2026-06-20
CSAT Chinese: Existence Sentences (Zunxianju) - 2019 Chinese I Past Exam Question Analysis
A detailed guide to solving the 2019 CSAT Chinese I questions focusing on Existence Sentences (Zunxianju), including grammar rules and common pitfalls for test-takers.
Hello everyone!
The 2021 CSAT is now only 9 days away.
To all the students who have had a hectic year due to COVID-19!
From now on, I believe the key is to maintain peak condition through final reviews and health management.
Today’s topic is Existence Sentences (Zunxianju)!
Let’s dive straight into the past exam questions. (2019 CSAT Chinese I)
Shall we look at each sentence together?
A: 前边开来了一辆汽车。
This is a correct sentence.
Then,
从前边开来了一辆汽车。
What about this sentence?
In Existence Sentences, prepositions like ‘在’ or ‘从’ cannot be placed in the subject position, so this sentence is incorrect.
You must remove ‘从’ to make it a correct sentence.
B. 在桌子上放着很多书。
This is an example related to the rule explained above, right?
How should we change this sentence?
(* While there are exceptions for a few ‘有’ structures, for the CSAT Chinese exam, just assume they don’t exist when solving problems!)
C: 我的书包里没有三本书.
The last sentence is also incorrect.
This is because in the negative form of an Existence Sentence, there is no need to attach a numeral-classifier before the object.
(It’s easier to understand if you think about how when someone asks ‘Do you have books?’, we answer ‘I don’t have any’ rather than specifying a quantity.)
If you remove ‘三本’, it becomes a correct sentence.
Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1!
I am attaching the 2019 CSAT Chinese I past exam and answer key so you can practice with various questions.
CSAT materials can be found on the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can prepositions be used in the subject position of a presentative sentence in CSAT Chinese?
No, they cannot. In presentative sentences, prepositions like 在 (zài) or 从 (cóng) cannot appear in the subject position; they must be removed for the sentence to be grammatically correct. For example, in the sentence 从前边开来了一辆汽车 (Cóng qiánbiān kāi láile yī liàng qìchē), 从 must be removed to make it correct.
In the negative form of a presentative sentence, can a quantifier be placed before the object?
No, it is not necessary. In the negative form of a presentative sentence, it is generally not appropriate to use a specific quantifier before the object. Therefore, in the sentence 我的书包里没有三本书 (Wǒ de shūbāo lǐ méiyǒu sān běn shū), 三本 (sān běn) should be removed for correct grammar.
Is the sentence 在桌子上放着很多书 (Zài zhuōzi shàng fàngzhe hěnduō shū) grammatically correct?
No, it is an incorrect sentence. The rule that prepositions cannot appear in the subject position of a presentative sentence applies, so the preposition 在 (zài) at the very beginning of the sentence must be removed to make it grammatically correct for CSAT Chinese.
Where can I find past CSAT Chinese exam questions and answer keys?
You can find them on the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) website. By accessing the site, you can directly view and download not only past CSAT Chinese exam questions but also mock test information and various other CSAT-related materials.
Can prepositions be used in the subject position of a presentative sentence in CSAT Chinese?
No, they cannot. In presentative sentences, prepositions like 在 (zài) or 从 (cóng) cannot appear in the subject position; they must be removed for the sentence to be grammatically correct. For example, in the sentence 从前边开来了一辆汽车 (Cóng qiánbiān kāi láile yī liàng qìchē), 从 must be removed to make it correct.
In the negative form of a presentative sentence, can a quantifier be placed before the object?
No, it is not necessary. In the negative form of a presentative sentence, it is generally not appropriate to use a specific quantifier before the object. Therefore, in the sentence 我的书包里没有三本书 (Wǒ de shūbāo lǐ méiyǒu sān běn shū), 三本 (sān běn) should be removed for correct grammar.
Is the sentence 在桌子上放着很多书 (Zài zhuōzi shàng fàngzhe hěnduō shū) grammatically correct?
No, it is an incorrect sentence. The rule that prepositions cannot appear in the subject position of a presentative sentence applies, so the preposition 在 (zài) at the very beginning of the sentence must be removed to make it grammatically correct for CSAT Chinese.
Where can I find past CSAT Chinese exam questions and answer keys?
You can find them on the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) website. By accessing the site, you can directly view and download not only past CSAT Chinese exam questions but also mock test information and various other CSAT-related materials.