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This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of recycling from the real IELTS general training exam.
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Dave
IELTS Essay: Recycling
Some say that children should be taught at school to recycling and avoid waste. Others say they should learn this at home.
Discuss both views and give your opinion
Many feel that school, rather than the home, is the optimal environment to teach children about recycling and avoiding excessive waste. In my opinion, though schools can provide ideal social pressure, habits instilled at home are more likely to be long-lasting.
Those who would prioritize the duty of schools in this matter point to social factors. At school, students are first exposed to group dynamics and the expectations placed on them by institutions. Later in life, teachers will become bosses and school will become work. Children are especially vulnerable to the social pressures exerted by teachers and peers. For example, most young students will follow school rules without considering the possibility of disobeying. However, there is a likely turning point that will occur later in one’s schooling that may render progress achieved as a child less effective.
In contrast, the behaviors that a child learns at home can help form their identity. For instance, members of a family are likely to have similar tastes in food, entertainment, and various hobbies. Recycling is simply another habit that can be acquired and maintained over years. A child who reflexively recycles from a very young age will probably continue this action as they get older and learn the solid reasoning behind it. There is a chance that for other rules and habits they may rebel and actively work to change their identity but this is unlikely to occur with recycling since it is universally regarded as positive and progressive.
In conclusion, the home is a superior location to build habits related to recycling because schools often fail to instill lifelong behavioral changes. Therefore, a committed approach by parents is paramount to protecting the environment in the future.
Analysis
1. Many feel that school, rather than the home, is the optimal environment to teach children about recycling and avoiding excessive waste. 2. In my opinion, though schools can provide ideal social pressure, habits instilled at home are more likely to be long-lasting.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. Those who would prioritize the duty of schools in this matter point to social factors. 2. At school, students are first exposed to group dynamics and the expectations placed on them by institutions. 3. Later in life, teachers will become bosses and school will become work. 4. Children are especially vulnerable to the social pressures exerted by teachers and peers. 5. For example, most young students will follow school rules without considering the possibility of disobeying. 6. However, there is a likely turning point that will occur later in one’s schooling that may render progress achieved as a child less effective.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
- Keep developing it fully.
- Extend with some short sentences as well.
- You can include a concession here!
1. In contrast, the behaviors that a child learns at home can help form their identity. 2. For instance, members of a family are likely to have similar tastes in food, entertainment, and various hobbies. 3. Recycling is simply another habit that can be acquired and maintained over years. 4. A child who reflexively recycles from a very young age will probably continue this action as they get older and learn the solid reasoning behind it. 5. There is a chance that for other rules and habits they may rebel and actively work to change their identity but this is unlikely to occur with recycling since it is universally regarded as positive and progressive.
- 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!
1. In conclusion, the home is a superior location to build habits related to recycling because schools often fail to instill lifelong behavioral changes. 2. Therefore, a committed approach by parents is paramount to protecting the environment in the future.
- 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 feel that school, rather than the home, is the optimal environment to teach children about recycling and avoiding excessive waste. In my opinion, though schools can provide ideal social pressure, habits instilled at home are more likely to be long-lasting.
Those who would prioritize the duty of schools in this matter point to social factors. At school, students are first exposed to group dynamics and the expectations placed on them by institutions. Later in life, teachers will become bosses and school will become work. Children are especially vulnerable to the social pressures exerted by teachers and peers. For example, most young students will follow school rules without considering the possibility of disobeying. However, there is a likely turning point that will occur later in one’s schooling that may render progress achieved as a child less effective.
In contrast, the behaviors that a child learns at home can help form their identity. For instance, members of a family are likely to have similar tastes in food, entertainment, and various hobbies. Recycling is simply another habit that can be acquired and maintained over years. A child who reflexively recycles from a very young age will probably continue this action as they get older and learn the solid reasoning behind it. There is a chance that for other rules and habits they may rebel and actively work to change their identity but this is unlikely to occur with recycling since it is universally regarded as positive and progressive.
In conclusion, the home is a superior location to build habits related to recycling because schools often fail to instill lifelong behavioral changes. Therefore, a committed approach by parents is paramount to protecting the environment in the future.
Answers
For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:
rather than instead of
optimal environment best place
recycling using products again – or putting them in bins so they can be processed and used again
avoiding excessive waste not throwing away too much stuff
provide ideal social pressure feel a lot of stress from others
instilled encouraged
long-lasting doesn’t go away for a while
prioritize make most important
duty responsibility
matter issue
point to highlight
social factors elements rated to people around them
exposed open to
expectations placed on them by institutions wishes put on by schools
later in life as they get older
especially vulnerable to really weak to
social pressures anxiety from people aroung you
exerted by forced by
peers fellow students
follow listen to
considering thinking about
possibility chance
disobeying not following rules
turning point change in thinking
occur happen
schooling going to school
render progress achieved make what they have done
effective works well
in contrast however
form their identity make up their personality
members of a family people in your family
tastes likes
acquired gathered
maintained kept up
reflexively instinctively
continue keep on
learn the solid reasoning behind it realize the justifications for it
rebel fight against
actively work make a big effort to
unlikely not much of a chance
universally regarded as worldwide thought ot
progressive forward-thinking
superior location better place
related to having to do with
fail to instill lifelong behavioral changes not make you follow these actions forever
therefore thus
committed approach dedicated way
paramount crucial
protecting keeping safe
Pronunciation
Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:
ˈrɑːðə ðæn
ˈɒptɪməl ɪnˈvaɪərənmənt
ˌriːˈsaɪklɪŋ
əˈvɔɪdɪŋ ɪkˈsɛsɪv weɪst
prəˈvaɪd aɪˈdɪəl ˈsəʊʃəl ˈprɛʃə
ɪnˈstɪld
lɒŋ-ˈlɑːstɪŋ
praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz
ˈdjuːti
ˈmætə
pɔɪnt tuː
ˈsəʊʃəl ˈfæktəz
ɪksˈpəʊzd
ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃənz pleɪst ɒn ðɛm baɪ ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənz
ˈleɪtər ɪn laɪf
ɪsˈpɛʃəli ˈvʌlnərəbl tuː
ˈsəʊʃəl ˈprɛʃəz
ɪgˈzɜːtɪd baɪ
pɪəz
ˈfɒləʊ
kənˈsɪdərɪŋ
ˌpɒsəˈbɪlɪti
ˌdɪsəˈbeɪɪŋ
ˈtɜːnɪŋ pɔɪnt
əˈkɜː
ˈskuːlɪŋ
ˈrɛndə ˈprəʊgrəs əˈʧiːvd
ɪˈfɛktɪv
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst
fɔːm ðeər aɪˈdɛntɪti
ˈmɛmbəz ɒv ə ˈfæmɪli
teɪsts
ˌriːˈsaɪklɪŋ
əˈkwaɪəd
meɪnˈteɪnd
rɪˈflɛksɪvli
kənˈtɪnju(ː)
lɜːn ðə ˈsɒlɪd ˈriːznɪŋ bɪˈhaɪnd ɪt
ˈrɛbl
ˈæktɪvli wɜːk
ʌnˈlaɪkli
ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəli rɪˈgɑːdɪd æz
prəʊˈgrɛsɪv
sju(ː)ˈpɪərɪə ləʊˈkeɪʃən
rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː
feɪl tuː ɪnˈstɪl ˈlaɪflɒŋ bɪˈheɪvjərəl ˈʧeɪnʤɪz
ˈðeəfɔː
kəˈmɪtɪd əˈprəʊʧ
ˈpærəmaʊnt
prəˈtɛktɪŋ
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 feel that school, r_____________n the home, is the o____________________t to teach children about r_________g and a________________________e. In my opinion, though schools can p___________________________e, habits i_________d at home are more likely to be l___________g.
Those who would p____________e the d___y of schools in this m________r p________o s___________s. At school, students are first e___________d to group dynamics and the e_____________________________________s. L______________e, teachers will become bosses and school will become work. Children are e________________________o the s________________________y teachers and p_______s. For example, most young students will f_______w school rules without c_____________g the p___________y of d_____________g. However, there is a likely t_______________t that will o_________r later in one’s s____________g that may r_____________________________d as a child less e______________e.
I________________t, the behaviors that a child learns at home can help f__________________y. For instance, m______________________y are likely to have similar t________s in food, entertainment, and various hobbies. R___________g is simply another habit that can be a___________d and m______________d over years. A child who r___________y recycles from a very young age will probably c____________e this action as they get older and l________________________________t. There is a chance that for other rules and habits they may r________l and a______________k to change their identity but this is u____________y to occur with recycling since it is u__________________y r______________s positive and p________________e.
In conclusion, the home is a s___________n to build habits r__________o recycling because schools often f____________________________________________s. T____________e, a c_________________h by parents is p__________t to p____________g the environment in the future.
Listening Practice
Learn more about this topic by watching videos from The New York Times YouTube channel below and practice with these activities:
Reading Practice
Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:
https://www.naturespath.com/en-us/blog/19-activities-kids-learn-recycling/
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam
Rubbish/Garbage/Litter
- How do you react when you see litter on the streets?
- Do you recycle?
- How do you help keep the streets tidy?
- What would you do if someone else dropped some litter?
Writing Practice
Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:
Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
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