en
cs
da
de
it
plCommon errors
The possible mistakes learners might make when using the adverbial marker 地 can be categorized into the following three types:
1. Syntactic error
1.1 Omission of 地
When the adverbial consists of an adverb such as 很, 非常, or 更, learners might mistakenly omit the marker 地.
*她很开心说：我最喜欢吃中国菜了！
她很开心地说：我最喜欢吃中国菜了！
*她很開心說：我最喜歡吃中國菜了！
她很開心地說：我最喜歡吃中國菜了！
*火车非常快向前开。
火车非常快地向前开。
*火車非常快向前開。
火車非常快地向前開。
Please note that it is possible to omit 地 when the adverbial is disyllabic/polysyllabic and modifies the manner or performance of the action.
学生慢慢说出自己的名字。
学生慢慢地说出自己的名字。
學生慢慢說出自己的名字。
學生慢慢地說出自己的名字。
认真学习，中文就会越说越好。
他昨天认真地学习，今天的考试得了高分。
認真學習，中文就會越說越好。
他昨天認真地學習，今天的考試得了高分。
However, if the disyllabic/polysyllabic adverbial is modifying the agent, it is not allowed to omit 地.
*学生紧张说出自己的名字。
学生紧张地说出自己的名字。
*學生緊張說出自己的名字。
學生緊張地說出自己的名字。
*小红不高兴走了。
小红不高兴地走了。
*小紅不高興走了。
小紅不高興地走了。
1.2 Incorrect addition of 地
地 is not allowed when the adverbial is monosyllabic. Only after reduplication can 地 be added.
*他快地走。
他快快地走。他很快地走。
(both are dysyllabic, and therefore both are acceptable)
1.3 Confusion of 地, 的, and 得
Some learners may confuse 地 with 的 and 得 because they are homophonic.
*把你的问题告诉老师，他才能更好的帮助你。
把你的问题告诉老师，他才能更好地帮助你。
*把你的問題告訴老師，他才能更好的幫助你。
把你的問題告訴老師，他才能更好地幫助你。
*我很努力得学习。
我很努力地学习。
*我很努力得學習。
我很努力地學習。
Note that native speakers sometimes may use 的 instead of 地, which might be confusing for learners.
For other situations, check the page Comparison of 的, 得, and 地.
Errors caused by native transfer
One common mistake English-speaking learners would make is overusing 地, especially when the adverbial consists of only a monosyllabic adjective.
*你明天得早地到。
你明天得早到。
The overusage may result from treating all the words ending with “-ly” as 地 and thus cause confusion between 地 and 得.
今天有很多时间，可以慢慢地写作业。
*今天考试的时间不够，我太慢地写，所以没写完。
今天考试的时间不够，我写得太慢，所以没写完。
今天有很多時間，可以慢慢地寫作業。
*今天考試的時間不夠，我太慢地寫，所以沒寫完。
今天考試的時間不夠，我寫得太慢，所以沒寫完。
Although “slowly” is used for the translation in both sentences, the teacher should indicate to the learners that 慢慢地写作业/慢慢地寫作業 refers to an intentional manner the subject takes as carrying out the action (writing homework). In contrast, 写得太慢/寫得太慢 should be used for the occasion of taking an exam because it does not describe the subject’s intentional manner but rather the impression of the performance and how the action turned out.
Classroom activity: "比手画脚/比手畫腳 Charades with 'de 地'"
The class, divided into 2-3 groups
15-20 minutes
A set of word cards containing three categories: subjects (people), verbs that can be modified by adverbs with de 地, and words that can form adverbs with de 地. Each group gets the same set of cards.
- Each group takes turns sending one student to the front. The teacher shows the sentence to the student to ensure they understand. If not, another sentence is chosen (e.g., 老人开心地跳舞/老人開心地跳舞。).
- The teacher shows the subject of the sentence to the class, and the student at the front acts out the sentence.
- The other groups must quickly arrange their cards to match the sentence (e.g., 老人+开心/開心+跳舞。) and read out the full sentence with 地. The fastest group with the correct answer earns a point.
- Repeat with a new representative from the next group. The team with the most points at the end wins.