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1 Introduction

This paper discusses the importance of passive constructions in teaching Chinese as a second language, particularly the confusion between "被" (bèi) sentences and "受" (shòu) sentences. The study notes that learners often mix up these two constructions, and existing research lacks sufficient analysis of confusion patterns, causes, and pedagogical recommendations. The article examines four types of objects in "受" sentences, with special attention to the similarities and differences between the fourth type and "被" sentences. The research is based on three types of linguistic data: interlanguage corpora, native Chinese speaker corpora, and international Chinese textbook corpora, aiming to analyze confusion characteristics, explore underlying causes, and propose teaching strategies.

2 Confusion Features Between "被" and "受" Sentences

The study analyzes the confusion phenomenon among CSL learners when using "被" and "受" sentences, identifying two main types: substitution errors and hybrid errors. Substitution errors occur when learners incorrectly use "受" sentences in place of "被" sentences or vice versa, while hybrid errors involve learners blending elements of both constructions. Statistical results show that hybrid errors are more prevalent, accounting for 56.4%, compared to substitution errors at 43.6%. Learners tend to favor "被" sentences over "受" sentences, and their mastery of "受" sentences lags behind that of "被" sentences. Additionally, the conversion between these two constructions is subject to certain constraints, indicating that learners have not fully grasped their usage.

3 Causes of Confusion Between "被" and "受" Sentences

The study explores the confusion phenomenon among CSL learners and analyzes its causes. The findings reveal that confusion is widespread across learners from different native language backgrounds, suggesting minimal cross-linguistic influence. The confusion is bidirectional—learners may substitute "受" sentences for "被" sentences or the reverse. This confusion stems from the similarities between the two constructions in semantics, form, and pragmatics, while learners fail to grasp their structural differences. For example, the verb-object in "受" sentences is often a nominalized verb, whereas "被" sentences lack this feature. Furthermore, learners' preference for "被" sentences may be attributed to their prominence in teaching materials and greater exposure. Teaching syllabi and textbooks provide clearer guidance on "被" sentences but offer insufficient instruction on "受" sentences. Statistical data show that "被" sentences appear more frequently than "受" sentences in both textbooks and native speaker corpora. Lastly, hybrid errors are particularly common, likely due to learners' inadequate understanding of "受" sentences, including unawareness that "受" can express passive voice and misusing "受 + verb" as the predicate in "被" sentences. The lack of detailed explanations and practice for "受" sentences in teaching may contribute to these issues.

4 Teaching Recommendations

This section proposes pedagogical strategies to address the confusion between "被" and "受" sentences among CSL learners. First, it emphasizes the need to include "受" sentences in teaching syllabi, highlighting their passive meaning, low learner awareness, and high frequency of use. Second, it recommends clarifying the content and sequencing of "受" sentence instruction, introducing different subtypes at appropriate learning stages. Additionally, it stresses the importance of distinguishing between "被" and "受" sentences in terms of expressive function and syntactic structure. Key differences include: 1) "被" sentences serve descriptive and expressive functions, whereas "受" sentences are purely expressive; 2) "被" sentences tend to convey neutral or negative meanings, while "受" sentences often express negative or positive meanings; 3) "被" is a preposition, while "受" is a verb, leading to structural differences; and 4) The verb-object in "受" sentences can be modified by quantity or quality, whereas the predicate verb in "被" sentences cannot. These recommendations aim to help learners correctly understand and use both constructions.

5 Conclusion

The study examines the confusion phenomenon in the use of "被" and "受" sentences among CSL learners, finding that the confusion is bidirectional and related to the constructions' similarities and learners' insufficient grasp of their differences. Learners tend to prefer "被" sentences, possibly due to their greater emphasis in teaching. The prevalence of hybrid errors is linked to learners' limited understanding of "受" sentences. To address this, the study recommends incorporating "受" sentences into passive construction instruction and clarifying teaching content and sequencing. By analyzing the differences between the two constructions in expressive function and syntactic structure, the research seeks to deepen understanding of the confusion phenomenon, provide theoretical support for passive construction teaching, and offer insights for studying similar confusion patterns in other constructions.

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