This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of retirement and society from the real IELTS exam.
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Dave
IELTS Essay: Retirement & Society
Nowadays people live longer after they retire.
How does this affect individuals and society?
What can be done about this?
As average life expectancy rises, people are living longer and longer after retirement, which poses a number of problems for individuals and society. In my opinion, these tensions can be remedied through government action.
People retiring older can lead to conflict between individuals and an increased burden on society generally. For the young, the process of fully integrating older people into society can be challenging. For example, many older people have quieter lifestyles and disputes may arise with younger individuals who are in the habit of hosting loud parties or coming home late at night, particularly in cases where young people are taking care of older relatives. The strain on society can also be great as older people require more medical support to treat conditions ranging from arthritis to cancer to heart disease. This translates to a greater proportion of taxes going to the older generation and can foster societal resentment and ageism.
The best fixes for these problems can be achieved by governments. Firstly, governments can ease the integration of generations by providing better retirements plans for individuals. For example, in the United States, social security benefits are rarely enough to cover retirement and so many must depend on their children. As for society, governments must be more conscientious in planning for more substantial medical expenses. The government should anticipate this trend only continuing in the future and set aside funds to research and apply advanced treatments for retired citizens well into their 80s. These measures combined would alleviate some of the weight of supporting older populations.
In conclusion, the pressures resulting from growth in the average life span can be countered with forward-thinking governmental policy. This will only become more important in the future as people live even longer.
Analysis
1. As average life expectancy rises, people are living longer and longer after retirement, which poses a number of problems for individuals and society. 2. In my opinion, these tensions can be remedied through government action.
- Paraphrase the essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion answering both questions. Read more about introductions here.
1. People retiring older can lead to conflict between individuals and an increased burden on society generally. 2. For the young, the process of fully integrating older people into society can be challenging. 3. For example, many older people have quieter lifestyles and disputes may arise with younger individuals who are in the habit of hosting loud parties or coming home late at night, particularly in cases where young people are taking care of older relatives. 4. The strain on society can also be great as older people require more medical support to treat conditions ranging from arthritis to cancer to heart disease. 5. This translates to a greater proportion of taxes going to the older generation and can foster societal resentment and ageism.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Give an example.
- Move on to a problem related to society.
- Develop it fully.
1. The best fixes for these problems can be achieved by governments. 2. Firstly, governments can ease the integration of generations by providing better retirements plans for individuals. 3. For example, in the United States, social security benefits are rarely enough to cover retirement and so many must depend on their children. 4. As for society, governments must be more conscientious in planning for more substantial medical expenses. 5. The government should anticipate this trend only continuing in the future and set aside funds to research and apply advanced treatments for retired citizens well into their 80s. 6. These measures combined would alleviate some of the weight of supporting older populations.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea.
- Explain it.
- Give a specific example.
- Develop the example.
- Switch to another related solution.
- Develop it fully.
1. In conclusion, the pressures resulting from growth in the average life span can be countered with forward-thinking governmental policy. 2. This will only become more important in the future as people live even longer.
- Repeat your arguments.
- Add a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words below mean?
As average life expectancy rises, people are living longer and longer after retirement, which poses a number of problems for individuals and society. In my opinion, these tensions can be remedied through government action.
People retiring older can lead to conflict between individuals and an increased burden on society generally. For the young, the process of fully integrating older people into society can be challenging. For example, many older people have quieter lifestyles and disputes may arise with younger individuals who are in the habit of hosting loud parties or coming home late at night, particularly in cases where young people are taking care of older relatives. The strain on society can also be great as older people require more medical support to treat conditions ranging from arthritis to cancer to heart disease. This translates to a greater proportion of taxes going to the older generation and can foster societal resentment and ageism.
The best fixes for these problems can be achieved by governments. Firstly, governments can ease the integration of generations by providing better retirements plans for individuals. For example, in the United States, social security benefits are rarely enough to cover retirement and so many must depend on their children. As for society, governments must be more conscientious in planning for more substantial medical expenses. The government should anticipate this trend only continuing in the future and set aside funds to research and apply advanced treatments for retired citizens well into their 80s. These measures combined would alleviate some of the weight of supporting older populations.
In conclusion, the pressures resulting from growth in the average life span can be countered with forward-thinking governmental policy. This will only become more important in the future as people live even longer.
Answers
average life expectancy how long most people live
longer and longer more time
retirement after stopping working
poses a number of problems causes a lot of issues
tensions strains
remedied fixed
government action governments helping
conflict problems
increased burden more pressure
generally overall
process the way
fully integrating becoming part of
challenging having trouble
quieter lifestyles calm life
disputes may arise conflicts come up
in the habit of used to
hosting loud parties having noisy parties
particularly in cases where especially when
taking care of older relatives looking after grandparents
strain pressure
require more medical support need more hospital care
treat conditions deal with medical problems
ranging from including
arthritis achy joints
translates to means
proportion ratio
foster societal resentment increase animosity in society
ageism disliking older people
best fixes better remedies
achieved accomplished
ease make less of a problem
integration mix
generations people of different ages
providing better retirements plans funding pensions
social security benefits retirement fund in the U.S.A.
rarely not often
cover pay for
depend on rely on
conscientious careful
more substantial larger
medical expenses money for medicine
anticipate look forward to
trend pattern
set aside funds save money for
advanced treatments new medicines
well into their 80s past 85 or so
measures combined efforts together
alleviate fix
weight pressure
supporting older populations helping old people
pressures resulting from strains coming from
life span how long you live
countered fixed
forward-thinking anticipating
governmental policy laws of the government
Pronunciation
ˈævərɪʤ laɪf ɪksˈpɛktənsi
ˈlɒŋgər ænd ˈlɒŋgə
rɪˈtaɪəmənt
ˈpəʊzɪz ə ˈnʌmbər ɒv ˈprɒbləmz
ˈtɛnʃənz
ˈrɛmɪdid
ˈgʌvnmənt ˈækʃ(ə)n
ˈkɒnflɪkt
ɪnˈkriːst ˈbɜːdn
ˈʤɛnərəli
ˈprəʊsɛs
ˈfʊli ˈɪntɪgreɪtɪŋ
ˈʧælɪnʤɪŋ
ˈkwaɪətə ˈlaɪfˌstaɪlz
dɪsˈpjuːts meɪ əˈraɪz
ɪn ðə ˈhæbɪt ɒv
ˈhəʊstɪŋ laʊd ˈpɑːtiz
pəˈtɪkjʊləli ɪn ˈkeɪsɪz weə
ˈteɪkɪŋ keər ɒv ˈəʊldə ˈrɛlətɪvz
streɪn
rɪˈkwaɪə mɔː ˈmɛdɪkəl səˈpɔːt
triːt kənˈdɪʃənz
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm
ɑːˈθraɪtɪs
trænsˈleɪts tuː
prəˈpɔːʃən
ˈfɒstə səˈsaɪətl rɪˈzɛntmənt
ˈeɪʤɪz(ə)m
bɛst ˈfɪksɪz
əˈʧiːvd
iːz
ˌɪntɪˈgreɪʃən
ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃənz
prəˈvaɪdɪŋ ˈbɛtə rɪˈtaɪəmənts plænz
ˈsəʊʃəl sɪˈkjʊərɪti ˈbɛnɪfɪts
ˈreəli
ˈkʌvə
dɪˈpɛnd ɒn
ˌkɒnʃɪˈɛnʃəs
mɔː səbˈstænʃəl
ˈmɛdɪkəl ɪksˈpɛnsɪz
ænˈtɪsɪpeɪt
trɛnd
sɛt əˈsaɪd fʌndz
ədˈvɑːnst ˈtriːtmənts
wɛl ˈɪntuː ðeə 80ɛs
ˈmɛʒəz kəmˈbaɪnd
əˈliːvɪeɪt
weɪt
səˈpɔːtɪŋ ˈəʊldə ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃənz
ˈprɛʃəz rɪˈzʌltɪŋ frɒm
laɪf spæn
ˈkaʊntəd
ˈfɔːwəd-ˈθɪŋkɪŋ
ˌgʌvənˈmɛntl ˈpɒlɪsi
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
As a______________________y rises, people are living l___________________r after r_________________t, which p__________________________s for individuals and society. In my opinion, these t___________s can be r__________d through g__________________________n.
People retiring older can lead to c__________t between individuals and an i___________________n on society g______________y. For the young, the p________s of f_______________g older people into society can be c____________g. For example, many older people have q___________________s and d_____________________e with younger individuals who are i________________f h________________________s or coming home late at night, p_________________________e young people are t_______________________________s. The s________n on society can also be great as older people r_______________________________t to t_______________s r____________________m a_____________s to cancer to heart disease. This t__________________o a greater p_______________n of taxes going to the older generation and can f__________________________t and a_________m.
The b____________s for these problems can be a_____________d by governments. Firstly, governments can e_____e the i______________n of g_________________s by p________________________________s for individuals. For example, in the United States, s_____________________________s are r_________y enough to c________r retirement and so many must d_____________n their children. As for society, governments must be more c______________s in planning for m____________________l m____________________s. The government should a____________e this t_______d only continuing in the future and s_______________________s to research and apply a____________________s for retired citizens w___________________________s. These m___________________d would a_______________e some of the w________t of s_______________________________s.
In conclusion, the p_______________________m growth in the average l__________n can be c____________d with f_______________________g g____________________________y. This will only become more important in the future as people live even longer.
Listening Practice
Learn more about this topic and practice with these ideas:
Reading Practice
Use these activities to practice with the reading below:
Speaking Practice
Practice with the following speaking topics from the real speaking exam:
Age
- Do you like your current age?
- What was the biggest decision you made in your life?
- At what age are people happiest?
Writing Practice
Write about the related topic below and check with my sample answer:
Many retired people today are choosing to live in other countries.
What are the advantages of disadvantages of this?
Hi Dave, thank you for your essay. Can I ask a question? Shouldn’t “among individuals” replace “between” in the first line?
Hmmm, I think ‘between individuals’ is used commonly but you might be technically correct.
I’ll double check on that – thanks, Hooshmand!
Hi Dave,each time I post my essay on discussion field “awaiting moderation”alarm appears and ,my comment eliminates automatically,how can I fix this problem?
Hi Mohamad,
Sorry about that but lately there has been some spamming on my comment section so I have to approve the comments now. I’ll approve all your comments!
Hi dave thanks for your response and attention to studends
You’re welcome, Mahamad!
Living longer after retirement has led to numorous difficulties for both governments and individuals.In my opinion,gap age leads to conflicts and training programs can alleviate this tension.
Age difference is a significant factor in violence increase.For elderly citizens,it is arduous to adapt into computerisation era.As most of them are stranger to new gadgets,specially communication ones,old people cannot get on well with youth.Thus,when social skills decrease,generation gap widens.Furthermore,some senior citizens have serious problems with their mentality and physicality,therefore,a large portion of tax revenue allocates to their remedy process.Hence,it is a burdon on the shoulder of tax payers and rises resentment.
Educational programs will make great strides in solving this trouble.Firstly,media should put training shows to raise public awareness about interpersonal skills among the elderly and the youth.Governments are those who out to fund in this long-term general beneficial plans.Besides,when all are well instructed to tranquillise strains,the money that might be specialised to alleviate clashes would be spent on developing country infrastryctures.
On the whole,what it might seem to be prevalent is that the life expectancy conflicts can be remedied by rational govermental programs.Consequently,the longer one lives,the more productivity and tranquility individuals confront in their life.
Really nice structure, Mohamad.
There are a lot of little issues with your vocabulary and grammar, though. Be careful using words if you aren’t totally sure what they mean.
Thanks so much for your comment Dave.I’ll take care of word selection.
Hello Dave. Just a question: are these essays already checked and corrected, or do they have some mistakes? Thanks in advance for your reply and invaluable help!
I wrote them all so there won’t be any mistakes.
There might be to the occasional typo or mistakes but since I’ve gone over them multiple times, it is unlikely.
Hope that answers your question!
Of course it does. Thanks for your time!
You’re welcome!
Hey Dave, can you please explain what is the major difference between a band 6.5 and a band 7 essay, because it’s the second time I am writing my IELTS but still stuck at 6.5.
It depends on which specific descriptors are hurting your score.
It could be vocabulary, grammar, task achievement, cohesion/coherence or some combination.
Post a writing and I will let you know, Clerin!
Your ideas for essays are just so simple and mind blowing. Sentences are well structured,too. Very high quality essays and topics for higher band aspirants!
Thanks, Sandra – I’ll keep doing my best!