This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of robots and jobs from the real IELTS general training exam.

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IELTS Essay: Robots and Jobs

Machines are taking over more and more jobs previously done by humans.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion.

There has been growing concern in recent years related to the number of positions robots now occupy in the workforce. In my opinion, though this has clear disadvantages for the average worker, it is a positive overall.

Those who decry this trend towards automation point out its impact on unskilled labourers. The most affected live in poorer, predominately rural areas rather than cities where there are more white collar workers. For example, in the United States in the primarily agrarian economies of the Midwest, the number of jobs for farmers and factory workers has been in steep decline. The result is either than many families now struggle to make ends meet and are embittered towards the current economic model or they leave their homes to earn subsistence wages in the city. This migrations brings its own negatives as cities become overcrowded and the consumer class in the countryside dwindles.

Nonetheless, the forward progress of technology is a positive sign for the future. There is little doubt that the transitional period will be rife with unrest among working class people; however, this will be more than compensated for by future generations. In the future, workers will be free to pursue their passions rather than having to toil in manual jobs better done by robots. This could lead to a concomitant rise in the number of scientists, artists, researchers, artisans, and other skilled positions. There is even consideration these days of a universal basic wage that would sever individuals from the necessity of work and open up a range of leisure options for the average citizen.

In conclusion, though the dominance of robotic technologies has short-term downsides, it will ultimately lead to a flourishing of human creativity and innovation. It is therefore important for governments to capably manage this transition.

Analysis

1. There has been growing concern in recent years related to the number of positions robots now occupy in the workforce. 2. In my opinion, though this has clear disadvantages for the average worker, it is a positive overall.

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

1. Those who decry this trend towards automation point out its impact on unskilled labourers. 2. The most affected live in poorer, predominately rural areas rather than cities where there are more white collar workers. 3. For example, in the United States in the primarily agrarian economies of the Midwest, the number of jobs for farmers and factory workers has been in steep decline. 4. The result is either than many families now struggle to make ends meet and are embittered towards the current economic model or they leave their homes to earn subsistence wages in the city. 5. This migrations brings its own negatives as cities become overcrowded and the consumer class in the countryside dwindles.

Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
Explain your main idea.
Develop it with specific examples.
Continue to develop it.
State the result or develop the idea fully.

1. Nonetheless, the forward progress of technology is a positive sign for the future. 2. There is little doubt that the transitional period will be rife with unrest among working class people; however, this will be more than compensated for by future generations. 3. In the future, workers will be free to pursue their passions rather than having to toil in manual jobs better done by robots. 4. This could lead to a concomitant rise in the number of scientists, artists, researchers, artisans, and other skilled positions. 5. There is even consideration these days of a universal basic wage that would sever individuals from the necessity of work and open up a range of leisure options for the average citizen.

Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
Explain your new main idea.
Include specific details and examples.
The more specific, the better.
Add more detail but don’t add in a new main idea.

1. In conclusion, though the dominance of robotic technologies has short-term downsides, it will ultimately lead to a flourishing of human creativity and innovation. 2. It is therefore important for governments to capably manage this transition.

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

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

There has been growing concern in recent years related to the number of positions robots now occupy in the workforce. In my opinion, though this has clear disadvantages for the average worker, it is a positive overall.

Those who decry this trend towards automation point out its impact on unskilled labourers. The most affected live in poorer, predominately rural areas rather than cities where there are more white collar workers. For example, in the United States in the primarily agrarian economies of the Midwest, the number of jobs for farmers and factory workers has been in steep decline. The result is either than many families now struggle to make ends meet and are embittered towards the current economic model or they leave their homes to earn subsistence wages in the city. This migrations brings its own negatives as cities become overcrowded and the consumer class in the countryside dwindles.

Nonetheless, the forward progress of technology is a positive sign for the future. There is little doubt that the transitional period will be rife with unrest among working class people; however, this will be more than compensated for by future generations. In the future, workers will be free to pursue their passions rather than having to toil in manual jobs better done by robots. This could lead to a concomitant rise in the number of scientists, artists, researchers, artisans, and other skilled positions. There is even consideration these days of a universal basic wage that would sever individuals from the necessity of work and open up a range of leisure options for the average citizen.

In conclusion, though the dominance of robotic technologies has short-term downsides, it will ultimately lead to a flourishing of human creativity and innovation. It is therefore important for governments to capably manage this transition.

Answers

growing concern increasing worry

positions jobs

occupy take

clear disadvantages definite negatives

average worker normal person with a job

positive overall good in general

decry argue against

trend pattern

automation things being done automatically/by robots

unskilled labourers work that doesn’t require much skill

most affected impacted greatly

predominately rural areas mostly just in the countryside

white collar workers people with better jobs

primarily agrarian economies mostly based on farming

Midwest the middle and Western area of the United States

steep decline going down a lot

result effect

struggle to make ends meet have a tough time making enough money

embittered angry towards

current economic model the way the economy is now

earn subsistence wages just make enough to survive

migrations travelling/moving

negatives bad parts

overcrowded too many people

consumer class people who buy things

dwindles disappears

nonetheless regardless

forward progress development

positive sign good thing

there is little doubt that it is clear

transitional period time of change

rife full of

unrest unhappiness

more than compensated for more than makes up for

pursue their passions do what they want

toil work pointlessly/hard

manual jobs physical jobs

concomitant rise related increase

artisans skilled makers

consideration area to think about

universal basic wage salary for all people

sever cut off from

necessity of work needing to work

open up allow for

range variety of

leisure not doing anything

dominance supremacy

short-term downsides negatives in the short-term

ultimately in the end

flourishing improving

innovation new ideas

capably manage do well handling

Pronunciation

ˈgrəʊɪŋ kənˈsɜːn
pəˈzɪʃənz
ˈɒkjʊpaɪ
klɪə ˌdɪsədˈvɑːntɪʤɪz
ˈævərɪʤ ˈwɜːkə
ˈpɒzətɪv ˈəʊvərɔːl
dɪˈkraɪ
trɛnd
ˌɔːtəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n
ʌnˈskɪld ˈleɪbərəz
məʊst əˈfɛktɪd
prɪˈdɒmɪneɪtli ˈrʊərəl ˈeərɪəz
waɪt ˈkɒlə ˈwɜːkəz
ˈpraɪmərɪli əˈgreərɪən i(ː)ˈkɒnəmiz
ˈmɪdˈwɛst
stiːp dɪˈklaɪn
rɪˈzʌlt
ˈstrʌgl tuː meɪk ɛndz miːt
ɪmˈbɪtəd
ˈkʌrənt ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈmɒdl
ɜːn səbˈsɪstəns ˈweɪʤɪz
maɪˈgreɪʃənz
ˈnɛgətɪvz
ˌəʊvəˈkraʊdɪd
kənˈsjuːmə klɑːs
ˈdwɪndlz
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
ˈfɔːwəd ˈprəʊgrəs
ˈpɒzətɪv saɪn
ðeər ɪz ˈlɪtl daʊt ðæt
trænˈsɪʒənl ˈpɪərɪəd
raɪf
ʌnˈrɛst
mɔː ðæn ˈkɒmpɛnseɪtɪd fɔː
pəˈsjuː ðeə ˈpæʃənz
tɔɪl
ˈmænjʊəl ʤɒbz
kənˈkɒmɪtənt raɪz
ˌɑːtɪˈzænz
kənˌsɪdəˈreɪʃən
ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəl ˈbeɪsɪk weɪʤ
ˈsɛvə
nɪˈsɛsɪti ɒv wɜːk
ˈəʊpən ʌp
reɪnʤ
ˈlɛʒə
ˈdɒmɪnəns
ʃɔːt-tɜːm ˈdaʊnˌsaɪdz
ˈʌltɪmɪtli
ˈflʌrɪʃɪŋ
ˌɪnəʊˈveɪʃən
ˈkeɪpəbli ˈmænɪʤ

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

There has been g_______________n in recent years related to the number of p___________s robots now o_________y in the workforce. In my opinion, though this has c_________________s for the a_________________r, it is a p___________________l.

Those who d________y this t_________d towards a_________________n point out its impact on u________________________s. The m_____________d live in poorer, p_________________________s rather than cities where there are more w__________________________s. For example, in the United States in the p_____________________________s of the M_________t, the number of jobs for farmers and factory workers has been in s_____________e. The r______t is either than many families now s__________________________t and are e__________________d towards the c________________________l or they leave their homes to e___________________________s in the city. This m___________s brings its own n_____________s as cities become o_______________d and the c___________________s in the countryside d____________s.

N______________s, the f_______________s of technology is a p_______________n for the future. T________________________t the t______________________d will be r___e with u____________t among working class people; however, this will be m______________________________r by future generations. In the future, workers will be free to p________________________s rather than having to t_____l in m___________________s better done by robots. This could lead to a c________________________e in the number of scientists, artists, researchers, a_____________s, and other skilled positions. There is even c________________n these days of a u_______________________e that would s______r individuals from the n__________________k and o___________p a r_________e of l_________e options for the average citizen.

In conclusion, though the d_______________e of robotic technologies has s_______________________s, it will u_____________y lead to a f____________g of human creativity and i______________n. It is therefore important for governments to c___________________e this transition.

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:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/01/iron-chefs/546581/

Speaking Practice

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

Work

Why did you choose your job?
How much work do you do in a week?
Do you have to work on weekends as well?

Writing Practice

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

Nowadays more tasks at home and work are being performed by robots.

Is this a negative or positive development?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Robots at Home (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)