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.
after以后 vs (modifier / structural particle)的time时候 (after vs when)
When or after?
- You tell a friend about last night: you were cooking when he called, and you called back after dinner.
- you你to make a telephone call打电话(modifier / structural particle)的time时候I / me我at / in在to prepare a meal做饭，吃完饭after以后I / me我to / for / give给you你variant of 回回(completed / change)了telephone电话。 — "When you called, I was cooking; after dinner I called you back."
(modifier / structural particle)的time时候 = at the same time
- A (modifier / structural particle)的time时候，B = when A (is happening), B: the two overlap.
- I / me我to / arrive到(modifier / structural particle)的time时候，he / him他in the middle of正在to have a meal吃饭 — "When I arrived, he was eating."
I我arrive到when的时候，he他was正在eating吃饭。
after以后 = after, one then the other
- A after以后，B = after A has finished, B: the second follows the first.
- to finish class下课after以后，we / us我们to go去to play ball打球 — "After class, we'll go and play ball."
class ends下课after以后，we我们go去play ball打球。
Overlap or sequence?
- If B happens during A, use (modifier / structural particle)的time时候; if B happens after A ends, use after以后.
- to have a meal吃饭(modifier / structural particle)的time时候don't be fooled by the fact…别看cell phone手机 (during the meal) is different from to have a meal吃饭after以后don't别right away马上to go to bed睡觉 (after the meal).
With completed verbs
- Verb + (completed / change)了 + after以后 stresses completion: you你to / arrive到(completed / change)了after以后to / for / give给I / me我to make a telephone call打电话.
- For one finished event followed by another, after以后 is the safe choice: I / me我做完作业after以后to go去to go to bed睡觉.
you你arrive到了after以后to给me我make打a call电话。
Recap
- (modifier / structural particle)的time时候 = when (overlapping time); after以后 = after (one event follows another).
- Ask: does B happen during A or after it?
Practise this pattern step by step.
Practice without the models
after以后 vs (modifier / structural particle)的time时候 (after vs when)
3001.1 During the meal: “Don't look at your phone while eating.” to have a meal吃饭…………don't be fooled by the fact…别看cell phone手机。
3001.2 “After eating, don't go to bed straight away.” Which fits? to have a meal吃饭____don't别right away马上to go to bed睡觉。
- A. before以前
- B. time时候
- C. (modifier / structural particle)的time时候
- D. after以后
3001.3 Build: “After class, we'll go and play ball.”
Arrange all chunks: to play ball打球。 / to finish class下课after以后 / ， / we / us我们to go去
3001.4 I / me我to / arrive到(modifier / structural particle)的time时候，he / him他in the middle of正在to have a meal吃饭 means he was eating when I arrived.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
3001.5 You tell a friend about last night: you were cooking when he called, and you called back after dinner. 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
after以后 vs (modifier / structural particle)的time时候 (after vs when)
3001.1 (modifier / structural particle)的time时候
Overlapping time takes (modifier / structural particle)的time时候.
3001.2 D. after以后
After the meal has finished = after以后.
3001.3 to finish class下课after以后，we / us我们to go去to play ball打球。
A after以后，B.
3001.4 True.
True. …(modifier / structural particle)的time时候 marks time that overlaps with the main event: when I arrived, he was in the middle of eating. after以后 would mean he ate after I arrived.
3001.5 One possible response: you你to make a telephone call打电话(modifier / structural particle)的time时候I / me我at / in在to prepare a meal做饭，吃完饭after以后I / me我to / for / give给you你variant of 回回(completed / change)了telephone电话。
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.
- If B happens during A, use (modifier / structural particle)的time时候; if B happens after A ends, use after以后.
- to have a meal吃饭(modifier / structural particle)的time时候don't be fooled by the fact…别看cell phone手机 (during the meal) is different from to have a meal吃饭after以后don't别right away马上to go to bed睡觉 (after the meal).
- 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.