Friends— Part 1 Report

Suggestion: Answer the comparison more clearly and use consistent verb tenses. Say “used to meet” and “met,” not “meet,” when discussing the past. Avoid repeating “schools,” and finish your answer with a clear contrast between the past and present. Use linking words such as “whereas” or “nowadays.”

Example: Yes, there is a difference. When I was younger, I used to meet my friends at school or at each other’s homes. Nowadays, we usually meet at cafés or restaurants because we have more freedom and want to relax together.

Suggestion: Give a direct topic sentence and avoid repeating “because.” Replace “agenda” with the more natural “purpose” in this context. Explain the contrast between a quiet place for studying and a lively place for socializing, and use specific examples such as a library or shopping mall.

Example: It depends on the purpose of the meeting. If people need to study or do homework, a quiet place like a library is more suitable. However, if they want to relax and have fun, they might choose a shopping mall or a busy café. Noisy places are unsuitable for serious discussions.

Suggestion: State your preference directly and explain it with more natural phrasing. “I feel awkward and run out of things to say” is clearer than “I’m not too awkward and quiet.” Avoid repeating “because,” and make the final contrast complete rather than ending with “I don’t really mind.”

Example: I prefer spending time with a group of friends. Although I’m quite introverted, I sometimes feel awkward when I’m alone with just one person because the conversation can become quiet. In a group, the atmosphere is more relaxed, and I can join different conversations.

Suggestion: Answer the question more directly and avoid repeating “myself” and “alone.” Use the natural phrase “it depends on my mood,” and add a specific condition or activity. Also, “I enjoy spending time alone” is more accurate than “I enjoy myself my time alone.”

Example: Yes, I would, but it depends on my mood. Since I’m an introvert, I often prefer spending time alone, especially after a busy day. However, I would invite close friends over for a meal or a movie because I feel comfortable with them.

Suggestion: Organize the answer into a clear opinion and one or two reasons. Correct “the ones who I can talk to it” to “the people I can talk to,” and avoid the double negative in “I don’t really have no one.” Use a specific example, such as receiving emotional support during a family problem.

Example: Friends are extremely important to me because they provide emotional support. Whenever I have a problem, especially a family issue, I can talk to them honestly and ask for advice. I sometimes find it difficult to discuss personal matters with my parents, so my friends are very valuable to me.

Suggestion: Use more natural collocations: “go to a café,” “go shopping,” and “go to the cinema” or “watch a movie.” Avoid repeating “invite me,” and explain why you do not usually make the plans yourself. Use one linking phrase to introduce examples.

Example: Yes, I do, although I usually go out when my friends invite me because I’m not always confident about making plans. For example, we might go to a café, go shopping, or watch a movie at the cinema. I normally enjoy myself once I’m with them.

Suggestion: Give a complete, clear sentence and avoid repeating the same idea. Correct “in the school” to “at school” when referring to school generally, and remove the unclear ending “And a gaffe.” Add a reason why these places are convenient or suitable.

Example: We often meet at cafés or at school. School is convenient because we see each other there every day, while cafés are better when we want to relax and have a longer conversation. We usually choose a café near our school.

Suggestion: Use natural grammar and vocabulary: say “talk about different topics” rather than “talk a lot different kind of topics,” and clarify “do our plates” as “do our assignments” or “work on projects.” Avoid repeating “together,” and connect the activities logically with “sometimes” and “also.”

Example: We usually talk about different topics, such as our classes and classmates. Sometimes, we work on our assignments together in a café, where we can exchange ideas and help each other. It is a good way to study while also spending time together.

Suggestion: Clarify whether you are talking about one friend or a group. Use “free time,” not “read time,” and replace “not most of the time” with “not very often.” Add a specific detail about how you have maintained the friendship since junior high.

Example: Yes, I have a group of close friends whom I have known since junior high school. We do not see each other very often now because we are busy, but we still keep in touch and meet whenever we have free time. We have remained close because we have shared many important experiences.

× Yes, of course because I was younger back then so we just meet each other at the school or like in our houses.

✓ Yes, of course. Because I was younger back then, we just met each other at school or at home.

The phrase back then refers to the past, so meet should be changed to the past-tense form met. We usually say at school and at home without the article when referring to these places generally.

× Because I was younger back then so we just meet each other at the school.

✓ Because I was younger back then, we just met each other at school.

Because and so should not normally be used together to introduce the same cause-and-result relationship. Use because alone, followed by the result clause.

× Some people want to enjoy so they go to shopping.

✓ Some people want to have fun, so they go shopping.

The correct expression is go shopping, not go to shopping. The activity shopping does not require the preposition to after go.

× I cannot go out with one person only because I'm not too awkward and quiet when I'm alone with someone else.

✓ I cannot go out with only one person because I feel too awkward and become too quiet when I am alone with someone else.

Not too awkward changes the meaning and suggests that the speaker is comfortable. The intended meaning is probably that the speaker feels awkward and becomes quiet, so the adjectives should be used with an appropriate verb.

× Most of the time I enjoy myself my time alone with myself.

✓ Most of the time, I enjoy spending time alone.

After enjoy, use a gerund, or -ing form, such as spending. The original sentence also repeats myself and my time unnecessarily.

× Most of the time I enjoy myself my time alone with myself.

✓ Most of the time, I enjoy spending time alone.

The reflexive pronoun myself is not needed twice here. Use myself only when it is the object of a verb, but in this sentence spending time alone expresses the meaning more naturally.

× They are always there by my side, especially if I have a problem they're the ones who I can talk to it whenever there is a problem in our house.

✓ They are always there by my side. If I have a problem, they are the ones I can talk to whenever there is a problem at home.

The pronoun it is unnecessary because who already refers to the people being discussed. The correct structure is talk to someone, without adding it after the preposition.

× I don't really have no one to talk to even if it's my parents.

✓ I do not really have anyone to talk to, not even my parents.

Do not and no one create a double negative in standard English. Use do not have anyone or have no one, but not both together.

× If they want to go to cafe they invite me.

✓ If they want to go to a cafe, they invite me.

A singular countable noun such as cafe normally requires an article. Use a when referring to one nonspecific cafe.

× Or like go to go to shopping or watch a cinema.

✓ For example, we might go shopping or watch a movie at the cinema.

The phrase go to go to shopping contains a repeated verb and an incorrect preposition. The natural expression is go shopping. We watch a movie at the cinema, not watch a cinema.

× We often meet at the cafe or in the school because we usually hang out at a cafe.

✓ We often meet at a cafe or at school because we usually hang out there.

Use a cafe when referring to any one cafe. Use at school when referring to school as an institution or regular location, rather than in the school.

× We just talk a lot different kind of topics.

✓ We just talk about a lot of different kinds of topics.

The verb talk requires about before the subject being discussed. The expression a lot of is also needed before the plural noun phrase.

× We just talk a lot different kind of topics.

✓ We just talk about a lot of different topics.

A lot must be followed by of before a noun phrase, so say a lot of different topics. The plural form topics is appropriate because several topics are meant.

× We just talk a lot different kind of topics.

✓ We just talk about a lot of different kinds of topics.

When kind is used as a countable noun in the phrase different kinds, it needs the plural ending. The phrase a lot of also needs of before the noun phrase.

× We still see each other but not most of the time, just whenever we have read time with each other.

✓ We still see each other, but not very often, only whenever we have free time.

Not most of the time is grammatically possible but unnatural in this context. Not very often clearly expresses frequency. Free time is the correct expression for time available for leisure.