HSK 2
承接复句
chéng jiē fù jù
Successive compound sentences (承接复句)
Explanation
Successive-action complex sentence (承接复句 — a sentence with several clauses recounting actions that happen ONE AFTER ANOTHER in chronological order).
(1) Without connectives: [Action 1]，[Action 2] — place the two clauses side by side in the order they occur: 吃了晚饭，我们出去走走 (After eating dinner, we go out for a walk). (2) Using conjunctions (words that link clauses): 先 xiān (first)...，再 zài / 然后 ránhòu (then / after that)...
When recounting a chain of actions following one another. To clearly stress the 'before - after' order, use the pair 先...再/然后...
再 zài here means 'the later action follows after the earlier one' (not yet happened, planned in nature), differing from 又 yòu (repetition of something already happened). 然后 ránhòu leans toward spoken language, meaning 'after that'.
Vietnamese learners often use 再 zài alone and forget 先 xiān in the first clause; the standard pair 先...再... goes together. They also often reverse the clause order so it does not match the actual chronological sequence.
Examples
(1) Without connectives
After eating dinner, we go out for a walk.
He went back to his room to get his clothes, then went to the classroom for class.
(2) Using connectives: 先 (first)..., 再/然后 (then/after that)...
Go to the supermarket to buy things first, then go home.
I'll go eat lunch first, then go back to my room to rest.
Practice
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Learn “承接复句” effectively
The grammar point “承接复句” (Successive compound sentences (承接复句)) is one of the key structures at HSK 2. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
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