Finding the error: what 把 and 被 will not accept
把 and 被 sentences break in the same few places: a bare verb at the end, a negative or modal word put after 把 or 被, and a verb that does nothing to its object, such as 知道, 认识 or 有.
Structure
主语 + （没／不／能／要）+ 把／被 + 名词 + 动词 + 其他成分
Explanation
Chinese words in this text can be activated to show a dictionary gloss.
Both constructions describe what an action did to something: from the doer’s side, from the side of the thing affected. Almost every error comes from forgetting that.
First, the verb cannot stand alone. It needs a result, a direction, , or some other element that shows the effect: , . is unfinished — written to what end?
Second, negatives, modal verbs and most time words go before or , not before the verb: , , . is the classic error; it negates the bringing after the keys have already been put under ’s control.
Third, the verb must act on its object. Verbs of knowing, being, having and feeling — , , , , , , — change nothing, so they cannot take : is wrong, is right. The same verbs sound odd with for the same reason.
Finally, what brings forward is something specific that both speakers can identify — , — not “a book” in general. In a find-the-error question, check these four points in turn: verb not bare, negative before ／, a verb that really acts, a specific object.
Correct
Say each one out loud before moving on. The audio is a reference pronunciation, not a model to imitate exactly — match the tone contour, not the voice.
我还没把这份报告写完。我還沒把這份報告寫完。
Wǒ (third tone, dipping) hái (second tone, rising) méi (second tone, rising) bǎ (third tone, dipping) zhè (fourth tone, falling) fèn (fourth tone, falling) bàogào (fourth tone, falling) xiě (third tone, dipping) wán. (second tone, rising)···
I haven’t finished writing this report yet.
那本词典被同学借走了。那本詞典被同學借走了。
Nà (fourth tone, falling) běn (third tone, dipping) cídiǎn (second tone, rising) bèi (fourth tone, falling) tóngxué (second tone, rising) jiè (fourth tone, falling) zǒu (third tone, dipping) le. (neutral tone)···
That dictionary has been borrowed by a classmate.
你千万别把护照弄丢了。你千萬別把護照弄丟了。
Nǐ (third tone, dipping) qiānwàn (first tone, high and level) bié (second tone, rising) bǎ (third tone, dipping) hùzhào (fourth tone, falling) nòng (fourth tone, falling) diū (first tone, high and level) le. (neutral tone)···
Whatever you do, don’t lose your passport.
Incorrect — Common mistakes
These sentences are wrong. They are printed here on purpose, each one paired with the repair and the reason, because the error you can recognise is the error you stop making.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 我把钥匙没带来。
Correct
Correct sentence: 我没把钥匙带来。
Why: The negative goes before 把, not before the verb. The same is true of modal verbs: 你应该把…, not 你把…应该….
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 他把这个消息知道了。
Correct
Correct sentence: 他知道这个消息了。
Why: 知道 does nothing to the news; it only reports a state of mind. Verbs like 知道, 认识, 有 and 是 cannot take 把.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 我把那封信写。
Correct
Correct sentence: 我把那封信写完了。
Why: A 把 sentence must show what happened to its object. A bare verb leaves the sentence unfinished; add a result such as 完 and 了.
Compared with
Most errors with this pattern are not errors about this pattern — they are a neighbouring pattern arriving at the wrong moment. Read these side by side.
The HSK 4 point is about choosing between 把 and 被 — which side of the action to tell the story from. This one is about the restrictions they share. Because the two constructions obey the same rules — verb not bare, negatives in front, a verb that acts on a specific object — a sentence that breaks one of them is usually wrong whichever of the two it uses.
Choosing between 把 and 被 →Often confused with
把 with 在, 到, 给 and 成: putting things somewhere
主语 + 把 + 宾语 + 动词 + 在／到 + 处所 ｜ + 给 + 接受者 ｜ + 成 + 结果
More →Mini quiz
Question 1 / 3Total score: 0
Which sentence has no error?