NEW PRACTICAL CHINESE READER

 

Lesson 7: 你认识不认识他？

  1. I.Grammar

  2. 1.Attributive expressing possession

  3. a.When a noun or a pronoun is used as an attributive to express possession, the structural particle “的” is usually required.  Examples: 我的名片 (my business card), 语言学院的老师 (language institute's teacher), 哥哥的咖啡 (elder brother's coffee)

  4. b.When a personal pronoun functions as an attributive and the modified word is a noun referring to a relative or the name of a work unit, the “的” may be omitted.  Examples: 我爸爸 (my father)，她哥哥 (her elder brother)，你外婆 (your grandma - mother side)，他们家 (their family or their home)，我们学院 (our institute/college)

  5. 2.Questions with affirmative and negative forms

  6. a.A question can be formed by juxtaposing the affirmative and negative forms with the predicate (verb or adjective) in a sentence.  Examples:

  7. •你忙不忙? (Are you busy or not?)

  8. •你们认识不认识他? (Do you know him or not?)

  9. •力波是不是中国人? (Is Libo Chinese or not?)

  10. b.When answering such a question, you may respond with affirmative or negative with its subject or object omitted.  Examples:

  11. •你忙不忙? (我) 忙。Or (我) 不忙。

  12. •你们认识不认识他? (我们) 认识 (他)。Or  (我们) 不认识 (他)。

  13. 3.The position of adverbs “也” (also) and “都” (all, both)

  14. a.The adverbs “也” and “都” must be placed after the subject and before the predicative verb or adjective.  Examples:

  15. •林娜也是加拿大人 (Lin Na is also a Canadian)

  16. •他们都是加拿大人 (They are all Canadians)

  17. b.In a negative form, “也” must be placed before “不”.  “都” may be put before or after “不”, but they have different meanings.  Examples:

  18. •他不是老师。(He is not a teacher).  我也不是老师。(I’m not a teacher, either).  我们都不是老师 (None of us are teachers)

  19. •Comparison:

  20. •我们都不是老师 (None of us are teachers). 

  21. •我们不都是老师 (Not all of us are teachers)


  23. II.Usage

  24. 1.Abbreviated questions with “呢”

  25. a.An abbreviated question with “呢” is made by adding “呢” directly after a pronoun or a noun. This kind of question form usually takes place immediately after the previous question or sentence.  Examples:

  26. •你好吗? (How are you?)  我很好，你呢? (I’m fine, and you?)

  27. •你忙吗? (Are you busy?)  我不忙，你呢? (I’m not busy, and you?)

  28. •你是加拿大人，他呢?  (You’re Canadian, and he?)