Adverbs 就/才/都/也/还/再/又 sit before the verb
A Chinese adverb goes AFTER the subject and BEFORE the verb -- never after it, and never at the very front like in English. Subject + 也/都/还/就/才/再/又 + verb. 也 (yě, also): 我也喜欢音乐。(Wǒ yě xǐhuan yīnyuè.) 都 (dōu, all/both) comes AFTER the group it sums up: 我们都是学生。(Wǒmen dōu shì xuésheng.) 就 (jiù, as early as): 他六点就起床了。(Tā liù diǎn jiù qǐchuáng le.) The classic error copies English order: ✗ 我喜欢也 / ✗ 也我喜欢 → ✓ 我也喜欢。
Paired connectives 因为…所以, 虽然…但是…
Chinese links clauses with MATCHED pairs -- one connective in each clause, with BOTH halves supplied; this lifts an answer into the higher bands. 因为……所以 (yīnwèi…suǒyǐ, because…so), 虽然……但是 (suīrán…dànshì, although…but), 不但……而且 (búdàn…érqiě, not only…but also), 如果……就 (rúguǒ…jiù, if…then), 一边……一边 (yìbiān…yìbiān, two at once), 除了……以外 (chúle…yǐwài, besides) + 还/也, 先……然后 (xiān…ránhòu, first…then). Example sentences for each pair are in the study note.
就 vs 才 (early/late); 再 vs 又 (future/past)
Two pairs learners mix up. 就 vs 才: 就 (jiù) = early, quick or easy -- 他七点就来了。(Tā qī diǎn jiù lái le.) 才 (cái) = late, slow or hard -- 他九点才来。(Tā jiǔ diǎn cái lái.) Note 才 usually takes NO 了. 再 vs 又: both mean "again", but 再 (zài) is a repeat NOT yet done (a plan or command): 请再说一遍。(Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn.) 又 (yòu) is a repeat already done, usually with 了: 他昨天又迟到了。(Tā zuótiān yòu chídào le.) Rule: 再 looks forward, 又 looks back.
Drawn from real examiner reports.
Flat unlinked sentences cap the range mark
Examiners reward variety, so a run of plain unconnected sentences keeps the mark low. ✗ 我喜欢中文。中文很难。我每天学习。→ ✓ 虽然中文很难，但是我很喜欢，所以我每天都学习。(Suīrán Zhōngwén hěn nán, dànshì wǒ hěn xǐhuan, suǒyǐ wǒ měitiān dōu xuéxí.) Plan at least two paired connectives per longer answer -- 因为……所以 for a reason, 虽然……但是 to concede -- and write BOTH halves of each pair.
(general FL trap)
Speaking: short yes/no answers cap the mark
In the Speaking paper, bare one- or two-word replies with no opinion or reason cap the mark -- examiners want each answer DEVELOPED. Turn a yes/no into a linked, justified answer: 你喜欢运动吗？ → 我很喜欢，因为运动以后我觉得很放松，所以我几乎每天都去。(Wǒ hěn xǐhuan, yīnwèi yùndòng yǐhòu wǒ juéde hěn fàngsōng, suǒyǐ wǒ jīhū měitiān dōu qù.) Add a reason (因为……所以) or an opinion, not just 喜欢.
(June 2024 1CN0/2H)
Adverb placed after the verb (喜欢也 ✗)
A word-order calque. Chinese adverbs go BEFORE the verb, not after it as in English "I like it too". ✗ 我喜欢也 / ✗ 我去学校也 → ✓ 我也喜欢。/ ✓ 我也去学校。(Wǒ yě qù xuéxiào.) — I go to school too. When you self-check a sentence, find the verb and make sure every adverb (也/都/还/就/才) sits just in front of it, after the subject.
(general FL trap)
都 in the wrong slot (都我们 ✗)
都 (all/both) must come AFTER the plural word it sums up and before the verb, not before the subject. ✗ 都我们是学生 → ✓ 我们都是学生。(Wǒmen dōu shì xuésheng.) — We are all students. And when 也 and 都 appear together the order is fixed as 也都: ✗ 都也来了 → ✓ 他们也都来了。(Tāmen yě dōu lái le.) — They all came too. Put 都 right in front of the verb, just after the group it refers back to.
(general FL trap)
Dropping one half of a connective pair
Paired connectives normally come as a SET -- leaving one half out sounds incomplete, unlike English which drops "but"/"so". ✗ 虽然中文很难，我很喜欢 → ✓ 虽然中文很难，但是我很喜欢。(Suīrán Zhōngwén hěn nán, dànshì wǒ hěn xǐhuan.) Keep both halves of 虽然……但是, 因为……所以, 不但……而且, 除了……以外……还. Learn each connective as a two-part frame and always supply the matching half.
(general FL trap)
再 (future) vs 又 (past) "again" confusion
Both mean "again", but 再 is for a repeat NOT yet done (a plan or a command) and 又 for one ALREADY done (past, with 了). ✗ 他昨天再迟到了 (past event with 再) → ✓ 他昨天又迟到了。(Tā zuótiān yòu chídào le.) — He was late again yesterday. ✗ 请又说一遍 (command with 又) → ✓ 请再说一遍。(Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn.) — Please say it again. Ask: has the repeat already happened (又) or not yet (再)?
(general FL trap)
就/才 mean the same; connectives work alone
就 and 才 are NOT interchangeable: 就 = early, quick or easy (他七点就来了 — as early as seven), while 才 = late, slow or hard (他九点才来 — not until nine) -- swapping them reverses your meaning. And Chinese connectives usually come in PAIRS, unlike English: 虽然……但是 needs BOTH halves, not 虽然 alone. Likewise 因为……所以, 不但……而且. Learn each as a two-part frame.
After each idea, add a linked clause
After you state an idea, add a REASON or a CONTRAST with a paired connective -- 因为……所以 (reason), 虽然……但是 (concession), 不但……而且 (adds), 如果……就 (a condition). Write or say BOTH halves. Sequence with 先……然后, overlap two actions with 一边……一边, broaden a list with 除了……以外……还/也.
Place every adverb just before the verb
Put every adverb (也/都/还/就/才/再/又) right before the verb, after the subject: 我也喜欢, 我们都去, not 我喜欢也. Keep 都 after the group it sums up (我们都…, not 都我们…), and use the fixed order 也都 when both appear. Re-read and check no adverb has drifted after the verb.
Choose 再 for future, 又 for a past repeat
For a repeat, choose 再 when it has NOT happened yet (请再说一遍 -- say it again; 明天再去 -- go again tomorrow) and 又 when it already HAS, usually with 了 (他又迟到了 -- late again). Keep 才 without 了 (他九点才来, not 才来了), while 又 normally takes 了.
This grammar topic (Section G, G6) covers two things the exam rewards for range and organisation: the high-frequency adverbs 就 / 才 / 都 / 也 / 还 / 再 / 又 and where they sit, and the paired connectives that build complex sentences (因为……所以, 虽然……但是, 不但……而且, 如果……就, 一边……一边, 除了……以外, 先……然后). Using both halves of a connective pair, and placing adverbs correctly, is what lifts a plain answer into the higher bands in writing and speaking.
The golden rule: an adverb goes after the subject and before the verb — never after the verb, and never right at the front like English.
Subject + 也 / 都 / 还 / 就 / 才 / 再 / 又 + Verb
| 汉字 | Pinyin | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 也 | yě | also, too | 我也喜欢音乐。(Wǒ yě xǐhuan yīnyuè.) — I like music too. |
| 都 | dōu | all, both | 我们都是学生。(Wǒmen dōu shì xuésheng.) — We are all students. |
| 还 | hái | still; in addition | 现在还早。(Xiànzài hái zǎo.) — It is still early. |
| 就 | jiù | then; as early as | 他六点就起床了。(Tā liù diǎn jiù qǐchuáng le.) — He got up as early as six. |
| 才 | cái | only then; not until | 他十二点才睡。(Tā shí'èr diǎn cái shuì.) — He did not sleep until twelve. |
| 再 | zài | again (not yet done) | 明天再说吧。(Míngtiān zài shuō ba.) — Let us talk again tomorrow. |
| 又 | yòu | again (already done) | 他昨天又迟到了。(Tā zuótiān yòu chídào le.) — He was late again yesterday. |
Note: 都 comes after the group it sums up (我们都…, not 都我们…). When 也 and 都 appear together the order is fixed: 也都 (他们也都来了 — they all came too).
Both 再 and 又 mean "again". When do you use each?
用下面三个副词各写一个完整、正确的句子，并标出拼音：也、都、就。注意副词要放在动词前面。
Level-of-response questions with model answers and mark scheme rubrics.
你想请你的朋友这个周末跟你一起出去玩。请给他/她写一条微信留言，说清楚：（1）你们先做什么、然后做什么（用"先……然后"）；（2）如果天气不好，你们就做什么（用"如果……就"）；（3）为什么你想去（用"因为……所以"）。请用中文（汉字）书写，约80-90字，至少用两组关联词，注意副词要放在动词前面。（8分）
你们学校的中文杂志想请学生写一篇题目为「我最喜欢的活动」的文章。请谈谈：（1）你最喜欢的活动是什么，你一般先做什么、然后做什么（用"先……然后""一边……一边"）；（2）你为什么喜欢它（用"因为……所以""不但……而且"）；（3）这个活动有没有不好的地方，你怎么看（用"虽然……但是"）。请写你自己的情况，用中文（汉字）书写，约130-150字，用连接词把内容展开，注意副词要放在动词前面，不要只写一句「我喜欢运动」。（16分）
这是一段口语对话（Conversation）练习。话题：你的日常生活和课余时间。请你用中文回答老师的问题，每个答案都要展开（不要只回答一两个字），并且尽量用关联词把想法连起来（因为……所以、虽然……但是、不但……而且、先……然后）。老师可能会问： （1）说说你平常的一天，你先做什么、然后做什么？ （2）你课余时间喜欢做什么？为什么？ （3）你觉得中学生的生活忙不忙？有什么好处和不好的地方？ 请特别注意：把答案展开并用关联词，注意副词（都／也／就）要放在动词前面。（约30分）
