HSK 6: what the level covers and what it asks of you

主语 + （没／不／能／要）+ 把／被 + 名词 + 动词 + 其他成分

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.

主语 + 不但 + 甲，而且 + 乙（主语相同）　｜　不但 + 主语一 + 甲，而且 + 主语二 + 也 + 乙（主语不同）

With one subject, the subject comes before 不但. With two different subjects, each one follows its own conjunction. The second half must also go further than the first. Both rules are tested constantly in find-the-error questions.

提高 + 水平／质量／效率　｜　改善 + 条件／环境／关系　｜　增强 + 信心／能力　｜　加强 + 管理／联系　｜　养成 + 习惯　｜　发挥 + 作用

In written Chinese a verb and its object are chosen as a pair: 提高水平 and 改善条件, but not 提高条件. Subjects and predicates pair up too: 价格 is 高 or 低, while the goods are 贵 or 便宜.

不得不／不能不 + 动词（＝必须）　｜　防止／避免 + 不希望发生的事（后面不再加“不”）　｜　否认 + 事实（后面不再加“没”）

Two negatives make a positive: 不得不 and 不能不 both mean “have to”. Verbs such as 防止, 避免 and 否认 already contain a negative, so a 不 or 没 after them reverses the meaning — a favourite trap in find-the-error questions.

大约／大概 + 数量（不再加“左右”）　｜　超过 + 数量（不再加“以上”）　｜　……的原因是 + 小句（不再加“因为”“造成的”）

Some words already carry a meaning that another word in the sentence repeats: 大约 and 左右 both mean “about”, 超过 and 以上 both mean “more than”, 原因 already means “because”. Keep one of each pair.

（情境），主语 + 不禁／不由得 + 动词（笑、哭、想起、感到……）

Both describe a reaction the subject could not hold back — laughing, crying, remembering, feeling. They stand after the subject and before a verb of emotion or perception, and despite the 不 they are not negatives.

原来的打算／估计，不料 + （主语）+ 意外的情况

不料 opens a second clause reporting something that went against what was planned or expected, usually something unwelcome. It needs a first clause stating the expectation, and it stands before the subject. For a result that confirms expectations, the word is 果然.

主语 +（还）不至于 + 更严重的情况　｜　……，至于吗？

不至于 says that a situation will not go as far as a worse outcome: 他只是有点儿累，还不至于生病. What follows it is always the more serious possibility. The positive 至于 appears mostly in the question 至于吗? — “is it really that serious?”

甲 + 固然 + 评价／事实，但（是）／可（是）+ 更重要的一面　｜　甲固然好，乙也不错

固然 admits that something is true before turning to what matters more. It is an adverb, so it follows the subject — unlike 虽然, which can open the sentence. With 也 instead of 但 it accepts both sides: A is good, and B is fine too.

鉴于 + 已知情况，（主语）+ 决定／采取 + 措施

鉴于 names a known fact as the ground for a decision or measure that follows. It opens the sentence and belongs to formal writing. For an ordinary cause and effect use 由于; for a supposition use 倘若.

即便 + 假设（甚至是极端的情况），主语 + 也 + 结果不变

即便 is the written form of 即使. It concedes a supposition — often an extreme one — and the second clause, with 也, says the outcome stays the same. 也 follows the subject of its clause, and 但是 cannot replace it.

（先）+ 甲，进而 + 乙（在甲的基础上更进一步）

进而 links a first step to a further step that builds on it: first understand the customer, and from there improve the product. The second step must go beyond the first; for a simple “and then”, use 然后.

理由一，况且 + （主语）+ 又／也／还 + 理由二

况且 adds a further reason in support of a point the speaker is already making, often followed by 又, 也 or 还. Unlike 而且 it cannot pair with 不但, and unlike 何况 it is never used in a “let alone” question.

（情况不理想），主语 + 索性 + 动词短语（主动选择的做法）

索性 (like 干脆) marks a decision taken outright because the situation leaves no better option: “might as well, simply”. It goes before a deliberate action, never before something that just happens to someone.

倘若 + 条件，（主语）+ 就／便 + 结果　｜　倘若 + 条件，那么 + 结果

倘若 is a written equivalent of 如果. It introduces a supposed condition, and the result clause takes 就, 便 or 那么 — never 所以, which is for causes that are already true.

主语 + 未免 + 太／有点儿／过于 + 形容词／动词短语

未免 softens a criticism: “that is rather too…”. It is almost always followed by 太, 有点儿 or 过于 and a negative judgement. It is easily confused with 难免, which means “hard to avoid” and carries no criticism.

（请）+ 主语 + 务必 + 动词短语　｜　请务必 + 动词短语

务必 means “without fail” and is used to ask or remind someone to do something, very often after 请. It is an adverb between the subject and the verb. It looks like 未必 (“not necessarily”) but means almost the opposite.

做法，以便 + 希望达到的结果　｜　做法，以免 + 不希望发生的事

Both open the second clause and give the purpose of what the first clause describes. 以便 introduces the result you want; 以免 the result you want to avoid. Neither can open the sentence, and 以免 is never followed by 不.