IELTS Essay: Physical Exercise for Adults

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay from the general training exam on the topic of physical exercise for adults.

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IELTS Essay: Physical Exercise for Adults

Some people play sport when they are young but then stop doing physical exercise when they become adults.

Why is this?

What can be done to solve this problem?

It is more common for people to play sports and be physically active while in school than in adulthood. The reason for this is limited time and energy to devote to sporting activities and it can be alleviated by prioritising health.

The reason adults tend to engage in less physical exercise is they are overburdened with work and family commitments. It is true that some of the same pressures exist in school, but there are also allotted periods for exercise and easily available teams sports to join. As an adult, it is individual initiative that must spur on exercise and this is often in conflict with other demands. The average person works at least 40 hours a week and if they have a family, the majority of their time is already occupied. Any free time they have is more likely to be spent relaxing by hanging out with friends, watching TV, or another hobby. Therefore, exercise slowly becomes less valued and it is increasingly difficult to get back into the habit over time.

The best solution for this situation is for adults to prioritise their health. Parents and schools can no longer exert control over adults so the individual must exercise their own reserves of willpower. For example, instead of getting up late, many health-conscious adults will go to bed early, wake up early, and get in some time at the gym before the workday begins. This sets the tone for the rest of the day and is a sustainable habit. It is also possible to join amateur sporting competitions, such as a casual pick-up basketball league, in order to encourage consistent participation. These actions require a concerted effort to relegate other tasks and organise one’s time with a view towards enhancing health, rather than reveling in the immediate gratification of less demanding pastimes.

In conclusion, hectic lives lay the foundation for less exercise in adulthood but these tendencies can be countered with determination. This is a key challenge each adult must face and overcome to lead a healthy life.

Analysis

1. It is more common for people to play sports and be physically active while in school than in adulthood. 2. The reason for this is limited time and energy to devote to sporting activities and it can be alleviated by prioritising health.

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

1. The reason adults tend to engage in less physical exercise is they are overburdened with work and family commitments. 2. It is true that some of the same pressures exist in school, but there are also allotted periods for exercise and easily available teams sports to join. 3. As an adult, it is individual initiative that must spur on exercise and this is often in conflict with other demands. 4. The average person works at least 40 hours a week and if they have a family, the majority of their time is already occupied. 5. Any free time they have is more likely to be spent relaxing by hanging out with friends, watching TV, or another hobby. 6. Therefore, exercise slowly becomes less valued and it is increasingly difficult to get back into the habit over time.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific detail as fully as possible.
4. Continue to develop it with an example or a hypothetical example.
5. Continue developing the same idea.
6. State the furthest possible result.

1. The best solution for this situation is for adults to prioritise their health. 2. Parents and schools can no longer exert control over adults so the individual must exercise their own reserves of willpower. 3. For example, instead of getting up late, many health-conscious adults will go to bed early, wake up early, and get in some time at the gym before the workday begins. This sets the tone for the rest of the day and is a sustainable habit. 4. It is also possible to join amateur sporting competitions, such as a casual pick-up basketball league, in order to encourage consistent participation. 5. These actions require a concerted effort to relegate other tasks and organise one’s time with a view towards enhancing health, rather than reveling in the immediate gratification of less demanding pastimes.

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. Make your example more specific.
5. Develop this idea fully.

1. In conclusion, hectic lives lay the foundation for less exercise in adulthood but these tendencies can be countered with determination. 2. This is a key challenge each adult must face and overcome to lead a healthy life.

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

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

It is more common for people to play sports and be physically active while in school than in adulthood. The reason for this is limited time and energy to devote to sporting activities and it can be alleviated by prioritising health.

The reason adults tend to engage in less physical exercise is they are overburdened with work and family commitments. It is true that some of the same pressures exist in school, but there are also allotted periods for exercise and easily available teams sports to join. As an adult, it is individual initiative that must spur on exercise and this is often in conflict with other demands. The average person works at least 40 hours a week and if they have a family, the majority of their time is already occupied. Any free time they have is more likely to be spent relaxing by hanging out with friends, watching TV, or another hobby. Therefore, exercise slowly becomes less valued and it is increasingly difficult to get back into the habit over time.

The best solution for this situation is for adults to prioritise their health. Parents and schools can no longer exert control over adults so the individual must exercise their own reserves of willpower. For example, instead of getting up late, many health-conscious adults will go to bed early, wake up early, and get in some time at the gym before the workday begins. This sets the tone for the rest of the day and is a sustainable habit. It is also possible to join amateur sporting competitions, such as a casual pick-up basketball league, in order to encourage consistent participation. These actions require a concerted effort to relegate other tasks and organise one’s time with a view towards enhancing health, rather than reveling in the immediate gratification of less demanding pastimes.

In conclusion, hectic lives lay the foundation for less exercise in adulthood but these tendencies can be countered with determination. This is a key challenge each adult must face and overcome to lead a healthy life.

Answers

common normal

physically active doing sports

adulthood over the age of 18

limited time not for long

devote give time to

sporting activities physical activity

alleviated fixed

prioritising making more valuable

tend to engage usually do

physical exercise working out, sports

overburdened have too much to do

commitments things you must do

it is true that no one doubts

pressures strains

allotted periods gym, P.E.

easily available can go to without much effort

individual initiative person’s own willpower

spur on be a catalyst for

in conflict with in contrast to

demands requirements

majority most of

occupied took the place of

increasingly difficult more and more hard

get back into the habit starting exercising again

best solution for best way to counter

prioritise make more important

no longer exert control have no more power over

exercise use

reserves stores

willpower strength of will, determination

get in do

workday the time at work

sets the tone for begins the day

sustainable habit can keep doing it

amateur sporting competitions not professional games

casual pick-up basketball league friendly games

encourage consistent participation force you to go

require need

concerted effort try hard

relegate place lower

organise put in place

with a view towards looking to

reveling in enjoying

immediate gratification pleasure right away

less demanding pastimes takes up less effort, time

hectic busy

lay the foundation the source of

tendencies inclinations

countered fought

determination persistence

key challenge main obstacle

face deal with

overcome get over

lead a healthy life be healthy

Pronunciation

ˈkɒmən 
ˈfɪzɪkəli ˈæktɪv 
əˈdʌlthʊd
ˈlɪmɪtɪd taɪm 
dɪˈvəʊt 
ˈspɔːtɪŋ ækˈtɪvɪtiz 
əˈliːvɪeɪtɪd 
praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪzɪŋ 
tɛnd tuː ɪnˈgeɪʤ 
ˈfɪzɪkəl ˈɛksəsaɪz 
ˌəʊvəˈbɜːdnd 
kəˈmɪtmənts
ɪt ɪz truː ðæt 
ˈprɛʃəz 
əˈlɒtɪd ˈpɪərɪədz 
ˈiːzɪli əˈveɪləbl 
ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəl ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪv 
spɜːr ɒn 
ɪn ˈkɒnflɪkt wɪð 
dɪˈmɑːndz
məˈʤɒrɪti 
ˈɒkjʊpaɪd
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈdɪfɪkəlt 
gɛt bæk ˈɪntuː ðə ˈhæbɪt 
bɛst səˈluːʃən fɔː 
praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz 
nəʊ ˈlɒŋgər ɪgˈzɜːt kənˈtrəʊl 
ˈɛksəsaɪz 
rɪˈzɜːvz 
ˈwɪlˌpaʊə
gɛt ɪn 
ˈwɜːkdeɪ 
sɛts ðə təʊn fɔː 
səsˈteɪnəbl ˈhæbɪt
ˈæmətə(ː) ˈspɔːtɪŋ ˌkɒmpɪˈtɪʃənz
ˈkæʒjʊəl pɪk-ʌp ˈbɑːskɪtˌbɔːl liːg
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤ kənˈsɪstənt pɑːˌtɪsɪˈpeɪʃən
rɪˈkwaɪə 
kənˈsɜːtɪd ˈɛfət 
ˈrɛlɪgeɪt 
ˈɔːgənaɪz 
wɪð ə vjuː təˈwɔːdz 
ˈrɛvlɪŋ ɪn 
ɪˈmiːdiət ˌgrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən 
lɛs dɪˈmɑːndɪŋ ˈpɑːstaɪmz
ˈhɛktɪk 
leɪ ðə faʊnˈdeɪʃən 
ˈtɛndənsiz 
ˈkaʊntəd 
dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən
kiː ˈʧælɪnʤ 
feɪs 
ˌəʊvəˈkʌm 
liːd ə ˈhɛlθi laɪf

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

It is more c_________n for people to play sports and be p____________e while in school than in a____________d. The reason for this is l___________e and energy to d_______e to s_________________s and it can be a_____________d by p________________g health.

The reason adults t________________e in less p_____________e is they are o_________________d with work and family c________________s. I_______________t some of the same p____________s exist in school, but there are also a_______________s for exercise and e__________________e teams sports to join. As an adult, it is i____________________e that must s________n exercise and this is often i________________h other d__________s. The average person works at least 40 hours a week and if they have a family, the m_________y of their time is already o__________d. Any free time they have is more likely to be spent relaxing by hanging out with friends, watching TV, or another hobby. Therefore, exercise slowly becomes less valued and it is i_________________t to g_____________________t over time.

The b______________________r this situation is for adults to p______________e their health. Parents and schools can n_____________________l over adults so the individual must e_____________e their own r_____________s of w_____________r. For example, instead of getting up late, many health-conscious adults will go to bed early, wake up early, and g_______n some time at the gym before the w__________y begins. This s___________________r the rest of the day and is a s_____________________t. It is also possible to join a____________________s, such as a c_______________________e, in order to e_____________________________n. These actions r_________e a c_________________t to r______________e other tasks and o____________e one’s time w____________________s enhancing health, rather than r____________________n the i__________________n of l___________________s.

In conclusion, h________c lives l___________________n for less exercise in adulthood but these t________________s can be c____________d with d_____________________n. This is a k________________________e each adult must f____e and o___________e to l______________________e.

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:

Speaking Practice

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

Sports

1. Which sport do you like to play?
2. Have you ever been on a sports team?
3. Do you like watching sports on TV?
4. Which sports are popular in your country?

Writing Practice

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

Many people living in cities these days do not get enough physical exercise.

What are the causes of this?

What are some possible solutions?

IELTS Essay: Cities and Exercise