HSK 4Lesson 8 of 14 · 8 grammar points
Disposal, passives and causing action
把 constructions can specify a brief, completed, measured or qualified action. 叫/让 may be passive markers, while pivotal constructions use a participant as both an object and the actor of a following predicate. Track the roles, not just the keywords.
Learning goals (8)
- 把 with a brief action.
- 把 with completion.
- 把 with measured action.
- 把 with a qualifying adverbial.
- Conversational passive agents.
- Evaluation plus an action.
- Selecting someone for a role.
- Causing a reaction.
把
把 with a brief action
After 把+object, a reduplicated verb can specify a brief handling action.
请把这篇文章看一看。
Please take a look at this article.
More
Pitfall: The reduplication supplies a bounded action; a bare verb may not work equivalently.
主语+把+宾语+动词+了
把 with completion
把+object+verb+了 can be natural when the verb and context make a disposal result clear.
他把票退了。
He returned the ticket for a refund.
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Pitfall: Do not infer that any verb+了 licenses a 把 construction.
把
把 with measured action
A frequency or duration complement specifies what was done to the affected object.
我把这本书看了三遍。
I read this book through three times.
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把书看了三遍 counts full readings. 把信放了三天才寄 reports leaving the letter for three days before mailing it. The latter requires a context supporting the effect on an already identified object.
Pitfall: A duration may need careful context; not every activity naturally affects an object.
主语+把+宾语+状语+动词
把 with a qualifying adverbial
An adverbial after the object can specify how it is handled.
请把这件事认真考虑一下。
Please give this matter careful consideration.
More
Pitfall: An adverbial alone does not make every unsuitable verb acceptable with 把.
让
Conversational passive agents
叫 and 让 can introduce the agent of a passive, usually with that agent overtly present.
我的伞让小王拿走了。
My umbrella was taken away by Xiao Wang.
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Pitfall: This 让 is passive, not permission for the umbrella to do something.
表扬他
Evaluation plus an action
After 表扬 or 批评, the person can also serve as the subject of the reason for evaluation.
老师表扬他学习认真。
The teacher praised him for studying conscientiously.
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老师表扬他学习认真 praises his conscientious studying. 老师批评他上课说话 criticizes his talking in class. The shared person is evaluated because of the following action or property.
Pitfall: The following clause explains what the person did or how they behaved.
当班长
Selecting someone for a role
选/收 plus a person can be followed by 当、做 or 为 and the assigned role.
大家选他当班长。
Everyone elected him class monitor.
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选他当班长 elect him monitor; 收他做学生 accept him as a student; 选他为代表 choose him as a representative. The role expression refers back to the pivotal person.
Pitfall: The role belongs to the selected person, not to the selecting subject.
让我
Causing a reaction
使 or 让 introduces a person whose following state or action is caused by the first subject.
这个消息让我很高兴。
This news makes me happy.
More
Pitfall: This is causation, not necessarily a passive sentence.
Source details (official syllabus)
把 with a brief action
- Syllabus item
- （1）主语+把+宾语+动词（+一/了）+动词
- Category
- “把”字句2
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L4-055
- PDF page
- 396 (printed 393)
把 with completion
- Syllabus item
- （2）主语+把+宾语+动词+了
- Category
- “把”字句2
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L4-056
- PDF page
- 396 (printed 393)
把 with measured action
- Syllabus item
- （3）主语+把+宾语+动词+动量补语/时量补语
- Category
- “把”字句2
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L4-057
- PDF page
- 396 (printed 393)
把 with a qualifying adverbial
- Syllabus item
- （4）主语+把+宾语+状语+动词
- Category
- “把”字句2
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L4-058
- PDF page
- 396 (printed 393)
Conversational passive agents
- Syllabus item
- 主语+叫/让+宾语+动词+其他成分
- Category
- 被动句2
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L4-059
- PDF page
- 396 (printed 393)
Evaluation plus an action
- Syllabus item
- （1）表爱憎义：主语+表扬/批评+宾语1+动词+宾语2
- Category
- 兼语句2
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L4-060
- PDF page
- 396 (printed 393)
Selecting someone for a role
- Syllabus item
- （2）表称谓或认定义：主语+收/选+宾语1+做/当/为+宾语2
- Category
- 兼语句2
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L4-061
- PDF page
- 396 (printed 393)
Causing a reaction
- Syllabus item
- （3）表致使：主语+使/让+人称代词+动词短语
- Category
- 兼语句2
- Grammar ID
- grammar-L4-062
- PDF page
- 396 (printed 393)
- 1FILL BLANK
请把这篇文章。
Choose the expression that completes the sentence.
“Please take a look at this article.”
- 2FILL BLANK
这个消息很高兴。
Choose the expression that completes the sentence.
“This news makes me happy.”
- 3MATCH
Tap a sentence, then tap its meaning.
Tap a sentence, then tap its meaning.
- 4CHOOSE
In 老师让我读课文, who reads?
- 5CHOOSE
我的自行车让人骑走了。
Which reading fits 让 here?
- 6ORDER
Tap the chunks to build the sentence.
“Please take a look at this article.”
Tap the chunks in order. - 7ORDER
Tap the chunks to build the sentence.
“He returned the ticket for a refund.”
Tap the chunks in order.
0 of 7 tasks answered.
Next lesson: Comparative judgment and strong affirmation →主语+把+宾语+动词+了把 with completion
- 爸爸看见了，走过来把水龙头关了。 A Leaking Tap at Home · HSK 3
- 我早把那件事忘了。 One Thing Missing From the Report · HSK 5
- 不管我怎样主动找她说话，她总是一两句话就把我打发了，甚至约她一起吃饭也被她推掉。 I Misunderstood My Friend · HSK 5
主语+把+宾语+状语+动词把 with a qualifying adverbial
- 他爸爸却说不放汤才好吃，说着把汤碗往儿子那边推。 How Should Dumplings Be Eaten · HSK 4
- 妈妈换了新手机，让我把旧手机里的照片都放进去。 Old Photos on the New Phone · HSK 4
- 奶奶戴上眼镜，小心地把脸靠近屏幕，看得很认真。 Teaching Grandma to Make a Video Call · HSK 5
让我Causing a reaction
- 这种微小而温暖的交流，让我忍不住确定：只要愿意打开心门，哪里都可以成为家。 Moving to a New City · HSK 5
- 这次我没马上回答，先叫同事过来，让他说明还要检查哪些地方。 Can You Pick It Up at Two · HSK 4
- 她摇了摇头，说：“我不想让你担心，也不想因为我的私事影响你的生活。” I Misunderstood My Friend · HSK 5