Grammar Review: The Structure “是……的”

The structure “是……的” is used when both the speaker and hearer know that an action has taken place, but the speaker needs to emphasize when, where and how it took place. 是 can be omitted. The structure “是……的” can only be used for pas actions.

Pattern: …… (是) + when/where/how … + verb + 的 + Object

English: It was …… that ……..

他是什麽時候去的日本？- (是)去年去的。(Both parties know that he went to Japan.)

他是什么时候去的日本？- (是)去年去的。

(When did he go to Japan? - It was last year.)

Compare:

我在北京學中文。 I study Chinese in Beijing.

我在北京学中文。

我是在北京學的中文。 It was in Beijing that I studied Chinese.

我是在北京学的中文。

你哪天去上海？ (future) When (what date) will you go to Shanghai?

你哪天去上海？

你是哪天去的上海？ (past) When did you go to Shanghai?

你是那天去的上海？

我坐飛機去上海。 I go to Shanghai by plane.

我坐飞机去上海。

我是坐飛機去的上海。 It was by airplane that I went to Shanghai.

我是坐飞机去的上海。

你是跟誰一起去的？- 我是跟李老師一起去的。

你是跟谁一起去的？- 我是跟李老师一起去的。

你是怎麽去的上海？/ 你是怎么去的上海？

這本書你是在哪兒買的？/ 这本书你是在哪儿买的？

今天是誰做的晚飯？/ 今天是谁做的晚饭？- 是爸爸做的。

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