The Chinese language is viewed by many as topic prominent. The topic must be a noun or noun phrase that is definite and has been mentioned in the conversation or is pre-existent in the context.
(a) When the comment is a complete sentence
Usually, the comment is a complete sentence used to elaborate on the topic.
这家饭馆, 服务很好。
Zhè jiā fàn guǎn, fú wù hěn hǎo 。
↓ ↓
Topic Comment (服务很好 is a complete sentence.)
Service at this restaurant is good.
(b) When the comment is another topic–comment structure
Sometimes, a comment itself can be a topic–comment structure. There is frequently a comma between the topic and the comment.
(Situation: Wang knew that Zhang had taken two tests yesterday, and Wang wanted to find out how Zhang had done on the tests.)
王: 昨天的考试, 你考得怎么样?
Wáng:Zuó tiān de kǎo shì,nǐ kǎo dé zěn me yàng?
Topic Comment (a complete sentence)
Wang: How did you do on yesterday’s tests?
张: (那两个考试,) 中文的,我考得不错,英文的,我考得不好。
Zhāng: (nà liǎng gè kǎo shì, ) zhōng wén de ,wǒ kǎo dé bú cuò, yīng wén de,wǒ kǎo dé bú hǎo。
Topic Comment #1 Comment #2
中文的,我考得不错,英文的,我考得不好。
Topic Comment Topic Comment
Zhang: Of the two tests, I did fi ne on the Chinese one, and I did poorly on the English one.
[1] Yip, P. C., Rimmington, D., Xiaoming, Z., & Henson, R. (2009). Basic Chinese: a grammar and workbook. Taylor & Francis.
[2] Teng, W. H. (2016). Yufa! A practical guide to Mandarin Chinese grammar. Taylor & Francis.