F2F Class Notes October 22nd (Ben)

Demo StudentTimothy

Do Chinese women like beards?

Most don’t.

a mask 口罩

I am wearing a mask.

It’s raining cats and dogs. 倾盆大雨

a workday 工作日 (Monday to Friday)

Today was the same as every workday.

一周一次 once a week

一周二次 twice a week

一周三次 three times a week

一周六天 6 days a week

In my company, we work 6 days a week.

But on Saturday, we can go to work a little later.

I worked for 3 hours and a half today.

It’s up to you 随便你

What do you want to do today? It’s up to you.

work / worked / (have) worked

I work = 普通，普遍,正常频率: in general, usually, everyday, frequently
(question: do you work a lot?)

I worked = 时间明确: yesterday, this morning, last night, last month, 3 years ago, when I was a child, when I lived in Beijing, today (if the day is almost finished)
(question: did you work a lot last month?)

I have worked = 时间不明确: already, before, never, until now, so far, today (if the day is not finished yet)
(question: have you worked a lot so far?)

‘Have you ever’ questions

  • Have you ever broken a bone? (break / broke / broken)
    • No, I have never broken a bone
  • Have you ever driven a sports car? (drive/drove/driven)
    • No, I have never driven a sports car.
    • I have never driven a sports car either.
  • Have you ever been to Disneyland? ([be] / was / been)
    • I have never = I haven’t ever
    • I haven’t ever been to Disneyland
    • I have been to the Disneyland in the USA, but I have never been to the one in Shanghai.
  • Have you ever met a celebrity? (meet / met / met)
    • I have already met Hu Jintao
    • I have met Obama before.
  • Have you ever called a woman “Sir”? (call / called / called)
    • I have never called a woman “Sir”

If you want to emphasize the long time of an action, you can also replace ” I have driven” by “I have been driving”

drive / drove / (have) driven

I have been driving = same meaning, but you use it to emphasize a long time. 可是你想强调时间很长。You usually use it with “all day, for 3 hours, for a long time”

  • Waiter, I have been waiting for half an hour and my food hasn’t come yet ! 服务员，我等了半个小时了，怎么还没来呢！
  • I have been asking you for 3 days and you haven’t answered me yet. 我问了你三天了，可是你还没有回答呢。