This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of continuing to work later in life and older people from the real IELTS general training exam.
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Dave
IELTS Essay: Continuing to Work
Some people believe that it is a good idea that older people continue to work if it is possible for them to do.
Do you agree or disagree?
Many feel older individuals should be allowed to continue working long past the normal age of retirement. In my opinion, this is advisable for a minority who are still capable of working but the majority should enjoy other pursuits.
On the one hand, many older people find satisfaction in work. This is the case when their mental and physical health has not begun to deteriorate dramatically. The best examples of this would be those who in a technical or artistic field, such as designers, painters, actors, and poets. These individuals often do their best work later in life. Moreover, older people with less glamorous jobs may not have family to spend time with and need the emotional and financial support of a job. Without a job, it is common in many countries for retired individuals to feel needlessly adrift and without direction or security.
However, most older people struggle to adapt to changes in society and would be better served enjoying their retirement. Most jobs today require at least a passing familiarity with technology and old people can become a hindrance in such positions. This is negative for the employer but especially the older person who may feel unwanted. Instead, it is possible for older people, as long as they have the financial means, to dedicate more time to their family and pursuing their passions and pastimes. For instance, many retirees are able to devote time and energy to learning crafts such as woodworking and painting, thereby expressing themselves artistically and gaining a new sense of satisfaction.
In conclusion, the exceptional few elderly citizens who can still work to a high level should not be prevented from doing so though most should retire with dignity. This is the best solution for older generations.
Analysis
1. Many feel older individuals should be allowed to continue working long past the normal age of retirement. 2. In my opinion, this is advisable for a minority who are still capable of working but the majority should enjoy other pursuits.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. On the one hand, many older people find satisfaction in work. 2. This is the case when their mental and physical health has not begun to deteriorate dramatically. 3. The best examples of this would be those who in a technical or artistic field, such as designers, painters, actors, and poets. 4. These individuals often do their best work later in life. 5. Moreover, older people with less glamorous jobs may not have family to spend time with and need the emotional and financial support of a job. 6. Without a job, it is common in many countries for retired individuals to feel needlessly adrift and without direction or security.
- 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.
- Add more deatil.
- Finish the paragraph strong.
1. However, most older people struggle to adapt to changes in society and would be better served enjoying their retirement. 2. Most jobs today require at least a passing familiarity with technology and old people can become a hindrance in such positions. 3. This is negative for the employer but especially the older person who may feel unwanted. 4. Instead, it is possible for older people, as long as they have the financial means, to dedicate more time to their family and pursuing their passions and pastimes. 5. For instance, many retirees are able to devote time and energy to learning crafts such as woodworking and painting, thereby expressing themselves artistically and gaining a new sense of satisfaction.
- 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.
- Develop the example fully.
1. In conclusion, the exceptional few elderly citizens who can still work to a high level should not be prevented from doing so though most should retire with dignity. 2. This is the best solution for older generations.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- 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.
Many feel older individuals should be allowed to continue working long past the normal age of retirement. In my opinion, this is advisable for a minority who are still capable of working but the majority should enjoy other pursuits.
On the one hand, many older people find satisfaction in work. This is the case when their mental and physical health has not begun to deteriorate dramatically. The best examples of this would be those who in a technical or artistic field, such as designers, painters, actors, and poets. These individuals often do their best work later in life. Moreover, older people with less glamorous jobs may not have family to spend time with and need the emotional and financial support of a job. Without a job, it is common in many countries for retired individuals to feel needlessly adrift and without direction or security.
However, most older people struggle to adapt to changes in society and would be better served enjoying their retirement. Most jobs today require at least a passing familiarity with technology and old people can become a hindrance in such positions. This is negative for the employer but especially the older person who may feel unwanted. Instead, it is possible for older people, as long as they have the financial means, to dedicate more time to their family and pursuing their passions and pastimes. For instance, many retirees are able to devote time and energy to learning crafts such as woodworking and painting, thereby expressing themselves artistically and gaining a new sense of satisfaction.
In conclusion, the exceptional few elderly citizens who can still work to a high level should not be prevented from doing so though most should retire with dignity. This is the best solution for older generations.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
long past far beyond
retirement the age when you stop working
advisable good idea to do it
minority very few
capable able to do it
majority most of
pursuits passions
on the one hand on the one side
find satisfaction feel good
This is the case when only true if
mental and physical health how healthy you are in spirit and body
begun started
deteriorate dramatically get a lot worse
The best examples of this would be greatest instances include
technical related to expertise
artistic field the arts
designers people who draw and create things
painters people who draw
actors people who act
poets people who write poems
best work later in life pinnacle of their career later
glamorous fancy
spend time with spent more time around
emotional related to feelings
financial support money
retired individuals people who have stopped working
needlessly adrift without purpose, lost
without direction or security no clear focus or path
struggle have difficulty with
adapt change
better served get more out of
require need
at least at the minimum
a passing familiarity some experience with
hindrance makes things worse
positions jobs
employer boss
especially in particular
unwanted not wanted, disliked
instead rather
possible can be done
as long as in the case that
financial means enough money
dedicate invest
pursuing their passions and pastimes do their hobbies
retirees people who have retired
devote give
energy strength
crafts items that you make
woodworking making things in wood
painting picture
expressing themselves artistically create artworks
gaining getting
sense feel
satisfaction enjoyment
exceptional few the best
high level well
prevented stopped
dignity respect
best solution ideal remedy
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
lɒŋ pɑːst
rɪˈtaɪəmənt
ədˈvaɪzəbl
maɪˈnɒrɪti
ˈkeɪpəbl
məˈʤɒrɪti
pəˈsjuːts
ɒn ðə wʌn hænd
faɪnd ˌsætɪsˈfækʃən
ðɪs ɪz ðə keɪs wɛn
ˈmɛntl ænd ˈfɪzɪkəl hɛlθ
bɪˈgʌn
dɪˈtɪərɪəreɪt drəˈmætɪk(ə)li
ðə bɛst ɪgˈzɑːmplz ɒv ðɪs wʊd biː
ˈtɛknɪkəl
ɑːˈtɪstɪk fiːld
dɪˈzaɪnəz
ˈpeɪntəz
ˈæktəz
ˈpəʊɪts
bɛst wɜːk ˈleɪtər ɪn laɪf
ˈglæmərəs
spɛnd taɪm wɪð
ɪˈməʊʃənl
faɪˈnænʃəl səˈpɔːt
rɪˈtaɪəd ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəlz
ˈniːdlɪsli əˈdrɪft
wɪˈðaʊt dɪˈrɛkʃən ɔː sɪˈkjʊərɪti
ˈstrʌgl
əˈdæpt
ˈbɛtə sɜːvd
rɪˈkwaɪə
æt liːst
ə ˈpɑːsɪŋ fəˌmɪlɪˈærɪti
ˈhɪndrəns
pəˈzɪʃənz
ɪmˈplɔɪə
ɪsˈpɛʃəli
ʌnˈwɒntɪd
ɪnˈstɛd
ˈpɒsəbl
æz lɒŋ æz
faɪˈnænʃəl miːnz
ˈdɛdɪkeɪt
pəˈsjuːɪŋ ðeə ˈpæʃənz ænd ˈpɑːstaɪmz
rɪˌtaɪəˈriːz
dɪˈvəʊt
ˈɛnəʤi
krɑːfts
ˈwʊdwɜːkɪŋ
ˈpeɪntɪŋ,
ɪksˈprɛsɪŋ ðəmˈsɛlvz ɑːˈtɪstɪk(ə)li
ˈgeɪnɪŋ
sɛns
ˌsætɪsˈfækʃən
ɪkˈsɛpʃənl fjuː
haɪ ˈlɛvl
prɪˈvɛntɪd
ˈdɪgnɪti
bɛst səˈluːʃən
Vocabulary Practice
Many feel older individuals should be allowed to continue working l___________t the normal age of r__________t. In my opinion, this is a___________e for a m___________y who are still c__________e of working but the m________y should enjoy other p__________s.
O_______________d, many older people f__________________n in work. T_____________________n their m________________________h has not b________n to d___________________________y. T___________________________________e those who in a t____________l or a_______________d, such as d___________s, p__________s, a________s, and p______s. These individuals often do their b_____________________e. Moreover, older people with less g______________s jobs may not have family to s__________________h and need the e______________l and f___________________t of a job. Without a job, it is common in many countries for r__________________________s to feel n___________________________t and w__________________________y.
However, most older people s_______________e to a______t to changes in society and would be b______________d enjoying their retirement. Most jobs today r____________e a________t a______________________y with technology and old people can become a h_________-e in such p_________s. This is negative for the e___________r but e____________y the older person who may feel u____________d. I__________d, it is p_________e for older people, a____________s they have the f__________________s, to d_____________e more time to their family and p____________________________________s. For instance, many r________s are able to d________e time and e_________y to learning c_________s such as w___________________g and p____________g, thereby e_______________________________y and g___________g a new s________e of s______________n.
In conclusion, the e__________________w elderly citizens who can still work to a h______________l should not be p___________d from doing so though most should retire with d____________y. This is the b_______________n for older generations.
Listening Practice
Reading Practice
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/how-to-retire-early
Speaking Practice
Retirement
When do people in your country usually retire?
Should everyone retire?
What are the reasons that people do not retire?
Will retirement ages keep getting later?
What do retired people do in your country?
Writing Practice
Nowadays people live longer after they retire.
How does this affect individuals and society?
What can be done about this?
There is a statement that elder should go to work if they still can. In my opinion, it may be unfair to them and harmful to the stability of society.
It would be rude to ask old people to work, because they may already have worked for 40 years and made a great contribution to the country. After graduating from high school or university, a citizen may retire at 60 years old, which means most of his life is spent on his job. In the last period of life, people may want to do something they wanted to do in their early lives, particularly for those still staying healthy. Therefore, it may be kind for them to have a chance to live their lives.
Citizens will be angry if they have to work until they die or become too disabled to work. The final target of most people in the world may want to be happy rather than stay in the same positions all their lives. Moreover, the decision to work until it is impossible to do is unfriendly and horrible, because it means the government will cancel the retirement insurance and people will have to live on their own even if they are old. However, it may be difficult for old people to perform as competitively as young people, and companies may tend to fire them, which may further lead to a huge amount of unemployment and poor old people.
In sum, it would be fair for old people and maintain the stability of society with the retirement law. In addition, the government should serve people for their happy lives instead of asking them to devote their lives.
Good Gakki – but don’t use the phrase: there is a statement…
You can come one of the ones from my essays like ‘Many are increasingly of the belief that…’
Some memorized expressions will boost your accuracy!
Ielts writting
Older individuals should continue working beyond the recommended age of retirement. I concur with this sentiment generally, although others may have some compelling reasons to oppose this.
The benefits accruing from working even after the retirement age are by no means negligible. Firstly, we are entering a greying society. It has been estimated that by the end of 2050, a significant percentage of the world’s population will be comprised of aged people. It will be a waste of human resources if the elderly are not allowed to work. Besides this, they have invaluable experience and expertise which will play an indispensable role in training the younger generations. Secondly, the government can receive taxes from them and save on pensions. In other words, when old people are working, they will continue to pay taxes to the government. Also, the government will have to pay pensions for a shorter period of time since old people will retire after an extended period. This will have a concomitent effect on public funds, resulting in finite resources being redeployed in other vital sectors.
However, others put forward convincing arguments against the employment of the elderly. The most axiomatic argument is concerned with the employment opportunities of young people. If old people do not retire from jobs, there will not be enough vacancies for youngsters. Thus, the government will have to take measures to ameliorate the youth unemployment rate. Furthermore, old people have already done their part to support society. Now, at this vunerable age, they should relax and enjoy the remaining years. Making old people work will not only add stress and strain to their lives, but will also make their health deteriorate faster. Therefore, the more old people stay away from the workload, the more cheerful their greying years will be.
In conclusion, despite the fact that some people contest old people working, in my opinion, it is advantageous. Advantages such as proper use of manpower and an increase in taxes outweigh the disadvantages, like concern for youth employment and older people’s well-being.
Dear Dave,
Without a job, it is common in many countries for retired individuals feel needlessly adrift and without direction or security.
The above sentence should be written like this:
Without a job, it is common in many countries for retired individuals TO feel needlessly adrift and without direction or security.
The grammatical construction is: IT IS COMMON FOR SOMEONE TO DO
Thanks for spotting the typo – updated~!