Adjectival Verb

Mandarin adjectival verbs, unlike English, are not preceded by a linking verb such as the verb 是 （be）

Examples:

· 他高 NOT 他是高

· 那本书贵 NOT那本书是贵

· 那个学校大 NOT那个学校是大

 

Negation fo adjectival verb

Adjectival berbs are negated by 不. They are never negated by 没.

· 他不高 NOT他没高

· 那本书不贵 NOT那本书没贵

· 那个学校不大 NOT那个学校没大

 

Yes-no questions with adjectival verbs

Adjectival verbs can occur in yes-no questions formed by 吗 or the verb-not-verb structure.

Examples:

· 那个学校大吗？

· 那个学校大不大？

· 这个人好吗？

· 这个人好不好？

 

Modification by intensifiers

Adjectival verbs can be modified by intensifiers. Most intensifiers precede the adjectival verb.

· 很 very

· 真 really

· 比较 rather

· 相当 quite

· 特别 especially

· 非常 extremely

· 尤其 especially

· 极其 extremely

· 太 too

· 更 more

· 最 most

Some intensifiers follow the adjectival verbs

· 得很 very 好得很

· 极了 terrific 好极了

· 得不得了 terrific 好得不得了

 

Two syllable preference

Adjectival verbs generally occur in two syllable phrases. In affirmative form, when no special emphasis is intended, one syllable adjectival verbs are usually preceded by 很。When negated, 不 provides the second syllable.

Examples:

· 他很高

· 他不高

· 那本书很贵

· 那本书不贵

 

Superlative meaning

Adjectival verbs do not have a distinct superlative forms. To express the superlative meaning, precede the adjectival verb with the intensifier 最

· 他最高 he is the tallest

· 那本书最贵 that book is the most expensive

 

Linking adjectival verb

The adverb 又can be used to link adjectival verbs as follows. The structure is 又…又…, meaning ‘both…and…’

Example:

· 那个男的又高又大 That guy is both big and tall

· 那双鞋子很好，又便宜又舒服。 That pair of shoes is really good, they are both cheap and comfortable.

Prepositions and Prepositional Phrase

The grammar of the prepositional phrase:

1. The prepositional phrase occurs immediately before the verb phrase

Example:

他们给弟弟买了包子。NOT 他们买了包子给弟弟

他跟同学聊天儿。NOT 他聊天儿跟同学。

2. Nothing occurs between the preposition and its noun phrase object

The suffix 了，着，过 follow verbs, but not prepositions:

他在中国住过一年。NOT 他在过中国住一年。

我昨天跟他说话了。NOT 我昨天跟了他说话。

Adverbs occur before the prepositional phrase. They do not occur between the prepositional phrase and the main verb.

请你马上到我家来。NOT 请你到我家马上来。

我一定跟你去看电影。NOT 我跟你一定去看电影。

 

PREPOSITIONS THAT INDICATE LOCATION IN TIME OR SPACE – NO MOVEMENT INVOLVED

在 （at, in, on）

他每天在公园里玩。

他每天晚上在家吃饭。

在is optional in time expressions

我（在）两点钟去找你，行吗？

 

PREPOSITIONS THAT INDICATE AN ACTION PERFORMED TOWARDS A REFERENCE POINT – NO MOVEMENT INVOLVED

对 （to，towards）

他对你说了什么话？

向 （towards）

他一直向外面看。

 

PREPOSITIONS THAT INDICATE JOINT PERFORMANCE OF AN ACTION

跟 （with）

她每天跟她朋友吃午饭。

 

PREPOSITIONS THAT INDICATE MOVEMENT OF THE SUBJECT

从 （from, movement from a location）

他慢慢地从宿舍走出来了。

到 (to, movement to a location)

他想到餐厅去找朋友。

往 (towards a location)

请你往西边走。

进 （into a location）

他进教室去了。

从 and 到

从宿舍到邮局，怎么走？

 

PREPOSITIONS THAT INDICATE TRANSFER OF SOMETHING FROM ONE NOUN PHRASE TO ANOTHER

给 （to, for）

他给我买书了。He bought a book for me.

跟 (from)

他跟我借书了。- He borrowed a book from me.

向 (from)

她向我借书了。He borrowed a book from me.

 

PREPOSITIONS THAT INDICATE THE BENEFICIARY OF AN ACTION PERFORMED BY ANOTHER

给

她给我写信了。She wrote a letter for me (on my behalf)

替

明天请你替我教书。Please teach for me tomorrow

 

PREPOSITIONS THAT ALSO FUNCTION AS VERBS

在

As preposition: at. 他在家吃饭。

As a verb: exist, be located at. 他在家。

给

As preposition：to/for. 他给我买了毛衣。

As a verb: give. 他给了我这件毛衣。

到

As preposition：to. 你什么时候到图书馆去？

As a verb: arrive. 你什么时候到？

对

As preposition：to， towards. 你应该对客人很客气。

As a verb: correct. 你是英国人，对吗？对。

跟

As preposition：with. 她每天跟朋友聊天。

As a verb: follow. 不要跟着我。Do not follow me.

 

You can indentify a word as either a preposition or a verb by observing:

Prepositions are always followed by an object noun phrase and a verb phrase.

If a word is not followed by both an object noun phrase and a verb phrase, it is not a preposition.

Verb: followed by a noun phrase but no verb phrase

他给我这件毛衣了。

他在家。

Preposition: followed by a noun phrase and a verb phrase

他给我买了这件毛衣了。

他在家吃饭。