confusion with de and shi de Exercise 2 Combine the two sentences in each group to make them into one sentence by using de: (a) Linda shi da xuesheng. Linda xue Zhongwen. (a) Linda shi xue Zhongwen de da xuesheng. The word de links the verbal phrase with the noun. So is the verbal phrase xue Zhongwen and the noun is da xuesheng? If this is the case what is the shi for in the sentance? Shi...de This construction has many usages. Let us look at two of them here. First, it is used in interrogative sentences which ask about the time, place or manner of an action that hapened in the past. The word shi is placed before the phrase that is being emphasized and de comes either at the end of the sentence or after the verb. So in this instance sentance (a) Linda shi xue Zhongwen de da xuesheng. Is xue Zhongwen being emphasised by shi? But Zhongwen isn't a verb is it? and de doen't come at the end of the sentance? Second, the construction is used in positive sentances that emphasize the time or manner of a past action. Or is it simply that shi de is used in the second instance and the sentance (a) Linda shi xue Zhongwen de da xuesheng. emphasizes the time and manner of a past action i.e Linda learned Chinese at university. This is so confusing please help.