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namsteven
07-15-2005, 12:16 AM
Dear Teachers,

1) When I was a child and up to now, I never saw my parents having a row with each other.

-Is this sentence right?

2) Each time I’m exhausted, I think of my girlfriend and then I don’t feel tired any more.

-Is this sentence right?

3) I have much work to do, and many times I really wanted to give up, but I told myself that I have to be strong.

-Is this sentence right?

4) I have to work hard to earn much money, so that afterward I can give my parents a comfortable life.

-Is this sentence right?


Thanks very much.

Namsteven.

Rusty
07-16-2005, 04:38 AM
Dear Teachers,

1) When I was a child and up to now, I never saw my parents having a row with each other.

-Is this sentence right?

2) Each time I’m exhausted, I think of my girlfriend and then I don’t feel tired any more.

-Is this sentence right?

3) I have much work to do, and many times I really wanted to give up, but I told myself that I have to be strong.

-Is this sentence right?

4) I have to work hard to earn much money, so that afterward I can give my parents a comfortable life.

-Is this sentence right?


Thanks very much.

Namsteven.


1) When I was a child and up to now, I never saw my parents having a row with each other.

-Is this sentence right? This sentence has a problem.
"When I was a child I never saw my parents having a row with each other" is correct. The simple past verb is used because "when" marks a definite past time.
"Up to now I have never seen my parents having a row with each other." The present perfect verb is used because "up to now" indicates a continuous period of time leading to the present.
You can put the two parts of the sentence together this way:
"From the time that I was a child until now, I have never seen my parents having a row with each other."

2) Each time I’m exhausted, I think of my girlfriend and then I don’t feel tired any more.

-Is this sentence right? Yes, it's OK. You can also say, "Every time I'm exhausted....," or "Whenever I'm exhausted..."

3) I have much work to do, and many times I really wanted to give up, but I told myself that I have to be strong.

-Is this sentence right? No.
Problem 1.
The present tense "have much work" doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the sentence which is in the past.
Suggestion:
I had a lot of work to do...
I have always had a lot of work to do....
Problem 2.
"I told myself" makes this reported speech. The verb should be in the past tense. I told myself that I had to be strong.

4) I have to work hard to earn much money, so that afterward I can give my parents a comfortable life.

"Much" is usually used in a negative or interrogative sentence.
I don't have much money. Do you have much rain there?
In a positive sentence it is more common to use "a lot of."
I have to earn a lot of money.