Bike— Part 1 Report

Suggestion: Answer directly with “No, I didn’t,” and explain that your family could not afford a bike. Avoid unnatural phrases such as “So sorry for myself” and “that’s my parents”; say “I felt a little disappointed, but I don’t blame my parents.” Finish your answer instead of trailing off, and avoid repeating words.

Example: No, I didn’t have a bike when I was a child because my family couldn’t afford one. I felt a little disappointed, but I understood that my parents had to spend money on more important things.

Suggestion: Give a clear answer, then support it with one or two relevant reasons. Avoid redundant expressions such as “totally and completely” and “cheap, cheaper,” as well as fillers and repeated phrases. Use “bicycles are popular” rather than “it’s popular,” and complete your explanation—for example, say that bikes make short trips easier or cheaper.

Example: Yes, bicycles are quite popular in China because they are affordable and convenient. They are especially useful for short trips, and many people use them to get to work or to the nearest bus or subway station.

× So sorry for myself that I never had a a bike when I was a child because I was born in a poor family and my parents couldn't afford it.

✓ I feel sorry that I never had a bike when I was a child because I was born in a poor family and my parents couldn't afford one.

The article a is repeated before bike. Use it only once: a bike.

× So sorry for myself that I never had a a bike when I was a child because I was born in a poor family and my parents couldn't afford it.

✓ I feel sorry that I never had a bike when I was a child because I was born in a poor family and my parents couldn't afford one.

The opening phrase So sorry for myself does not form a complete, natural sentence. Add a subject and verb, such as I feel sorry, and use that to introduce the reason.

× So sorry for myself that I never had a a bike when I was a child because I was born in a poor family and my parents couldn't afford it.

✓ I feel sorry that I never had a bike when I was a child because I was born into a poor family and my parents couldn't afford one.

Use born into when describing the family or social circumstances a person is born into. Born in is generally used with a place, such as a country or city.

× It's such a pity for me, but I couldn't blame anyone because that's my parents.

✓ It's such a pity, but I couldn't blame anyone because they were my parents.

The singular demonstrative that's does not agree with the plural noun parents. Use the plural pronoun they and the matching plural verb were.

× They give

✓ They gave

The surrounding answer describes the student's childhood, so the past-tense form gave is appropriate. Give is the present-tense form.

× Of course, it's totally and completely popular in China because it's relatively cheap, cheaper, and you know, um, easier for common people to afford, to afford, and they can have it to shorten their ways to go to

✓ Of course, bikes are very popular in China because they are relatively cheap and easy for ordinary people to afford, and people can use them to shorten their journeys.

The answer is about bikes, a plural subject, so the singular forms it's and is do not agree. Use bikes are or they are.

× Of course, it's totally and completely popular in China because it's relatively cheap, cheaper, and you know, um, easier for common people to afford, to afford, and they can have it to shorten their ways to go to

✓ Of course, bikes are very popular in China because they are relatively cheap and easy for ordinary people to afford, and people can use them to shorten their journeys.

The pronoun it is singular, but it refers to bikes, which is plural. Use them when referring to bikes as the object of use.