The mid-term exams were over, and the autumn sun was warm on the playground. Li Lei lay on the grass, looking at the clouds. 'Remember the first day, when I almost gave up?' he asked. 'That was the day when I learned my first grammar point in senior high — the attributive clause.' Jack laughed. 'And I have been trying to use the present perfect progressive ever since, but I still mix it up with the simple past!'
Han Mei sat down beside them with a notebook. 'Let's review what we have learned,' she said. 'To succeed in the final exams, we need a clear plan.' She opened the notebook: 'Lesson two — infinitives: I decided to join the club. Lesson three — present perfect vs simple past: I went to Guilin last summer, and I have been there twice in total. Lesson four — the -ing form: Running every morning keeps me healthy.'
Lily arrived with cups of hot tea. 'Don't forget the past progressive,' she said. 'While I was doing my homework last night, the power went out. That is exactly the sentence pattern from lesson five.' Cozy walked over and sat down with them. 'While you were talking, I was listening,' he joked. 'Now, who can tell me the difference between the attributive clause and the infinitive?' The four students looked at each other and burst into laughter.
Cozy pulled a small whiteboard from his bag. 'Let me draw you a map of grammar,' he said. 'The attributive clause is a train that carries extra information; the infinitive is a bridge that connects two actions; the -ing form is a tool that turns a verb into a noun; and the tenses are different windows that show time from different angles.' He drew quickly, and the students watched, impressed. 'Understanding grammar is like understanding a friend — you need to spend time with it,' he added.
As the sun set, the four friends made a promise. 'From now on, we will review every week, not just before exams,' Li Lei said. Han Mei smiled. 'And when one of us is confused, the other three will explain with examples.' Jack raised his cup of tea. 'To the first half of senior high — and to the friends who made it wonderful!' The tea was warm, the sky was golden, and the road ahead suddenly seemed bright.