This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of competition between older and younger people from the real IELTS exam.

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Dave

IELTS Essay: Competition between Older and Younger People

Nowadays more and more older people who need employment have to compete with younger people for the same jobs.

What problems does this cause?

What are the solutions?

In many workplaces, there is a natural conflict between younger and older employees. In my opinion, this can impact staff morale in a number of ways and the best solutions involve competent management and hiring practices.

The ramifications of an age-diversified workplace relate to the environment. When new employees join, there is often resentment from older workers who feel threatened or must compensate for their new colleagues’ inexperience. If the younger workers are arrogant, this conflict will grow into animosity and result in a toxic workplace culture. Similarly, if they are unable to quickly adapt to the company, older workers will likely become frustrated. Conversely, there is also the possibility, particularly if the work involves emerging technologies, that the more experienced workers will lag behind and younger workers will feel hampered. This can also lead to an unhealthy workplace atmosphere.

The solutions for the problems detailed above relate to management and hiring. A company that selects a qualified young employee with a positive mindset does not have to fear negative effects on morale. After hiring, management also plays a key role in dissolving tensions and preventing their initial occurrences. For example, managers who know the strengths and weaknesses of their employees well will not team up workers with contrary personalities. Additionally, by ensuring older employees stay current with new technology, managers will avoid the potential conflict arising from changes in their field. Finally, the manager must also take steps to guarantee the workplace has strong cohesion by valuing contributions from all employees, setting a relaxed atmosphere, being transparent, and ensuring there are no double standards due to age.

In conclusion, the issues stemming from a variety of ages working together concern the environment and the solutions involve strong management. In this way, these seemingly inevitable conflicts can be mitigated.

Analysis

1. In many workplaces, there is a natural conflict between younger and older employees. 2. In my opinion, this can impact staff morale in a number of ways and the best solutions involve competent management and hiring practices.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. The ramifications of an age-diversified workplace relate to the environment. 2. When new employees join, there is often resentment from older workers who feel threatened or must compensate for their new colleagues’ inexperience. 3. If the younger workers are arrogant, this conflict will grow into animosity and result in a toxic workplace culture. 4. Similarly, if they are unable to quickly adapt to the company, older workers will likely become frustrated. 5. Conversely, there is also the possibility, particularly if the work involves emerging technologies, that the more experienced workers will lag behind and younger workers will feel hampered. 6. This can also lead to an unhealthy workplace atmosphere.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific examples.
4. Keep developing it fully.
5. You should vary long and short sentences.
6. And always relate back to the essay topic.

1. The solutions for the problems detailed above relate to management and hiring. 2. A company that selects a qualified young employee with a positive mindset does not have to fear negative effects on morale. 3. After hiring, management also plays a key role in dissolving tensions and preventing their initial occurrences. 4. For example, managers who know the strengths and weaknesses of their employees well will not team up workers with contrary personalities. 5. Additionally, by ensuring older employees stay current with new technology, managers will avoid the potential conflict arising from changes in their field. 6. Finally, the manager must also take steps to guarantee the workplace has strong cohesion by valuing contributions from all employees, setting a relaxed atmosphere, being transparent, and ensuring there are no double standards due to age.

1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
2. Explain your new main idea.
3. Include specific details and examples.
4. Continue developing it…
5. as fully as possible!
6. Any extra detail will help you get a better mark.

1. In conclusion, the issues stemming from a variety of ages working together concern the environment and the solutions involve strong management. 2. In this way, these seemingly inevitable conflicts can be mitigated.

1. Summarise your main ideas.
2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

In many workplaces, there is a natural conflict between younger and older employees. In my opinion, this can impact staff morale in a number of ways and the best solutions involve competent management and hiring practices.

The ramifications of an age-diversified workplace relate to the environment. When new employees join, there is often resentment from older workers who feel threatened or must compensate for their new colleagues’ inexperience. If the younger workers are arrogant, this conflict will grow into animosity and result in a toxic workplace culture. Similarly, if they are unable to quickly adapt to the company, older workers will likely become frustrated. Conversely, there is also the possibility, particularly if the work involves emerging technologies, that the more experienced workers will lag behind and younger workers will feel hampered. This can also lead to an unhealthy workplace atmosphere.

The solutions for the problems detailed above relate to management and hiring. A company that selects a qualified young employee with a positive mindset does not have to fear negative effects on morale. After hiring, management also plays a key role in dissolving tensions and preventing their initial occurrences. For example, managers who know the strengths and weaknesses of their employees well will not team up workers with contrary personalities. Additionally, by ensuring older employees stay current with new technology, managers will avoid the potential conflict arising from changes in their field. Finally, the manager must also take steps to guarantee the workplace has strong cohesion by valuing contributions from all employees, setting a relaxed atmosphere, being transparent, and ensuring there are no double standards due to age.

In conclusion, the issues stemming from a variety of ages working together concern the environment and the solutions involve strong management. In this way, these seemingly inevitable conflicts can be mitigated.

Answers

workplaces offices and other places where people work

natural conflict inevitable tension

staff morale how employees feel

involve has to do with

competent management capable bosses

hiring practices how people are employed

ramifications implications

age-diversified different ages

environment the atmosphere

resentment anger towards

threatened feel insecure

compensate make up for

inexperience not having done the work before

arrogant believing too much in yourself

conflict problems

animosity strong resentment, hatred

toxic poisonous, bad

culture atmosphere

similarly not so different

adapt change to

frustrated anger

possibility chance

particularly especially

emerging technologies innovations

lag behind not stay current with changes

hampered held back

unhealthy workplace atmosphere bad feelings among employees

detailed above described before

positive mindset good outlook

plays a key role has a big part in

dissolving tensions making people feel better, solving conflicts

preventing stopping from happening to begin with

initial occurrences happening the first time

strengths and weaknesses what you are good and bad at

team up work together

contrary personalities people likely to not get along

ensuring guaranteeing

stay current keep up to date

avoid prevent from happening

potential conflict possible fights

arising coming from

take steps act on

guarantee make sure

strong cohesion linked together well

valuing contributions considering what employees do important

setting a relaxed atmosphere making everything feel good

transparent honest and open

ensuring making sure

double standards different standards for different people

stemming from coming from

concern have to do with

seemingly inevitable appears it will happen no matter what

mitigated curged, controlled, limited

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ˈwɜːkˌpleɪsɪz
ˈnæʧrəl ˈkɒnflɪkt 
stɑːf mɒˈrɑːl 
ɪnˈvɒlv 
ˈkɒmpɪtənt ˈmænɪʤmənt 
ˈhaɪərɪŋ ˈpræktɪsɪz
ˌræmɪfɪˈkeɪʃənz 
eɪʤ-daɪˈvɜːsɪfaɪd 
ɪnˈvaɪərənmənt
rɪˈzɛntmənt 
ˈθrɛtnd 
ˈkɒmpɛnseɪt 
ˌɪnɪksˈpɪərɪəns
ˈærəʊgənt
ˈkɒnflɪkt 
ˌænɪˈmɒsɪti 
ˈtɒksɪk 
ˈkʌlʧə
ˈsɪmɪləli
əˈdæpt 
frʌsˈtreɪtɪd
ˌpɒsəˈbɪlɪti
pəˈtɪkjʊləli 
ɪˈmɜːʤɪŋ tɛkˈnɒləʤiz
læg bɪˈhaɪnd 
ˈhæmpəd
ʌnˈhɛlθi ˈwɜːkˌpleɪs ˈætməsfɪə
ˈdiːteɪld əˈbʌv 
ˈpɒzətɪv ˈmaɪndsɛt 
pleɪz ə kiː rəʊl 
dɪˈzɒlvɪŋ ˈtɛnʃənz 
prɪˈvɛntɪŋ 
ɪˈnɪʃəl əˈkʌrənsɪz
strɛŋθs ænd ˈwiːknɪsɪz 
tiːm ʌp 
ˈkɒntrəri ˌpɜːsəˈnælɪtiz
ɪnˈʃʊərɪŋ 
steɪ ˈkʌrənt 
əˈvɔɪd 
pəʊˈtɛnʃəl ˈkɒnflɪkt 
əˈraɪzɪŋ 
teɪk stɛps 
ˌgærənˈtiː 
strɒŋ kəʊˈhiːʒən 
ˈvæljuːɪŋ ˌkɒntrɪˈbjuːʃənz 
ˈsɛtɪŋ ə rɪˈlækst ˈætməsfɪə
trænsˈpeərənt
ɪnˈʃʊərɪŋ 
ˈdʌbl ˈstændədz 
ˈstɛmɪŋ frɒm 
kənˈsɜːn 
ˈsiːmɪŋli ɪnˈɛvɪtəbl 
ˈmɪtɪgeɪtɪd

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

In many w__________s, there is a n________________t between younger and older employees. In my opinion, this can impact s____________e in a number of ways and the best solutions i__________e c____________t m____________t and h__________________s.

The r______________s of an a________________d workplace relate to the e_______________t. When new employees join, there is often r__________t from older workers who feel t____________d or must c_____________e for their new colleagues’ i______________e. If the younger workers are a___________t, this c________t will grow into a___________y and result in a t_______c workplace c___________e. S__________y, if they are unable to quickly a______t to the company, older workers will likely become f_____________d. Conversely, there is also the p____________y, p_____________y if the work involves e___________________________s, that the more experienced workers will l________________d and younger workers will feel h___________d. This can also lead to an u_____________________________________e.

The solutions for the problems d_______________e relate to management and hiring. A company that selects a qualified young employee with a p______________t does not have to fear negative effects on morale. After hiring, management also p_________________e in d_________________s and p____________g their i____________________s. For example, managers who know the s__________________________s of their employees well will not t______________p workers with c_______________________s. Additionally, by e____________g older employees s______________t with new technology, managers will a________d the p___________________t a_________g from changes in their field. Finally, the manager must also t___________s to g___________e the workplace has s____________________n by v_____________________s from all employees, s_______________________________e, being t______________t, and e___________g there are no d____________________s due to age.

In conclusion, the issues s______________m a variety of ages working together c_____________n the environment and the solutions involve strong management. In this way, these s___________________e conflicts can be m_____________d.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.who.int/ageing/features/workplace-ageism/en/

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Work

1. Why did you choose your job?
2. How much work do you do in a week?
3. Do you have to work on weekends as well?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related topic below and then check with my sample answer:

When a person spends most of his or her time working a job with little job satisfaction, their life loses meaning.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Essay: Job Satisfaction