7 Common Chinese Grammar Mistakes IGCSE Students Make (And How to Fix Them)
Stop losing marks on these preventable errors. Here's what IGCSE examiners see most often.
After reviewing hundreds of IGCSE Chinese papers, we've identified the grammar mistakes that cost students the most marks. The good news? They're all fixable with the right understanding.
Mistake #1: Confusing 了 (le) and 过 (guo)
❌ Wrong:
我去过北京了。(Wǒ qùguo Běijīng le.)
Mixing both markers unnecessarily
✅ Correct:
我去过北京。(Wǒ qùguo Běijīng.) - "I've been to Beijing" (experience)
我去了北京。(Wǒ qùle Běijīng.) - "I went to Beijing" (completed action)
The Rule:
- 过 (guo): Life experience - "Have you ever...?"
- 了 (le): Completed action - "Did you...?" or change of state
Mistake #2: Wrong Word Order with Time
❌ Wrong:
我去了昨天学校。(Wǒ qùle zuótiān xuéxiào.)
✅ Correct:
我昨天去了学校。(Wǒ zuótiān qùle xuéxiào.)
"I went to school yesterday."
The Rule:
Chinese word order: Subject + Time + Verb + Object
Time words come BEFORE the verb, not after.
Mistake #3: Using 很 (hěn) Incorrectly
❌ Wrong:
我的朋友高。(Wǒ de péngyou gāo.)
Sounds incomplete or comparative
✅ Correct:
我的朋友很高。(Wǒ de péngyou hěn gāo.)
"My friend is tall."
The Rule:
Adjectives need 很 (hěn) in simple statements. Without it, the sentence sounds like you're comparing or implying "but..."
Note: In this context, 很 doesn't mean "very" - it's just grammatically necessary.
Mistake #4: Forgetting Measure Words
❌ Wrong:
我有三狗。(Wǒ yǒu sān gǒu.)
✅ Correct:
我有三只狗。(Wǒ yǒu sān zhī gǒu.)
"I have three dogs."
Common Measure Words:
- 个 (gè): General (people, things)
- 只 (zhī): Animals, one of a pair
- 本 (běn): Books
- 张 (zhāng): Flat objects (paper, tables)
- 杯 (bēi): Cups/glasses of liquid
When in doubt, use 个 (gè) - it works for most things!
Mistake #5: Misusing 在 (zài)
❌ Wrong:
我在去学校。(Wǒ zài qù xuéxiào.)
✅ Correct:
我在学校。(Wǒ zài xuéxiào.) - "I'm at school" (location)
我在去学校的路上。(Wǒ zài qù xuéxiào de lùshang.) - "I'm on the way to school" (ongoing)
The Rule:
- 在 + place: "at/in" a location
- 在 + verb: ongoing action (but needs proper structure)
Mistake #6: Wrong 的/得/地 (de)
❌ Wrong:
他跑得很快的。(Tā pǎo de hěn kuài de.)
✅ Correct:
他跑得很快。(Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.) - "He runs very fast"
他的书。(Tā de shū.) - "His book"
他慢慢地走。(Tā mànman de zǒu.) - "He walks slowly"
The Rule:
- 的 (de): Possession or description before nouns
- 得 (de): After verbs to describe HOW (degree/result)
- 地 (de): After adjectives to describe HOW (manner)
Mistake #7: Overusing 是 (shì)
❌ Wrong:
我是喜欢中文。(Wǒ shì xǐhuan Zhōngwén.)
✅ Correct:
我喜欢中文。(Wǒ xǐhuan Zhōngwén.)
"I like Chinese."
The Rule:
是 (shì) is ONLY for:
- • Noun = Noun: 我是学生 (I am a student)
- • Emphasis: 我是昨天去的 (It WAS yesterday that I went)
Don't use 是 before verbs or adjectives!
How to Practice These Correctly
3-Step Practice Method:
- Identify: Review your past essays/homework. Circle these 7 patterns.
- Correct: Rewrite each mistake using the rules above.
- Create: Write 3 new sentences for each pattern correctly.
Spend 15 minutes per mistake = 7 days to fix all 7!
IGCSE Exam Impact
Writing Section: Each grammar mistake can cost you 1-2 marks. Fix these 7 = save 7-14 marks!
Speaking Section: Examiners notice repeated mistakes. Correct grammar = higher accuracy score.
Reading Section: Understanding these patterns helps you comprehend texts faster.
Practice Exercise
Find and fix the mistakes:
- 我去过了中国。
- 他是很高兴。
- 我有两书。
- 她跑的很快。
Show Answers
1. 我去过中国。(Remove 了)
2. 他很高兴。(Remove 是)
3. 我有两本书。(Add measure word 本)
4. 她跑得很快。(Use 得 not 的)
Want structured grammar practice?
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