GRADE 8 Mandarin Chinese FOODS AND DRINKS- Writing – Guided Writing Notes
Mandarin Chinese — FOODS AND DRINKS: Guided Writing (Age 13, Kenya)
- a) Write simple sentences using targeted vocabulary (foods & drinks).
- b) Write clear, coherent short texts (paragraphs) in Chinese on food topics.
- c) Develop interest to express ideas clearly in writing.
- d) Focus: Vocabulary building and paragraph writing (coherence).
Focus on grammar patterns that help you write: word order (S V O), measure words, negation, particles, and linking words that make paragraphs coherent. Use the vocabulary below and the guided tasks to practise forming sentences and a short paragraph (5–7 sentences).
苹果 (píngguǒ) — apple 🍎
Measure word: 一个
饭 / 米饭 (fàn / mǐfàn) — rice 🍚
Measure word: 一碗
水 (shuǐ) — water 💧
Measure word: 一杯 / 一瓶
茶 (chá) — tea ☕
Measure word: 一杯
牛奶 (niúnǎi) — milk 🥛
Measure word: 一杯 / 一瓶
鸡蛋 (jīdàn) — egg 🥚
Measure word: 一个
面包 (miànbāo) — bread
Measure word: 一块 / 一个
茶叶蛋 / 茶叶蛋 (Chinese-style boiled egg)
烤肉 (kǎoròu) — grilled meat
烫（KENYA）如 乌干达饭 / chapati (loan) — use loanword 查帕蒂 (chá pà dì)
Tip: Always use the correct measure word (量词) before the noun when counting or specifying quantity.
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Simple sentence order (S V O)
我爱苹果。 (Wǒ ài píngguǒ.) — I love apples. -
Measure words (量词)
我吃了一个鸡蛋。 (Wǒ chī le yí gè jīdàn.) — I ate one egg. -
Negation: 不 / 没(有)
我不喜欢牛奶。 (Wǒ bù xǐhuan niúnǎi.) — I don't like milk.
我没吃早餐。 (Wǒ méi chī zǎocān.) — I didn't eat breakfast. -
Because / So (cause → result): 因为...所以...
因为太咸了，所以我不喜欢这道菜。 (Yīnwèi tài xián le, suǒyǐ wǒ bù xǐhuan zhè dào cài.) -
Also / Not only: 不但...而且...; Besides: 除了...还...
我不但喜欢米饭，而且喜欢面包。 (Wǒ bùdàn xǐhuan mǐfàn, érqiě xǐhuan miànbāo.) -
Past tense particle 了
我吃了烤肉。 (Wǒ chī le kǎoròu.) — I ate grilled meat. -
Possession: 的
我的午餐很好吃。 (Wǒ de wǔcān hěn hǎochī.) — My lunch is delicious. -
Request / order food politely
请给我一杯水。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ.) — Please give me a glass of water.
我要一份饭和一杯茶。 (Wǒ yào yí fèn fàn hé yì bēi chá.) — I want a portion of rice and a cup of tea. -
Question particle: 吗 ; Suggestion: 吧
你想吃饭吗？ (Nǐ xiǎng chī fàn ma?) — Do you want to eat?
我们去吃烤肉吧。 (Wǒmen qù chī kǎoròu ba.) — Let's go eat grilled meat.
因为...所以... (because... therefore...), 不但...而且... (not only... but also...), 除了...还... (besides... also...), 但是 / 可是 (but), 因此 / 所以 (therefore), 然后 (then), 最后 (finally).
- 我喜欢吃苹果和面包。 (Wǒ xǐhuan chī píngguǒ hé miànbāo.)
- 今天我吃了一碗米饭。 (Jīntiān wǒ chī le yì wǎn mǐfàn.)
- 我不太喜欢辣的食物。 (Wǒ bù tài xǐhuan là de shíwù.)
- 因为牛奶很营养，所以我每天喝。 (Yīnwèi niúnǎi hěn yíngyǎng, suǒyǐ wǒ měitiān hē.)
- 请给我一份查帕蒂和一杯茶，谢谢。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ yí fèn chá pà dì hé yì bēi chá, xièxiè.)
Exercise 1 — Fill in measure words and particles (write in Chinese):
- 我吃了 ___ 鸡蛋。 (one egg)
- 请给我 ___ 水。 (one cup)
- 他___不喝茶。 (negation: does not)
Answers: 1) 一个鸡蛋。 2) 一杯水。 3) 他不喝茶。
Exercise 2 — Reorder words to make correct sentence (SVO):
- 牛奶 / 我 / 喝 / 每天 → _____
- 喜欢 / 她 / 苹果 → _____
Answers: 1) 我每天喝牛奶。 2) 她喜欢苹果。
Exercise 3 — Translate into Chinese (use grammar patterns):
- I don't like spicy food. → _____
- Because it is delicious, I eat it often. → _____
Answers: 1) 我不喜欢辣的食物。 2) 因为很好吃，所以我经常吃。
Exercise 4 — Guided paragraph (final writing task)
Write a short paragraph (5–7 sentences) about your favourite meal in Chinese. Use:
- One topic sentence: say what your favourite meal is (use 我喜欢... or 我的最爱是...)
- Two supporting sentences: include reasons (因为...所以...), taste adjectives (好吃, 咸, 甜, 辣, 香), and at least one measure word (一碗, 一杯, 一个, 一份).
- One sentence about when/where you eat it (今天/晚上/在家/在餐厅).
- One concluding sentence (我觉得..., 我希望...). Use a connector like 最后/因此).
Model paragraph (example)
我最喜欢的饭菜是烤肉和米饭。因为烤肉很香，而且不太贵，所以我常常吃。每次我吃一份烤肉和一碗米饭。晚上我和家人在家吃。最后，我觉得这顿饭很满足，我希望周末还能吃。
(Wǒ zuì xǐhuan de fàncài shì kǎoròu hé mǐfàn. Yīnwèi kǎoròu hěn xiāng, érqiě bù tài guì, suǒyǐ wǒ chángcháng chī. Měi cì wǒ chī yí fèn kǎoròu hé yì wǎn mǐfàn. Wǎnshàng wǒ hé jiārén zài jiā chī. Zuìhòu, wǒ juéde zhè dùn fàn hěn mǎnzú, wǒ xīwàng zhōumò hái néng chī.)
(Wǒ zuì xǐhuan de fàncài shì kǎoròu hé mǐfàn. Yīnwèi kǎoròu hěn xiāng, érqiě bù tài guì, suǒyǐ wǒ chángcháng chī. Měi cì wǒ chī yí fèn kǎoròu hé yì wǎn mǐfàn. Wǎnshàng wǒ hé jiārén zài jiā chī. Zuìhòu, wǒ juéde zhè dùn fàn hěn mǎnzú, wǒ xīwàng zhōumò hái néng chī.)
Use the checklist below to improve your paragraph.
- Have you used a topic sentence? (Yes / No)
- Did you include cause/reason with 因为...所以... or another connector? (Yes / No)
- Did you use at least one measure word? (一个 / 一碗 / 一杯 / 一份)
- Are sentences linked with connectors (然后, 最后, 因此, 不但...而且)? (Yes / No)
- Is punctuation correct? (Use Chinese commas ， and full stop 。 )
- Ask learners to list Kenyan favourite foods (chapati 查帕蒂, ugali 乌加里 (transliteration), nyama choma 烤肉) and write simple sentences using measure words and connectors.
- Pair work: students read each other's paragraphs and check the checklist above — focus on grammar accuracy (量词, 了, 因为/所以).
- Encourage neat handwriting of characters and correct punctuation: Chinese commas ， and periods 。