HSK 3
主谓句4：主谓谓语句
zhǔ wèi jù 4 ： zhǔ wèi wèi yǔ jù
Subject-predicate sentence whose predicate is a subject-predicate phrase (subject-predicate predicate sentence)
Explanation
This is a sentence whose predicate (the part stating the action or quality of the subject) is itself a small subject-predicate phrase, called a subject-predicate predicate sentence. For example 奶奶身体非常好: the main subject is 奶奶 (grandma), and the rest 身体非常好 serves as the predicate, in which 身体 (body) is the small subject and 非常好 (very good) is the small predicate.
Main subject + [ small subject + small predicate ]. For example 这件衣服 (this piece of clothing) + 颜色很好看 (the color is very pretty).
use it when you want to name a large object and then describe one aspect, part, or attribute of it (grandma's health, the shirt's color). It's also used to bring the object (the target of the action) to the front as the topic, as in 那本书我没看过 (that book, I haven't read it).
beginners often insert 的 (de) between the two parts, writing 奶奶的身体非常好 — that is also grammatically correct but it becomes an ordinary sentence, no longer a subject-predicate predicate sentence emphasizing an aspect. In this pattern, do not add 的 between the main subject and the small subject.
Examples
Grandma is in very good health.
This piece of clothing has a very nice color.
That book, I haven't read.
This movie, I've watched three times.
Practice
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The grammar point “主谓句4：主谓谓语句” (Subject-predicate sentence whose predicate is a subject-predicate phrase (subject-predicate predicate sentence)) is one of the key structures at HSK 3. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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