This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of children on their phones from the real IELTS exam.
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IELTS Essay: Children on their Phones
Some children spend hours every day on their smartphones.
Why is this the case?
Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?
Many today would argue that children spend too many hours on their smartphones. In my opinion, this is a natural result of the conveniences these phones afford and is decidedly negative as it severely impacts health.
The main reason children are using phones too much today is parents view it as a convenient option. This is firstly a simple practicality. Most parents are busy and tired after work and smartphones are one of the easiest methods to keep their children occupied and entertained. It is a common occurrence to witness children on phones at restaurants and airports while their parents are distracted. Moreover, parents can easily justify smartphones by claiming they help their children become better acclimated with technology. This justification is self-serving, but there is a degree of truth in the fact that young children will be able to understand applications and how to navigate websites like YouTube and Google search.
As far as I am concerned, the overuse of smartphones greatly impairs children physically and mentally. Physically, using a smartphone encourages a more sedentary lifestyle. A large proportion of children today are more likely to sit at home after school playing games, chatting, and scrolling through YouTube or TikTok instead of playing outside with friends. Over time, these become ingrained habits and threaten their long-term physical fitness. Intellectually, phones lead to shorter attention spans. Media online, especially applications that have embraced shorter video formats, produce dopamine responses in the brain that then require frequent stimulation. In contrast to a book, children can only gain these feelings from their digital devices.
In conclusion, despite the convenient uses of smartphones, they hinder the physical and intellectual development of children. Parents should limit their children’s screen time.
Analysis
1. Many today would argue that children spend too many hours on their smartphones. 2. In my opinion, this is a natural result of the conveniences these phones afford and is decidedly negative as it severely impacts health.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. The main reason children are using phones too much today is parents view it as a convenient option. 2. This is firstly a simple practicality. 3. Most parents are busy and tired after work and smartphones are one of the easiest methods to keep their children occupied and entertained. 4. It is a common occurrence to witness children on phones at restaurants and airports while their parents are distracted. 5. Moreover, parents can easily justify smartphones by claiming they help their children become better acclimated with technology. 6. This justification is self-serving, but there is a degree of truth in the fact that young children will be able to understand applications and how to navigate websites like YouTube and Google search.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
- Keep developing it fully.
- You might add a counterpoint here.
- Finish strong.
1. As far as I am concerned, the overuse of smartphones greatly impairs children physically and mentally. 2. Physically, using a smartphone encourages a more sedentary lifestyle. 3. A large proportion of children today are more likely to sit at home after school playing games, chatting, and scrolling through YouTube or TikTok instead of playing outside with friends. 4. Over time, these become ingrained habits and threaten their long-term physical fitness. 5. Intellectually, phones lead to shorter attention spans. 6. Media online, especially applications that have embraced shorter video formats, produce dopamine responses in the brain that then require frequent stimulation. 7. In contrast to a book, children can only gain these feelings from their digital devices.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
- Continue your development.
- Keep developing your ideas specifically.
- Finish the paragraph strong.
1. In conclusion, despite the convenient uses of smartphones, they hinder the physical and intellectual development of children. 2. Parents should limit their children’s screen time.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
Many today would argue that children spend too many hours on their smartphones. In my opinion, this is a natural result of the conveniences these phones afford and is decidedly negative as it severely impacts health.
The main reason children are using phones too much today is parents view it as a convenient option. This is firstly a simple practicality. Most parents are busy and tired after work and smartphones are one of the easiest methods to keep their children occupied and entertained. It is a common occurrence to witness children on phones at restaurants and airports while their parents are distracted. Moreover, parents can easily justify smartphones by claiming they help their children become better acclimated with technology. This justification is self-serving, but there is a degree of truth in the fact that young children will be able to understand applications and how to navigate websites like YouTube and Google search.
As far as I am concerned, the overuse of smartphones greatly impairs children physically and mentally. Physically, using a smartphone encourages a more sedentary lifestyle. A large proportion of children today are more likely to sit at home after school playing games, chatting, and scrolling through YouTube or TikTok instead of playing outside with friends. Over time, these become ingrained habits and threaten their long-term physical fitness. Intellectually, phones lead to shorter attention spans. Media online, especially applications that have embraced shorter video formats, produce dopamine responses in the brain that then require frequent stimulation. In contrast to a book, children can only gain these feelings from their digital devices.
In conclusion, despite the convenient uses of smartphones, they hinder the physical and intellectual development of children. Parents should limit their children’s screen time.
Answers
argue claim
smartphones phones, mobile phones
natural result of the conveniences happens obviously because they are easy
afford allow for
decidedly negative definitely bad
severely impacts health greatly hurts your body
main reason biggest source
view it as a convenient option think it is an easy way
firstly to start
simple practicality just an easy thing to do in life
easiest methods best ways
occupied spend time on
entertained kept occupied and engaged
It is a common occurrence to witness it happens a lot to see
while their parents are distracted as their mom and dad are busy
easily justify give themselves the excuse to
claiming arguing
better acclimated with technology able to use devices better
justification reason for
self-serving good for them
a degree of truth in the fact that some reality in the situation
understand applications know how to use apps
navigate websites get around sites
As far as I am concerned in my opinion
overuse use too often
greatly impairs children physically and mentally hurt kids in terms of body and mind
Physically related to the body
encourages motivates
sedentary lifestyle not active ways of living
A large proportion of most of
scrolling through looking through
instead of playing outside with friends not going outside with other kids
Over time as time goes on
ingrained habits actions you can’t change
threaten their long-term physical fitness hurt their body later on
Intellectually related to the mentality
lead to shorter attention spans make it harder to pay attention for a long time
embraced shorter video formats watch videos that aren’t that long
produce dopamine responses in the brain make people happy in their minds
require frequent stimulation need more content
In contrast to in comparison to
digital devices phones, tablets, etc.
despite regardless of
hinder hold back
physical and intellectual development of body and mind change
limit restrain
screen time time spent using a device
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
ˈɑːgjuː
ˈsmɑːtfəʊnz
ˈnæʧrəl rɪˈzʌlt ɒv ðə kənˈviːniənsɪz
əˈfɔːd
dɪˈsaɪdɪdli ˈnɛgətɪv
sɪˈvɪəli ˈɪmpækts hɛlθ
meɪn ˈriːzn
vjuː ɪt æz ə kənˈviːniənt ˈɒpʃən
ˈfɜːstli
ˈsɪmpl ˌpræktɪˈkælɪti
ˈiːzɪɪst ˈmɛθədz
ˈɒkjʊpaɪd
ˌɛntəˈteɪnd
ɪt ɪz ə ˈkɒmən əˈkʌrəns tuː ˈwɪtnɪs
waɪl ðeə ˈpeərənts ɑː dɪsˈtræktɪd
ˈiːzɪli ˈʤʌstɪfaɪ
ˈkleɪmɪŋ
ˈbɛtər əˈklaɪmeɪtɪd wɪð tɛkˈnɒləʤi
ˌʤʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən
sɛlf-ˈsɜːvɪŋ
ə dɪˈgriː ɒv truːθ ɪn ðə fækt ðæt
ˌʌndəˈstænd ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)nz
ˈnævɪgeɪt ˈwɛbˌsaɪts
æz fɑːr æz aɪ æm kənˈsɜːnd
ˌəʊvəˈjuːz
ˈgreɪtli ɪmˈpeəz ˈʧɪldrən ˈfɪzɪkəli ænd ˈmɛntəli
ˈfɪzɪkəli
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤɪz eɪ
ˈsɛdntəri ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl
ə lɑːʤ prəˈpɔːʃən ɒv
ˈskrəʊlɪŋ θruː
ɪnˈstɛd ɒv ˈpleɪɪŋ ˌaʊtˈsaɪd wɪð frɛndz
ˈəʊvə taɪm
ɪnˈgreɪnd ˈhæbɪts
ˈθrɛtn ðeə ˈlɒŋtɜːm ˈfɪzɪkəl ˈfɪtnɪs
ˌɪntɪˈlɛktjʊəli
liːd tuː ˈʃɔːtər əˈtɛnʃ(ə)n spænz
ɪmˈbreɪst ˈʃɔːtə ˈvɪdɪəʊ ˈfɔːmæts
ˈprɒdjuːs ˈdəʊpəmiːn rɪsˈpɒnsɪz ɪn ðə breɪn
rɪˈkwaɪə ˈfriːkwənt ˌstɪmjʊˈleɪʃən
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst tuː
ˈdɪʤɪtl dɪˈvaɪsɪz
dɪsˈpaɪt
ˈhaɪndə
ˈfɪzɪkəl ænd ˌɪntɪˈlɛktjʊəl dɪˈvɛləpmənt ɒv
ˈlɪmɪt
skriːn taɪm
Vocabulary Practice
Many today would a______e that children spend too many hours on their s________________s. In my opinion, this is a n_________________________________s these phones a________d and is d_________________e as it s______________________h.
The m______________n children are using phones too much today is parents v______________________________n. This is f______y a s____________________y. Most parents are busy and tired after work and smartphones are one of the e____________________s to keep their children o____________d and e____________d. I____________________________________s children on phones at restaurants and airports w______________________________d. Moreover, parents can e_________________y smartphones by c___________g they help their children become b_______________________________y. This j________________n is s____________g, but there is a____________________________t young children will be able to u_________________________s and how to n________________s like YouTube and Google search.
A_______________________d, the o_________e of smartphones g_________________________________________y. P_________y, using a smartphone e________________s a more s_____________________e. A_____________________________f children today are more likely to sit at home after school playing games, chatting, and s_____________________h YouTube or TikTok i________________________________________s. O________________e, these become i___________________s and t________________________________________________s. I__________________y, phones l__________________________s. Media online, especially applications that have e_______________________________s, p__________________________________________n that then r_____________________________________n. I_____________________o a book, children can only gain these feelings from their d____________________s.
In conclusion, d___________e the convenient uses of smartphones, they h________r the p_f children. Parents should limit their children’s screen time.
Listening Practice
Reading Practice
Speaking Practice
Mobile Phones and Smartphones
- What are the advantages of smartphones?
- Should children be allowed to own smartphones?
- Do you thinks have a major or minor impact on mental health?
- Where in your country is it not appropriate to use a phone?
- Do you think smartphone usage may decline in the future?
Writing Practice
Some children spend hours every day on smartphones.
Why is this the case?
Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
This site is useful. Hope to always have good questions and answers as such