# Unit 8

## Introduction

### Topics covered in this unit

1. More on duration phrases.

2. The marker le for new situations in negative sentences.

3. Military titles and 'branches of service,

4. The marker ne.

5. Process verbs.

### Material you will need

1. The C-l and P-l tapes, the Reference List and Reference Notes.

2. The C-2 and P-2 tapes, the Workbook.

3. The 8D-1 tape.

## References

### Reference List

1. | A: | Nǐ jīntiān hái yǒu kè ma? | 你今天还有课吗？ | Do you have any more classes today?
| B: | Měiyou kè le. | 没有课了。 | I don't have any more classes.
2. | A: | Nǐ cóngqián niàn Yīngwén niànle duó jiǔ? | 你从前念英文念了多久？ | How long did you study English?
| B: | Wǒ niàn Yīngwén niànle liǔnián. | 我念英文念了六年。 | I studied English for six years.
3. | A: | Nǐ xiànzài niàn shénme ne? | 你现在念什么呢？ | What are you studying now?
| B: | Wǒ niàn Fàwén ne. | 我念法文 | I'm studying French.
4. | A: | Nǐ niàn Fàwén niànle duó jiǔ le? | 你念法文念了多久了？ | How long have you studying French?
| B: | Wǒ niànle yìnián le. | 我念了一年了。 | I've have been studying it for one year.
5. | A: | Nǐ huì xiě Zhōngguo zì ma? | 你会写中国字吗？ | Can you write Chinese characters?
| B: | Huì yìdiǎn. | 会一点。 | I can a little.
6. | A: | Qǜnián wǒ hái bú huì xiě. | 去年我还不会写。 | Last year, I couldn't write them.
| B: | Xiànzài wǒ huì xiě yìdiǎn le. | 现在我会写一点了。 | Now, I can write a little.
7. | A: | Nǐ fùqin shi jǖnrén ma? | 你父亲是军人吗？ | Is your father a military man?
| B: | Shì, tā shi hǎijǖn jǖnguān. | 是，他是海军陆军。 | Yes, he is a naval officer.
8. | A: | Wǒ jīntiān bù lái le. | 我今天不来了。 | I'm not coming today.
| B: | Wǒ bìng le. | 我病了。 | I'm sick.
9. | A: | Jīntiān hǎo le méiyou? | 今天好了没有？ | Are you better today? (Are you recovered?)
| B: | Jīntiān hǎo le. | 今天好了。 | Today I'm better.

### Vocabulary

kōngjǖn | 空军 | Air Force
lùjǖn | 陆军 | army
shìbīng | 事兵 | enlisted man
zuò shì | 做事 | to work
Déwén | 德文 | German language
bìng | 病 | to become ill
Déwén | 德文 | German language
Fàwén | 法文 | French language
hǎijǖn | 海军 | navy
jǖnguān | 陆军 | military officer
jǖnrén | 军人 | military person
kè | 课 | class
xiě | 写 | to write
zì | 字 | character

### Reference Notes

#### Notes on №1

1. | A: | Nǐ jīntiān hái yǒu kè ma? | 你今天还有课吗？ | Do you have any more classes today?
| B: | Měiyou kè le. | 没有课了。 | I don't have any more classes.

Hái, "additionally," "also": You have already learned the word hái used as an adverb meaning "still." In this exchange you learn a second way to use hái.

Nǐ hái xiǎng zǒu ma? | Do you still want to leave?
Nǐ hái yào xüé shénme? | What else do you want to study?

Méiyou...le: You will remember that in the negative of a completed action, méi or méiyou replaces the completion marker le is never used together with it.

Tā |  | lái | le. | He came.
Tā | méi(you) | lái. |  | He did not come.

In the sentence Méiyou kè le, le is a new-situation marker, and méiyou is simply the negative of the full verb yǒu. (Remember that the verb yǒu is always made negative with méi, never with bù.)

Tā |  | yǒu kè | le. | Now he has class. [Due to a change in the schedule, he now has class at this time.]
Tā | méi- | yǒu kè | le. | He doesn't have any more classes.

Bù...le/méiyou...le: When the marker le for new situations is used with a negative verb, there are two possible meanings:

1. one is that something that was supposed to happen is now not going to happen.

2. the other is that something that was happening is not happening anymore.

Thus the following sentence is ambiguous:

Tā bù lái le. | He is not coining now. [Either he was expected to come but changed his mind, or he used to come at this time but now has stopped.]

In the context of a conversation, the meaning of the sentence would become clear.

Here are more-examples with the "anymore" meaning:

Tā bú niàn shū le. | He is not going to study anymore.[He will no longer attend college.]
Tā bú shi wǒde péngyou le. | He is not my friend anymore.
Méiyou le. | There is no more.

#### Notes on №2

2. | A: | Nǐ cóngqián niàn Yīngwén niànle duó jiǔ? | 你从前念英文念了多久？ | How long did you study English?
| B: | Wǒ niàn Yīngwén niànle liǔnián. | 我念英文念了六年。 | I studied English for six years.

More on duration: In Unit 6 of this module, you learned to express duration in a sentence with no object (Wǒ zài Xiāngǎng zhùle liùge yüè le. ). In this unit, you learn one way to express the duration of an activity which involves using both a verb and an object (e.g. , "studying economics"). In such cases, the verb appears twice in the sentence: first when the object is stated, and again when the duration is stated.

Tā niàn jīngjixüé, niánle yìnián. | He studied economics for one year.
Tā xüé Zhōngguo huà, xüéle sānge yüè le. | He has been studying Chinese for three months.

Notice that aspect markers do not occur after the first verb in each sentence, but only after the second verb and at the end of the second sentence.

#### Notes on №3

3. | A: | Nǐ xiànzài niàn shénme ne? | 你现在念什么呢？ | What are you studying now?
| B: | Wǒ niàn Fàwén ne. | 我念法文 | I'm studying French.

Ne is an aspect marker used to emphasize the fact that something is in progress. With action verbs, ne indicates that the action is going on.

With state verbs, ne shows that the state exists. With some process verbs, ne indicates that the process is going on. Ne may not be used with certain process verbs. (See also notes on No. 8, about verbs.)

#### Notes on №4-5

4. | A: | Nǐ niàn Fàwén niànle duó jiǔ le? | 你念法文念了多久了？ | How long have you studying French?
| B: | Wǒ niànle yìnián le. | 我念了一年了。 | I've have been studying it for one year.
5. | A: | Nǐ huì xiě Zhōngguo zì ma? | 你会写中国字吗？ | Can you write Chinese characters?
| B: | Huì yìdiǎn. | 会一点。 | I can a little.

Xiě Zhōngguo zì: The verb xiě, "to write" can occur with specific objects, such as Zhōngguo zì, as well as with the general object zì. The combination xiě zìcan mean either "to write characters" or simply "to write."

Tā xiǎng xüé Zhōngguo zì. | He wants to learn to write Chinese characters.
Xiǎo dìdi sìsuì le, yǐjīng huì xiě zì le. | Little younger brother is four years old and already can write.

In the reply huì yìdiǎn, huì is used as a main verb --not as an auxiliary verb, as in the question.

As a main verb, huì means "to have the skill of," "to have the knowledge of," "to know."

Wǒ huì Yīngwén. | I know English.

#### Notes on №6

6. | A: | Qǜnián wǒ hái bú huì xiě. | 去年我还不会写。 | Last year, I couldn't write them.
| B: | Xiànzài wǒ huì xiě yìdiǎn le. | 现在我会写一点了。 | Now, I can write a little.

Qùnián wǒ hái bú huì xiě.: Notice that here it is the auxiliary verb huì, not the verb xiě, that is made negative. Auxiliary verbs such as huì and xiǎng are STATE verbs and so are made negative with the prefix bù, regardless of whether the context is past, present, or future.

Xiànzài wǒ huì xiě yìdiǎn le.: The marker used is le for new situations. It is always placed at the end of a sentence.

The time word xiànzài comes at the beginning of the sentence here. Most time words of more than one syllable may come either before or after the subject, but in either case before the verb.

#### Notes on №7-8

7. | A: | Nǐ fùqin shi jǖnrén ma? | 你父亲是军人吗？ | Is your father a military man?
| B: | Shì, tā shi hǎijǖn jǖnguān. | 是，他是海军陆军。 | Yes, he is a naval officer.
8. | A: | Wǒ jīntiān bù lái le. | 我今天不来了。 | I'm not coming today.
| B: | Wǒ bìng le. | 我病了。 | I'm sick.

The verb bìng, "to get sick," "to become ill," is a process verb; that is the activity described includes some changes in the situation. Process verbs tell of an action which has caused a change from one state to another, as from whole to broken ("to break") and from frozen to melted ("to melt"). Bìng is typical of process verbs: not only is an action described (coming down with an illness) but also a resulting state (being ill). Because of this typical combination, process verbs are sometimes thought of as combining the semantic characteristics of action and state verbs.

One of the main purposes of talking about verbs in terms of action, state, and process is to draw attention to the fact that the Chinese way of expressing something may not correspond to the English.

For instance,

"I am sick" in Chinese is Wǒ bìng le. ("I have gotten sick"). For "I am not sick," you say Wǒ méi bìng. ("I didn't get sick").

Process verbs are always made negative with m|i9 regardless of whether you are referring to past, present, or future.

Nǐ bìng le méiyou? | Are you sick?
Méiyou. Wǒ méi bing. | No. I'm not sick.

(State verbs are always made negative with bù.)

Another reason for putting verbs into categories according to the type of meaning is to discover how verbs behave in sentences. Knowing whether a verb is in the action, state, or process category, you will know what aspect markers and negatives may be used with that verb. In the following charts, a check mark means that this combination of verb and aspect occurs in the language.

| Aspect Markers
Completion le | Combined le | New-situation
Verbs | Action | X | X | X
State |  |  | X
Process | X | X | X

Examples: [8]

Action | Tā zuótiān gōngzuò le. | He worked yesterday. (completion Le)
Tā yǐjīng lái le. | He has already come. (combined le)
Gēge xiànzài niàn dàxüé le. | Older brother goes to college now. (new-situation le)[a]
State | Tā xiànzài huì xiě zì le. | He can write now. (new-situation le)
Process | Tā zuótiān bìng le. | He got sick yesterday. (completion le)
Tā xiànzài bìng le. | He is sick.(combined le)
Tā bìngle yíge yüé le. | He has been sick for one month now. (new-situation le and completion le)
[a] In affirmative sentences containing action verbs, the marker le for new situations is used to describe a change in a general habit.

| Verbs
Action | State | Process
Negation | bù | X | X |
—negation of completion le | X |  | X
—negation of combined le | X |  | X

Examples:

Action | Tā bú niàn shū. | He doesn’t (isn't going to) study
Tā méi niàn shū. | He didn't study.
Tā hái méi niàn shū. | He hasn’t studied yet,
State | Tā qǜnián bù xiǎng niàn shū. | Last year, she didn't want to study.
Process | Tā jīntiān méi bìng. | He is not sick today.
Tā hái méi hǎo. | He hasn't yet recovered.

Notice that only action verbs use the whole range of negatives to mark the negative of future or present action, completed action, or new situations. State verbs use the negative prefix bù even when referring to past states. Process verbs use the negative prefix méi even when referring to something in the present.

If you find a verb occurring with a negative or an aspect marker you had not expected, you might discuss with your teacher how the verb behaves in terms of these charts. You might discover that what you thought was a state verb is actually a process verb, or vice versa.

#### Notes on №9

9. | A: | Jīntiān hǎo le méiyou? | 今天好了没有？ | Are you better today? (Are you recovered?)
| B: | Jīntiān hǎo le. | 今天好了。 | Today I'm better.

Jīntiān hǎo le.: Hǎo is one of many state verbs which can become process verbs. When such a verb becomes a process verb, it takes on a different meaning. While the state verb hǎo means "to be good" or "to be well," the process verb hǎo means "to get better," "to recover." Compare these sentences:

Tā hǎo. | He's in good health.
Tā zuótiān bìng le. Tā jīntiān yǐjīng hǎo le. | Yesterday he became sick. Today he is already recovered.

The difference between the state verb hǎo and the process verb hǎo is even more evident in negative sentences. State verbs, as you remember, are made negative only with bù. Process verbs are made negative only with méi or hái méi.

Tā bù hǎo. | He's not good. [He’s not a good person.]
Tā hái méi hǎo. | He hasn't yet recovered. [He is still sick.]

It can be difficult to remember that bìng and hǎo, sometimes translated as "to be sick" and "to be better," are actually process verbs in Chinese, not state verbs.

The English sentence "I am better (recovered)" translates as Wǒ hǎo le. ("I have become veil") and would be incorrect without the le.

Jīntiān hǎo le méiyou? Questions may be formed from statements containing completion le or combined le by adding méiyou at the end of the statements.

You will learn more about forming questions in the first unit of the next module.

Tā láile méiyou? | Did he come?
Nǐ hǎole méiyou? | Are you recovered (from your illness)?

## Drills

### Response drill

Table 2.88.

| Question |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她今天还有课吗？ Tā jīntiān hái yǒu kè ma? Does he have any more class today? |  | 他/她没有课了。 Tā méiyou kè le. He doesn't have any more classes.
2. | 他/她今天还来吗？ Tā jīntiān hái lái ma? Is he/she still coming today? |  | 他/她不来了。 Tā bù lái le. He/she is not coming.
3. | 他/她现在还会说中国话吗？ Tā xiànzài hái huì shuō Zhōngguó huà ma? Does he/she still speak Chinese now? |  | 他/她不会说中国话了。 Tā bú huì shuō Zhōngguò huà le. He/she can't speak Chinese anymore.
4. | 他/她现在还有中国书吗？ Tā xiànzài hái yǒu Zhōngguó shū ma? Does he/she still have Chinese books now? |  | 他/她没有中国书了。 Tā méiyou Zhōngguó shū le. He/she has no more Chinese books anymore.
5. | 他/她还念历史吗？ Tā hái niàn lìshǐ ma? Does he/she still study history? |  | 他/她不念历史了。 Tā bú niàn lìshǐ le. He/she doesn't study history anymore.
6. | 他/她现在还在空军工作吗？ Tā xiànzài hái zài kōngjǖn gōngzuò ma? Is he/she still working in the Air Force? |  | 他/她不在空军工作。 Tā bú zài kōngjǖn gōngzuò. He/she does not work in the Air Force anymore.
7. | 他/她现在还想走吗？ Tā xiànzài hái xiǎng zǒu ma? Does he/she still want to leave now? |  | 他/她不想走了。 Tā bù xiǎng zǒu le. He/she doesn't want to go anymore.

### Expansion drill

Table 2.89.

| Question |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她从前念历史。 Tā cóngqián niàn lìshǐ. He/she formerly studied history. |  | 他/她从前念历史，现在不念了。 Tā cóngqián niàn lìshǐ, xiànzài bú niàn le. He/she formerly studied history, but now he/she doesn't anymore.
2. | 他/她从前念书。 Tā cóngqián niàn shū. He/she used to study. |  | 他/她从前念书，现在不念了。 Tā cóngqián niàn shū, xiànzài bú niàn le. He/she used to study, now he/she doesn't anymore.
3. | 他/她从前在陆军做事。 Tā cóngqián zài lùjǖn zuò shì. He/she used to be in the Army. |  | 他/她从前在陆军做事，现在不在陆军作是了。 Tā cóngqián zài lùjǖn zuò shì, xiànzài bú zài lùjǖn zuò shì le. He/she used to be in the Army, but he/she doesn't anymore.
4. | 他/她从前不会。 Tā cóngqián bú huì. He/she used to not. |  | 他/她从前不会，现在会了。 Tā cóngqián bú huì, xiànzài huì le. He/she used to not, but now he/she does.
5. | 他/她从前不知道。 Tā cóngqián bù zhīdào. He/she never knew before. |  | 他/她从不前知道，现在知道了。 Tā cóngqián bù zhīdào, xiànzài zhīdào le. He/she never knew before, but he/she knows now.
6. | 他/她中文从前不很好。 Tāde Zhōngwén cóngqián bù hěn hǎo. He/she wasn't very good at Chinese. |  | 他/她中文从前不很好，现在很好了。 Tāde Zhōngwén cóngqián bù hěn hǎo, xiànzài hěn hǎo le. He/she wasn't very good at Chinese, but he/she is now.
7. | 他/她从前会说法国话。 Tā cóngqián huì shuō Fàguó huà. He/she used to speak French. |  | 他/她从前会说法国话，现在不会了。 Tā cóngqián huì shuō Fàguó huà, xiànzài bú huì le. He/she used to speak French, now he/she doesn't.

### Transformation drill

Table 2.90.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她念过政治学。 Tā niànguo zhèngzhixüé. He/she has studied political science. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她念政治学， 念了多久？ Tā niàn zhèngzhixüé, niànle duó jiǔ? How long did he/she study political science?
2. | 他/她念过经济学。 Tā niànguo jīngjixüé. He/she has studied economics. |  | 几年 jǐnián how many years |  | 他/她念经济学，念了几年？ Tā niàn jīngjixüé, niànle jǐnián? How many years did he/she study economics?
3. | 他/她念过中国文学。 Tā niànguo Zhōngguó wénxüé. He/she has studied literature. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她念中国文学，念了多久？ Tā niàn Zhōngguó wénxüé, niànle duō jiǔ? How long did he/she study literature?
4. | 他/她学过日文？ Tā xüéguo Rìwén. He/she has learned Japanese. |  | 几个月 jǐge yüè how many months |  | 他/她学日文，学了几个月？ Tā xüé Rìwén, xüéle jǐge yüè? How many months did he/she learn Japanese?
5. | 他/她在空军做过事。 Tā zài kōngjǖn zuòguo shì. He/she has worked in the Air Force. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她在空军做事，做了多久？ Tā zài kōngjǖn zuò shì, zuòle duō jiǔ? How long did he/she work in the Air Force?
6. | 他/她念过中国历史。 Tā niànguo Zhōngguó lìshǐ. He/she has studied Chinese history. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她念中国历史，念了多久？ Tā niàn Zhōngguó lìshǐ, niànle duō jiǔ? How long did he/she study history?
7. | 他/她念过英国文学。 Tā niànguo Yīngguó wénxüé. He/she has studied English literature. |  | 几年 jǐnián how many years |  | 他/她念英国文学，念了几年？ Tā niàn Yīngguó wénxüé, niànle jǐniàn? How many years did he/she study literature?

### Transformation drill

Table 2.91.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她现在念历史。 Tā xiànzài niàn lìshǐ. He/she is studying history now. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她念历史，念了多久了？ Tā niàn lìshǐ, niànle duō jiǔ le? How long has he been studying history?
2. | 他/她现在学日文。 Tā xiànzài xüé Rìwén. He/she is studying Japanese now. |  | 几个月 jǐge yüè how many months |  | 他/她学日文，学了几个月？ Tā xüé Rìwén, xüéle jǐge yüè? How many months has he been studying Japanese?
3. | 他/她现在念英文。 Tā xiànzài niàn Yīngwén. He/she is studying English now. |  | 几个月 jǐge yüè how many months |  | 他/她念了英文，里念了几个月了？ Tā niànle Yīngwén, niànle jǐge yüè le? How many months has he been studying English?
4. | 他/她现在在海军做事。 Tā xiànzài zài hǎijǖn zuò shì. He/she is now working in the Navy. |  | 几年 jǐnián how many years |  | 他/她在海军做事，作了几年了？ Tā zài hǎijǖn zuò shì, zuòle jǐnián le? How many years has he been working in the Navy?
5. | 他/她现在学中国话。 Tā xiànzài xüé Zhōngguó huà. He/she is learning Chinese now. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她中国话，学了多久了？ Tā xüé Zhōngguó huà, xüéle duō jiǔ le? How long has he/she been learning Chinese?
6. | 他/她现在在陆军做事。 Tā xiànzài zài lùjǖn zuò shì. He/she is working in the Army now. |  | 几年 jínián how many years |  | 他/她在陆军做事，作了几年了？ Tā zài lùjǖn zuò shì, zuòle jǐnián le? How many years has he/she been working in the Army?
7. | 他/她在银行做事。 Ta ziànzài zài yínháng zuò shì. He/she is working in a bank now. |  | 几年 jǐnián how many years |  | 他/她银行做事，作了寄来哪了？ Tā zài yínháng zuò shì, zuòle jǐnián le? How many years has he/she been working in the bank?

### Transformation drill

Table 2.92.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她现在还念历史呢。 Tā xiànzài hái niàn lìshǐ ne. He/she is still studying history. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她念历史，还想念多久？ Tā niàn lìshǐ, hái xiǎng niàn duō jiǔ? How much longer is he/she going to study history?
2. | 他/她现在还念中国文学呢。 Tā xiànzài hái niàn Zhōngguó wènxüé ne. He/she is still studying Chinese literature. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她念中国历史，还想念多久？ Tā niàn Zhōngguó wènxüé, hái xiǎng niàn duō jiǔ? How much longer is he/she going to study Chinese literature?
3. | 他/她现在还学日文呢。 Tā xiànzài hái xüé Rìwén ne. He/she is still learning Japanese. |  | 几个月 jǐge yüè how many months |  | 他/她学日文，还想学几个月？ Tā xüé Rìwén, hái xiǎng xüé jǐge yüè? How much longer is he/she going to learn Japanese?
4. | 他/她现在还在陆军做事呢。 Tā xiànzài hái zài lùjǖn zuò shì ne. He/she is still working for the Army. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她陆军做事，还想做多久？ Tā zài lùjǖn zuò shì, hái xiǎng zuò duō jiǔ?
5. | 他/她现在还学中国话呢。 Tā xiànzài hái xüé Zhōngguó huà ne. He/she is still learning Chinese. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她学中国话，还想邪恶多久？ Tā xüé Zhōngguó huà, hái xiǎng xüé duō jiǔ? How long is he/she going to learn Chinese?
6. | 他/她现在还念政治学呢。 Tā zianzài hái niàn zhèngzhixüé ne. He/she is still studying political science. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她念政治学，还想念多久？ Tā niàn zhèngzhixüé, hái xiǎng niàn duō jiǔ? How long is he/she going to study political science?
7. | 他/她现在还念经济学呢。 Tā ziànzài hái niàn jīngjixüé ne. He/she is still studying economics. |  | 多久 duō jiǔ how long |  | 他/她念经济学，还想年多久？ Tā niàn jīngjixüé, hái xiǎng niàn duō jiǔ? How long is he/she going to study economics?

### Transformation drill

Table 2.93.

| Question |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她现在念历史。 Tā xiànzài niàn lìshǐ. He is studying history now. |  | 他/她念历史，念了多久了？ Tā niàn lìshǐ, niànle duō jiǔ le? How long has he studied history?
2. | 他/她念过历史。 Tā niànguo lìshǐ. He studied history. |  | 他/她念历史，念了对久？ Tā niàn lìshǐ, niànle duō jiǔ? How long did he study history?
3. | 他/她现在还念历史。 Tā xiànzài hái niàn lìshǐ. He/she is still studying history. |  | 他/她念历史，还想念多久？ Tā niàn lìshǐ, hái xiǎng niàn duō jiǔ? How long does he/she plan to study history?
4. | 他/她现在念中国文学。 Tā xiànzài niàn Zhōngguó wènxüé. He/she is now studying Chinese literature. |  | 他/她念中国文学，念了多久了？ Tā niàn Zhōngguó wènxüé, niànle duō jiǔ le? How long has he/she been studying Chinese literature?
5. | 他/她念过中国文学。 Tā niànguo Zhōngguó wènxüé. He/she has studied Chinese literature. |  | 他/她念中国文学，念了多久？ Tā niàn Zhōngguó wènxüé, niànle duō jiǔ? How long did he/she study Chinese literature?
6. | 他/她现在还念日文。 Tā ziànzài hái niàn Rìwén. He/she is still studying Japanese. |  | 他/她念日文，还想念多久？ Tā niàn Rìwén， hái xiǎng niàn duó jiǔ? How long does he/she plan to study Japanese?
7. | 他/她念过日文。 Tā niànguo Rìwén. He/she has studied Chinese. |  | 他/她念日文，念了多久？ Tā niàn Rìwén, niànle duō jiǔ? How long has he/she been studying Japanese?
8. | 他/她学过英文。 Tā xüéguo Yīngwén. He/she has learned English. |  | 他/她学英文，学了多久？ Tā xüé Yīngwén, xüéle duō jiǔ? How long has he/she been learning English?
9. | 他/她现在还学英文。 Tā xiànzài hái xüé Yīngwén. He/she is still learning English. |  | 他/她学英文，还想学多久？ Tā xüé Yīngwén, hái xiǎng xüé duō jiǔ? How long does he/she plan to learn English.
10. | 他/她现在在空军做事。 Tā xiànzài zài kōngjǖn zuò shì. He/she now works for the Air Force. |  | 他/她在空军做事，做了多久了？ Tā zài kōngjǖn zuò shì, zuòle duō jiǔ le? how long has he/she been working for the Air Force?

### Expansion drill

Table 2.94.

| Question |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她写了吗？ Tā xiě le ma? Did he/she write? |  | 他/她还没写。 Tā hái méi xiě. He/she still hasn't written.
2. | 他/她来了吗？ Tā lái le ma? Did he/she come? |  | 他/她还没来。 Tā hái méi lái. He/she still hasn't come.
3. | 他/她好了吗？ Tā hǎo le ma? Did he/she get better? |  | 他/她还没好。 Tā hái méi hǎo. He/she still hasn't got better.
4. | 他/她懂了吗？ Tā dǒng le ma? Did he/she understand? |  | 他/她还没董。 Tā hái méi dǒng. He/she still hasn't understood.
5. | 他/她走了吗？ Tā zǒu le ma? Did he/she leave? |  | 他/她还没走。 Tā hái méi zǒu. He/she still hasn't left?
6. | 他/她听了吗？ Tā tīng le ma? Did he/she listen? |  | 他/她还没听。 Tā hái méi tīng. He/she still hasn't listened?
7. | 他/她学了吗？ Tā xüé le ma? Did he/she learn? |  | 他/她还美学。 Tā hái méi xüé. He/she still hasn't learned.

### Response drill

Table 2.95.

| Question |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她从前不会写中国字。现在呢？ Tā cóngqián bú huì xiě Zhōngguó zì. Xiànzài ne? In the past he/she couldn't write Chinese characters. And now? |  | 他/她还不会写中国字。 Tā hái bú huì xiě Zhōngguó zì. He/she still can't write Chinese characters.
2. | 他/她从前不想学日文。现在呢？ Tā cóngqián bù xiǎng xüé Rìwén. Xiànzài ne? In the past he/she didn't want to learn Japanese. And now? |  | 他/她还不想学日文。 Tā hái bù xiǎng xüé Rìwén. He/she still doesn't want to learn Japanese.
3. | 他/她从前不念历史。现在呢？ Tā cóngqián bú niàn lìshǐ. Xiànzài ne? In the past he/she didn't learn history. And now? |  | 他/她还不念历史。 Tā hái bú niàn lìshǐ. He/she still doesn't learn history.
4. | 他/她从前不董法文。现在呢？ Tā cóngqián bù dǒng Fàwén. Xiànzài ne? In the past he/she didn't understand French. And now? |  | 他/她还不董法文。 Tā hái bù dǒng Fàwén. He/she still doesn't understand French.
5. | 他/她们没有孩子。现在呢？ Tāmen cóngqián méiyou háizi. Xiànzài ne? In the past he/she didn't have children. And now? |  | 他/她们还没有孩子。 Tāmen hái méiyou háizi. He/she still doesn't have any children.
6. | 他/她从前不会说德国化。现在呢？ Tā cóngqián bú huì shuō Déguó huà. Xiànzài ne? In the past he/she couldn't speak German. And now? |  | 他/她还不会说德国化。 Tā hái bú huì shuō Déguó huà. He/she still doesn't speak German.
7. | 他/她从前不想学英文。现在呢？ Tā cóngqián bù xiǎng xüé Yīngwén. Xiànzài ne? In the past he/she didn't want to learn English. And now? |  | 他/她还不想学英文。 Tā hái bù xiǎng xüé Yīngwén. He/she still doesn't want to learn English.

### Response drill

Table 2.96.

| Question |  | Cue |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 他/她从前不会写中哦字。 Tā cóngqián bú huì xiě Zhōngguó zì. In the past, he/she couldn't write Chinese characters. |  | now he/she can |  | 他/她从前不会写，现在会写了。 Tā cóngqián bú huì xiě, xiànzài huì xiě le. In the past, he/she couldn't write, now he/she can.
2. | 他/她从前会写了。 Tā cóngqián huì xiě Zhōngguó zì. In the past he/she could write Chinese characters |  | no longer |  | 他/她从前会写，现在不会写了。 Tā cóngqián huì xiě, ziànzài bú huì xiě le. In the past he/she could write, now he/she can't.
3. | 他/她从前不会写中国字。 Tā cóngqián bú huì xiě Zhōngguó zì. In the past he/she couldn't write Chinese characters. |  | still can't |  | 他/她从前不会写，现在还不会写。 Tā cóngqián bú huì xiě, ziànzài hái bú huì xiě. In the past he/she couldn't write, now he/she still can't.
4. | 他/她从前不董法文。 Tā cóngqián bù dǒng Fàwén. In the past he/she didn't understand French. |  | now he/she can |  | 他/她从前不董，现在董了。 Tā cóngqián bù dǒng, xiànzài dǒng le. In the past he/she didn't understand, now he/she can.
5. | 他/她从前董法文。 Tā cóngqián dǒng Fàwén. In the past he/she did understand French. |  | no longer |  | 他/她从前董，现在不董了。 Tā cóngqián dǒng, xiànzài bù dǒng le. In the past he/she did understand, now he/she cannot anymore.
6. | 他/她从前不董法文。 Tā cóngqián bù dǒng Fàwén. In the past he/she didn't understand French. |  | still can't |  | 他/她从前不董，现在还不董。 Tā cóngqián bù dǒng, xiànzài hái bù dǒng. In the past he/she didn't understand, now he/she still can't.
7. | 他/她从前不想学英文。 Tā cóngqián bù xiǎng xüé Yīngwén. In the past he/she didn't want to learn English. |  | now he/she does |  | 他/她从前不想学，现在想学了。 Tā cóngqián bù xiǎng xüé, xiànzài xiǎng xüé le. In the past he/she didn't want to learn, now he/she wants to.
8. | 他/她从前想学英文。 Tā cóngqián xiǎng xüé Yīngwén. In the past he/she did want to learn English. |  | no longer |  | 他/她从前想学，现在不想学了。 Tā cóngqián xiǎng xüé, xiànzài bù xiǎng xüé le. In the past he/she did want to learn, now he/she doesn't want to anymore.
9. | 他/她从前不想学英文。 Tā cóngqián bù xiǎng xüé Yīngwén. In the past he/she didn't want to learn English. |  | still doesn't |  | 他/她从前不想学，现在还不想学？。 Tā cóngqián bù xiǎng xüé, xiànzài hái bù xiǎng xüé. In the past he/she didn't want to learn, now he/she still doesn't want to.
10. | 他/她从前不念历史。 Tā cóngqián bú niàn lìshǐ. In the past he/she didn't study history. |  | now he/she does |  | 他/她从前不念，现在念了。 Tā cóngqián bú niàn, xiànzài niàn le. In the past he/she didn't study, now she does study.
11. | 他/她从前念历史。 Tā cóngqián niàn lìshǐ. In the past he/she did study history. |  | no longer |  | 他/她从前念，现在不念了。 Tā cóngqián niàn, xiànzài bú niàn le. In the past he/she did study, now he/she doesn't anymore.
12. | 他/她从前不念历史。 Tā cóngqián bú niàn lìshǐ. In the past he/she didn't study history. |  | still doesn't |  | 他/她从前不念，现在还不念。 Tā cóngqián bú niàn, xiànzài hái bú niàn. In the past he/she didn't study, now he/she still doesn't.

### Transformation drill

Table 2.97.

| Question |  | Answer
--- | --- | --- | ---
1. | 我写字了。 Wǒ xiě zì le. I wrote. |  | 我写字了，他/她没写字。 Wǒ xiě zì le, tā méi xiě zì. I wrote, he/she didn't write.
2. | 我懂了。 Wǒ dǒng le. I understood. |  | 我懂了，他/她没董。 Wǒ dǒng le, tā méi dǒng. I understood, he/she didn't.
3. | 我来了。 Wǒ lái le. I came. |  | 我来了，他/她没来。 Wǒ lái le, tā méi lái. I came, he/she didn't.
4. | 我走了。 Wǒ zǒu le. I left. |  | 我走了，她没走。 Wǒ zǒu le, tā méi zǒu. I left, he/she didn't.
5. | 我坐了。 Wǒ zuò le. I sat. |  | 我坐了，她没坐。 Wǒ zuò le, tā méi zuò. I sat, he/she didn't.
6. | 我听了。 Wǒ tīng le. I listened. |  | 我听了，他/她没听。 Wǒ tīng le, tā méi tīng. I listened, he/she didn't.
7. | 我学了。 Wǒ xüé le. I learned. |  | 我学了，她没学。 Wǒ xüé le, tā méi xüé. I learned, he/she didn't.

[8] Most of the time you can figure out from a verb's meaning the semantic category in which that verb belongs. However, process verbs may not be so predictable.