Friends— Part 1 採点レポート

提案: Be more concise and add a brief specific detail to make the answer more vivid. Avoid redundancy like “in contact with me” and “whenever possible.”

例: Yes. I have a childhood friend I’ve known since primary school. We try to meet about once every two months, normally for a long walk and coffee, which helps us catch up quickly despite our busy lives.

提案: Remove filler words, correct small grammar points, and give one concrete example of an activity to sound more natural and specific.

例: We usually talk about family and work, and when we have time we arrange a dinner. For example, last month we went to a seaside restaurant where the kids played on the beach while we caught up.

提案: Start with a direct answer about location, remove hesitation words, fix grammar (e.g., 'a small cafes' -> 'small cafés' or 'a small café'), and add a brief specific detail about what you talk about or how long you stay.

例: We usually meet at a small café near my office. We order coffee and spend an hour chatting about work projects and family plans to relax after a busy week.

提案: Be concise and avoid idioms that may sound vague. Remove hesitations and correct phrasing (e.g., 'connect them' -> 'contact them'). Offer a clear frequency or example of how you keep in touch.

例: Not often. Since getting married my priorities changed, so I meet friends rarely — maybe once every few months. I usually call or message them weekly to stay in touch.

提案: This is a strong answer — tighten it slightly and include a brief specific example of support to make it more convincing.

例: Very important — they’re essential in my life. For example, when I had a difficult decision at work last year, my friends gave practical advice and emotional support that helped me decide.

提案: Correct grammar (e.g., 'everyone are' -> 'everyone is' or 'we are all'), reduce repetition, and give a brief example of a special occasion you meet for.

例: I prefer groups because I enjoy the atmosphere. For instance, we organize a reunion every New Year’s Eve so we can all travel to one city and celebrate together.

提案: Good content; make it slightly more natural by using fewer formal phrases like 'serve them' and include a short specific detail about a typical menu or activity.

例: Yes. I often invite friends and their families for a weekend lunch. I usually cook a simple curry and salad, and we play board games after the meal.

提案: Clarify tense and grammar (e.g., 'everyone are' -> 'everyone is' and 'tend to often meet' -> 'used to meet often'), shorten redundancy, and give one concrete contrast (past vs present place/time).

例: Yes. In the past we used to meet spontaneously at bars or college hangouts on weekends. Now, because we’re married, we schedule weekend gatherings at people’s homes or book a restaurant in advance.

提案: Remove hesitations, correct plural/article use (e.g., 'a privacy' -> 'privacy'), and give a specific reason or example comparing two places to strengthen the answer.

例: Malls and cinemas are crowded and noisy, so they’re not good for conversation. A quiet café or a private restaurant table is better because it gives us privacy and allows us to talk uninterrupted for an hour or two.

× I have a childhood friend who is still in contact with me.

✓ I have a childhood friend who is still in contact with me.

No change needed. The sentence is correct; 'in contact with' is the correct prepositional phrase.

× I try to meet him once in a while and spend some quality time with him whenever possible.

✓ I try to meet him once in a while and spend some quality time with him whenever possible.

No change needed. The verb forms and structure are correct for habitual actions.

× We generally discuss about the family and the work related stuff.

✓ We generally discuss the family and work-related stuff.

Use 'discuss' without the preposition 'about' (discuss is a transitive verb). Also add a hyphen in 'work-related' to form a compound adjective modifying 'stuff'.

× In addition, uh, whenever we get time, we plan for a dinner or uh, go to some public places like uh, beaches or malls and uh, enjoy some quality time with our families.

✓ In addition, whenever we get time, we plan a dinner or go to public places like beaches or malls and enjoy some quality time with our families.

Remove unnecessary filler 'for' after 'plan' (we 'plan a dinner' or 'plan to have dinner'). 'Some' before 'public places' is optional; 'public places like beaches or malls' is concise. Remove filler words to improve clarity.

× I have a busy work schedule so it's uh, difficult for me to catch up with my friends regularly.

✓ I have a busy work schedule, so it's difficult for me to catch up with my friends regularly.

Add a comma before 'so' when connecting two independent clauses. Remove filler 'uh' and clean spacing.

× However, uh, when I meet, uh, we usually hang out in a small cafes, we order a cup of coffee and uh, we chat and unwind.

✓ However, when I meet them, we usually hang out in small cafes; we order a cup of coffee and chat and unwind.

'A small cafes' is incorrect: mix of singular article 'a' with plural 'cafes'. Use 'in small cafes' or 'in a small cafe'. Also specify 'meet them' for clarity, and use a semicolon or conjunction to join independent clauses. Remove filler words.

× No, I don't. After marriage, my priorities and commitments have completely changed.

✓ No, I don't. After marriage, my priorities and commitments completely changed.

Both 'have completely changed' and 'completely changed' can be correct. 'Completely changed' fits past situation; either present perfect or simple past is acceptable. This correction simplifies tense to past to match 'After marriage' as a past event.

× Uh, therefore I meet them once in a blue moon, Uh, but I'll try to connect, uh, them over a phone, phone call or through messages whenever I find time.

✓ Therefore, I meet them once in a blue moon, but I'll try to contact them by phone or through messages whenever I find time.

Do not mix 'therefore' and 'but' awkwardly; start with 'Therefore,' then use a contrasting 'but' properly. 'Connect them over a phone' is incorrect; use 'contact them by phone' or 'call them.' Remove redundant 'phone call' and fillers.

× Friends are really essential in every aspect of my life.

✓ Friends are really important in every aspect of my life.

'Essential' is correct but 'important' is more natural in this context; no grammatical error. This suggests improved word choice rather than correction.

× Even though I don't talk with them very often, they always support me and stand with me whenever I go through any difficult situations in my career as well as life.

✓ Even though I don't talk to them very often, they always support me and stand by me whenever I go through difficult situations in my career as well as in life.

Use 'talk to' rather than 'talk with' (both can be used, but 'talk to' is more common here). 'Stand with me' is better expressed as 'stand by me' meaning support. 'Any difficult situations' is wordy; 'difficult situations' suffices. Add 'in' before 'life' for parallel structure.

× I love to connect with the group of friends, but because of the job, nature and family priorities, everyone are located in different cities.

✓ I love to connect with my group of friends, but because of job, nature, and family priorities, everyone is located in a different city.

'Everyone' is singular, so use 'is'. 'The group of friends' is better as 'my group of friends' for clarity. 'Different cities' can be 'a different city' when referring to each person individually; both are possible but adjust subject-verb agreement accordingly.

× However, if there are any special occasions, we plan in advance to catch up and unwind.

✓ However, if there are any special occasions, we plan in advance to meet up and unwind.

'Catch up' is fine, but 'meet up' is more commonly collocated with 'plan in advance to'. No major grammatical error; minor wording preference.

× Yes, I invite my friends to come along with their families.

✓ Yes, I invite my friends to come along with their families.

Sentence is grammatically acceptable. 'Come along with' is informal but correct; no change necessary.

× I usually plan it during the weekends over a lunch or a dinner.

✓ I usually plan it on weekends for lunch or dinner.

Use 'on weekends' not 'during the weekends' for habitual events. Use 'for lunch or dinner' rather than 'over a lunch or a dinner.' Remove article before uncountable 'lunch' or 'dinner' when used generically.

× It gives me a chance to serve them and show my gratitude and hospitality towards them.

✓ It gives me a chance to serve them and show my gratitude and hospitality to them.

Use 'to them' rather than 'towards them'—'show gratitude to someone' is the correct collocation.

× Yes, a lot of changes have happened now and then.

✓ Yes, a lot of changes have happened over time.

'Now and then' means occasionally; 'over time' correctly conveys gradual changes. Use present perfect 'have happened' with 'over time' to indicate change up to the present.

× In the past we were all bachelors and we tend to often meet during the weekends.

✓ In the past we were all bachelors and we used to often meet on weekends.

Use 'used to' for past habitual actions. 'Tend to' suggests present habit, so it's incorrect for past. Use 'on weekends' rather than 'during the weekends' for habitual events.

× However, since everyone are married it we have to plan in advance to meet together.

✓ However, since everyone is married, we have to plan in advance to meet together.

'Everyone' is singular so use 'is'. Also add a comma after the subordinate clause and remove the stray 'it'.

× Public places like malls, movie theatres are always crowded.

✓ Public places like malls and movie theatres are always crowded.

Add 'and' between 'malls' and 'movie theatres' to join the list items. No article needed; sentence otherwise correct.

× It's difficult to find a place, uh, to talk and enjoy good time.

✓ It's difficult to find a place to talk and enjoy a good time.

Remove filler 'uh'. Add article 'a' before 'good time' to make the noun phrase correct: 'enjoy a good time' or better 'have a good time'.

× However, if we go for a restaurant or cafes, umm uh, they provide a privacy and uh, uh, we can talk for so many hours.

✓ However, if we go to a restaurant or to a cafe, they provide privacy and we can talk for hours.

Use parallel structure: 'to a restaurant or to a cafe' or 'to restaurants or cafes'. 'Provide privacy' (no article) is the correct collocation. 'For so many hours' is unnatural; 'for hours' is concise. Remove fillers.