Scenario 11
The Practice Partner
READ
Sofia and Ethan met online twice a week to practice English. At first, they divided the time evenly. One person described an experience, and the other asked questions. They also agreed to help each other notice mistakes without interrupting every sentence.
Recently, Ethan had started correcting Sofia as soon as she used an unfamiliar expression. He often stopped her to explain several possible alternatives. Sofia appreciated his interest, but she rarely finished a story. During their last session, Ethan spoke for most of the thirty minutes while explaining how she could sound more natural.
Before their next meeting, Sofia sent a message suggesting that they wait until the end of each turn to discuss mistakes. Ethan replied that immediate correction helped him remember things. He said he wanted their sessions to be useful rather than just friendly conversations. Sofia had joined mainly to become more comfortable speaking without long pauses.
When the call began, Ethan shared a list of expressions he had prepared for her. Sofia had brought a photograph she wanted to describe. He suggested using the photograph after they reviewed his list. Their session timer was already running, and Sofia could see that the list filled two pages on his screen.
THINK AND RESPOND
What would you do?
If you could offer advice to one of the characters, who would it be and why?
