Part 1
Giám khảo
Do you look out the window at the scenery when travelling by bus or car?
Thí sinh
Yes, as if by habit. Whenever I travel I like to remember the routes and remember the scenery, so that's a common habit of mine.
Giám khảo
Do you take photos of the scenery outside the car window?
Thí sinh
Oh yes, these days, almost obsessively, I like to post some of the, uh, pictures on Instagram of all the places where I have been. And I have so far made a album of all the months where I have visited different places.
Giám khảo
Do you prefer the mountains or the sea?
Thí sinh
I don't have a preference. I have been on hikes over a mountainous regions and I have been living throughout my life near a beach, so I am very much acquainted with that terrain.
Do you look out the window at the scenery when travelling by bus or car?
Điểm: 78.0Gợi ý: Be more concise and natural. Start with a clear topic sentence, then give one specific detail with a linking word. Avoid repeating words (e.g., "remember" twice) and unnecessary phrases like "as if by habit."
Ví dụ: Yes, I usually look out of the window when I travel. For example, I like to memorise interesting routes and landmarks, so I often watch the scenery to store those memories.
Do you take photos of the scenery outside the car window?
Điểm: 70.0Gợi ý: Reduce hesitation and filler words, and correct small grammar mistakes. Give one clear reason and one specific example. Use linking words such as "because" or "so" to connect ideas and avoid redundancy.
Ví dụ: Yes, I often take photos from the car window because I enjoy sharing travel moments online. For instance, I post pictures on Instagram and have created an album documenting places I visited each month.
Do you prefer the mountains or the sea?
Điểm: 75.0Gợi ý: Make the response shorter and correct grammar. Begin with a clear statement, then give one or two concise specific reasons or examples connected with a linking word like "because" or "so."
Ví dụ: I don't really prefer one over the other because I grew up near the sea but also enjoy hiking in the mountains. For example, I often go to the beach to relax and hike nearby hills on weekends.
× And I have so far made a album of all the months where I have visited different places.
✓ And I have so far made an album of all the months when I visited different places.
Article error (use of 'a' before a vowel sound) and awkward tense/pronoun use: 'a album' should be 'an album' because 'album' begins with a vowel sound. Also 'where I have visited different places' is awkward; use 'when I visited different places' or 'in which I visited different places' to match the time reference. The corrected sentence keeps present perfect 'have so far made' and uses simple past 'visited' for specific past visits, which is more natural.
× I have been on hikes over a mountainous regions and I have been living throughout my life near a beach, so I am very much acquainted with that terrain.
✓ I have been on hikes over mountainous regions and I have lived my whole life near a beach, so I am very familiar with that terrain.
Number agreement and wording: 'a mountainous regions' mixes singular article 'a' with plural 'regions'—remove 'a' and use 'mountainous regions'. 'I have been living throughout my life' is awkward; 'I have lived my whole life' is clearer. Also 'very much acquainted with' is wordy; 'very familiar with' is more natural.
× Yes, as if by habit. Whenever I travel I like to remember the routes and remember the scenery, so that's a common habit of mine.
✓ Yes, it's almost a habit. Whenever I travel, I like to remember the routes and the scenery, so it's a common habit of mine.
Style and repetition: not a strict grammatical error listed but involves gerund/participle use and sentence clarity. 'Yes, as if by habit' is awkward; 'Yes, it's almost a habit' is clearer. Add comma after 'Whenever I travel'. Combine 'remember the routes and remember the scenery' to avoid repetition: 'remember the routes and the scenery'. This keeps present simple tense consistent.
× Oh yes, these days, almost obsessively, I like to post some of the, uh, pictures on Instagram of all the places where I have been.
✓ Oh yes, these days I almost obsessively post some pictures on Instagram of all the places I have been to.
Word order and preposition: remove filler 'uh' and unnecessary commas. 'I like to post' can be simplified to 'I post' for naturalness. Add final preposition 'to' after 'been' ('been to' is the correct phrasal verb meaning 'visited'). This keeps present simple to describe habitual action.