Decoding Chinese Grammar: Keys to Breakthrough Improvement in Learning

by Zhou Xiaogeng

For most learners of the Chinese language, two kinds of tools are essential for them: one is a dictionary, and the other is a grammar book. If we think of the learning process as building a house, a dictionary represents the utilities and features of the raw materials for construction, while a grammar book shows the principles and methods for how to build a house with the material.

“Interesting,” “practical,” and “unique” are the right words for describing this grammar book. This book not only introduces the fundamental knowledge about the Chinese language but also, and more importantly, reveals the reasons behind the principles and rules, which helps learners to understand this language and apply the grammar rules well.

This grammar book actually gets learners out of the boring elements, such as excessive memorizing and drilling, for learning a new language, and it helps learners to create the correct the words and sentences similar to what they do in mathematical calculations. Only in this way can learners radically accelerate their learning process and get more fun from learning a new language.

Highlights:

Easy and Plain
There are almost no obscure linguistic concepts or professional terms included in this book, so readers do not need to have any special background knowledge. This book is written in the style of daily language, and readers will find it very user-friendly.

Simple but Profound
The content is developed from a totally new angle basing it on the common sense of people and extending not only the phenomena and basic grammar rules but also the reason and mechanism under the surface. Readers can easily understand the rules and then apply them much more freely.

Vivid and Intuitive
Many charts and diagrams are employed to show the concepts and mechanisms in a vivid and intuitive way. Additionally, most of the grammar rules are extended in a formula-like way so that readers can apply them effectively.

Culture Connecting
About one hundred photos are included in this book not only showing present daily life in China but also corresponding to the language instruction in this book. Readers can easily find the connection between the language and the culture.

Best for Readers
K7 - K12 students, who are beginners or in the intermediate level
College students, who are beginners or in the intermediate level
Self-learners, who are in the intermediate level
Teachers for Mandarin Chinese
Researchers of the Chinese language

ebook

First published September 9, 2014

About the author

I once heard that everyone carries a mission when he or she comes to this world.

I realized something important: to help learners radically increase efficiency in the learning process, they first needed to understand this language. That is, they needed to know the specific way of thinking beneath the surface and to catch the rationalities in rules and the ways in which to apply them. It is similar to how we learn math: we always focus on the philosophies and approaches, and we never try to memorize the equations and the results.

Most people find great pleasure in thinking and creating in their own way, but it also calls for more hard work to make any progress. In the coming days, I will do just like many others would do with their own dreams. I want to fulfill my mission well: to create good things for learners so that they can learn this ancient and vibrant language in a much easier and interesting way.