which sentence is correct?
- A. until直到十一点，he / him他only then / not until才to go to bed睡觉。
- B. he / him他only then / not until才until直到十一点to go to bed睡觉。
- C. until直到十一点，he / him他then / just就to go to bed睡觉(completed / change)了。
- D. until直到十一点，he / him他only then / not until才to go to bed睡觉(completed / change)了。
0706.3 Build: “The rain kept falling until the evening.”
Arrange all chunks: all along一直 / evening晚上。 / down下to / arrive到 / (literary) to rain雨
0706.4 we / us我们Taiwan pr.玩to / arrive到十点 means “We played until ten.”
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0706.5 You stayed up for your sister's flight to land; she only messaged you at midnight. 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.
towards向 + Direction / Person + Verb (towards)
0707.1 Complete: “Turn left at the crossroads.” to / arrive到(completed / change)了crossing路口…………左拐。
0707.2 Which says “I want to apologise to her.”?
- A. I / me我want / think / miss想she / her她towards向to apologize道歉。
- B. I / me我want / think / miss想to apologize道歉towards向she / her她。
- C. I / me我want / think / miss想towards向she / her她to apologize道歉。
- D. I / me我want / think / miss想towards往she / her她to apologize道歉。
0707.3 Build: “I borrowed a book from him.”
Arrange all chunks: variant of 借借(completed / change)了 / I / me我 / one / a一本书。 / towards向he / him他
0707.4 往前走 and 向前走 both mean “walk forward”.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0707.5 You are lost in an old town, and a shopkeeper points down the street. 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 + Topic (about / regarding)
0705.1 pertaining to关于
pertaining to关于 + topic + (modifier / structural particle)的 + noun.
0705.2 B. to / towards / correct对
to / towards / correct对…to be interested感兴趣 marks the target of interest.
0705.3 I / me我to see看(completed / change)了一个pertaining to关于panda熊猫(modifier / structural particle)的program节目。
pertaining to关于 + topic + (modifier / structural particle)的 + noun.
0705.4 False.
The pertaining to关于 phrase needs (modifier / structural particle)的 before the noun: pertaining to关于China中国(modifier / structural particle)的book书.
0705.5 One possible response: 这是一本pertaining to关于China中国history历史(modifier / structural particle)的book书。
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 pertaining to关于 phrase describing a noun needs (modifier / structural particle)的: pertaining to关于China中国(modifier / structural particle)的book书, not pertaining to关于China中国book书.
- As a topic, pertaining to关于… comes first, before 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.
- 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.
until直到 … ，… only then / not until才 … (all the way until)
0706.1 only then / not until才
until直到 … only then / not until才 ….
0706.2 A. until直到十一点，he / him他only then / not until才to go to bed睡觉。
until直到十一点，he / him他only then / not until才to go to bed睡觉 is right: until直到 … only then / not until才 means "not until", and only then / not until才 takes no final (completed / change)了. then / just就 would mean "as early as", which contradicts until直到.
0706.3 (literary) to rain雨all along一直down下to / arrive到evening晚上。
all along一直 + Verb + to / arrive到 + time.
0706.4 True.
Verb + to / arrive到 + time gives the end point.
0706.5 One possible response: I / me我all along一直to wait until等到十二点，she / her她only then / not until才给我发news消息。
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.
- The result clause takes only then / not until才 (it was late): until直到十点he / him他only then / not until才to come来, not until直到十点he / him他then / just就to come来(completed / change)了.
- This short result model uses only then / not until才to know知道. Do not infer from it that (completed / change)了 is impossible in all other only then / not until才 constructions.
- 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.
towards向 + Direction / Person + Verb (towards)
0707.1 towards向
towards向/towards往 + direction + verb.
0707.2 C. I / me我want / think / miss想towards向she / her她to apologize道歉。
With people, only towards向 works, before the verb.
0707.3 I / me我towards向he / him他variant of 借借(completed / change)了one / a一本书。
towards向 + person + variant of 借借.
0707.4 True.
In directions towards往 and towards向 are interchangeable.
0707.5 One possible response: you你向前走，then / after然后towards向(bound form) right右variant of 拐拐。
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.
- Put towards向 + direction before the verb: towards向(bound form) right右variant of 拐拐, not variant of 拐拐towards向(bound form) right右 in everyday directions.
- "Borrow from someone" is towards向 + person + variant of 借借, not 借向 + person.
- 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.