Patience in Science (H2)
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EN: The conjunction 'As soon as' is used to show that one action happens immediately after another. It introduces a subordinate adverbial clause of time.
As soon as the bell rang, the students left the classroom.
EN: The Simple Past Tense ('ran', 'cheered') is used here because both actions were completed in the past.
When the music stopped, everyone clapped.
EN: The subordinating conjunction 'although' is used to introduce a concession clause, showing contrast. In English, we do not use 'but' in the main clause when 'although' is used to start the sentence.
Although it was raining, we went for a walk.
EN: The phrasal verb 'keep doing something' (using the past tense 'kept' here) means to continue doing an action without stopping.
She kept studying despite being very tired.
EN: In STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and maker culture, failure is viewed as a natural and essential part of the learning and development process, rather than a negative outcome.
EN: The subordinating conjunction 'while' is used to connect two actions happening at the same time. It introduces an adverbial clause of time. In this sentence, 'while the machine works' describes when the main action ('I record the data') takes place.
I listen to music while I study.
EN: The simple present tense is used here to describe a regular routine, habit, or general truth in a scientific or technical process. Both 'record' and 'works' are in the simple present tense to show a standard procedure.
He checks the temperature while the liquid boils.
EN: The conjunction 'before' is used to introduce a subordinate adverbial clause of time, indicating that the action in the main clause happened prior to the action in the 'before' clause. When the 'before' clause comes first, it is separated from the main clause by a comma.
Before we started the game, we read the rules.
EN: The Simple Past Tense ('built', 'drew') is used to describe completed actions that occurred at a specific time in the past. 'Built' is the irregular past form of 'build', and 'drew' is the irregular past form of 'draw'.
She drew a picture of her cat yesterday.
EN: The conjunction 'even though' is used to introduce a concession clause, expressing a fact that makes the main clause surprising or unexpected. Unlike Chinese, which often pairs 'although/even though' (雖然) with 'but' (但是), English grammar does not allow 'but' to be used in the main clause when 'even though' is present.
Even though it was raining, they played soccer.
EN: The verb 'take' is used here to express the amount of time required to complete an activity. The dummy subject 'it' is used as a placeholder, followed by 'took' (past tense of take) and the duration ('weeks').
It took hours to fix the computer.
EN: The subordinating conjunction 'while' is used to introduce an adverbial clause of time, indicating that two actions are happening at the same time. In this sentence, 'while' introduces the background action ('the battery charges') that occurs simultaneously with the main action ('we clean the parts').
While my sister cooks dinner, I set the table.
EN: The simple present tense is used here to describe a regular routine or a general procedure in a process. Both the action in the dependent clause ('charges') and the main clause ('clean') use the simple present to show this is a standard habit or sequence of events.
While the water boils, we chop the vegetables.
EN: The subordinating conjunction 'after' is used to introduce an adverbial clause of time, indicating that the action in the dependent clause ('we fixed the code') happened before the action in the main clause ('the app ran smoothly'). When the 'after' clause comes first, it is separated from the main clause by a comma.
After we finished the meeting, we went to lunch.
EN: Adverbs of manner, such as 'smoothly', are used to describe how an action is performed. Here, 'smoothly' modifies the past tense verb 'ran' to show that the application functioned without any problems or interruptions.
EN: In the tech and software development industry, 'fixing code' and resolving 'bugs' are daily routines. The word 'app' (short for application) is universally used in modern English to refer to software programs, especially on mobile devices or lightweight desktop applications.
EN: The conjunction 'until' is used to show that an action continues up to a specific point in time or until an event happens. In the subordinate clause introduced by 'until', we use the simple present tense (e.g., 'they make sense') to refer to future or general conditions.
We will wait here until the rain stops.
EN: The idiom 'make sense' means to be intelligible, logical, or reasonable. It is commonly used in scientific and academic contexts to describe data, results, or explanations that are clear and correct.
His explanation of the theory makes sense.
EN: The conjunction phrase 'as soon as' is used to show that one action happens immediately after another. It introduces an adverbial clause of time.
As soon as the bell rang, the students left the classroom.
EN: The past simple tense is used here for both actions ('found' and 'solved') because both events were completed in the past, with one following the other in quick succession.
When we arrived at the station, the train departed.
EN: "Even though" is a subordinating conjunction used to introduce a concession clause. It emphasizes a strong contrast between two facts, meaning 'despite the fact that'. Unlike in Chinese, we do not use 'but' (but) in the main clause when 'even though' is used.
Even though it was raining, they played soccer.
EN: The past simple tense is used here ("were", "did not stop") to describe completed actions or states in the past. The negative form in the past simple is constructed using "did not" (or "didn't") followed by the base form of the verb ("stop").
She did not watch the movie yesterday.
EN: Adverbial clauses of time introduced by 'when'. In English, when referring to future or habitual actions in a time clause, we use the simple present tense ('ends'), while the main clause also uses the simple present tense ('write') to express a regular routine or general truth.
When the bell rings, the students leave the classroom.
EN: The use of comma with introductory adverbial clauses. When an adverbial clause (like 'When the experiment ends') comes before the main clause, a comma is required to separate them. If the main clause comes first, no comma is needed.
We write a report when the experiment ends.
EN: In academic and scientific contexts, writing a report after an experiment is a standard professional practice. The use of the simple present tense ('ends', 'write') reflects a universal routine or standard operating procedure (SOP) in laboratory environments.
EN: The subordinating conjunction 'though' is used to introduce a concession clause, meaning 'despite the fact that'. In English, we do not use 'but' in the main clause when 'though' or 'although' is used to start the sentence.
Though the road was steep, we reached the top.
EN: The adverb 'truly' is used to emphasize the truth or sincerity of a statement, meaning 'really' or 'genuinely'. It is placed before the adjective it modifies.
The view from the mountain is truly beautiful.
EN: Double Object Verbs (Dative Verbs): The verb 'teach' (past tense: 'taught') can take two objects: an indirect object (the person receiving the action, 'me') and a direct object (the thing being given or taught, 'the value of patience'). Structure: Subject + teach + Indirect Object + Direct Object.
My father taught me the basics of coding.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'of patience' acts as an adjective modifying the noun 'value'. It specifies what kind of value is being referred to.
He learned the importance of teamwork during the project.
EN: The subordinating conjunction 'before' is used to introduce an adverbial clause of time, indicating that the action in the main clause happened prior to the action in the dependent clause. When the 'before' clause comes first, it is separated from the main clause by a comma.
Before we submitted the project, we checked it for errors.
EN: The verb 'spend' (past tense 'spent') is used to express using time or money on an activity. The pattern is 'spend + time/money + V-ing' (gerund), where the preposition 'in' or 'on' is omitted before the gerund.
They spent hours designing the website.
EN: "As soon as" is a subordinating conjunction used to show that one action happens immediately after another. It introduces an adverbial clause of time.
As soon as the bell rang, the students left the classroom.
EN: The verb "begin" can be followed by either a gerund (V-ing) or an infinitive (to V) with little to no change in meaning. In this sentence, "began to appear" uses the infinitive form.
It began to rain just as we arrived.
EN: The subordinating conjunction 'although' is used to introduce a concession clause, showing a contrast between two ideas. In English, we do not use 'but' in the main clause when 'although' is used to start the sentence.
Although it was raining, we went for a walk.
EN: The verb pattern 'keep + -ing' (present participle) is used to express that an action continues to happen or is repeated multiple times. In this sentence, 'kept' is the past tense of 'keep'.
She kept working despite being tired.
EN: The conjunction 'while' is used to connect two actions happening at the same time in the past. It is often paired with the past simple tense (or past continuous) to describe parallel activities.
I cooked dinner while my brother washed the dishes.
EN: The pronoun 'another' is used here as a short form for 'another teammate' to avoid repetition, representing one more person from a group.
One student asked a question, and another took notes.
EN: Adverbial clauses of time introduced by 'after' are used to show that one action happened after another. When both actions occurred in the past, we typically use the simple past tense in both the dependent clause and the main clause to show a sequence of events.
After we finished the meeting, we went to lunch.
EN: The determiner 'each' is used to refer to every individual member of a group of two or more, treated separately. It is always followed by a singular countable noun.
Each student received a new laptop.
EN: The concession conjunction 'even though' is used to introduce a clause containing a fact that makes the main clause surprising or unexpected. Unlike Chinese, which often pairs 'although/even though' with 'but', English does not use 'but' in the main clause when 'even though' is present.
Even though the weather was terrible, they completed the hike.
EN: The verb 'learn' is often paired with the preposition 'from' to indicate the source of knowledge, experience, or wisdom, especially when referring to mistakes, errors, or past experiences.
We can learn a lot from our failures.
EN: In Western educational and professional cultures, especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, failure and errors are highly valued as essential learning opportunities. Phrases like 'learn from error' or 'fail fast, learn faster' reflect a growth mindset that values the iterative process over immediate perfection.
EN: Adverbial clauses of time introduced by 'when' are used to show that one action happens at the same time as, or immediately after, another action. In this sentence, 'when the robot finally moved' is the dependent clause that sets the time for the main action 'we cheered'.
When the bell rang, the students left the classroom.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'with joy' functions as an adverbial modifier of manner, describing 'how' the action of cheering was performed. 'With + abstract noun' is a common pattern to express the manner of an action (e.g., with ease, with patience).
She accepted the award with pride.
EN: The Past Perfect tense ('had' + past participle) is used to describe an action that happened before another action or a specific point in the past. In this sentence, 'had doubted' occurred before 'that moment' in the past.
By the time the teacher arrived, we had finished the exercise.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'Until that moment' acts as a time adverbial, placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis, indicating the limit of the duration of the state of doubting.
Until yesterday, I had never heard of this technology.
EN: The subordinating conjunction 'Though' is used to introduce a concession clause (a contrast). In English, we do not use 'but' in the main clause when 'though' or 'although' is used to start the sentence.
Though the weather was cold, we enjoyed our walk.
EN: The verb 'feel' is a linking verb (copular verb) that describes a state or sensation. It is followed by an adjective (like 'amazing') rather than an adverb to describe the subject.
The soft blanket felt cozy.
EN: In English-speaking academic and professional cultures, acknowledging difficulties ('the work was hard') while emphasizing positive outcomes ('the result felt amazing') is a common and highly valued way to reflect on projects, showing resilience and growth mindset.
EN: The conjunction 'as soon as' is used to show that one action happens immediately after another. It introduces an adverbial clause of time.
As soon as the bell rang, the students left the classroom.
EN: The verb 'want' is followed by an infinitive ('to' + base verb) when expressing a desire to do an action. In this sentence, 'wanted to try' is in the past tense.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes the plural pronoun 'those' (meaning 'the people'). In this structure, 'who' acts as the subject of the relative clause.
The school rewards those who work hard.
EN: The linking verb 'stay' is used here to mean 'remain in a particular state'. It is followed by adjectives (patient and curious) acting as subject complements, rather than adverbs.
Please stay calm during the test.
EN: The past simple question form with 'How'. We use 'How' + auxiliary verb 'did' + subject + base form of the main verb to ask about the method or manner in which an action was completed in the past.
How did you solve the math problem?
EN: Direct address (vocative case). When addressing someone directly by their name (like 'Emma') at the end of a sentence, a comma is placed before the name to separate it from the main clause.
Where are you going, Tom?
EN: In English-speaking collaborative environments, it is very common to address colleagues or classmates by their first names (like 'Emma') to build rapport and show friendliness, even when asking about work or project details.
EN: The conjunction 'as soon as' is used to show that one action happens immediately after another. It introduces an adverbial clause of time. In past tense contexts, both the time clause and the main clause typically use the simple past tense.
As soon as the bell rang, the students left the classroom.
EN: The verb 'start' can be followed by a gerund (verb-ing) or an infinitive (to + verb) with little to no change in meaning. In this sentence, 'started building' uses the gerund form to describe the initiation of an activity.
EN: In maker culture and engineering (like robotics), 'planning' and 'building' are two key phases. Emma's statement highlights a common agile approach: transitioning quickly from design to hands-on prototyping to test ideas in the real world.
EN: The conjunction 'although' is used to introduce a subordinate clause of concession, showing a contrast with the main clause. Note that in English, we do not use 'but' in the main clause when 'although' is used.
Although it was raining, we went for a walk.
EN: The simple past tense (e.g., 'failed', 'tried') is used to describe completed actions that occurred at a specific time in the past.
She failed the exam last week, but she tried her best.
EN: The subordinating conjunction 'while' is used to connect two actions happening at the same time. It introduces an adverbial clause of time (while my partner records data) that modifies the main clause (I test the code).
I listen to music while I study.
EN: Present Simple Tense for habitual actions. Both 'test' and 'records' are in the simple present tense because they describe a regular routine or a general truth in their workflow. Note that 'records' has an '-s' ending because 'my partner' is a third-person singular subject.
She writes the report while he analyzes the samples.
EN: In software development and STEM projects, pairing up to work where one person codes/tests and another manages data or reviews is a common collaborative practice known as 'pair programming' or teamwork. It emphasizes division of labor and mutual support.
EN: The conjunction 'even though' is used to introduce a concession clause, meaning 'despite the fact that'. It is stronger than 'although' and emphasizes the contrast between the obstacle and the result. Note that in English, we do not use 'but' in the main clause when 'even though' is used.
Even though it was raining, they played soccer.
EN: The adverb 'never' is used for strong negation, meaning 'not at any time'. In the past simple tense, it directly precedes the past tense verb (e.g., 'never quit') to emphasize that the action did not happen at all in the past.
She never lost hope during the difficult times.
EN: In English-speaking cultures, particularly in academic and professional settings like robotics or engineering, 'never quitting' and showing resilience (often referred to as 'grit') is highly valued. Sharing stories of overcoming failures is a common way to build rapport and inspire others.
EN: Adverbial clauses of time are introduced by conjunctions like 'before'. When the adverbial clause comes first, it is separated from the main clause by a comma. In these clauses, the simple present tense is used to refer to future time.
Before we leave, we lock the door.
EN: The adverb 'twice' means 'two times'. It is an adverb of frequency/number that typically modifies the verb and is placed at the end of the clause.
He checked the answers twice.
EN: In academic and professional settings, double-checking work before a presentation or submission is a highly valued habit. The phrase 'check everything twice' reflects a meticulous work ethic and the common idiom 'measure twice, cut once'.
EN: Adverbial clauses of time are introduced by subordinating conjunctions like 'after'. When the action in the 'after' clause happened before the action in the main clause, we use the past perfect tense (had + past participle) or the simple past tense if the sequence of events is clear. Here, 'fixed' is in the simple past, showing a clear sequence before 'ran'.
After she finished her homework, she went to bed.
EN: The adverb 'well' is used to modify the verb 'ran' (which means functioned or operated in this context). Unlike adjectives which modify nouns, adverbs describe how an action is performed.
EN: In software development and technology fields, 'bug' is a common slang term for an error or flaw in a computer program. 'Fixing a bug' or 'debugging' is a core part of a programmer's daily routine. The word 'app' is a widely accepted abbreviation for 'application' in modern tech-savvy English.
EN: Adverbial clause of time introduced by 'when'. This subordinate clause indicates the time at which the action in the main clause takes place. In this zero conditional-like structure, both clauses use the simple present tense to express a general truth or a regular occurrence.
When the bell rings, the students leave the classroom.
EN: Linking verb 'feel' followed by an adjective. 'Feel' is a copular (linking) verb used to describe the subject's state of mind or physical sensation, and it must be followed by an adjective (such as 'proud') acting as a subject complement, rather than an adverb.
We feel happy when we work together.
EN: The conjunction 'until' is used to describe an action or state that continues up to a specific point in time. In this sentence, 'until' introduces an adverbial clause of time. Note that even though the action refers to the future, we use the simple present tense ('understand') in the time clause.
Until the rain stops, we will stay indoors.
EN: The verb 'keep' followed by a gerund (verb-ing) is a common structure meaning to continue doing something without stopping, or to do something repeatedly.
She kept working on the project all night.
EN: In scientific and engineering environments, asking 'why' repeatedly is highly valued. It reflects the 'First Principles' thinking and the scientific method, where curiosity and persistence are key to solving complex problems.
EN: The conjunction 'though' (or 'although') is used to introduce a subordinate clause of concession, showing a contrast. In English, we do not use 'but' in the main clause when 'though' is used in the subordinate clause.
Though the road was steep, we reached the top.
EN: The phrase 'be worth it' is a common idiom meaning to be useful, helpful, or rewarding despite the effort, time, or money spent. 'It' acts as a placeholder or refers back to the activity.
The training was hard, but it was worth it.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To stop trying to do something; to surrender or quit.
To operate or progress without any problems, difficulties, or interruptions.
To be intelligible, logical, or reasonable.