This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of focus at school and the reasons why it is hard these days from the real IELTS exam.
Please consider supporting me on Patreon.com/howtodoielts to receive my exclusive IELTS Ebooks – you can even sign up for private live lessons with me!
Dave
IELTS Essay: Focus at School
Many students find it difficult to focus or pay attention at school nowadays.
What are the reasons for this?
What can be done to solve this problem?
Recently, it is has become notoriously difficult for students to focus on their lessons. In my opinion, this is a partly natural phenomenon that has been exacerbated by technology and the solutions lie in strict restriction and supervision.
The causes of a lack of concentration at school are both the pervasiveness of technology and human nature. Firstly, people have always struggled to focus. Very few students enjoy concentrating on tedious lessons and completing endless assignments at school. However, this has become worse as corporations exploit fundamental human characteristics. Research has shown that the number of hours one spends on a laptop, smartphone, or tablet has a direct correlation with a shorter attention span. The reason for this is that technology supplies passive, immediate gratification. Therefore, students cannot focus because of a combination of human susceptibility and predatory consumer electronics companies.
The most feasible solutions are for parents and schools to monitor students strictly. This begins with parents. They must either approve or purchase a child their first smartphone or tablet and manage their early interactions with technology. Many parents consciously gift young children these devices to help them learn how to use technology and aid their cognitive development. By waiting until later in life to approve a smartphone or limiting daily screen time, this issue can be greatly mitigated from the onset. Schools also have a role to play as they must enforce strict rules banning the use of smartphones at school. For example, in many Asian countries, students’ phones are confiscated if they are found using them during, or even between, classes.
In conclusion, a lack of focus at school is driven by human nature and modern technology and parents and schools must work together to curb the worst excesses. Government regulation would also help but should not be expected.
Analysis
1. Recently, it is has become notoriously difficult for students to focus on their lessons. 2. In my opinion, this is a partly natural phenomenon that has been exacerbated by technology and the solutions lie in strict restriction and supervision.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. The causes of a lack of concentration at school are both the pervasiveness of technology and human nature. 2. Firstly, people have always struggled to focus. 3. Very few students enjoy concentrating on tedious lessons and completing endless assignments at school. 4. However, this has become worse as corporations exploit fundamental human characteristics. 5. Research has shown that the number of hours one spends on a laptop, smartphone, or tablet has a direct correlation with a shorter attention span. 6. The reason for this is that technology supplies passive, immediate gratification. 7. Therefore, students cannot focus because of a combination of human susceptibility and predatory consumer electronics companies.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific examples.
- Keep developing it fully.
- You can have some long sentences like this to really argue your point.
- State the fullest possible result.
- Relate back to the overall topic.
1. The most feasible solutions are for parents and schools to monitor students strictly. 2. This begins with parents. 3. They must either approve or purchase a child their first smartphone or tablet and manage their early interactions with technology. 4. Many parents consciously gift young children these devices to help them learn how to use technology and aid their cognitive development. 5. By waiting until later in life to approve a smartphone or limiting daily screen time, this issue can be greatly mitigated from the onset. 6. Schools also have a role to play as they must enforce strict rules banning the use of smartphones at school. 7. For example, in many Asian countries, students’ phones are confiscated if they are found using them during, or even between, classes.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Continue developing it…
- as fully as possible!
- Switch on to a related solution.
- And develop that one too.
1. In conclusion, a lack of focus at school is driven by human nature and modern technology and parents and schools must work together to curb the worst excesses. 2. Government regulation would also help but should not be expected.
- 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.
Recently, it is has become notoriously difficult for students to focus on their lessons. In my opinion, this is a partly natural phenomenon that has been exacerbated by technology and the solutions lie in strict restriction and supervision.
The causes of a lack of concentration at school are both the pervasiveness of technology and human nature. Firstly, people have always struggled to focus. Very few students enjoy concentrating on tedious lessons and completing endless assignments at school. However, this has become worse as corporations exploit fundamental human characteristics. Research has shown that the number of hours one spends on a laptop, smartphone, or tablet has a direct correlation with a shorter attention span. The reason for this is that technology supplies passive, immediate gratification. Therefore, students cannot focus because of a combination of human susceptibility and predatory consumer electronics companies.
The most feasible solutions are for parents and schools to monitor students strictly. This begins with parents. They must either approve or purchase a child their first smartphone or tablet and manage their early interactions with technology. Many parents consciously gift young children these devices to help them learn how to use technology and aid their cognitive development. By waiting until later in life to approve a smartphone or limiting daily screen time, this issue can be greatly mitigated from the onset. Schools also have a role to play as they must enforce strict rules banning the use of smartphones at school. For example, in many Asian countries, students’ phones are confiscated if they are found using them during, or even between, classes.
In conclusion, a lack of focus at school is driven by human nature and modern technology and parents and schools must work together to curb the worst excesses. Government regulation would also help but should not be expected.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
notoriously difficult famously hard
focus on concentrate on
partly natural phenomenon mostly normal
exacerbated made worse by
solutions fixes
supervision monitoring
causes results in
lack not having
concentration focus
pervasiveness ubiquity
human nature how people are
struggled had a tough time
enjoy concentrating like focusing
tedious boring
completing endless assignments finshing work over and over again
worse not getting better
corporations companies
exploit take advantage of
fundamental human characteristics basic traits of people
research has shown that studies illustrate
direct correlation clear link
shorter attention span can’t focus for long
supplies passive gives not active
immediate gratification instant pleasure
therefore thus
combination together
human susceptibility people being vulnerable
predatory consumer electronics companies corporations that prey on human weaknesses
most feasible solutions most likely fixes
monitor students strictly watch students very carefully
begins starts
approve allow
purchase buy
manage watch over
interactions engaging with
consciously gift deliberately give
devices phones, laptops, tablets, etc.
aid help
cognitive development becoming smarter
by waiting until later in life holding on until they are older
approve let them use it
limiting daily screen time not using devices that much
greatly mitigated impact lessened
onset beginning of
role to play important part
enforce make sure it is done
confiscated taken away
during while
between space in the middle
driven by caused by
curb limit
worst excesses most extreme parts
government regulation the government making laws
expected predicted
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
nəʊˈtɔːrɪəsli ˈdɪfɪkəlt
ˈfəʊkəs ɒn
ˈpɑːtli ˈnæʧrəl fɪˈnɒmɪnən
ɛksˈæsə(ː)beɪtɪd
səˈluːʃənz
ˌsjuːpəˈvɪʒən
ˈkɔːzɪz
læk
ˌkɒnsənˈtreɪʃən
pɜːˈveɪsɪvnəs
ˈhjuːmən ˈneɪʧə
ˈstrʌgld
ɪnˈʤɔɪ ˈkɒnsəntreɪtɪŋ
ˈtiːdiəs
kəmˈpliːtɪŋ ˈɛndlɪs əˈsaɪnmənts
wɜːs
ˌkɔːpəˈreɪʃənz
ˈɛksplɔɪt
ˌfʌndəˈmɛntl ˈhjuːmən ˌkærɪktəˈrɪstɪks
rɪˈsɜːʧ hæz ʃəʊn ðæt
dɪˈrɛkt ˌkɒrɪˈleɪʃən
ˈʃɔːtər əˈtɛnʃ(ə)n spæn
səˈplaɪz ˈpæsɪv
ɪˈmiːdiət ˌgrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən
ˈðeəfɔː
ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən
ˈhjuːmən səˌsɛptəˈbɪlɪti
ˈprɛdətəri kənˈsjuːmər ɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪks ˈkʌmpəniz
məʊst ˈfiːzəbl səˈluːʃənz
ˈmɒnɪtə ˈstjuːdənts ˈstrɪktli
bɪˈgɪnz
əˈpruːv
ˈpɜːʧəs
ˈmænɪʤ
ˌɪntərˈækʃənz
ˈkɒnʃəsli gɪft
dɪˈvaɪsɪz
eɪd
ˈkɒgnɪtɪv dɪˈvɛləpmənt
baɪ ˈweɪtɪŋ ənˈtɪl ˈleɪtər ɪn laɪf
əˈpruːv
ˈlɪmɪtɪŋ ˈdeɪli skriːn taɪm
ˈgreɪtli ˈmɪtɪgeɪtɪd
ˈɒnsɛt
rəʊl tuː pleɪ
ɪnˈfɔːs
ˈkɒnfɪskeɪtɪd
ˈdjʊərɪŋ
bɪˈtwiːn
ˈdrɪvn baɪ
kɜːb
wɜːst ɪkˈsɛsɪz
ˈgʌvnmənt ˌrɛgjʊˈleɪʃən
ɪksˈpɛktɪd
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:
Recently, it is has become n____________________t for students to f_________n their lessons. In my opinion, this is a p______________________________n that has been e_____________________d by technology and the s____________s lie in strict restriction and s_______________n.
The c__________s of a l_______k of c__________________n at school are both the p_____________________s of technology and h________________e. Firstly, people have always s___________d to focus. Very few students e__________________g on t__________s lessons and c______________________________s at school. However, this has become w_________e as c_______________s e__________t f____________________________________s. R________________________t the number of hours one spends on a laptop, smartphone, or tablet has a d_____________________n with a s_______________________n. The reason for this is that technology s_____________________e, i___________________________n. T______________e, students cannot focus because of a c________________n of h____________________y and p__________________________________________s.
The m___________________s are for parents and schools to m________________________y. This b_______s with parents. They must either a_________e or p___________e a child their first smartphone or tablet and m_________e their early i______________s with technology. Many parents c___________________t young children these d_____________s to help them learn how to use technology and a___d their c_________________________t. B___________________________e to a__________e a smartphone or l___________________________e, this issue can be g________________d from the o________t. Schools also have a r_____________y as they must e__________e strict rules banning the use of smartphones at school. For example, in many Asian countries, students’ phones are c______________d if they are found using them d________g, or even b__________n, classes.
In conclusion, a lack of focus at school is d_______________y human nature and modern technology and parents and schools must work together to c_____b the w__________________s. G______________________n would also help but should not be e__________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.healthline.com/health/mental-health/how-to-stay-focused
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Concentration
- Do you find it hard to concentrate?
- What do you do to concentrate better?
- Did you concentrate on your studies a lot when you were younger?
- Is concentration a problem for students in your country?
Writing Practice
Practice with the very closely related IELTS essay topic below:
Many students find it is harder to study at university or college compared to when they were in grade school.
Why is this?
What are some possible solutions for this problem?
Informative
You’re welcome, Nadiya!
Thanks a lot Dave!..
You’re welcome!
Thank you so much you deserve more appreciable
You’re welcome!
so accurate
Thank you!