是……的shì...de

Extended 是...的 Construction (Focus on Time/Place/Manner/Purpose)

Meaning: Emphasizes specific circumstances of a past completed action

Pattern

The 是...的 (shì...de) focus construction is expanded at HSK 4 to cover a wide variety of highlighted categories regarding past completed events: \ (1) Time: 我是去年来中国的 (It was last year that I came to China); \ (2) Location: 这本书是在北京买的 (It was in Beijing that this book was bought); \ (3) Manner or transportation: 他是坐飞机来的 (It was by plane that he arrived); \ (4) Purpose: 我是来学汉语的 (It was to study Chinese that I came); \ (5) Agent: 这个蛋糕是妈妈做的 (It was mother who made this cake).
Key syntactic details: 是 stands directly before the focused element, while 的

1
我是去年来中国的。
Wǒ shì qùnián lái Zhōngguó de.
I came to China last year.
2
这本书是在北京买的。
Zhè běn shū shì zài Běijīng mǎi de.
This book was bought in Beijing.
3
他是坐飞机来的。
Tā shì zuò fēijī lái de.
He came by airplane.
4
我是来学汉语的。

•Used only for past completed actions. Never combine with the aspect particle 了.

⚠️ Common Mistakes:

•Incorrectly applying the 是...的 pattern to future or uncompleted events.

•Concurrently using both 是...的 and the aspect particle 了 in the same clause (e.g., 我是去年来了中国的).

Combine Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading Practice, Listening, Hanzi Writing, and Mock Exams at HSK 4 to master all skills together.