In this episode we'll talk about speaking in general. We'll also look at it in the context of exams. Then you'll have an exciting opportunity to produce your own answer and compare it with mine . 

Vlad's teaching tales

Speaking(IELTS example)

Following a verb, both 一下 ((yí xià, lit. “once”) and(一)点儿 ({yì} diǎnr “a bit”) can soften the tone in a question or an imperative sentence, therefore making it more polite. When used in this way, 一下(yí xià) modifies the verb, while(一)点儿 ({yì} diǎnr) modifies the object.

For example:
nǐ kàn yí xià ， zhè shì shuí de zhào piàn ？ 
你看一下，这是谁的照片？   Take a look. Whose photo is this?

nǐ xiǎnɡ chī diǎnr shén me ？ 
你想吃点儿什么？       What would you like to eat?

nǐ jìn lái yí xià 。 
你进来一下。Come in for a minute.

wǒ men hē yì diǎnr chá bɑ 。 
我们喝一点儿茶吧。  Have a little tea.

qǐnɡ nǐ kāi yí xià mén 。 
请你开一下门。   Please open the door.

JOJO CHINESE

一下&（一）点儿

nǐ zài nǎ ér ？ 
你在哪儿？Where are you?

wǒ zài jiā 。 
我在家。 I'm at home.

nǐ zài nǎ ér ɡōnɡ zuò ？ 
你在哪儿工作？ Where do you work?

wǒ zài yī yuàn ɡōnɡ zuò 。 
我在医院工作。 I work in a hospital.

wǒ bù xǐ huɑn zài jiā kàn diàn yǐnɡ 。 
我不喜欢在家看电影。 I don't like watching movies at home.

nà ɡè xué shenɡ zài dú shū 。 
那个学生在读书。 The student is reading.

lǎo shī zài shànɡ kè 。 
老师在上课。 The teacher is having a class.
 
wǒ zài shuì jiào 。 
我在睡觉。  I'm sleeping.

在zài  

就（jiù）：emphasizes that the speaker thinks that the event occurs too early, too fast or too smoothly; 
才（cái）：emphasizes that the speaker thinks that the event occurs too late, too slowly or too difficultly.

For example:
bā diǎn shànɡ kè ， 
八 点   上    课 ， 
dà wèi qī diǎn bàn jiù lái le ， 
大 卫  七 点   半  就  来  了 ， 
mǎ kè bā diǎn shí fēn cái lái 。 
马 克 八 点   十  分  才  来  。 

zuò huǒ chē shí ɡè xiǎo shí cái dào běi jīnɡ ， 
坐  火  车  十  个 小   时  才  到  北  京   ， 
zuò fēi jī yí ɡè bàn xiǎo shí jiù dào le 。 
坐  飞  机 一 个 半  小   时  就  到  了 。 

就jiù&才cái

tā bǐ wǒ ɡènɡ huì yóu yǒnɡ 。 
他 比 我 更   会  游  泳   。 He can swim better than I can.

tā xiàn zài ɡènɡ bù xiǎnɡ huí jiā le 。 
她 现   在  更   不 想    回  家  了 。 She doesn't want to go home anymore.

dà wèi de hàn yǔ zuì hǎo 。 
大 卫  的 汉  语 最  好  。 David's Chinese is the best.

wǒ zuì xǐ huɑn chī mǐ fàn 。 
我 最  喜 欢   吃  米 饭  。 I like rice best.

tā de yǎn jinɡ zuì piào liɑnɡ 。 
她 的 眼  睛   最  漂   亮    。 She has the most beautiful eyes.

更ɡènɡ&最zuì

The verb 离 indicates the distance between two points. 
It often occurs before adjectives like 远（yuǎn） and 近（jìn）. 

ān nà jiā lí shū diàn hěn yuǎn 。 
安娜家离书店很远。Anna's house is far from the bookstore.

ān nà jiā lí ɡōnɡ sī hěn jìn 。 
安娜家离公司很近。Anna's house is very close to the office.

Sometimes it takes the verb-object phrase 有(yǒu)……米(mǐ) to indicate the exact distance.

wǒ jiā lí xué xiào yǒu 400 mǐ 。 
我家离学校有400米。My home is 400 meters away from my school.

wǒ jiā lí chāo shì yǒu 500 mǐ 。 
我家离超市有500米。My home is 500 meters from the supermarket.

chāo shì lí xué xiào yǒu 100 mǐ 。 
超市离学校有100米。The supermarket is 100 meters from the school.