quiz - sentence correction

[Kooper]

A little quiz:
Do you know what's wrong with below sentences and correct them?

[quoted from "細說如何精通英文" written by 簡清國]

1. In my impression, he was a good student.
2. I have graduated for ten years.
3. I sold the house for three months, but I still couldn't sell it.
4. He criticized that the story had a poor plot.
5. He committed suicide three times last year.
6. 完成任務: to complete one's duty
7. 我不懂你的意思: I don't understand you.
8. He patted my shoulder.
9. I want to change a new car.
10. I will see him recently.

[Sherry Liao]

My answers:

1. I got the impression / It's my impression that he was a good student.
2. I graduated ten years ago.
3. I tried to sell the house for three months, but still failed to sell it.
4. He criticized the story for having a poor plot.
5. He attempted to commit suicide three times last year.
6. To complete one's mission; To accomplish one's mission; To finish one's assignment
7. I don't get it.
8. He patted me on the shoulder.
9. (...change a new car??? 意思是換新車嗎?)
I want to buy a new car, to replace the one I am driving.
10. I will meet with him in the near future / very soon.
I saw him the other day.

[Rock]

My answers:

3. I tried to sell the house for three months, but still failed to sell it.

I want to put this into "I have been trying to sell the house for three months." Wonder if it's ok to say "I have been selling this house for three months."

[Sherry Liao]

My answers:

3. I tried to sell the house for three months, but still failed to sell it.

I want to put this into "I have been trying to sell the house for three months."

Sounds better.

Wonder if it's ok to say "I have been selling this house for three months."

I am not sure about this. Maybe it's right. But It really doesn't make sense for me.

So what is the "correct answer"? Supposedly there should be one, right?

[Rock]

My answers:

3. I tried to sell the house for three months, but still failed to sell it.

I want to put this into "I have been trying to sell the house for three months."

Sounds better.

No! It's not only better; it's absolutely right! What's wrong with your grammar? You cannot "tried" something "for three months". It's illegal. It's against the law!

O. I tried to kiss her three months ago, but I failed.
O. I have been trying to kiss her for three months, but still fail to do it.
X. I tried to kiss her for three months, but....

Now you see uncle Rock is good in something, right?

[Sherry Liao]

No! It's not only better; it's absolutely right! What's wrong with your grammar? You cannot "tried" something "for three months". It's illegal. It's against the law!

O. I tried to kiss her three months ago, but I failed.
O. I have been trying to kiss her for three months, but still fail to do it.
X. I tried to kiss her for three months, but....

Now you see uncle Rock is good in something, right?

I do know that Uncle Rock is good at many things. But according to "my grammar", a "past perfect tense" should be put in front of a "past tense". Therefore,

She has been trying to kick the guy for three months, but still fail to do it. (O)
She had been trying to kick the guy for three months, but still failed to do it. (O)
She has been trying to kick the guy for three months, but still failed to do it... I am not so sure about this. Is it right?
(According to my grammar, it is not; but on the other hand, my grammar is so lame, and always needs to be fixed.)



Since I used past tense in the second sentence, that's why I thought your modification was better, not absolutely right. (Okay, forget it, now I am confused by my logic...)

[Kooper]

The answer to question three is "I tried to sell the house for three months, but I still could not sell it." I wondered why the author uses past tense when first reading it. Here is what I got from the book ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE.
1. We use the past simple for a finished time in the past.
2. Do not use the present perfect if there is no connection with the present.

The book also offers two examples which show that the phrase "for a specific period of time" is not always used in the present perfect.
Since the tense of the sentence is simple past, it implies that "I am not trying to sell the house now."

1. We waited for an hour.
2. Ian lived in Scotland for ten years. Now he lives in London.

[Kooper]

She has been trying to kick the guy for three months, but still fail to do it. (O)

I think you should add "s" after FAIL.

She has been trying to kick the guy for three months, but still fails to do it.

[Kooper]

My answers:

1. I got the impression / It's my impression that he was a good student.
2. I graduated ten years ago.
3. I tried to sell the house for three months, but still failed to sell it.
4. He criticized the story for having a poor plot.
5. He attempted to commit suicide three times last year.

1. Correct. In my impression非慣用語.
2. Correct. Graduate表瞬間完成的動作.
3. Correct.
4. Correct.
5. Correct. Commit suicide的過去式表"成功達到目的"

[Kooper]

My answers:

6. To complete one's mission; To accomplish one's mission; To finish one's assignment
7. I don't get it.
8. He patted me on the shoulder.
9. (...change a new car??? 意思是換新車嗎?)
I want to buy a new car, to replace the one I am driving.
10. I will meet with him in the near future / very soon.
I saw him the other day.

6. The answer is "to fulfill one's duty". However, I think there is a better translation in Chinese than 完成任務.
7. I can't follow you.
8. Correct. However, I think "He patted my shoulder." is also acceptable, for I found two sentences from Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English:

(1). "Don't worry," he said, patting her hand gently.
(2). She strokes her arm, pats her shoulder, smiles up at her.

9. I want to change the old car for a new one.
10. I will see him one of these days.

[Rock]

Now everything is in a mess. I'm not smart enough to benefit from this kind of discussion.

[toshi]

Now everything is in a mess. I'm not smart enough to benefit from this kind of discussion.

Dear Rock,

Remember our discussion in the meeting on Sat.?
Now it's a case of multitasking!
We should get used to it!

[Sherry Liao]

Now everything is in a mess. I'm not smart enough to benefit from this kind of discussion.

Dear Rock,

Remember our discussion in the meeting on Sat.?
Now it's a case of multitasking!
We should get used to it!

I think Rock means most of the questions in the quiz contain more than one answer. It would no longer be fun if the cards have been showed.

But I think Kooper is right, Rock. We need an announcement of "correct answers" to end up the game. Now... get your wallet ready!