Talk about an experience and a current action

Printable paper with separate answer pages Step-by-step lessons

Original teaching practice. Read one pattern, cover its model and try the questions before checking the separate answer section. Examples adapted from Chinese Grammar Wiki (AllSet Learning, CC BY-NC-SA) retain the course-reference provenance.

Talk about an experience and a current action

Distinguish having done something before from doing it now.

Before you start: Recall to go去qù, go, and simple actions such as to learn学习xué xí, study. Distinguish an experience at some earlier time from an action currently happening; context supplies relevant times.

Build the meaning

Verb + (experienced)过guo can describe an experience: I / me我wǒ去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi. not / haven't没méi去过qù guò denies having that experience; it does not deny knowing the city’s name.

in the middle of正在zhèng zài + verb describes an action in progress: I / me我wǒin the middle of正在zhèng zàito learn学习xué xí. A time expression helps identify when a different event happened.

Verb + 过: have done before · 正在 + verb: doing now

Work through a decision

I / me我wǒlast year去年qù nián去过qù guòBeijing, capital of the…北京běi jīng，now现在xiàn zàiin the middle of正在zhèng zàischool学校xué xiàoto learn学习xué xí – I have been to Beijing, last year; now I am studying at school. 去过qù guò supplies the earlier travel experience, last year去年qù nián places it last year and now现在xiàn zàiin the middle of正在zhèng zàito learn学习xué xí gives the current activity. The earlier city is not automatically the person’s present location.

Compare: I / me我wǒ去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi reports an experience; I / me我wǒin the middle of正在zhèng zàito learn学习xué xíChinese language中文zhōng wén describes studying Chinese now. Do not translate every English past-tense verb by adding (experienced)过guo. A lack of experience also does not mean an action is impossible in the future.

Useful words in context

(experienced)过guo guo – experience marker. I / me我wǒ去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi。
in the middle of正在zhèng zài zhèngzài – in the process of. I / me我wǒin the middle of正在zhèng zàito learn学习xué xí。
last year去年qù nián qùnián – last year. I / me我wǒlast year去年qù nián去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi。
to learn学习xué xí xuéxí – study. I / me我wǒin the middle of正在zhèng zàito learn学习xué xíChinese language中文zhōng wén。
before以前yǐ qián yǐqián – before. I / me我wǒbefore以前yǐ qián去过qù guò。

Listen before reading the script

Ask a partner to read the listening script from the answer section while you keep it covered. Then attempt the listening question. If you work alone without audio, use the script for reading practice; it is not a listening test.

Read a different account

Wang Li (1900-1986), one of…王力wáng lìlast year去年qù nián去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi。林安lín ānnot / haven't没méi去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi。today今天jīn tiānWang Li (1900-1986), one of…王力wáng lìin the middle of正在zhèng zàito learn学习xué xíChinese language中文zhōng wén，林安lín ānin the middle of正在zhèng zàito read看书kàn shū。

Try the reading question before checking the English meaning in the answer section.

Speak with a partner

Ask whether a partner has been to a city, then ask what they are doing now.

Check the distinction: (experienced)过guo is not an ending to add to every English past-tense verb. Here it presents an experience.

Learn step by step · Practise and review.

Practice without the models

Choose a pattern, cover its teaching examples, and attempt its questions. Use the labels to find feedback in the separate key.

Talk about an experience and a current action

0401.1 Listening. What is happening now?

A. Swimming
B. Reading
C. Travelling to Shanghai

0401.2 Reading. Who has not been to Shanghai?

A. Wang Li (1900-1986), one of…王力wáng lì
B. Both
C. 林安lín ān

0401.3 Complete “I have been to Shanghai”: I / me我wǒto go去qù…………Shanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi。

0401.4 Match each word with its meaning in this unit.

1. (experienced)过guo
1. in the middle of正在zhèng zài
1. last year去年qù nián
1. to learn学习xué xí
1. before以前yǐ qián
A. study
B. before
C. last year
D. in the process of
E. experience marker

0401.5 Write one experience sentence and one current-action sentence.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

0401.6 I / me我wǒnot / haven't没méi去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi。not / haven't没méi去过qù guò means have not been to. Which claim is supported?

A. The speaker has not had the experience of going to Shanghai.
B. The speaker has never heard the name Shanghai.
C. The speaker is travelling there now.

0401.7 林安lín ānlast year去年qù nián学过xué guòswimming游泳yóu yǒng，now现在xiàn zàiin the middle of正在zhèng zàito read看书kàn shū。last year去年qù nián means last year, 学过xué guòswimming游泳yóu yǒng has studied swimming and in the middle of正在zhèng zàito read看书kàn shū is reading now. First identify the current-action marker. What is she doing now?

A. The sentence says she cannot read
B. Taking a swimming lesson
C. Reading

0401.8 Read: Wang Li (1900-1986), one of…王力wáng lìnot / haven't没méi去过qù guòBeijing, capital of the…北京běi jīng。today今天jīn tiānhe / him他tāin the middle of正在zhèng zàischool学校xué xiàoto learn学习xué xíChinese language中文zhōng wén。Which account preserves the experience and current activity?

A. He has visited Beijing before and is studying at school now.
B. He has not visited Beijing and is studying in Beijing now.
C. He has not visited Beijing and is studying Chinese at school now.

0401.9 Use Mandarin for the new sentences or dialogue. You may explain your reasoning in English. Invent a fictional person with one earlier travel or learning experience and a different current activity. Write the account, then ask a partner one question about the experience and one about now. Say which facts about skill or future plans remain unknown.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

A fresh situation

R1. Interpret and repair. I / me我wǒ去过qù guòBeijing, capital of the…北京běi jīng is translated as I am going to Beijing now. Repair the interpretation.

R2. Use it yourself. Say you have visited Beijing before, but are now reading at home.

Write your responses before opening the key. Compare meaning as well as form; a different valid answer need not copy the model.

Open the answers after your attempt

Answers and explanations

Check after your attempt. For open tasks, compare the message and the stated criteria, then revise one detail.

Talk about an experience and a current action

0401.1 B. Reading

now现在xiàn zài and in the middle of正在zhèng zàito read看书kàn shū identify the current action.

0401.2 C. 林安lín ān

林安lín ānnot / haven't没méi去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi denies her experience.

0401.3 (experienced)过guo

(experienced)过guo after to go去qù marks the experience in this pattern.

0401.4 1–E: (experienced)过guo = experience marker; 2–D: in the middle of正在zhèng zài = in the process of; 3–C: last year去年qù nián = last year; 4–A: to learn学习xué xí = study; 5–B: before以前yǐ qián = before

Use the example sentences to check each word’s meaning in context.

0401.5 One possible response: I / me我wǒ去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi。now现在xiàn zàiI / me我wǒin the middle of正在zhèng zàito learn学习xué xíChinese language中文zhōng wén。

Check meaning and form:

Use (experienced)过guo for the experience.
Use in the middle of正在zhèng zài for the ongoing action.
Do not imply an experience is happening now.

Compare the meaning and structure with the checklist. Your own response may differ from the model.

0401.6 A. The speaker has not had the experience of going to Shanghai.

not / haven't没méi去过qù guò denies that travel experience. It does not deny knowing the place’s name or establish a current journey. Keep the stated experience separate from general knowledge.

0401.7 C. Reading

now现在xiàn zàiin the middle of正在zhèng zàito read看书kàn shū identifies current reading. The swimming study belongs to the earlier experience. Studying swimming earlier does not by itself establish her current proficiency.

0401.8 C. He has not visited Beijing and is studying Chinese at school now.

not / haven't没méi去过qù guòBeijing, capital of the…北京běi jīng denies the travel experience. in the middle of正在zhèng zàischool学校xué xiàoto learn学习xué xíChinese language中文zhōng wén gives the current activity and school setting. The first choice drops the experience negation; the second replaces the current school location with Beijing.

0401.9 One possible response: Possible account: I / me我wǒlast year去年qù nián去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi。now现在xiàn zàiI / me我wǒin the middle of正在zhèng zàito read看书kàn shū。Questions: you你nǐ去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi(yes/no ?)吗ma？you你nǐnow现在xiàn zàiat / in在zàito make做zuòwhat什么shén me？Replies: 去过qù guò。in the middle of正在zhèng zàito read看书kàn shū。This does not state a future trip or reading ability level. Other coherent experiences and current activities are valid.

How to revise: If your reply places the person in the earlier travel city now, return to the current-action clause. If a negative experience statement became a permanent inability, revise that unsupported inference.

Check meaning and form:

Use an experience frame for the earlier event.
Use a current-action frame with a clearly different activity.
Answer each question from the relevant clause.
Avoid inferring proficiency or a future plan from experience alone.
Write or speak the requested sentences, questions or dialogue in Mandarin; optional English reasoning does not replace them.

If your reply places the person in the earlier travel city now, return to the current-action clause. If a negative experience statement became a permanent inability, revise that unsupported inference.

Listening script and meaning

I / me我wǒbefore以前yǐ qián去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi。now现在xiàn zàiI / me我wǒin the middle of正在zhèng zàito read看书kàn shū。

I have been to Shanghai before. Now I am reading.

Reading meaning

Wang Li has been to Shanghai, last year. Lin An has not. Today Wang Li is studying Chinese and Lin An is reading.

Speaking model

A: you你nǐ去过qù guòShanghai municipality…上海shàng hǎi(yes/no ?)吗ma？ B: not / haven't没méi去过qù guò。 A: you你nǐnow现在xiàn zàiat / in在zàito make做zuòwhat什么shén me？ B: I / me我wǒin the middle of正在zhèng zàito read看书kàn shū。

Compare the intended message first. Ask a listener to comment on intelligibility and pronunciation; matching the written model does not establish speaking accuracy.

Fresh-situation answers

R1. It reports experience of having been to Beijing, not an action in progress. I / me我wǒin the middle of正在zhèng zàito go去qùBeijing, capital of the…北京běi jīng(modifier / structural particle)的deon the road路上lù shàng locates an ongoing journey; at / in在zàiBeijing, capital of the…北京běi jīng alone gives a location.

R2. One possible response. I / me我wǒ去过qù guòBeijing, capital of the…北京běi jīng，now现在xiàn zàiin the middle of正在zhèng zàihome家jiāto read看书kàn shū。(experienced)过guo marks experience; in the middle of正在zhèng zài presents the current reading action. The two clauses need not describe the same time.