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.
Statement + (yes/no ?)吗 (yes/no confirmation)
Checking what you heard
- Your friend mentions she's moving next week, and you can't quite believe it.
- you你next week下个星期then / just就to move house搬家(yes/no ?)吗？ — "You're moving as soon as next week?"
Statement + (yes/no ?)吗？ = yes/no question
- Add (yes/no ?)吗 to the end of a statement to make it a yes/no question; word order does not change.
- he / him他to be / is是teacher老师。→ he / him他to be / is是teacher老师(yes/no ?)吗？ — "Is he a teacher?"
he他is是a teacher老师吗？
Checking and confirming
- With a rising, surprised tone, (yes/no ?)吗 checks what you heard: you你not不to go去(yes/no ?)吗？ — "You're not going?"
- A negative (yes/no ?)吗 question often expects "yes" or shows surprise: you你not不rope累(yes/no ?)吗？ — "Aren't you tired?"
you你not不tired累吗？
One question form at a time
- No (yes/no ?)吗 after a question word: you你to go去where哪儿？, not you你to go去where哪儿(yes/no ?)吗？ (unless it means "anywhere").
- No (yes/no ?)吗 after A-not-A: you你去不去？, not you你去不去(yes/no ?)吗？
Answering a negative question
- Q: you你not不to like喜欢(yes/no ?)吗？ A: to / towards / correct对，I / me我not不to like喜欢 — "Right, I don't." / not不，I / me我to like喜欢 — "No, I do."
- to / towards / correct对 agrees with the statement inside the question, which can feel the opposite of English.
right对，I我don't不like it喜欢。
Recap
- Statement + (yes/no ?)吗？ = yes/no question; word order stays the same.
- Not with question words or A-not-A. For negative questions, to / towards / correct对 agrees with the negative statement.
Practise this pattern step by step.
… (suggestion)吧，… ；… (suggestion)吧，… (weighing options)
Can't decide
- You can't choose between two jobs: one is near home, the other pays more.
- to go去(suggestion)吧，太远；不去(suggestion)吧，wages工资again又degree / adjective linker很high高。 — "If I take it, it's too far; if I don't, well, the pay is high."
A (suggestion)吧，…；B (suggestion)吧，…
- Option 1 + (suggestion)吧，problem；Option 2 + (suggestion)吧，problem weighs two choices that both have drawbacks.
- (suggestion)吧 here marks "suppose I …"; each option is followed by its downside.
buy买(suppose)吧，too太expensive贵；not不buy买(suppose)吧，but又really很like it喜欢。
Showing a dilemma
- variant of 说说(suggestion)吧，to be afraid怕he / him他to get angry生气；not不variant of 说说(suggestion)吧，again又to feel / think觉得no good不好。 — "If I tell him, I'm afraid he'll be angry; if I don't, I feel bad."
- again又 in the second half often adds "but on the other hand".
tell说(suppose)吧，afraid怕he他angry生气。
Two sides, same shape
- Keep the two halves parallel: to go去(suggestion)吧…；不去(suggestion)吧…. Each needs its own problem.
- This (suggestion)吧 is not a suggestion ("let's"); it means "if I were to …".
(suggestion)吧 as a suggestion
- At the end of a sentence, (suggestion)吧 suggests: we / us我们to walk走(suggestion)吧 — "Let's go."
- Inside the dilemma pattern, (suggestion)吧 is followed by a comma and a problem.
we我们go走(let's)吧。
Recap
- A (suggestion)吧，problem；B (suggestion)吧，problem = whichever I choose, there is a downside.
- Parallel halves; again又 often in the second; different from the suggestion (suggestion)吧.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Sentence-final (modifier / structural particle)的 (modal: certainty)
Don't worry
- Your friend is nervous about tomorrow's interview. You are sure it will go well.
- you你definitely一定can / will会success成功(modifier / structural particle)的。 — "You'll definitely succeed." The final (modifier / structural particle)的 adds certainty.
… can / will会 / can / be able to能 … (modifier / structural particle)的 = certainty
- Sentence + (modifier / structural particle)的 strengthens a judgement, promise or reassurance: 我会to go去(modifier / structural particle)的, he / him他improbable不会to forget忘(modifier / structural particle)的.
- It often appears with can / will会, can / be able to能, definitely一定 or to be certain肯定.
I我will会help帮you你(I'm sure)的。
Promises and reassurance
- to feel relieved放心，I / me我improbable不会to tell告诉other people别人(modifier / structural particle)的。 — "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
- this这个question问题can / be able to能to solve解决(modifier / structural particle)的。 — "This problem can be solved, I'm sure."
don't worry放心，I我won't不会tell告诉anyone别人(for sure)的。
Not the to be / is是…(modifier / structural particle)的 pattern
- This (modifier / structural particle)的 adds certainty to a future or general statement; to be / is是…(modifier / structural particle)的 focuses on how/when/where a past event happened: I / me我to be / is是坐飞机to come来(modifier / structural particle)的.
- Without (modifier / structural particle)的, the sentence is still correct; (modifier / structural particle)的 just makes it more reassuring or firm.
Compare with to be / is是…(modifier / structural particle)的
- 我会to come来(modifier / structural particle)的 = I'll definitely come (certainty).
- I / me我to be / is是yesterday昨天to come来(modifier / structural particle)的 = It was yesterday that I came (focus on the time of a past event).
I我(it was)是yesterday昨天came来的。
Recap
- can / will会 / can / be able to能 / definitely一定 … + (modifier / structural particle)的 = certainly, for sure: reassurance or a promise.
- Different from to be / is是…(modifier / structural particle)的, which focuses on details of a past event.
Practise this pattern step by step.
Practice without the models
Statement + (yes/no ?)吗 (yes/no confirmation)
0801.1 Make a question: “Are you a student?” you你to be / is是student学生…………？
0801.2 Which question is correct?
- A. you你tomorrow明天to come来(yes/no ?)吗？
- B. (yes/no ?)吗you你tomorrow明天to come来？
- C. you你去不去(yes/no ?)吗？
- D. you你what什么time时候to come来(yes/no ?)吗？
0801.3 Q: you你not不to be hungry饿(yes/no ?)吗？ You are not hungry. What do you say?
- A. to / towards / correct对，I / me我to be hungry饿。
- B. to / towards / correct对，I / me我not不to be hungry饿。
- C. not不，I / me我not不to be hungry饿。
- D. (yes/no ?)吗，I / me我not不to be hungry饿。
0801.4 Build: “Aren't you tired?”
Arrange all chunks: rope累 / (yes/no ?)吗？ / you你 / not不
0801.5 Your friend mentions she's moving next week, and you can't quite believe 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.
… (suggestion)吧，… ；… (suggestion)吧，… (weighing options)
0802.1 Complete the dilemma: “If I eat it, I'll get fat; if I don't, I'll be hungry.” variant of 吃吃…………，can / will会fat胖；不吃(suggestion)吧，can / will会to be hungry饿。
0802.2 In to go去(suggestion)吧，太远；不去(suggestion)吧，again又want / think / miss想to go去, what does the speaker feel?
- A. Torn between two choices
- B. Sure about going
- C. Inviting a friend
- D. Happy to stay at home
0802.3 Build: “If I tell him, I'm afraid he'll be angry.”
Arrange all chunks: variant of 说说(suggestion)吧 / ， / to get angry生气。 / to be afraid怕he / him他
0802.4 In the dilemma pattern, (suggestion)吧 means “let's”.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0802.5 You can't choose between two jobs: one is near home, the other pays more. 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.
Sentence-final (modifier / structural particle)的 (modal: certainty)
0803.1 Reassure: “He'll definitely come.” he / him他definitely一定can / will会to come来…………。
0803.2 Which sentence focuses on HOW a past event happened?
- A. 我会to go去(modifier / structural particle)的。
- B. he / him他improbable不会to forget忘(modifier / structural particle)的。
- C. I / me我to be / is是坐火车to come来(modifier / structural particle)的。
- D. you你can / will会to like喜欢(modifier / structural particle)的。
0803.3 Build: “Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.”
Arrange all chunks: ，I / me我improbable不会 / to feel relieved放心 / to tell告诉other people别人 / (modifier / structural particle)的。
0803.4 you你can / will会success成功 is wrong without (modifier / structural particle)的.
True or false? Explain or repair the statement.
0803.5 Your friend is nervous about tomorrow's interview. You are sure it will go well. 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
Statement + (yes/no ?)吗 (yes/no confirmation)
0801.1 (yes/no ?)吗
Statement + (yes/no ?)吗.
0801.2 A. you你tomorrow明天to come来(yes/no ?)吗？
Only a plain statement takes (yes/no ?)吗.
0801.3 B. to / towards / correct对，I / me我not不to be hungry饿。
to / towards / correct对 agrees with the negative statement “you're not hungry”.
0801.4 you你not不rope累(yes/no ?)吗？
Negative statement + (yes/no ?)吗.
0801.5 One possible response: you你next week下个星期then / just就to move house搬家(yes/no ?)吗？
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.
- No (yes/no ?)吗 after a question word: you你to go去where哪儿？, not you你to go去where哪儿(yes/no ?)吗？ (unless it means "anywhere").
- No (yes/no ?)吗 after A-not-A: you你去不去？, not you你去不去(yes/no ?)吗？
- 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.
… (suggestion)吧，… ；… (suggestion)吧，… (weighing options)
0802.1 (suggestion)吧
Option + (suggestion)吧, then the problem.
0802.2 A. Torn between two choices
Each option has a drawback: a dilemma.
0802.3 variant of 说说(suggestion)吧，to be afraid怕he / him他to get angry生气。
Option + (suggestion)吧, then the worry.
0802.4 False.
Here it means “suppose I …”; the suggestion (suggestion)吧 ends a sentence.
0802.5 One possible response: to go去(suggestion)吧，太远；不去(suggestion)吧，wages工资again又degree / adjective linker很high高。
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.
- Keep the two halves parallel: to go去(suggestion)吧…；不去(suggestion)吧…. Each needs its own problem.
- This (suggestion)吧 is not a suggestion ("let's"); it means "if I were to …".
- 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.
Sentence-final (modifier / structural particle)的 (modal: certainty)
0803.1 (modifier / structural particle)的
Final (modifier / structural particle)的 adds certainty.
0803.2 C. I / me我to be / is是坐火车to come来(modifier / structural particle)的。
to be / is是…(modifier / structural particle)的 focuses on a detail of a past event.
0803.3 to feel relieved放心，I / me我improbable不会to tell告诉other people别人(modifier / structural particle)的。
Promise + (modifier / structural particle)的.
0803.4 False.
(modifier / structural particle)的 only adds certainty; the sentence is fine without it.
0803.5 One possible response: you你definitely一定can / will会success成功(modifier / structural particle)的。
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.
- This (modifier / structural particle)的 adds certainty to a future or general statement; to be / is是…(modifier / structural particle)的 focuses on how/when/where a past event happened: I / me我to be / is是坐飞机to come来(modifier / structural particle)的.
- Without (modifier / structural particle)的, the sentence is still correct; (modifier / structural particle)的 just makes it more reassuring or firm.
- 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.