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Selective Compound Sentences indicates a trade-off between two possible situations or choices.
“或是” leads an option, and this pattern is similar to “或者……或者……” but “或是” is more often used in written Chinese.
e.g.
或是你，或是小华，下周去出差。 (Huòshì nǐ, huòshì Xiǎohuá, xià zhōu qù chūchāi.) You or Xiaohua will go on a business trip next week.
我们可以去很多地方，或是去公园，或是去游乐场。(Wǒmen kěyǐ qù hěn duō dìfɑnɡ, huòshì qù ɡōnɡyuán, huòshì qù yóulèchǎnɡ.) We can visit many places, like the park or the amusement park.
他现在不在家，我想他或是在打篮球，或是去买菜了。(Tā xiànzài bú zài jiā, wǒ xiǎnɡ tā huòshì zài dǎ lánqiú，huòshì qù mǎi cài le.) He isn’t at home now, so I think he maybe goes to play basketball or just go for buying vegetables.
It shows the second part conflicts with the first part in meaning, and generally, the second part is the critical information.
although……
“尽管” leads a condition of things that happened, and “但是/可是” stress the result is different from what it should be. This pattern is similar to “虽然……，但是……”, but “尽管” is stronger than “虽然” in the tone.
尽管 + ……，但是/可是 + Subject + Result
e.g.
尽管外面很冷，但是他还是要出去。(Jǐnɡuǎn wàimiàn hěn lěnɡ, dànshì tā háishì yào chūqu.) Although it’s cold outside, he still wants to go.
尽管他没来，可是我还是给他准备了蛋糕。(Jǐnɡuǎn tā méi lái, kěshì wǒ háishì ɡěi tā zhǔnbèi le dànɡāo.) Although he didn’t come, I still prepared a cake for him.
尽管时间很紧，但是他们还是按时完成了工作。(Jǐnɡuǎn shíjiān hěn jǐn，dànshì tāmen háishì ànshí wánchénɡ le ɡōnɡzuò.)
The first clause provides a hypothesis or indicates something occurred, and then the second clause come up with a corresponding result.
once…, then…
This pattern is used to express that once something happens, the corresponding result will also take place. Sometimes “就” can be omitted.
一旦 + Condition，(就) + Result
e.g.
一旦你按了这个开关，手机就会开机。(Yídàn nǐ ànle zhèɡe kāiɡuān, shǒujī jiù huì kāi jī.) Once you press the butt, the mobile phone will turn on.
你一旦发现情况不对，就马上回来。(Nǐ yídàn fāxiàn qínɡkuànɡ bú duì, jiù mǎshànɡ huílái.) Once you find the situation isn’t good, you come back right away.
明天一旦下雨，我们就不能去爬山了。(Mínɡtiān yídàn xià yǔ, women jiù bù nénɡ qù pá shān le.) Once it’s raining tomorrow, we can’t go to climb the mountain.
一旦放弃了这个东西，你会失去一切。(Yídàn fànɡqì le zhèɡe dōnɡxi, nǐ huì shīqù yíqiè.)
Note: If there is a subject, “一旦” can be put before or after the subject, while “就” must be placed after the subject.
If…, then…，otherwise…
“要是” leads a hypothesis, and “就” follows a corresponding result, “否则” indicates the impact that contradicts to the previous condition or situation. “要是……，就……” is similar to “如果……，就……”. However, “要是” is more informal than “如果”.
e.g.
要是你不想吃，就不要吃，否则就不要一直抱怨不好吃。 (Yàoshi nǐ bùxiǎng chī, jiù bùyào chī, fǒuzé jiù bùyào yīzhí bàoyuàn dōngxi bù hǎo chī.) If you don’t want to eat it, don’t eat it, otherwise, don’t keep complaining about the bad taste.
他要是想去，你就让他去吧，否则整个周末他都会不开心的。(Tā yàoshì xiǎnɡ qù, nǐ jiù rànɡ tā qù bɑ, fǒuzé zhěnggè zhōumò tā dōu huì bù kāixīn de.) If he wants to go, then you just let him go, otherwise he will be unhappy all weekend.
要是今天天气好，我们就去公园吧，否则接下来几个星期就会变冷了。(Yàoshì jīntiān tiānqì hǎo, women jiù qù ɡōnɡyuán bɑ, fǒuzé jiē xiàlái jǐ gè xīngqī jiù huì biàn lěngle.) If the weather is good today, let’s go to the park, otherwise it will get cold in the next few weeks.
Note: “要是” can be put before or after the subject while “就” must be after the subject and “否则” must be before the subject.
The first part provides a condition, and the second part indicates the possible result under the previous condition.
only if…
This pattern is used to express only if a condition has been reached, then the result can be achieved.
除非 + Condition，Subject + 才 + Result
e.g.
除非你们都去，我才去。(Chúfēi nǐmen dōu qù, wǒ cái qù.) Only if you all go will I go.
除非现在的电脑坏了，他才会买新的电脑。(Chúfēi xiànzài de diànnǎo huài le, tā cái huì mǎi xīnde diànnǎo.) Only if the laptop is broken now will he buy a new one.
除非大家一起做，这个东西才能按时做完。(Chúfēi dàjiā yìqǐ zuò, zhèɡe dōnɡxi cái nénɡ ànshí zuòwán.) Only if all people do it together will this thing be finished on time.
unless…, otherwise…
This pattern indicates unless a condition has been reached; otherwise the desired result won’t come true.
除非 + Condition, 否则/不然 (+ Subject) + Result
e.g.
除非你有人帮忙，否则你没办法完成这个任务。(Chúfēi nǐ yǒu rén bānɡmáng, fǒuzé nǐ méi bànfǎ wánchénɡ zhèɡe rènwù.) Unless there is someone who can help you, otherwise you can’t finish this task.
除非明天下雨，不然我们一定会去打乒乓球。(Chúfēi mínɡtiān xià yǔ，bùrán women yídìnɡ huì qù dǎ pīnɡpānɡ qiú.) Unless it’s raining tomorrow, otherwise we will go to play Pingpong indeed.
除非你们是工作人员，不然不能进去。(Chúfēi nǐmen shì ɡōnɡzuò rényuán, bùrán bù nénɡ jìnqù.) Unless you are staff, otherwise you can’t enter.
One clause is the cause, while the other is the result of the reason.
…, so…
“因而” indicates the result is inferred from the previous reason, and the result is usually negative or against someone’s will. It stresses that the result is speculated as coming from that reason. “因而” can use a comma to separate from the following words.
The reason, 因而 + result
e.g.
大家都在忙，因而他说话没人理他。(Dàjiā dōu zài mánɡ, yīn’ér tā shuō huà méi rén lǐ tā.) Everyone is busy, so nobody cares what he says.
他的计划不符合我们的要求，因而我们没有用他的计划。(Tā de jìhuà bù fúhé women de yāoqiú, yīn’ér women méiyǒu yònɡ tā de jìhuà.) His plan didn’t meet our requirements, so we didn’t take his plan.
他们说今天要来，但是现在已经半夜12点了，因而，他们今天不回来了。(Tāmen shuō jīntiān yào lái, dànshì xiànzài yǐjīnɡ bànyè shí’èr diǎnle, yīn’ér, tāmen jīntiān bú huì lái le.) They said they would come today, but now it’s 12 o’clock in the evening so they won’t come today.
It provides a hypothesis at first, and the second part indicates the result deducing from the preceding part.
即使……, 也……
even if…, still…
The clause after “即使” is a hypothetical situation or concession, and the clause with “也” indicates a result related to the clause before.
即使 + Hypothesis/Concession，(Subject +) 也 + Result
e.g.
即使写错了，也没关系。(Jíshǐ xiě cuòle, yě méi ɡuānxi.) Even if it’s written wrong, it still doesn’t matter.
即使你不想去，也要去。(Jíshǐ nǐ bù xiǎnɡ qù, yě yào qù.) Even if you don’t want to go, you still need to go.
即使他们藏起来了，我也能找出来。(Jíshǐ tāmen cánɡ qǐlái le, wǒ yě nénɡ zhǎo chūlái.) Even if they are hidden, I can still find them out.
It indicates the subject takes some actions to reach a particular purpose.
…, to…
The first clause indicates an action, and “为的是” leads to a purpose for why it carries out the previous action.
Action，为的是 + Purpose
e.g.
我每天加班，为的是赚钱给你买礼物。(Wǒ měitiān jiā bān, wèide shì zhuàn qián ɡěi nǐ mǎi lǐwù.) I work overtime every day to buy a present for you.
他去长沙了，为的是参加好朋友的婚礼。(Tā qù Chánɡshā le, wèide shì cānjiā hǎo pénɡyou de hūnlǐ.) He went to Changsha to attend his best friend’s wedding.
他们准备了这些东西，为的是给你一个惊喜。(Tāmen zhǔnbèi le zhè xiē dōnɡxi, wèide shì ɡěi nǐ yí ɡè jīnɡxǐ.) They prepared these things to give you a surprise.
…, to…
“以便” is a formal way to say “to” used to indicate the result of the particular action before which more emphasizes “making it convenient to do something”.
Action ，以便 + Result
e.g.
他降低了跑步速度，以便女儿能跟上他。(Tā jiànɡdī le pǎobù sùdù, yǐbiàn nǚ’ér nénɡ ɡēnshànɡ tā.) He slowed down his running speed to let his daughter catch up with him.
你把这些资料整理一下，以便以后查询。(Nǐ bǎ zhè xiē zīliào zhénɡlǐ yíxià, yǐbiàn yǐhòu cháxún.) You organize and sort these materials to search for them in the future.
他们在座位上贴了标识，以便告诉大家这里不能坐。(Tāmen zài zuòwèi shànɡ tiēle biāozhì, yǐbiàn ɡàosu dàjiā zhèlǐ bù nénɡ zuò.) They stuck signs on seats to inform people these seats weren’t available.
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