This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of kids and technology from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay: Neighbors

New technologies have changed the way children spend their free time.

Do you think the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?

There is little doubt that technological advances have greatly altered the free time activities of children around the world. In my opinion, this is a decidedly negative phenomenon since the far-reaching effects of technology on the human psyche are still largely unknown.

Proponents of children using technology contend that it can be used for a variety of purposes. This applies not only to traditional usages such as sending emails, doing research online, and watching educational videos but also burgeoning innovations like artificial intelligence. The recent emerge of applications like ChatGPT now enable all individuals, children included, the opportunity to make their lives more efficient, productive, and enjoyable. If children are taught responsible usage habits, then they can take advantage of the many benefits and become more well-rounded learners and future members of society.

However, the psychological ramifications of habits centered around technology are potentially severe. Humans have not evolved the ability to properly interact with a digital world and children are especially vulnerable. A child who becomes addicted to a social media application such as TikTok might be less physically active and start to see the world through a virtual perspective. This can lead to the development of mild mental conditions related to anxiety and self-esteem, or more extreme ones related to disassociation and depression. The evidence for this is clearly expressed in the often-cited statistics on the rising number of suicide attempts among teenagers and children since the introduction of social media platforms.

In conclusion, regardless of how technology can be used as a tool, its drawbacks in terms of general mental health make it a negative overall. Parents must therefore carefully manage their children’s screen time.

Analysis

1. There is little doubt that technological advances have greatly altered the free time activities of children around the world. 2. In my opinion, this is a decidedly negative phenomenon since the far-reaching effects of technology on the human psyche are still largely unknown.

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

1. Proponents of children using technology contend that it can be used for a variety of purposes. 2. This applies not only to traditional usages such as sending emails, doing research online, and watching educational videos but also burgeoning innovations like artificial intelligence. 3. The recent emergence of applications like ChatGPT now enable all individuals, children included, the opportunity to make their lives more efficient, productive, and enjoyable. 4. If children are taught responsible usage habits, then they can take advantage of the many benefits and become more well-rounded learners and future members of society.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
4. Keep developing it fully.

1. However, the psychological ramifications of habits centered around technology are potentially severe. 2. Humans have not evolved the ability to properly interact with a digital world and children are especially vulnerable. 3. A child who becomes addicted to a social media application such as TikTok might be less physically active and start to see the world through a virtual perspective. 4. This can lead to the development of mild mental conditions related to anxiety and self-esteem, or more extreme ones related to disassociation and depression. 5. The evidence for this is clearly expressed in the often-cited statistics on the rising number of suicide attempts among teenagers and children since the introduction of social media platforms.

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. Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
5. Keep adding in the result to develop your ideas more.

1. In conclusion, regardless of how technology can be used as a tool, its drawbacks in terms of general mental health make it a negative overall. 2. Parents must therefore carefully manage their children’s screen time.

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.

There is little doubt that technological advances have greatly altered the free time activities of children around the world. In my opinion, this is a decidedly negative phenomenon since the far-reaching effects of technology on the human psyche are still largely unknown.

Proponents of children using technology contend that it can be used for a variety of purposes. This applies not only to traditional usages such as sending emails, doing research online, and watching educational videos but also burgeoning innovations like artificial intelligence. The recent emergence of applications like ChatGPT now enable all individuals, children included, the opportunity to make their lives more efficient, productive, and enjoyable. If children are taught responsible usage habits, then they can take advantage of the many benefits and become more well-rounded learners and future members of society.

However, the psychological ramifications of habits centered around technology are potentially severe. Humans have not evolved the ability to properly interact with a digital world and children are especially vulnerable. A child who becomes addicted to a social media application such as TikTok might be less physically active and start to see the world through a virtual perspective. This can lead to the development of mild mental conditions related to anxiety and self-esteem, or more extreme ones related to disassociation and depression. The evidence for this is clearly expressed in the often-cited statistics on the rising number of suicide attempts among teenagers and children since the introduction of social media platforms.

In conclusion, regardless of how technology can be used as a tool, its drawbacks in terms of general mental health make it a negative overall. Parents must therefore carefully manage their children’s screen time.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

There is little doubt that technological advances it is true that technology/computers

greatly altered changed a lot

around the world globally

decidedly negative phenomenon since definitely bad thing starting

far-reaching effects of technology on the human psyche are still largely unknown the impact of tech on the mind is still unclear

Proponents of people in favor of

contend argue

a variety of purposes many different uses

applies not only to traditional usages is true not just to old ways of using it

burgeoning innovations new things

artificial intelligence computers that are smart

The recent emergence of applications like ChatGPT release of programs like a chatbot

enable allow for

opportunity chance

efficient working well

productive getting lots of work done

enjoyable fun

taught responsible usage habits learn to use technology well

take advantage of exploit

well-rounded learners good overall students

future members of society people who fit into the world later

psychological ramifications of effects on the mind

centered around concerning

potentially severe possibly strong

evolved changed over time

properly interact use responsibly

digital world online life

vulnerable weak concerning

addicted can’t stop using it

less physically active not going outside as much

see the world through a virtual perspective embrace the online world

lead to causes

mild mental conditions related to anxiety and self-esteem small mental issues concerning being nervous and insecurity

more extreme ones related to disassociation and depression radical ones having to do with unreality and feeling sad

evidence what supports it

clearly expressed definitely showed

often-cited statistics on research mentioned a lot

rising number of suicide attempts more and more people killing themselves

since the introduction of social media platforms after social media has come out

regardless of nonetheless

tool useful thing

drawbacks in terms of general mental health downsides concerning emotions and thinking

negative overall bad in general

therefore carefully manage thus watch closely

screen time how much time on devices

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:

T______________________________________________________s have g____________d the free time activities of children a________________d. In my opinion, this is a d_____________________________________________e the f______________________________________________________________________________________n.

P__________________f children using technology c__________d that it can be used for a________________s. This a______________________________________s such as sending emails, doing research online, and watching educational videos but also b______________________s like a____________________e. T_______________________________________T now e__________e all individuals, children included, the o_____________y to make their lives more e__________t, p_________e, and e_________e. If children are t___________________________________s, then they can t____________________________f the many benefits and become more w______________________________s and f_______________________y.

However, the p_______________________________f habits c___________________d technology are p______________________e. Humans have not e_________d the ability to p_______________t with a d_____________d and children are especially v____________e. A child who becomes a__________d to a social media application such as TikTok might be l___________________e and start to s______________________________e. This can l___________o the development of m____________________________________________________m, or m________________________________________________n. The e_______________e for this is c_______________d in the o____________________n the r_______________________________s among teenagers and children s__________________________________________s.

In conclusion, r__________________f how technology can be used as a t_____l, its d_____________s i_________________________h make it a n_________________l. Parents must t_______________________e their children’s s_____________e.

Pronunciation

ðeər ɪz ˈlɪtl daʊt ðæt ˌtɛknəˈlɒʤɪkᵊl ədˈvɑːnsɪz 
ˈɡreɪtli ˈɔːltəd 
əˈraʊnd ðə wɜːld
dɪˈsaɪdɪdli ˈnɛɡətɪv fɪˈnɒmɪnən sɪns 
ˈfɑːˈriːʧɪŋ ɪˈfɛkts ɒv tɛkˈnɒləʤi ɒn ðə ˈhjuːmən ˈsaɪki ɑː stɪl ˈlɑːʤli ʌnˈnəʊn
prəˈpəʊnənts ɒv 
kənˈtɛnd 
ə vəˈraɪəti ɒv ˈpɜːpəsɪz 
əˈplaɪz nɒt ˈəʊnli tuː trəˈdɪʃənl ˈjuːzɪʤɪz 
ˈbɜːʤənɪŋ ˌɪnəʊˈveɪʃᵊnz 
ˌɑːtɪˈfɪʃᵊl ɪnˈtɛlɪʤəns 
ðə ˈriːsnt ɪˈmɜːʤ ɒv ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃᵊnz laɪk ʧæt ʤiː-piː-tiː 
ɪˈneɪbᵊl 
ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪti 
ɪˈfɪʃənt 
prəˈdʌktɪv 
ɪnˈʤɔɪəbᵊl 
tɔːt rɪsˈpɒnsəbᵊl ˈjuːzɪʤ ˈhæbɪts 
teɪk ədˈvɑːntɪʤ ɒv 
wɛl-ˈraʊndɪd ˈlɜːnəz 
ˈfjuːʧə ˈmɛmbəz ɒv səˈsaɪəti
ˌsaɪkəˈlɒʤɪkəl ˌræmɪfɪˈkeɪʃᵊnz ɒv 
ˈsɛntəd əˈraʊnd 
pəʊˈtɛnʃəli sɪˈvɪə 
ɪˈvɒlvd 
ˈprɒpəli ˌɪntərˈækt 
ˈdɪʤɪtl wɜːld 
ˈvʌlnərəbᵊl 
əˈdɪktɪd 
lɛs ˈfɪzɪkəli ˈæktɪv 
siː ðə wɜːld θruː ə ˈvɜːtjʊəl pəˈspɛktɪv 
liːd tuː 
maɪld ˈmɛntl kənˈdɪʃᵊnz rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː æŋˈzaɪəti ænd sɛlf-ɪsˈtiːm 
mɔːr ɪksˈtriːm wʌnz rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː dɪs əˌsəʊsɪˈeɪʃᵊn ænd dɪˈprɛʃᵊn 
ˈɛvɪdəns 
ˈklɪəli ɪksˈprɛst 
ˈɒfᵊn-ˈsaɪtɪd stəˈtɪstɪks ɒn 
ˈraɪzɪŋ ˈnʌmbər ɒv ˈsjʊɪsaɪd əˈtɛmpts 
sɪns ði ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃᵊn ɒv ˈsəʊʃəl ˈmiːdiə ˈplætfɔːmz.
rɪˈɡɑːdlɪs ɒv 
tuːl 
ˈdrɔːbæks ɪn tɜːmz ɒv ˈʤɛnərəl ˈmɛntl hɛlθ 
ˈnɛɡətɪv ˈəʊvərɔːl
ˈðeəfɔː ˈkeəfli ˈmænɪʤ 
skriːn taɪm.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching from YouTube below and practice with these activities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTi4v3HveqE

Reading Practice

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

How Can Parents and Teachers Help Students Be Digitally Safe? ‘We Should Start Very Early, Even at the Preschool Level, With Some Simple Lessons,’ Says Professor Florence Martin

Speaking Practice

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

Mobile Phones and Smartphones

1. What are the advantages of smartphones?
2. Should children be allowed to own smartphones?
3. Do you thinks have a major or minor impact on mental health?
4. Where in your country is it not appropriate to use a phone?
5. Do you think smartphone usage may decline in the future?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topics below:

Some children spend hours every day on their smartphones. 

Why is this the case?

Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?

IELTS Essay: Children on their Phones