This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of the effect of fast food on lifestyle and diet from the real IELTS exam.
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Dave
IELTS Essay General Training: Strict Teachers
Fast food has become more common in recent years. Some people think that it has a negative effect on lifestyles and diets.
Do you agree or disagree?
Many individuals feel that the widespread proliferation of fast food negatively impacts both lifestyles and eating habits. I am in complete agreement.
Firstly, as a result of fast food consumption, lifestyles are more passive. Before such restaurants, it was more common for consumers to buy raw ingredients and prepare nutritious meals at home. This occurs less often now as fast food offers a cheap, quick alternative. Over time, this can lead to worsening cooking skills and a generally more lethargic lifestyle predicated around ordering meals and watching TV shows and movies. Moreover, the ingredients in fast food are often empty calories that do not provide the vitamins and minerals necessary to support an active lifestyle. A person who eats McDonald’s and KFC most days is more likely to lack energy and be unproductive.
Secondly, fast food is one of the least healthy possible additions to an individual’s diet. Healthy foods tend to be fresh fruits and vegetables and fast food consists largely of preservatives, chemicals and addictive fats, sugars and carbohydrates. Even eating a single fast food meal a day has been shown in numerous independent research studies to increase the risk of diseases ranging from diabetes and cardiovascular disease to cancer and obesity. Fast food companies have recognized this themselves and now offer healthy alternatives such as mini-salads to appeal to an increasingly health conscious public.
In conclusion, the evidence for the negative impact of fast foods is nearly irrefutable as it encourages a more sedentary lifestyle and is high in harmful fats and sugars. Whenever possible, individuals should resist the immediate gratification of fast food.
Analysis
1. Many individuals feel that the widespread proliferation of fast food negatively impacts both lifestyles and eating habits. 2. I am in complete agreement.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. Firstly, as a result of fast food consumption, lifestyles are more passive. 2. Before such restaurants, it was more common for consumers to buy raw ingredients and prepare nutritious meals at home. 3. This occurs less often now as fast food offers a cheap, quick alternative. 4. Over time, this can lead to worsening cooking skills and a generally more lethargic lifestyle predicated around ordering meals and watching TV shows and movies. 5. Moreover, the ingredients in fast food are often empty calories that do not provide the vitamins and minerals necessary to support an active lifestyle. 6. A person who eats McDonald’s and KFC most days is more likely to lack energy and be unproductive.
- 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.
- Stay focused on the same main idea.
- Finish with a strong statement.
1. Secondly, fast food is one of the least healthy possible additions to an individual’s diet. 2. Healthy foods tend to be fresh fruits and vegetables and fast food consists largely of preservatives, chemicals and addictive fats, sugars and carbohydrates. 3. Even eating a single fast food meal a day has been shown in numerous independent research studies to increase the risk of diseases ranging from diabetes and cardiovascular disease to cancer and obesity. 4. Fast food companies have recognized this themselves and now offer healthy alternatives such as mini-salads to appeal to an increasingly health conscious public.
- 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 fully!
1. In conclusion, the evidence for the negative impact of fast foods is nearly irrefutable as it encourages a more sedentary lifestyle and is high in harmful fats and sugars. 2. Whenever possible, individuals should resist the immediate gratification of fast food.
- 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 individuals feel that the widespread proliferation of fast food negatively impacts both lifestyles and eating habits. I am in complete agreement.
Firstly, as a result of fast food consumption, lifestyles are more passive. Before such restaurants, it was more common for consumers to buy raw ingredients and prepare nutritious meals at home. This occurs less often now as fast food offers a cheap, quick alternative. Over time, this can lead to worsening cooking skills and a generally more lethargic lifestyle predicated around ordering meals and watching TV shows and movies. Moreover, the ingredients in fast food are often empty calories that do not provide the vitamins and minerals necessary to support an active lifestyle. A person who eats McDonald’s and KFC most days is more likely to lack energy and be unproductive.
Secondly, fast food is one of the least healthy possible additions to an individual’s diet. Healthy foods tend to be fresh fruits and vegetables and fast food consists largely of preservatives, chemicals and addictive fats, sugars and carbohydrates. Even eating a single fast food meal a day has been shown in numerous independent research studies to increase the risk of diseases ranging from diabetes and cardiovascular disease to cancer and obesity. Fast food companies have recognized this themselves and now offer healthy alternatives such as mini-salads to appeal to an increasingly health conscious public.
In conclusion, the evidence for the negative impact of fast foods is nearly irrefutable as it encourages a more sedentary lifestyle and is high in harmful fats and sugars. Whenever possible, individuals should resist the immediate gratification of fast food.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
widespread proliferation more and more common
fast food KFC, McDonald’s, Lotteria, etc.
negatively impacts hurts a lot
lifestyles the way that people life
eating habits diets
I am in complete agreement I 100% agree
firstly the first point is that
as a result of the leads to
consumption eating
passive not active
before such restaurants priorly these establishments
common happens a lot
raw ingredients not yet cooked
prepare nutritious meals make healthy foods
at home in the house
occurs happens
offers makes available
cheap inexpensive
quick alternative fast other option
over time over a period of time
lead to causes
worsening getting worse
cooking skills how good you are at cooking
generally overall
lethargic lazy, passive
predicated around focused on
ordering meals getting food delivered
moreover also
empty calories not nutritious foods
provide give
vitamins health nutrients
minerals healthy parts of foods
support aid
active not passive
most days typically
lack energy feel lazy
unproductive not active
secondly also
least healthy possible additions not a nutritious new food to eat
diet eating habits
tend to be normally
fresh fruits and vegetables apples, oranges, broccoli, onions, etc.
consists largely made up mostly of
preservatives chemicals that keep foods good
chemicals additives in foods
addictive make you want to keep eating them
sugars sweet foods
carbohydrates breads, pasta, rice
single fast food meal a day once a day eating fast food
numerous independent research studies many papers
increase the risk make it more likely
diseases conditions
ranging from including
diabetes disease related to eating too much sugar
cardiovascular disease heart disease
cancer a common disease
obesity being overweight
offer make available
alternatives different options
mini-salads small salads
appeal attract
increasingly health conscious public more and more caring about health
evidence support
nearly irrefutable almost definitely true
encourages motivates
sedentary passive
high elevated
harmful injurious
whenever possible if it can be done
resist hold out
immediate gratification feeling pleasure right away
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
ˈwaɪdsprɛd prəʊˌlɪfəˈreɪʃən
fɑːst fuːd
ˈnɛgətɪvli ˈɪmpækts
ˈlaɪfˌstaɪlz
ˈiːtɪŋ ˈhæbɪts
aɪ æm ɪn kəmˈpliːt əˈgriːmənt
ˈfɜːstli
æz ə rɪˈzʌlt ɒv
kənˈsʌm(p)ʃən
ˈpæsɪv
bɪˈfɔː sʌʧ ˈrɛstrɒnts
ˈkɒmən
rɔː ɪnˈgriːdiənts
prɪˈpeə nju(ː)ˈtrɪʃəs miːlz
æt həʊm
əˈkɜːz
ˈɒfəz
ʧiːp
kwɪk ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv
ˈəʊvə taɪm
liːd tuː
ˈwɜːsnɪŋ
ˈkʊkɪŋ skɪlz
ˈʤɛnərəli
lɛˈθɑːʤɪk
ˈprɛdɪkeɪtɪd əˈraʊnd
ˈɔːdərɪŋ miːlz
mɔːˈrəʊvə
ˈɛmpti ˈkæləriz
prəˈvaɪd
ˈvɪtəmɪnz
ˈmɪnərəlz
səˈpɔːt
ˈæktɪv
məʊst deɪz
læk ˈɛnəʤi
ˌʌnprəˈdʌktɪv
ˈsɛkəndli
liːst ˈhɛlθi ˈpɒsəbl əˈdɪʃ(ə)nz
ˈdaɪət
tɛnd tuː biː
frɛʃ fruːts ænd ˈvɛʤtəb(ə)lz
kənˈsɪsts ˈlɑːʤli
prɪˈzɜːvətɪvz
ˈkɛmɪkəlz
əˈdɪktɪv
ˈʃʊgəz
ˈkɑːbəʊˈhaɪdreɪts
ˈsɪŋgl fɑːst fuːd miːl ə deɪ
ˈnjuːmərəs ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt rɪˈsɜːʧ ˈstʌdiz
ˈɪnkriːs ðə rɪsk
dɪˈziːzɪz
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm
ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz
ˌkɑːdɪəʊˈvæskjʊlə dɪˈziːz
ˈkænsə
əʊˈbiːsɪti
ˈɒfə
ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪvz
ˈmɪnɪ-ˈsælədz
əˈpiːl
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli hɛlθ ˈkɒnʃəs ˈpʌblɪk
ˈɛvɪdəns
ˈnɪəli ɪˈrɛfjʊtəbl
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤɪz
ˈsɛdntəri
haɪ
ˈhɑːmfʊl
wɛnˈɛvə ˈpɒsəbl
rɪˈzɪst
ɪˈmiːdiət ˌgrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən
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:
Many individuals feel that the w_________________________n of f___________d n___________________s both l____________s and e________________s. I______________________________t.
F__________y, a____________f fast food c_______________n, lifestyles are more p__________e. B________________________s, it was more c_________n for consumers to buy r____________________s and p_________________________s a______________e. This o_________s less often now as fast food o_______s a c________p, q____________________e. O__________e, this can l_________o w_______________________s and a g__________y more l__________c lifestyle p_____________________d o_______________s and watching TV shows and movies. M____________r, the ingredients in fast food are often e________________s that do not p__________e the v___________s and m__________s necessary to s___________t an a________e lifestyle. A person who eats McDonald’s and KFC m____________s is more likely to l______________y and be u_________________e.
S____________y, fast food is one of the l___________________________s to an individual’s d______t. Healthy foods t_____________e f______________________________s and fast food c________________y of p________________s, c_____________s and a___________e fats, s_________s and c__________________s. Even eating a s____________________________y has been shown in n__________________________________s to i_________________k of d_________________________m d____________s and c___________________e to c__________r and o_________y. Fast food companies have recognized this themselves and now o______r healthy a_______________s such as m____________s to a__________l to an i____________________________________c.
In conclusion, the e__________e for the negative impact of fast foods is n____________________e as it e_______________s a more s___________y lifestyle and is h_____h in h__________l fats and sugars. W____________________e, individuals should r__________t the i____________________________n of fast food.
Listening Practice
Learn more about this topic in the funny video below and practice with these activities:
Reading Practice
Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:
Food
- What kinds of foods do you like to eat?
- How different is food in your country today from when you were younger?
- Which foods do you dislike?
- What foods do people in your country buy at the market?
Writing Practice
Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:
In many countries, traditional foods are being replaced by fast food. This has a negative impact on families, individuals and society.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
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