The complete Band 1 grammar syllabus (GF 0025—2021) with 48 grammar points, organized by category. Every pattern includes Chinese examples, pinyin, and English translations.
Chinese uses direction words like 上 (up), 下 (down), 里 (inside), 外 (outside), 前 (front), 后 (behind), 左 (left), 右 (right), and compass directions 东南西北. Adding 边 creates a noun phrase meaning "the … side."
会 means "know how to" (a learned skill). 能 means "be able to" (capability or circumstance). Both are placed before the main verb.
想 expresses "want to" or "would like to." 要 is stronger, meaning "want" or "going to." Both are placed before the main verb.
Chinese question words stay in the same position the answer would occupy. There is no need to rearrange sentence order.
Chinese personal pronouns: 我 (I), 你 (you), 您 (you, formal), 他 (he), 她 (she). Add 们 for plurals: 我们, 你们, 他们, 她们.
这 (this), 那 (that), 这儿/这里 (here), 那儿/那里 (there), 这些 (these), 那些 (those), 别的 (other), 有的 (some).
Basic numbers: 一 to 十, 百 (hundred), 零 (zero), 半 (half). Use 两 instead of 二 before measure words.
Chinese requires a measure word between a number and a noun. Common ones: 杯 (cup), 本 (book), 个 (general), 家 (shop/family), 间 (room), 口 (person in family), 块 (piece/yuan).
A number + measure word combination forms a quantity phrase that can modify nouns, serve as objects, or act as subjects.
Placed before adjectives or verbs to express degree. 很 (very), 非常 (extremely), 太 (too), 真 (really), 最 (most).
都 (all/both) summarizes items already mentioned. 一块儿 and 一起 mean "together."
马上 (immediately), 先 (first), 有时 (sometimes), 在/正/正在 (right now, in progress).
常/常常 (often), 再 (again, for future actions).
还 (also/still/in addition), 也 (also/too). Used to connect related ideas.
不 negates present/future/habitual actions and adjectives. 没(有) negates past actions and 有. 别 is an imperative "don't."
从 introduces a starting point in time or space.
在 introduces a location where an action takes place. It comes before the verb.
As prepositions, 跟 and 和 introduce the person an action is done with.
比 introduces the object of comparison. The adjective follows directly.
As conjunctions, 跟 and 和 mean "and" (connecting nouns). 还是 means "or" (in questions).
的 links a modifier to a noun (like "of" or "'s"). 地 links an adverbial modifier to a verb.
了 placed directly after a verb marks a completed action. Negation uses 没 and drops 了.
吧 (suggestion/softener), 了 (change of state), 吗 (yes/no question), 呢 (follow-up question or ongoing action).
Chinese follows SVO word order. Nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases serve as subject and object. Verbs, verb phrases, adjectives, or adjective phrases serve as predicates.
Attributives (定语) modify nouns and come before them: adjectives, noun phrases, or number-measure phrases. Adverbials (状语) modify verbs: adverbs, adjectives, time/place phrases — all before the verb.
Four sentence types: declarative (陈述句), interrogative (疑问句 — yes/no, wh-, choice, or A-not-A), imperative (祈使句), and exclamatory (感叹句).
是 connects a subject to a noun/noun phrase for identity, description, or existence.
有 expresses possession ("have") and existence ("there is/are").
A 比 B + Adj means "A is more [adj] than B." A 没有 B + Adj means "A is not as [adj] as B."
Clauses can be joined without connectors, or with 一边……一边…… (doing two things at once), or ……也…… (also).
Sentence-final 了 indicates a change of state — something is now different from before.
了 directly after a verb marks completion. The object often includes a quantity.
Marks an action in progress. Use 在/正在 before the verb, optionally 呢 at the end. 呢 alone can also indicate ongoing action.
Prices use 块 (yuan, informal), 毛 (0.1 yuan), 分 (0.01 yuan). Trailing units can be dropped.
Dates go from largest to smallest: 年 (year) → 月 (month) → 日/号 (day). Clock times use 点 (o'clock), 分 (minute), 半 (half).
Four main ways to ask questions: add 吗 (yes/no), use a question word (什么, 谁, 哪, etc.), use 还是 (A or B?), or use A-not-A form (V不V, V没V).
① 吗 Questions
② Question-Word Questions
③ 还是 Questions (A or B)
④ A-not-A Questions
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