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plCommon errors
As one of the most important verbs at the beginning level, 是 is easy to comprehend, and usually errors arise at the early stage. The possible mistakes learners might make can be categorized into the following types:
1. Omission
It is very common for learners to omit 是 in the sentence when they just start learning it.
*哥哥大学生。
哥哥是大学生。
*今天不三月二十日。
今天不是三月二十日。
*哥哥大學生。
哥哥是大學生。
The instructor should remind learners that 是 is usually absent when the predicate indicates information such as age, time (including the date or day), or price in affirmative sentences. However, it should be present in negative or interrogative sentences.
2. Addition
Misadding 是 often occurs in sentences where the predicate is an adjective. Most adjectives can serve as predicates without using 是.
*中文是很难。
中文很难。
*我姐姐是非常漂亮。
我姐姐非常漂亮。
*中文是很難。
中文很難。
For those adjectives that cannot serve as predicates in the sentence, 是 is necessary, and 的 is often added after the adjectives.
*他男。
他是男的。
那本书新。
那本书是新的。
*这幅画彩色。
这幅画是彩色的。
*这辆车黑色。
这辆车是黑色的。
那本書新。
那本書是新的。
*這幅畫彩色。
這幅畫是彩色的。
*這輛車黑色。
這輛車是黑色的。
Note: 是 can be used for special emphasis or contrast. In such circumstances, 是 is stressed.
他是很聪明，可是不愿意努力。
我是今天走，不是明天走。
他是很聰明，可是不願意努力。
3. Wrong order
The sentence with 是 is negated by 不, and the fixed order is 不是.
*他是不英国人。
他不是英国人。
*他是不英國人。
他不是英國人。
4. Confusion with 在
是 can be used in existential sentences, but the pattern is fixed as follows.
If the subject is not a location, 在 should be used instead of 是.
*超级市场是学校旁边。
学校旁边是超级市场。
超级市场在学校旁边。
*超級市場是學校旁邊。
學校旁邊是超級市場。
超級市場在學校旁邊。
5. Question form
There are two ways to form a question with 是: using 是不是 or adding the question particle 吗/嗎 at the end of the sentence. Sometimes learners may mix both methods in one sentence.
*你是不是老师吗？
你是不是老师？
你是老师吗？
*你是不是老師嗎？
你是不是老師？
你是老師嗎？
Errors caused by native transfer
The common translation of 是 in many Chinese textbooks is “to be”. However, without further explanations of the differences in how the Chinese and English words are used, learners tend to make errors because they have the wrong impression that the two words are the same, both semantically and grammatically. “To be” can link multiple word classes, including an adjective, but 是 can only link noun phrases or nominal components. Therefore, it is important for instructors to point out the differences between the usage of the two words at an early stage.
Classroom activity: Who is the best at making sentences?
Participants: Groups of 5-8 students
10-15 minutes
Pictures or photos of objects the students have learned
- The teacher shows a picture or photo, one at a time.
- Group members take turns describing the picture with a sentence. The sentence must not repeat what others have said. A correct, complete sentence earns one point. For example:
(Apple photo)
Group 1: “这是苹果的照片/這是蘋果的照片。”
Group 2: “这是红色的苹果/這是紅色的蘋果。”
Group 3: “这是很甜的苹果/這是很甜的蘋果。”
Group 4: “这是在超市买的苹果/這是在超市買的蘋果。” - If a group cannot come up with a sentence, other groups can answer and earn the point.
- If no more descriptions can be given, move on to the next picture. The team with the most points at the end wins.