Grammar Reference

The four tones of Mandarin Chinese

I can recognize and produce the four tones

Pinyin initial consonants

I can correctly pronounce all 21 Mandarin initials

Pinyin final vowels and combinations

I can pronounce all Mandarin finals including ü

Basic Subject-Verb-Object word order in Chinese

I can form basic SVO sentences

Sentences with 是 (shì) — to be (equating nouns)

I can use 是 to identify people and things

Sentences with 有 (yǒu) — to have / there is

I can express possession and existence using 有

Question particles 吗 and 呢 for forming questions

I can form yes/no questions with 吗 and follow-up questions with 呢

Uses of 在 — at/in (location) and ongoing actions

I can express location and describe ongoing actions with 在

Using 了 to indicate completed actions

I can express completed actions using 了

Using 过 to express past experience

I can talk about past experiences using 过

Modal verbs 能, 会, and 可以 for ability and permission

I can express ability, skill, and permission using 能, 会, and 可以

Using 想 and 要 to express wants and intentions

I can express wishes and intentions using 想 and 要

Personal pronouns in Chinese

I can use all personal pronouns correctly

Demonstrative pronouns 这 and 那

I can use 这/那 with measure words to identify things

Question words: who, what, which, where, how

I can ask basic questions using question words

Measure words (classifiers) used between numbers and nouns

I can use common measure words with nouns

Using 的 (de) to show possession and modify nouns

I can express possession and modify nouns using 的

Using 们 (men) to form plural pronouns and address groups of people

I can form plural pronouns and address groups of people using 们

Using 很 (hěn) with adjective predicates instead of 是 (shì)

I can describe people and things using adjective predicates with 很

Making comparisons with 比

I can compare two things using 比 and 没有

Negation with 不 (bù) for habitual actions, states, and adjectives

I can negate statements about habits, states, and descriptions using 不

Negation with 没 (méi) for past actions and the verb 有 (yǒu)

I can negate past actions and express not having something using 没

Using 也 (yě, also) and 都 (dōu, all/both) as adverbs before the verb

I can use 也 (also) and 都 (all) correctly before verbs

Chinese numbers from 1 to 100 and basic counting rules

I can count from 1 to 100 and use 二/两 correctly

Expressing dates using 年 (year), 月 (month), and 日/号 (day)

I can say and understand dates in Chinese using year-month-day order

Telling time with 点 (diǎn, o'clock), 半 (bàn, half), and 分 (fēn, minutes)

I can ask and tell the time in Chinese including hours, half hours, and minutes

Prepositions 在, 从, and 到 for location and direction

I can express location and direction using 在, 从, and 到

Prepositions 给, 对, and 跟 for recipients, targets, and companions

I can express recipients, targets, and companions using 给, 对, and 跟

Using 和 to connect nouns (and why it can't connect clauses)

I can use 和 correctly to connect nouns and avoid using it between clauses

Expressing cause and effect with 因为...所以

I can express cause and effect using 因为...所以