- 74.6KShares
This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay from the general training exam on the topic of physical exercise for adults.
Please consider supporting my efforts to creative high quality IELTS materials for students around the world by signing up for my Patreon (and so you won’t miss out on any of my exclusive IELTS Ebooks)!
Dave
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.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- 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.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific detail as fully as possible.
- Continue to develop it with an example or a hypothetical example.
- Continue developing the same idea.
- 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.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Make your example more specific.
- 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.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- 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
- Which sport do you like to play?
- Have you ever been on a sports team?
- Do you like watching sports on TV?
- 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?
- 74.6KShares