Music— Part 1 採点レポート

提案: Your answer is clear, relevant and fairly natural. To improve, correct small grammatical tense issues (use present tense: "helps" not "helped"), avoid redundancy, and add one linking phrase to connect ideas. Also replace vague phrase "tragic backstage" with a more natural expression such as "tragic background story." Keep answers concise (max 4–5 sentences).

例: I prefer sad music, especially orchestral pieces, because their textures and harmonies help me calm down and reflect. For example, I often listen to tracks from the game Genshin Impact, which feature melancholic melodies. The music suits the characters’ tragic background stories, so it deepens the emotional impact for me.

提案: This is a strong, natural answer with good examples and reasons. To reach a higher band, combine one or two short sentences using linking words (e.g., "Moreover," "For example") and vary vocabulary slightly (use "energize" or "uplift"). Avoid minor collocation errors like "working up late" — say "working late."

例: Yes, happy music definitely energizes me. For example, upbeat pop tunes boost my energy when I go for a run and help me stay alert when I’m working late. Moreover, the lively rhythm and positive lyrics uplift my mood and motivate me to keep going.

提案: Good structure and clear content. Improve by using present perfect or simple past consistently and a linking phrase to show consequence. Be more concise and replace "had all her children learn piano" with "encouraged all of us to learn piano." Also avoid repetition like "None of us really continued taking lessons" — say "None of us continued."

例: I took piano lessons as a child because we have a grand piano at home and my mother, a skilled pianist, encouraged all of us to learn. However, none of us continued the lessons, so now the piano is usually played only by my mother.

提案: Your answer lists activities well but contains informal phrasing and repetition. Make it more concise and natural: remove filler "like" and avoid repeating "when." Add a linking word to group examples and provide one short reason explaining how music helps (e.g., masks noise, improves rhythm).

例: Yes, I often listen to music while exercising, walking, doing low‑focus tasks, or cleaning. It helps me relax and concentrate by masking distracting noises and keeping a steady pace for chores or exercise.

× I prefer to listen to sad music, especially orchestral pieces, because the combination of the instruments helped me calm down and reflect on my own life.

✓ I prefer to listen to sad music, especially orchestral pieces, because the combination of the instruments helps me calm down and reflect on my own life.

The original used 'helped' (past tense) after 'prefer' and a general statement about what the instruments do. This is a tense inconsistency and also involves verb form choice: a general truth requires present tense 'helps'. Use present simple for habitual or general effects. Suggestion: use 'helps' to match 'I prefer' and the general nature of the statement.

× Many of the songs here have a melancholic melody because the characters usually have a tragic backstage.

✓ Many of the songs here have a melancholic melody because the characters usually have a tragic background.

The noun 'backstage' refers to the area behind a theater stage; it is not the intended meaning. The correct noun for a character's past is 'background'. Use 'background' when referring to a person's past or history.

× They even help me stay alert when I'm working up late.

✓ They even help me stay alert when I'm working late.

The phrase 'working up late' is incorrect; the correct expression is 'working late' meaning staying up late to work. Remove 'up' to use the standard present continuous construction 'I'm working late'.

× I took piano lessons when I was a child because we have a grand piano here at home.

✓ I took piano lessons when I was a child because we have a grand piano at home.

The phrase 'here at home' is redundant; 'at home' is the normal idiom. Removing 'here' makes the sentence more natural. This is an article/phrase usage clarity issue.

× Our mother is a very good pianist, so she had all her children learn piano.

✓ Our mother is a very good pianist, so she had all of her children learn the piano.

Add 'of' after 'all' for the natural expression 'all of her children'. Also, when referring to an instrument generally, use the definite article 'the piano' in English. This corrects pronoun phrase and article usage.

× None of us really continued taking lessons, so the piano is usually used just by our mother now.

✓ None of us really continued taking lessons, so the piano is usually used only by our mother now.

'Just by our mother' is unnatural; 'only by our mother' is the correct adverb placement. Also 'usually used only by our mother now' uses present simple appropriately for the current habitual situation.

× I listen to music when I'm exercising, when I'm walking, when I'm working on a task that doesn't require like full concentration, and when I'm cleaning the room.

✓ I listen to music when I'm exercising, when I'm walking, when I'm working on a task that doesn't require full concentration, and when I'm cleaning the room.

The filler 'like' is informal and unnecessary here and causes an awkward structure. Remove 'like' to make the phrase 'doesn't require full concentration' grammatically correct. Also maintaining present continuous 'I'm ...' is appropriate for habitual actions.