This chat group is mostly for....

[Silverobama]

Hi.

I am in charge of an online chat group (on app A) and we have 500 people in it. The purpose of the group is actually to serve our in-person English clubs. We advertise somewhere (on app B) and people who are interested will usually ask how to contact us. I then will add these people in our chat group in order to keep in touch. And also people can speak English and type English or ask English questions there.

Last night, I posted some spoken-English IELTS questions in our chat group then someone said "Wow, are every chat group I'm in are IELTS groups?" She was surprised to see that I posted some questions there. I then explained to her that we might talk about IELTS questions but the group is not for practicing IELTS questions. What I said was:

The main responsibilty of this chat group is for us to communicate in English but not for always talking about IELTS questions.*

*: This means that questions like IELTS or TOFEL or something similar are okay but don't focus on that but on communicate in English.

I think my italic sentence was very badly written. Could you please help me with that?

 

[tedmc]

The main purpose of this chat group is to facilitate communication among members. Let's try not to deviate from it.

 

[emsr2d2]

I am in charge of an online chat group (on app A) and we have 500 people in it with 500 members/participants. The purpose of the group is actually to serve support/accompany our in-person English clubs. We advertise somewhere (on app B) and people who are interested will usually can/might ask how to contact us. I then will add these people them in to our chat group. in order to keep in touch. And also People can speak/type English and type English or ask English questions* there. (* Do you mean they can ask questions about English or simply any questions in English?)

Last night, I posted some spoken-English IELTS questions in our chat group. then Someone said "Wow, are every all the chat groups I'm in are IELTS groups?" because she was surprised to see that I had posted some questions there. I then explained to her that we might talk about IELTS questions but the group is not specifically for practicing IELTS questions. What I said was:

The main responsibility purpose of this chat group is for us to communicate in English but not for we don't always talking about discuss IELTS questions.*

*: This means that although questions like IELTS, or TOEFL or something similar are okay, but we don't focus on that but on communicating in English.

I think my italic sentence was very badly written. Could you please help me with that?

See above.

 

[jutfrank]

You seem to have meant this:

The main purpose of this chat group is for us to communicate in English—not to practise or discuss IELTS questions.

 

[Silverobama]

(* Do you mean they can ask questions about English or simply any questions in English?)

I've been thinking about this. It's quite complicated. People can chat with each other in the chat room in English because most of us have already met each other in person. Sometimes, some beginners would ask questions like "Could you tell me the differences between "long before" and "before long"? Or could you perhaps tell me how I can read Bus 1203 in English?" etc. Sometimes members would just talk with each other there in English.

Last night, I posted a compilation of some IELTS questions of spoken English. Then a woman said the above and thought she was in an IELTS group again, which is not.

People can chat with each other in English there but they don't always talking about exams, but if they do, it's okay.

 

[emsr2d2]

I've been thinking about this. It's quite complicated.

I probably wasn't clear enough with my question. I meant "Can people post in other languages as long as their question is about English?"

People can chat with each other in English in the chat room in English because most of us have already met each other in person.

I don't understand the relevance of having met in person. Surely someone you've never met can see your ad, contact you, be added to the chat group and then just start chatting in English!

Sometimes, some beginners would ask questions like "Could you tell me the differences between "long before" and "before long?" or "Could you perhaps tell me how I can read Bus 1203 in English?" etc. Sometimes members would just talk with each other there in English.

OK, great. Those are questions in English about English.

Last night, I posted a compilation of some IELTS questions of about spoken English. Then A woman said the above and because she thought she was in an IELTS group again, which is she's not.

People can chat with each other in English there but they don't always talking talk about exams. but However, if they do, it's okay.

Note my various corrections and comments above. How many native English speakers belong to your chat group?

 

[Silverobama]

I meant "Can people post in other languages as long as their question is about English?"

No, not really.

Hmm, but most of the time, members type in Chinese. They ask questions about English in Chinese sometimes and If I can answer their questions, I'll reply in English.

I don't understand the relevance of having met in person. Surely someone you've never met can see your ad, contact you, be added to the chat group and then just start chatting in English!

Right, teacher emsr2d2. But we can only talk with each other online, mostly by typing. And the in-person ones are quite different, people speak English.

Note my various corrections and comments above. How many native English speakers belong to your chat group?

It's sad but very true: none. And I must admit the fact that people around me who speak some English (like my peers, my friends, people who I met only once in some occasions, etc.) never pay attention to their mistakes. It's very likely that I'm the only one who likes English and who's willing to pay for my English studies. It's not easy to find professional teachers like you and jutfrank in China, but there are many teachers of English teaching poor English out there. Some of them never understand why I always ask questions here and there. I love this language.

Edited: I forgot to say that there are some native speakers in some other online chat groups. I'm also in those chat groups. The fact is: they never say anything.

 

[emsr2d2]

No, not really Hmm, but, most of the time, members type in Chinese. They ask questions about English in Chinese sometimes and if I can answer their questions, I'll reply in English.

Right, teacher emsr2d2 but we can only talk with each other online, mostly by typing. And The in-person ones meetings are quite different; people speak everyone speaks English.

I still don't understand the relevance. You said "People can chat with each other in the chat room in English because most of us have already met each other in person". The use of "because" expresses cause and effect. It sounds as if the only people who can chat with each other in the chat room are the people who have met in person. I don't think that's the case.

It's sad but very true - none. And I must admit the fact that people around me who speak some English (like my peers, my friends, people who I have met only once in some occasions, etc.) never pay attention to their mistakes. It's very likely that I'm the only one who likes English and who's willing to pay for my English studies. It's not easy to find professional teachers like you and jutfrank in China, but there are many teachers of English teaching poor English out there. Some of them never understand why I always ask questions here and there ask so many questions. I love this language.

That's a real shame. I get that the idea is to communicate in English but if there's no one there keeping an eye out for major errors, people will simply keep repeating those errors.

Edited: I forgot to say that there are some native speakers in some other online chat groups I belong to. I'm also in those chat groups. The fact is no colon here they never say anything.

 

[Silverobama]

I still don't understand the relevance. You said "People can chat with each other in the chat room in English because most of us have already met each other in person". The use of "because" expresses cause and effect. It sounds as if the only people who can chat with each other in the chat room are the people who have met in person. I don't think that's the case.

Right. That's not what I mean. Maybe:

Since most of us have already met each other in person they sometimes chat with each other in English in the chat room.

By the way, we can send typed messages or audio message on WeChat. (The name of the app we use here in China.)

 

[emsr2d2]

Since most of us have already met each other in person they sometimes chat with each other in English in the chat room.

That still doesn't make sense. You're still suggesting that people who have not met in person don't chat in the chat room! That would be a terrible chat room!

I don't understand the connection between meeting in person and chatting in the chatroom. The chatroom is open to everyone, right? That includes people who have never been to an in-person meeting.
The members of the chatroom are people who have met and people who have never met. Whether they've met or not makes no difference whatsoever to what they can do in the chatroom.

By the way, we can send typed messages or audio message on WeChat. (The name of the app we use here in China.)

I knew that. The chat options are similar to our WhatsApp (although of course ours are end-to-end encrypted and yours aren't!)

 

[Silverobama]

I don't understand the connection between meeting in person and chatting in the chatroom. The chatroom is open to everyone, right? That includes people who have never been to an in-person meeting.
The members of the chatroom are people who have met and people who have never met. Whether they've met or not makes no difference whatsoever to what they can do in the chatroom.

“Yes” to the question.

Sorry for not having made myself clear.

People who have met or not with each other can chat there, yes.

 

[emsr2d2]

“Yes” to the question.

Sorry for not having made myself clear.

People who have met or not with each other can chat there, yes.

In that case, there is no need to use "because" or "since" as any part of that aspect of your text. Members can chat in the group, whether they've met in real life or not.

 

[Tarheel]

@Silverobama Could I be a member of your chat group?

 

[Silverobama]

@Silverobama Could I be a member of your chat group?

Sure, PM me.