RealHSK

HSK 1Lesson 12 of 13 · 8 grammar points

Connecting clauses and viewing events

A narrative can combine clauses without a conjunction, add a parallel fact with 也 or an extra fact with 还. Aspect markers then show whether an event is realized, a state has changed, or an action continues. They are not English tense endings.

Learning goals (8)
  • Clauses without connectors.
  • Parallel clauses with 也.
  • Additional clauses with 还.
  • Realized events.
  • A changed situation.
  • Progressive without 呢.
  • Progressive with 呢.
  • Ongoing situation with 呢.

他在家

Clauses without connectors

Two clauses can relate through context without an overt conjunction. Read the sequence and subjects to infer the connection.

我去学校，他在家。

Wǒ qù xué xiào, tā zài jiā.

I go to school; he stays at home.

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Pitfall: A missing connector does not make two adjacent clauses ungrammatical.

…，也…

Parallel clauses with 也

Use 也 in the second predicate to state a parallel situation. When subjects differ, put 也 after the second subject.

我喜欢看书，他也喜欢。

Wǒ xǐ huān kàn shū, tā yě xǐ huān.

I like reading, and he does too.

More

Pitfall: The second subject normally comes before 也.

…，还…

Additional clauses with 还

还 introduces additional information, often something beyond what has already been mentioned.

她会说汉语，还会写汉字。

Tā huì shuō hàn yǔ, hái huì xiě hàn zì.

She can speak Chinese and can also write Chinese characters.

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Pitfall: This additive 还 differs from 还 meaning still.

了

Realized events

Perfective 了 follows the verb or its complement and presents an event as realized. Time reference comes from the wider sentence.

他喝了一杯水。

Tā hē le yī bēi shuǐ.

He drank a glass of water.

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Pitfall: 了 is not obligatory on every verb in a past-time narrative.

了

A changed situation

Sentence-final 了 can mark a new state, including one that is beginning now rather than completed in the past.

下雨了。

Xià yǔ le.

It has started raining.

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Pitfall: Here 了 signals a change; it does not mean the rain is finished.

…在/正在+动词

Progressive without 呢

在 or 正在 introduces an activity in progress. The activity must be compatible with an ongoing reading.

他在看书。

Tā zài kàn shū.

He is reading.

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Pitfall: Identity statements such as 是学生 do not normally take progressive 在.

…在/正在+动词…+呢

Progressive with 呢

呢 can reinforce an ongoing situation already marked with 在 or 正在.

她正在吃饭呢。

Tā zhèng zài chī fàn ne.

She is eating right now.

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Pitfall: 呢 is a discourse particle, not an object of 吃饭.

…呢

Ongoing situation with 呢

In a suitable context, a verb phrase followed by 呢 can describe what is happening without 在.

他看书呢。

Tā kàn shū ne.

He is reading.

More

Pitfall: Context matters: 呢 also appears in follow-up questions such as 你呢？

Source details (official syllabus)

  • Clauses without connectors

    Syllabus item
    不用关联词语的复句
    Category
    不用关联词语的复句
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L1-059
    PDF page
    388 (printed 385)

  • Parallel clauses with 也

    Syllabus item
    ……，也……
    Category
    并列复句
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L1-060
    PDF page
    388 (printed 385)

  • Additional clauses with 还

    Syllabus item
    ……，还……
    Category
    并列复句
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L1-061
    PDF page
    388 (printed 385)

  • Realized events

    Syllabus item
    用动态助词“了1”表示
    Category
    完成态
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L1-062
    PDF page
    388 (printed 385)

  • A changed situation

    Syllabus item
    用动态助词“了2”表示
    Category
    变化态
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L1-063
    PDF page
    388 (printed 385)

  • Progressive without 呢

    Syllabus item
    （1）……在/正在+动词
    Category
    进行态
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L1-064
    PDF page
    388 (printed 385)

  • Progressive with 呢

    Syllabus item
    （2）……在/正在+动词……+呢
    Category
    进行态
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L1-065
    PDF page
    388 (printed 385)

  • Ongoing situation with 呢

    Syllabus item
    （3）……呢
    Category
    进行态
    Grammar ID
    grammar-L1-066
    PDF page
    388 (printed 385)