Introduction
Grammar is one of the most challenging aspects of the IB Chinese B course. While vocabulary and listening practice often get the spotlight, grammar mistakes can cost students valuable marks in both written and oral assessments. Many learners — even those who are confident speakers — fall into recurring traps that impact their accuracy and fluency.
This guide explores the most common IB Chinese B grammar mistakes, why they happen, and how to avoid them. By recognizing these pitfalls early, you can refine your writing and speaking, build stronger exam answers, and present ideas more naturally in Chinese.
Quick Start Checklist
If you want to tackle grammar mistakes efficiently, keep this checklist in mind as you revise:
- Review sentence patterns regularly, not just vocabulary lists.
- Pay attention to word order, especially subject–time–place–verb–object.
- Practice measure words with every new noun you learn.
- Avoid translating directly from English — think in Chinese structure.
- Use authentic reading and listening sources to model correct grammar.
- Review and edit your own work for consistency before submission.
Common Grammar Mistakes in IB Chinese B
1. Misusing Word Order
Chinese word order follows the pattern: Subject + Time + Place + Verb + Object.
A frequent mistake is placing time or place incorrectly. For example:
- Incorrect: 我去明天学校。
- Correct: 我明天去学校。
Students who translate directly from English often end up misplacing time and place expressions.
How to fix it:
Memorize the order as a fixed sequence and practice by rearranging sentences.
2. Forgetting Measure Words
Unlike English, Chinese requires measure words (量词) between numbers/demonstratives and nouns. A common mistake is leaving them out:
- Incorrect: 一书
- Correct: 一本书
How to fix it:
Learn measure words with the nouns they accompany. For example, instead of learning 书 (book) alone, learn 一本书.
3. Mixing Up 的, 地, and 得
These three particles sound identical but have distinct roles:
- 的 links adjectives to nouns (漂亮的花).
- 地 links adverbs to verbs (高兴地说).
- 得 follows verbs to show degree (跑得快).
Students often use 的 everywhere because it feels easiest, but this creates errors.
How to fix it:
Practice spotting examples in reading passages and create sentence drills focusing on all three.
4. Confusing Aspect Particles: 了, 过, and 着
These particles indicate completed actions, past experiences, or ongoing states:
- 了 = completed action (我吃了饭).
- 过 = past experience (我去过北京).
- 着 = ongoing state (门开着).
Mixing them up changes meaning and can confuse examiners.
How to fix it:
Link each particle to a visual scenario: imagine something finished (了), experienced (过), or ongoing (着).
5. Using 是…的 Incorrectly
This structure emphasizes time, place, or manner of past actions. Students misuse it by forcing it into every sentence:
- Incorrect: 我是昨天去商店的。 (extra 是)
- Correct: 我昨天是去商店的。
How to fix it:
Only use 是…的 when you want to emphasize a detail, not just to describe a past event.
6. Overusing 很
Students sometimes think 很 is necessary before every adjective, leading to unnatural sentences like:
- Incorrect: 她很漂亮极了。
- Correct: 她漂亮极了。
How to fix it:
Learn alternative intensifiers (非常, 极了, 特别) and practice when to omit 很.
7. Literal Translations from English
Direct translations often ignore Chinese idiomatic usage. For example:
- English: I am very like this movie.
- Incorrect: 我很喜欢这个电影。 (actually correct — but students sometimes write 我是很喜欢这个电影 which is wrong)
How to fix it:
Think in Chinese sentence structures instead of “translating” word by word.
How Grammar Affects the IB Chinese B Exam
Writing Paper
Markers look for accurate use of grammar patterns. Repeated mistakes can push an otherwise strong essay into a lower band.
Speaking Exam
Fluency matters, but accuracy in grammar signals true proficiency. If you repeatedly misplace word order or misuse particles, your communication may sound unclear.
Reading & Listening
Recognizing grammar patterns also helps decode passages. Understanding how 是…的 or 过 functions can change the meaning of a whole sentence.
Strategies to Improve Grammar
- Active Practice: Write short daily journals and self-correct errors.
- Error Logs: Keep a notebook of grammar mistakes you’ve made and corrected.
- Peer Practice: Exchange written work with classmates and highlight grammar issues.
- IB-Specific Drills: Focus on exam-style prompts, making sure grammar is tested in context.
- Teacher Feedback: Use corrections not as criticism but as a map to improvement.
FAQs
1. How many grammar mistakes can I make before it lowers my IB Chinese B grade?
There isn’t a fixed number, but consistent errors across tasks can reduce marks for accuracy. If your writing shows variety but contains frequent word order mistakes, examiners may place you in a mid-band. Occasional slips are natural, but repeated errors suggest gaps in learning.
2. Should I memorize grammar rules or practice through examples?
A balance of both works best. Memorizing rules gives structure, but practice makes them automatic. Without application, grammar rules remain abstract. For IB Chinese B, practical application in writing and speaking is far more valuable than rote memorization.
3. Why do I keep forgetting measure words even after practicing them?
This happens because many learners study nouns in isolation. To fix this, always learn measure words with the noun — for example, “一张票” instead of just “票.” Over time, the brain stores them as a package, making it less likely you’ll forget in the exam.
4. How do examiners judge grammar compared to vocabulary?
Both matter, but grammar often carries more weight for coherence. Strong vocabulary with weak grammar makes your work hard to follow. Conversely, simple vocabulary with strong grammar can still score highly because the message is clear and well-structured.
5. What’s the fastest way to improve grammar before the exam?
The quickest method is targeted practice. Identify your three most common mistakes and drill them daily with sentence writing. Instead of reviewing every rule at once, focus your energy on avoiding these repeating errors. This approach brings rapid improvement before exam day.
Conclusion
Grammar mastery is one of the key pillars of success in IB Chinese B. By avoiding common mistakes like word order errors, misuse of particles, and missing measure words, you can demonstrate control, clarity, and confidence in both writing and speaking tasks.
Don’t wait until the exam to notice your weak spots — track them now, practice with intention, and refine your accuracy day by day. With RevisionDojo as your trusted IB resource, you’ll always have the strategies and structure you need to excel.
