Writing Guide › Word Order
Interactive Practice

HSK 4 词序 — Chinese Word Order

Arrange scrambled words into correct Chinese sentences and master where 把/被/比, adverbs, and connectors go. Word order is the core skill behind the HSK 4 看图造句 and 写短文 writing tasks.

2026 syllabus note: The standalone 排词成句 (word-ordering) task was removed from HSK 4 writing in the new HSK syllabus. But word order is now tested directly inside 看图造句 and 写短文 — so these drills are more useful than ever for building accurate sentences.
Word Order Essentials / 语序规则
1

Find the Time/Place Words

Time and place expressions usually come before the verb and often near the beginning of the sentence.

昨天晚上 我在图书馆 学了 两个小时。
2

Spot the Connectors

Paired connectors (虽然…但是, 不但…而且) tell you which clauses go together and in what order.

虽然很累，但是他还是坚持了。
3

Identify Topic & Subject

Chinese sentences often start with a topic or subject, but subjects can be omitted. Look for who/what the sentence is about.

这个问题，我们需要认真考虑。
4

Check 把/被/比 Position

These structural markers have fixed positions: 把 goes before the object, 被 before the agent, 比 between the two compared items.

他 把 作业 做完了。
作业 被 他 做完了。
Practice Exercises / 练习 (click fragments in order)
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HSK 4 Writing Practice →

Word Order Quick Reference / 语序速查

The standard Chinese sentence follows this order. Not every sentence uses all slots — but elements that do appear follow this sequence:

PositionElementExample
1Time昨天
2Subject我
3Adverb已经
4Preposition phrase在图书馆 / 把书 / 跟朋友
5Verb看完
6Complement得很好 / 了两个小时
7Object那本书
8了/过/着了

This is a simplified overview — real Chinese sentences don't always use all positions, and some rules interact: (1) When 把 is used, the object moves before the verb. (2) When a verb has both an object and a degree complement (得…), the verb must be repeated: 他说中文说得很好. (3) 了 can appear right after the verb (completed action) or at the end of the sentence (changed state). For detailed rules, see our Grammar Guide.

准备好练写作了吗？

Now that you've practiced word order, apply it in the HSK 4 writing tasks — 看图造句 and 写短文.

HSK 4 Writing Practice →

All exercises use HSK 4 vocabulary and grammar patterns from the HSK 3.0 syllabus. For more grammar practice, visit our Grammar Guide with interactive quizzes on 把字句, 被字句, 复句, and more. Created by Mandarin Zone.

More HSK 4 Writing & Grammar Resources

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