King Sejong (be) a great ruler in Korea in the fifteenth century. He (accomplish) many thing for his people. First of all, he (start) a new, easier writing system for Koreans. Many years ago, Korean writing (use) Chinese characters. It (have) thousands of picture words, and it (be) very hard to learn. In 1443, however, King Sejong the Great (ask) Korean scholars to invent a new Korean alphabet. He (want) an easier systerm for his people to learn and use. Out of these efforts, Koreans (develop) a new writing system: Hangul. This system (permit) the common people to get an education. But, King Sejong (accomplish) a lot more than this. He (study) the sciences. While he was king, Koreans (invent) the sundial and a water clock. They also (make) maps of the solar system. They even (invent) ways to measure daily rainfall and to write and read music. The world has certainly benefitted from the generous and scholarly efforts of this great king.

From Nitty Gritty Grammar by A. Robert Young and Ann O. Strauch