HSK 3-4

除了... (以外)，...也/还...

Reach for 除了...也/还... when you want to add one item on top of another — 'besides X, also Y.' Both items are included; the first one is taken for granted, the second is the newer information being highlighted. The optional 以外 (or 之外) rounds out the phrase but can be dropped in speech. 也 and 还 are interchangeable in the second half: 也 leans 'in addition' and 还 leans 'on top of that.' Use this for listing extras — destinations visited, dishes ordered, languages spoken.

Structure

除了 [ITEM A] (以外)，[SUBJECT] 也/还 [VERB PHRASE]

chúle... (yǐwài), ... yě/hái...

How to Think About It

除了 here means INCLUDING — both items are in. The first item gets named, then 也/还 in the second clause says 'AND there's this one too.' The subject of the second clause usually matches the first; if it doesn't, mention it explicitly. Watch the comma: 除了-phrase opens the sentence and is set off by a comma, the 也/还 sits before the verb on the other side. Skipping the 也/还 in the second clause is the single most common mistake.

Examples

除了英语，我还会说一点中文。

Chúle Yīngyǔ, wǒ hái huì shuō yìdiǎn Zhōngwén.

Besides English, I can also speak a little Chinese.

除了北京以外，我也去过上海。

Chúle Běijīng yǐwài, wǒ yě qù guo Shànghǎi.

Besides Beijing, I've also been to Shanghai.

除了写作业，他还要练琴。

Chúle xiě zuòyè, tā hái yào liàn qín.

Besides doing homework, he also has to practice piano.

Common Mistake

Learners drop the 也 or 还 in the second clause, copying English 'besides X, I have Y.' Chinese requires the echo word to bind the two halves together — without it, the sentence sounds like two unrelated thoughts.

❌ Wrong

除了北京，我去过上海。

✅ Right

除了北京，我还去过上海。

Don't Confuse With

除了...都...

Use 除了...都... when the first item is EXCLUDED ('all except X'). Same 除了, opposite meaning — the 都 instead of 也/还 flips the sense from 'including' to 'excluding.'

不仅...还...

Use 不仅...还... to add a parallel new claim about the same subject. 除了...还... treats the first item as already known and just stacks a second on top.

和 / 还有

Use 和 or 还有 for simple lists of nouns. 除了...还... is sentence-level — it adds a whole new action or fact, not just another noun in a list.