Section IV
Trying Your Hand

Sentence Writing
Simple Past and Present Perfect

Practice 1: Write Through Applying Grammar Rules

Read the following sentences and circle P for the past tense and PP for the present perfect tense.
 P     PP    1I suppose I've only been here for ten minutes or so.

 P     PP    2He has always worked in an accounting department.

 P     PP    3He has worked for this large company for many years.

 P     PP    4He graduated from Florida State University in 1990.

 P     PP    5We had the same weather in Detroit last year.

 P     PP    7He has never made a serious mistake at work.

 P     PP    7They may go on to talk about what the weather has been like recently.

 P     PP    8Robert went to school part-time while he worked full time.

 P     PP    9Robert has received two promotions so far.

 P     PP  10Robert has decided to look for a job in a larger company.
Key：1. PP   2. PP   3. PP   4. P   5. P   6. PP   7. PP   8. P   9. PP   10. PP

Practice 2: Write Through Correcting Mistakes

Correct the errors in the following sentences.
1) They didn't see each other since September.
2) Gina is in college for one year.
3)She has worked at the cafeteria since nine months.
4)He always arrived on time before.
5)He never has had a problem with his boss.
6)Did you ever take the telephone orders before?
7)In the last three months, Robert trained more than twenty new employees.
8)Robert has started to use a computer when he was an office worker.
9)Robert attended several important business meetings in the last three years.
10)So far they already got six traveler's checks.

Key:  
1)They haven’t seeneach other since September.
2)Gina has been in college for one year.
3)She has worked at the cafeteria for nine months.
4)He has always arrived on time before.
5)He has never had a problem with his boss.
6)Have you ever take the telephone orders before?
7)In the last three months, Robert has trained more than twenty new employees.
8)Robert started to use a computer when he was an office worker.
9)Robert has attended several important business meetings in the last three years.
10)So far they have already gotsix traveler's checks.

Practice 3: Write Through Translating
Translate the following sentences into English.

1昨天天气不好。 实际上这几天天气一直不好。
2她在这个办事处工作已有5年了。
3去年我游览了长城，而且玩得特别开心。
4自从上次吵架后，我们就再也没有跟对方讲过话。
5把电视声音拧小点儿。天气预报还没开始呢。

Key:
1. The weather was terrible yesterday. In fact, it has been awful for several days.    
2. She has worked in this office for 5 years.
3. I paid a visit to the Great Wall last year and had a very good time there.
4. We have never spoken to each other since we quarreled last time.
5. Turn down the TV a bit. The weather forecast hasn’t begun yet.
Write Through Describing a Picture

Write a short passage of about 100 words to tell a story or about an event related to the picture given. Some useful words and phrases have been provided here to help you.

Key：