This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the difficulty of young and old people communicating when they live in different places.
A bit of a strange question…
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Dave
IELTS Essay: Communication between Young and Old People
In some places, young people find it difficult to communicate with older people.
Why is this?
What are the solutions?
In many countries, there is a communication rift between the older and younger generations. This is a natural phenomenon and the solution is for both sides to compromise.
The old and young often cannot communicate well because of major differences in perspective. It is natural that older people will have a more mature outlook and younger people be more radical in their views. A good example of this would be in Vietnam where the older generation holds very conservative, traditional views related to familial structures, careers, and social values that conflict with the more modern, progressive positions of the younger generation. Young people have heard the traditional arguments for years and want to rebel, often out of naivety. Older people have the benefit of experience and and feel young people should follow their advice. This basic antagonism underlies poor communication between the generations.
The best solutions all rely on compromise. Young people ought to accept that their lack of life experience puts them at a disadvantage in understanding the world. Many of their opinions are premature and will evolve over time. This implies that they should make greater efforts to understand the counsel of their elders. Their elders, in turn, must realise that their experiences are a small sample size from a unique time period. If, for example, they had to struggle to earn a living and raise a family, they must concede this only a single instance that cannot be simplistically generalised. Moreover, times have changed and what was sound advice in the past, may be largely irrelevant today.
In conclusion, the old and young are in different life stages and naturally have contrasting mindsets and the best solutions require a self-reflective modesty from both demographics. In this way, they will be able to learn more from each other.
Analysis
1. In many countries, there is a communication rift between the older and younger generations. 2. This is a natural phenomenon and the solution is for both sides to compromise.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Clearly answer both questions. Read more about two-part questions here.
1. The old and young often cannot communicate well because of major differences in perspective. 2. It is natural that older people will have a more mature outlook and younger people be more radical in their views. 3. A good example of this would be in Vietnam where the older generation holds very conservative, traditional views related to familial structures, careers, and social values that conflict with the more modern, progressive positions of the younger generation. 4. Young people have heard the traditional arguments for years and want to rebel, often out of naivety. 5. Older people have the benefit of experience and and feel young people should follow their advice. 6. This basic antagonism underlies poor communication between the generations.
- Write a clear topic sentence with your main idea at the end.
- Develop your main idea.
- Give a specific example.
- Develop the example.
- Continue developing it and don’t switch to a new main idea.
- Conclude the paragraph.
1. The best solutions all rely on compromise. 2. Young people ought to accept that their lack of life experience puts them at a disadvantage in understanding the world. 3. Many of their opinions are premature and will evolve over time. 4. This implies that they should make greater efforts to understand the counsel of their elders. 5. Their elders, in turn, must realise that their experiences are a small sample size from a unique time period. 6. If, for example, they had to struggle to earn a living and raise a family, they must concede this only a single instance that cannot be simplistically generalised. 7. Moreover, times have changed and what was sound advice in the past, may be largely irrelevant today.
- Write another topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea or begin talking about your first solution.
- Vary your long and short sentences.
- Draw conclusions from your examples.
- Switch to your other solution.
- Develop your solution.
- Finish developing it fully.
1. In conclusion, the old and young are in different life stages and naturally have contrasting mindsets and the best solutions require a self-reflective modesty from both demographics. 2. In this way, they will be able to learn more from each other.
- Summarise your main ideas and repeat your answers.
- Add a final thought/detail. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
In many countries, there is a communication rift between the older and younger generations. This is a natural phenomenon and the solution is for both sides to compromise.
The old and young often cannot communicate well because of major differences in perspective. It is natural that older people will have a more mature outlook and younger people be more radical in their views. A good example of this would be in Vietnam where the older generation holds very conservative, traditional views related to familial structures, careers, and social values that conflict with the more modern, progressive positions of the younger generation. Young people have heard the traditional arguments for years and want to rebel, often out of naivety. Older people have the benefit of experience and and feel young people should follow their advice. This basic antagonism underlies poor communication between the generations.
The best solutions all rely on compromise. Young people ought to accept that their lack of life experience puts them at a disadvantage in understanding the world. Many of their opinions are premature and will evolve over time. This implies that they should make greater efforts to understand the counsel of their elders. Their elders, in turn, must realise that their experiences are a small sample size from a unique time period. If, for example, they had to struggle to earn a living and raise a family, they must concede this only a single instance that cannot be simplistically generalised. Moreover, times have changed and what was sound advice in the past, may be largely irrelevant today.
In conclusion, the old and young are in different life stages and naturally have contrasting mindsets and the best solutions require a self-reflective modesty from both demographics. In this way, they will be able to learn more from each other.
Answers
communication rift breakdowns in talking to each other
natural phenomenon happens normally
compromise meet in the middle
major differences in perspective contrasting viewpoints
mature outlook more reasonable viewpoints
radical extreme
views opinions
holds very conservative have traditional opinions
traditional views conservative opinions
familial structures family types
conflict with disagree with
modern new
progressive positions modern views
rebel fight against
naivety inexperienced
benefit of experience can lean on past experiences
follow their advice listen to
basic antagonism underlies conflict at the base of
accept concede
lack of life experience puts them at a disadvantage not having many experiences makes their positions weaker
premature young, not ready
evolve change and get better
implies means
make greater efforts try more
realise understand
small sample size didn’t happen many times
unique time period that time in history
struggle to earn a living have a tough time making money
concede accept
simplistically generalised reductively applied to everyone
sound advice good advice
largely irrelevant today mostly doesn’t apply today
different life stages different times in your life
contrasting mindsets differing outlooks
self-reflective modesty able to be self-critical
demographics age groups
Pronunciation
kəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃən rɪft
ˈnæʧrəl fɪˈnɒmɪnən
ˈkɒmprəmaɪz
ˈmeɪʤə ˈdɪfrənsɪz ɪn pəˈspɛktɪv
məˈtjʊər ˈaʊtlʊk
ˈrædɪkəl
vjuːz
həʊldz ˈvɛri kənˈsɜːvətɪv
trəˈdɪʃənl vjuːz
ˈfæmɪli ˈfɪliəl ˈstrʌkʧəz
ˈkɒnflɪkt wɪð
ˈmɒdən
prəʊˈgrɛsɪv pəˈzɪʃənz
ˈrɛbl
nɑːˈiːvti
ˈbɛnɪfɪt ɒv ɪksˈpɪərɪəns
ˈfɒləʊ ðeər ədˈvaɪs
ˈbeɪsɪk ænˈtægənɪzm ˌʌndəˈlaɪz
əkˈsɛpt
læk ɒv laɪf ɪksˈpɪərɪəns pʊts ðɛm æt ə ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪʤ
ˌprɛməˈtjʊə
ɪˈvɒlv
ɪmˈplaɪz
meɪk ˈgreɪtər ˈɛfəts
ˈrɪəlaɪz
smɔːl ˈsɑːmpl saɪz
juːˈniːk taɪm ˈpɪərɪəd
ˈstrʌgl tuː ɜːn ə ˈlɪvɪŋ
kənˈsiːd
sɪmˈplɪstɪk(ə)li ˈʤɛnərəlaɪzd
saʊnd ədˈvaɪs
ˈlɑːʤli ɪˈrɛlɪvənt təˈdeɪ
ˈdɪfrənt laɪf ˈsteɪʤɪz
kənˈtrɑːstɪŋ ˈmaɪndsɛts
sɛlf-rɪˈflɛktɪv ˈmɒdɪsti
ˌdiːməˈgræfɪks
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
In many countries, there is a c________________________t between the older and younger generations. This is a n______________________n and the solution is for both sides to c_____________e.
The old and young often cannot communicate well because of m______________________________e. It is natural that older people will have a more m___________________k and younger people be more r___________l in their v_______s. A good example of this would be in Vietnam where the older generation h__________________________e, t______________________s related to f_________________________s, careers, and social values that c_______________________h the more m__________n, p_________________________s of the younger generation. Young people have heard the traditional arguments for years and want to r________l, often out of n_________y. Older people have the b___________________________e and and feel young people should f_________________________e. This b___________________________s poor communication between the generations.
The best solutions all rely on compromise. Young people ought to a_________t that their l__________________________________________________e in understanding the world. Many of their opinions are p____________e and will e__________e over time. This i__________s that they should m________________________s to understand the counsel of their elders. Their elders, in turn, must r___________e that their experiences are a s_____________________e from a u_______________________d. If, for example, they had to s____________________________g and raise a family, they must c___________e this only a single instance that cannot be s_______________________________d. Moreover, times have changed and what was s__________________e in the past, may be l_____________________________y.
In conclusion, the old and young are in d________________________s and naturally have c_________________________s and the best solutions require a s_________________________________y from both d___________________s. In this way, they will be able to learn more from each other.
Reading Practice
Read more about this topic here:
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following real questions from the IELTS exam:
Discussions
- What do you usually discuss with friends?
- How often do you change your mind after a discussion?
- What kind of discussions did you have as a kid?
- Do you listen to talk more in a discussion?
Writing Practice
Write about the following related topic and then check with my sample answer:
Many people think that it is better to get advice from old rather than young people.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
i want more idea on this topic In some places, young people find it difficult to communicate with older people.
Why is this?
What are the solutions?
What do you mean by more ideas? More main ideas? Can you think of any?
In many countries, teenagers have difficulties in communicating with elderly people. This situation may lead to problems of understanding between the two age groups. A number of factors may contribute to this issue and I am going to discuss them in this essay.
The age barrier between young people and elders is wide. Teenagers nowadays live in a different world with different mindsets than what the older generation lived in, this means, for instance, what is considered uncommon or wrong by the elders at their time might be considered common and acceptable by the younger generation. Furthermore, many elders try to enforce the younger generation to listen and do what they are told to without complaining which might upset many teenagers and lead to more complications between the two age groups.
A solution for this issue is to try and reach for an understanding between the younger and older generations, elders should not force their opinions and ideologies upon the young people. They should present them with useful advises in an appropriate method about how they could approach a certain task or how a problem could be solved efficiently. Interactions between the two age groups must occurs frequently, an advice should be taken into consideration by the younger generation as it might be helpful in the future.
In conclusion, elderly people have obtained more experience about life than the younger people, establishing a healthy method of communication between the two generation insures a smooth flow of the experience to the next generation as it will have a great benefit for the younger generation.
Can you evaluate my essay? Your website is very helpful, if i had the money i would gladly be a part of your course, we dont know what the future might have for us but if i have the chance to study for IELTS again i will take you course. thank you.
one more question. Is it okay to write (on the constructive side, on the destructive side) in an essay where is asks to discuss opposite views?
Dave
Hi!
In gneneral, you should write about both sides no matter what, just so that you have clearly separate main ideas.
If it says discuss both views, then you must or your risk a band 4/5 for task achievement.
Sure I’ll take a quick look!
Very strong writing Mohanad!
Try to be a little more specific when you discuss your ideas – you could use hypothetical examples if you don’t have a real one.
Otherwise – great!
Thank you for creating this website. I write an essay on this topic, could you have a look at it? I really appreciate you work.
It is quite common that the young have difficulty in communicating with seniors under certain circumstances. In my opinion, generation gap is the main cause and in order to fix this problem, both of them ought to take initiative and try to understand each other.
The ultimate reason why young people find it increasingly hard to have a smooth conversation with older people is the generation gap. In other words, they were born in different ages, which means the education they received and the social trends they experienced in their formative years may be quite disparate. As a result, many of them tend to have contrasting outlook on life. For example, generation Z are likely to have different opinions with their parents on career development. Unlike most of their parents who wish them land in a stable and secure job such as becoming a cilvil servant or working in the bank, they are more likely to be attracted by emerging occupations like online celebrities and professional esports players or they may want to become an entrepreneur and set up their own business.
Personally, the best way to solving this issue is for both of them to try to put themselves in each other’s shoes. On the one hand, young people should make an effort to be patient and learn to be a good listener. What I mean by saying that is they ought to open their mind and be willing to take their parents’ or grandparents’ suggestions into consideration rather than turning a deaf ear to them. On the other hand, older individuals should also be more receptive to new ideas instead of being stuck in their own ways. For instance, they can spend time browsing the most popular websites which their young counterparts like to get more information of the current trends and innovations. By doing this, they can keep up with the young and have more things to talk about when communicating with them.
In conclusion, generation gap is the major cause for this problem and mutual understanding seems to be a desirable measure to handle it.
Really nice, nuanced opinions on this one Alice!
Careful with idioms like ‘put yourself in someone else’s shoes’ – you can put them in quotes if you use one.
You can also elide some of your definite articles more often to make it sound more natural.