是…的 (shì…de)

是……的

 

是 + the part to be emphasized + 的

The structure “是……的” is used to emphasize that a past event occurred at a certain time or place and etc. Note that in this structure, “是” is often left out of it and nothing else changes.

 

  • Emphasize the time:

A: 你什么时候起床?(Nǐ shì shénme shíhòu qǐchuáng de?) When did you get up?

B: 我中午起床。(Wǒ shì zhōngwǔ qǐchuáng de.) I got up at noon.

⇒ It was noon that I got up.

  • Emphasize the place:

A: 你从哪儿来?(Nǐ shì cóng nǎr lái de?) Where are you from?

B: 我从北京来。(Wǒ shì cóng Běijīng lái de.) I am from Beijing.

⇒ Beijing was the place I came from.

  • Emphasize the purpose:

A: 你来做什么?(Nǐ shì lái zuò shénme de?) What are you here for?

B: 我来学习。(Wǒ shì lái xuéxí de.) I’m here to study.

⇒ It is for studying that I came.

  • Emphasize the means:

A: 你怎么来?(Nǐ shì zěnme lái de?) How did you come here?

B: 我开车来。(Wǒ shì kāichē lái de.) I came by car.

⇒ It was by driving a car that I came.

  • Emphasize the doer:

A: 谁告诉你?(Shì shéi gàosù nǐ de?) Who told you?

B:他告诉我。(Shì tā gàosù wǒ de.) He told me.

⇒ It was him who told me about this thing.

  • Emphasize the ownership:

A: 这个手机?(Zhège shǒujī shì shéi de?) Whose cellphone is this?

B: 这个手机老师。(Zhège shǒujī shì lǎoshī de.) This phone belongs to the teacher.

  • Emphasize something is made up of something else:

这个门木头。(Zhège mén shì mùtou de.) This door is made of wood.

⇒ It is wood that this door is made of.

  • Note that the negation above is “不是……的.”

这个手机不是老师。(Zhège shǒujī búshì lǎoshī de.) This phone doesn’t belong to the teacher.

这个门不是木头。(Zhège mén búshì mùtou de.) This door is not made of wood.

  • Emphasize the tone of the sentence when using the verb like “能” “可能” “喜欢” “愿意” and etc.

愿意。(Wǒ shì yuànyì de.) I am willing.

这个工作他们完成。(Zhège gōngzuò tāmen shì néng wánchéng de.) They can accomplish this job.

  • Note that the negation here is “是+不……的”.

这件事是不可能。(Zhè jiàn shì shì bù kěnéng de.) This thing is impossible.

是不喜欢这个城市。(Wǒ shì bùxǐhuān zhège chéngshì de.) I don’t like this city.

1. A:_________?
B:坐火车。(Zuò huǒchē.)
A.
B.
C.
D.
2. A:_________?
B:是我好朋友的。(Shì wǒ hǎo pénɡyou de.)
A.
B.
C.
D.
3. A:_________?
B:早上六点。(Zǎoshɑnɡ liù diǎn.)
A.
B.
C.
D.
4. A:这件事是谁说的?(Zhè jiàn shì shì shuí shuō de.)
B:______。
A.
B.
C.
D.
5. A:你是来这里做什么的?(Nǐ shì lái zhèlǐ zuò shénme de?)
B:______。
A.
B.
C.
D.
6. A:你是和谁一起去看电影的?(Nǐ shì hé shuí yìqǐ qù kàn diànyǐnɡ de?)
B:______。
A.
B.
C.
D.

 

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