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plCommon errors
The possible mistakes learners might make when using 得 can be categorized into the following types:
1. Syntactic error
1.1 With an object in the sentence
When there is an object following the verb in the sentence, there are three ways to add the 得 complement: 1) reduplicate the verb; 2) move the object before the verb; and 3) move the object to the beginning of the sentence and turn it into the topic. Placing both complement and object right behind the verb is a frequent error among students.
*她姐姐说中文得很好。
她姐姐说中文说得很好。
她姐姐中文说得很好。
中文她姐姐说得很好。
*她姐姐說中文得很好。
她姐姐說中文說得很好。
她姐姐中文說得很好。
中文她姐姐說得很好。
1.2 With a separable verb in the sentence
The separable verb consists of a verb part and an object part. The separable verb is known for its flexibility of being able to separate. When there is such a verb in the sentence, we should use the same methods as above if we want to add the 得 complement. That is, we either repeat the verb part after the separable verb, move the object part to the position between the subject and the verb part, or move the object part to the beginning of the sentence.
*弟弟吃饭得很快。
弟弟吃饭吃得很快。
弟弟饭吃得很快。
饭弟弟吃得很快。
*弟弟吃飯得很快。
弟弟吃飯吃得很快。
弟弟飯吃得很快。
飯弟弟吃得很快。
Please note that for some separable verbs, it is only possible to reduplicate the verb part. Moving the object part is not allowed.
*老师泳游得很快。
*泳老师游得很快。
老师游泳游得很快。
*他床起得很晚。
*床他起得很晚。
他起床起得很晚。
*老師泳游得很快。
*泳老師游得很快。
老師游泳游得很快。
1.3 Misadding an adverbial before the adjectival predicate
Adverbs such as 非常 and 很 express the extent or degree of the adjectival predicate and should not coexist with the 得 complement.
*他很感动得哭了。
他感动得哭了。
*他很感動得哭了。
他感動得哭了。
The instructor can suggest using two sentences/clauses instead.
他非常感动，感动得哭了。
他非常感動，感動得哭了。
1.4 With the negation adverb 不 in the sentence
Learners may have difficulties putting the negation word 不 in the right position. The instructor should remind them that 不 should be placed after 得, not before the verb.
*她不唱歌唱得好。
她唱歌唱得不好。
1.5 Omission of 得
Sometimes learners may forget to add 得 between the verb and the complement.
*孩子们都表演很好。
孩子们都表演得很好。
*孩子們都表演很好。
孩子們都表演得很好。
1.6 Omission of the degree adverb
When the complement before 得 is an adjective, the degree adverb 很 is usually added between 得 and the adjective. The meaning of 很 here is weakened and only has a syntactical function. In a sentence expressing comparison, 很 can be omitted.
*这个字我写得清楚。
这个字我写得很清楚。
这个字我写得清楚，你写得不清楚。
*這個字我寫得清楚。
這個字我寫得很清楚。
這個字我寫得清楚，你寫得不清楚。
1.7 Confusion of 得 with 的 or 地
Some learners may confuse 得 with 的 and 地 because they are homophonic.
*他每天起的很早，睡的很晚。
他每天起得很早，睡得很晚。
*哥哥昨天晚上高兴地睡不着觉。
哥哥昨天晚上高兴得睡不着觉。
*他每天起的很早，睡的很晚。
他每天起得很早，睡得很晚。
*哥哥昨天晚上高興地睡不著覺。
哥哥昨天晚上高興得睡不著覺。
For other situations, check the page Comparison of 的, 得, and 地.
2. Semantic errors
2.1 Confusion of 得 with 了 or 着/著
Learners would confuse the aspect marker 了 or 着/著 with 得. The reason why the aspect marker 了 or 着/著 is not needed is that the 得 complement serves the same function, which is indicating the status of the verb, either ongoing or completed.
*他病了很严重，每天都躺在床上。
他病得很严重，每天都躺在床上。
*妈妈做饭的时候，厨房的门常常开着很大。
妈妈做饭的时候，厨房的门常常开得很大。
*孩子哭得三个小时。
孩子哭了三个小时。
*他的中文進步得多。
他的中文進步了很多。
*他病了很嚴重，每天都躺在床上。
他病得很嚴重，每天都躺在床上。
*媽媽做飯的時候，廚房的門常常開著很大。
媽媽做飯的時候，廚房的門常常開得很大。
*孩子哭得三個小時。
孩子哭了三個小時。
2.2 Misused in affirmative imperative sentences or sentences indicating future actions
Since the main function of the 得 complement is to modify an action that has already taken place, it cannot be used in affirmative imperative sentences or sentences indicating future actions. Using the 得 complement in a negative imperative sentence is allowed because such sentences usually imply that the action has been done before and the speaker hopes it won’t happen again in the future.
*你应该学习得很认真。
你应该认真学习。
*明天我要学中文学得很好。
明天我要好好学中文。
你别写得那么快，慢慢写，才能写出好看的字。
*你應該學習得很認真。
你應該認真學習。
*明天我要學中文學得很好。
明天我要好好學中文。
你別寫得那麼快，慢慢寫，才能寫出好看的字。
Errors caused by native transfer
Since there is no equivalent to 得 in English, English-speaking learners do not experience significant negative transfer in relation to errors involving this structure. The most common errors are the omission of 得 and forgetting to repeat the verb in sentences with an object.
*他来太晚了，我们都已经吃完饭了。
他来得太晚了，我们都已经吃完饭了。
*小王跑比较快。
小王跑得比较快。
*他唱歌得很好听。
他唱歌唱得很好听。
*大家聊天得很开心。
大家聊天聊得很开心。
*他來太晚了，我們都已經吃完飯了。
他來得太晚了，我們都已經吃完飯了。
*小王跑比較快。
小王跑得比較快。
*他唱歌得很好聽。
他唱歌唱得很好聽。
*大家聊天得很開心。
大家聊天聊得很開心。
Classroom activity: "你做什么做得很好/你做什麼做得很好？ What are you good at?"
Pairs
15-20 minutes
Worksheets with two identical charts listing various skills and a 1-5 scale for each skill (e.g., 你写中文字写得怎么样/你寫中文字寫得怎麼樣？). A score of 2 means 我写中文字写得不太好/我寫中文字寫得不太好, and a score of 5 means 我写中文字写得很好/我寫中文字寫得很好.
- Students complete the chart by rating their own skill levels.
- In pairs, they ask each other about their skills and record their partner’s responses. If necessary, the teacher can demonstrate by asking a more advanced student to ensure everyone understands the activity.
- At the end of the activity, the teacher can ask a few pairs to share their findings. If time allows, students can change partners and share the results they learned from their previous partners.