This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer essay from the real general training exam related to working too much.
That is something that everyone can identify with!
Read below for my sample answer and find some of my other resources here:
Dave
Before reading the sample answer, you can listen to the audio for some listening practice first:
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay General Training: Working too Much (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)
These days people spend more and more time at work and less time at home.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
Real Past IELTS Test/Exam
These days, most people find themselves working longer hours, cutting into their home time. Though this brings economic stability to a nation, it also deprives people of a rich personal life.
The foundation of economic prosperity is a flourishing middle class unburdened by debts. A good example and counter-example of this can be seen in the changing fortunes of the American model of economics. In the 1950s the economy grew as people worked long hours and had large disposable incomes to feed back into the larger consumer economy by purchasing automobiles, houses, and luxuries. Since the economic crash of 2008, there have been fewer jobs to go around and most people make due with part-time labour. The result of an idle labour force was a long-lasting recession that has only abated in recent years as people began to work more.
When people have less time to spend either on their hobbies or with their family, they rightly feel deprived. Every person should have time for both a fulfilling public and private life. Work constitutes the bulk of public service for most people and home life the private. Those with families feel particularly justifiable anger, which can boil over to general unhappiness or depression at best and neglect or abuse, at worst. Even the childless still have loved ones, hobbies, and a variety of other pursuits. At the end of their lives, everyone strives to be able to look back proudly on their career and fondly on their daily life.
In my opinion, the tilting of work-life balance towards work is primarily a negative because it robs people of some of their most meaningful moments. People must individually find ways to not only survive but also prosper in a world where the private sphere shrinks with each passing year.
Word Count: 299
Analysis
1. These days, most people find themselves working longer hours, cutting into their home time. 2. Though this brings economic stability to a nation, it also deprives people of a rich personal life.
- Paraphrase the main topic for the whole essay.
- Write your opinion – make it 100% clear.
1. The foundation of economic prosperity is a flourishing middle class unburdened by debts. 2. A good example and counter-example of this can be seen in the changing fortunes of the American model of economics. 3. In the 1950s the economy grew as people worked long hours and had large disposable incomes to feed back into the larger consumer economy by purchasing automobiles, houses, and luxuries. 4. Since the economic crash of 2008, there have been fewer jobs to go around and most people make due with part-time labour. 5. The result of an idle labour force was a long-lasting recession that has only abated in recent years as people began to work more.
- Write a topic sentence with a single main idea.
- Begin your example or explain your main idea.
- Make your example more specific – don’t run away from it.
- Continue with the same example. Here I contrast the past with the present day.
- State the result of your example.
1. When people have less time to spend either on their hobbies or with their family, they rightly feel deprived. 2. Every person should have time for both a fulfilling public and private life. 3. Work constitutes the bulk of public service for most people and home life the private. 4. Those with families feel particularly justifiable anger, which can boil over to general unhappiness or depression at best and neglect or abuse, at worst. 5. Even the childless still have loved ones, hobbies, and a variety of other pursuits. 6. At the end of their lives, everyone strives to be able to look back proudly on their career and fondly on their daily life.
- Another topic sentence with a new main idea for the other side.
- Begin to support/explain your main idea.
- Here I futher explain my main idea.
- I make it more specific by talking about families.
- I example it to childless people here.
- My last sentence summarises why having a personal life is important.
1. In my opinion, the tilting of work-life balance towards work is primarily a negative because it robs people of some of their most meaningful moments. 2. People must individually find ways to not only survive but also prosper in a world where the private sphere shrinks with each passing year.
- Repeat your opinion.
- Add in a final thought/extra detail for full points for task achievement from the examiner.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
These days, most people find themselves working longer hours, cutting into their home time. Though this brings economic stability to a nation, it also deprives people of a rich personal life.
The foundation of economic prosperity is a flourishing middle class unburdened by debts. A good example and counter-example of this can be seen in the changing fortunes of the American model of economics. In the 1950s the economy grew as people worked long hours and had large disposable incomes to feed back into the larger consumer economy by purchasing automobiles, houses, and luxuries. Since the economic crash of 2008, there have been fewer jobs to go around and most people make due with part-time labour. The result of an idle labour force was a long-lasting recession that has only abated in recent years as people began to work more.
When people have less time to spend either on their hobbies or with their family, they rightly feel deprived. Every person should have time for both a fulfilling public and private life. Work constitutes the bulk of public service for most people and home life the private. Those with families feel particularly justifiable anger, which can boil over to general unhappiness or depression at best and neglect or abuse, at worst. Even the childless still have loved ones, hobbies, and a variety of other pursuits. At the end of their lives, everyone strives to be able to look back proudly on their career and fondly on their daily life.
In my opinion, the tilting of work-life balance towards work is primarily a negative because it robs people of some of their most meaningful moments. People must individually find ways to not only survive but also prosper in a world where the private sphere shrinks with each passing year.
Answers
these days nowadays
cutting into taking away from
economic stability strong economy
deprives not having
rich personal life fulfilling private life
economic prosperity good economy
flourishing middle class more money for consumers
unburdened by debts not owing any money
changing fortunes varying levels of money
American model of economics capitalism
disposable incomes money to spend
feed back give back
larger consumer economy the economy as a whole/people buying
economic crash when the economy does badly
to go around for all
make due put up with
part-time labour not working full-time
idle labour force not having work
long-lasting recession economy shrinking for a long time
abated stopped/slowed down
rightly correctly
deprived doesn’t have
fulfilling public and private life happy at home and at work
constitutes makes up
bulk most of
public service pulic life
particularly justifiable good reason for/to feel
boil over have an impact on
depression feeling very sad
neglect ignore
abuse hurt
at worst in the worst situation
childless no children
pursuits hobbies
strives tries to
look back proudly feel good about your achievements
fondly warmly
tilting unbalancing
work-life balance time split between work and home
robs takes away
prosper flourish
private sphere shrinks less personal time
each passing year every year
Pronunciation
ðiːz deɪz
ˈkʌtɪŋ ˈɪntuː
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk stəˈbɪlɪti
dɪˈpraɪvz
rɪʧ ˈpɜːsnl laɪf
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk prɒsˈpɛrɪti
ˈflʌrɪʃɪŋ ˈmɪdl klɑːs
ʌnˈbɜːdnd baɪ dɛts
ˈʧeɪnʤɪŋ ˈfɔːʧənz
əˈmɛrɪkən ˈmɒdl ɒv ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪks
dɪsˈpəʊzəbl ˈɪnkʌmz
fiːd bæk
ˈlɑːʤə kənˈsjuːmər i(ː)ˈkɒnəmi
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk kræʃ
tuː gəʊ əˈraʊnd
meɪk djuː
pɑːt-taɪm ˈleɪbə
ˈaɪdl ˈleɪbə fɔːs
lɒŋ-ˈlɑːstɪŋ rɪˈsɛʃən
əˈbeɪtɪd
ˈraɪtli
dɪˈpraɪvd
fʊlˈfɪlɪŋ ˈpʌblɪk ænd ˈpraɪvɪt laɪf
ˈkɒnstɪtjuːts
bʌlk
ˈpʌblɪk ˈsɜːvɪs
pəˈtɪkjʊləli ˈʤʌstɪfaɪəbl
bɔɪl ˈəʊvə
dɪˈprɛʃən
nɪˈglɛkt
əˈbjuːs
æt wɜːst
ˈʧaɪldlɪs
pəˈsjuːts
straɪvz
lʊk bæk ˈpraʊdli
ˈfɒndli
ˈtɪltɪŋ
wɜːk-laɪf ˈbæləns
rɒbz
ˈprɒspə
ˈpraɪvɪt sfɪə ʃrɪŋks
iːʧ ˈpɑːsɪŋ jɪə
Listen and repeat:
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
____________, most people find themselves working longer hours, ____________ their home time. Though this brings ____________ to a nation, it also ____________ people of a ____________.
The foundation of ____________ is a ____________ ____________. A good example and counter-example of this can be seen in the ____________ of the ____________. In the 1950s the economy grew as people worked long hours and had large ____________ to ____________ into the ____________ by purchasing automobiles, houses, and luxuries. Since the ____________ of 2008, there have been fewer jobs ____________ and most people ____________ with ____________. The result of an ____________ was a ____________ that has only ____________ in recent years as people began to work more.
When people have less time to spend either on their hobbies or with their family, they ____________ feel ____________. Every person should have time for both a ____________. Work ____________ the ____________ of ____________ for most people and home life the private. Those with families feel ____________ anger, which can ____________ to general unhappiness or ____________ at best and ____________ or ____________, ____________. Even the ____________ still have loved ones, hobbies, and a variety of other ____________. At the end of their lives, everyone ____________ to be able to ____________ on their career and ____________ on their daily life.
In my opinion, the ____________ of ____________ towards work is primarily a negative because it ____________ people of some of their most meaningful moments. People must individually find ways to not only survive but also ____________ in a world where the ____________ with ____________.
Listen and check:
Listening Practice
Listen to this rich guy talk about why there is no such thing as work-life balance:
Reading Practice
Here are some tips too!
https://www.roche.com/careers/country/india/service/folder/20_tips_for_maintain.htm
Speaking Practice
Use the ideas and vocabulary that you just learned to answer these real questions from IELTS Speaking part 3:
Retirement
- When do people in your country usually retire?
- Should everyone retire?
- What are the reasons that people do not retire?
- Will retirement ages keep getting later?
- What do retired people do in your country?
In the contemporary era, an increasing number of people are prioritising their profession over their personal lives. It is advantageous for the economic development of the country but detrimental to family relationships.
To commence with, workers choosing to stay in the workplace longer will help the economy of the nation. When a workforce of a country work tirelessly then businesses grow at a rapid pace, factories could produce more goods and service industry such as call centres and software development companies could better serve their customers. Consequently, cash flow, as well as the GDP of the country, rises. For instance, after the second world war Japans economy plunged but with the efforts of the dedicated workforce, which worked almost 10 hours a day, were successful in stabilizing it.
On the other hand, working for longer hours can distance one from their family members. When a person’s day is majorly consumed in the work, they generally fall short to concentrate on their family’s emotional needs. Also, fail to make necessary bonding with their children and spouse. A good example of this could be seen in Japan, where elderly citizen die alone in their apartments as nobody cares them perhaps because they do not have loving families. Most family members get to know about their family member’s death weeks after the crimination.
In conclusion, spending more time at work in comparison to home can bring prosperity to the nation but can deprive people of the most valuable part of life which is quality family time. In my opinion, people should strive to strike a work-life balance and try to harmonize not only their personal but also professional lives.
ESSAY TOPIC:
Please comment on my essay on :
Today the high sales of popular goods
reflects the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in
which they are sold. Agree or disagree; give reasons.
MY ANSWER
Nowadays, advancements in technology has revolutionized many sectors of life . One of them is the use of modernized advertisement through digital media that play a pivotal role in booming the over all sell of consumer product. Many old people believe that there is no use of such advertisements and individuals always buy according to their needs but in my opinion, advertisement shown on digital media has great impact on viewer’s minds and people tempt to start buying those products which are not required to fulfill their daily demands.
To begin with, the predominate reason
of enhancing the sell through advertisements is that it creates a great impact
on individuals thinking. A common example of this can be taken from the
commercial adds shown on television and social media website about the diamond
jewelry. While watching a beautifully designed diamond jewelry, wore by a
gorgeous model, immediately attracts the attention of many females. Further, it
could easily convince her to buy that product, may be for upcoming occasion, in
spite of having many jewelry sets in the cupboard. Moreover, she starts
considering herself that she would look beautiful too and anxiously could try
to make arrangements of purchase, albeit, this product is not at all part of
her necessities.
Similarly, purposefully made
advertisements could certainly boom up the trade of consumer goods by providing
awareness of newly introduced good with promotion, for which people are usually
not aware of. In this way providing intense knowledge about a new product with
discount prices, they dramatically increase the sell. For instance, when new
electronic appliances, such as, candy maker and popcorn makers were introduced
by the Asian sky shop with 25 % discount on first day order. People specially
females, commenced ordering online immediately to get the offer, in spite of
the fact that they could easily make candies and popcorn by using traditional
ways.
In conclusion, I strongly agree with
the idea that powerfull advertisements
shown on digital devices can change
the behaviour of buyers by changing their thinking and giving awareness about
newly introtuced products, eventually enhance the sell of consumer products.
Hi, Dave. Is it appropriate to only write one advantage and one disadvantage? The question asks for advantages and disadvantages.
Yes, you are right – I should make the multiple advantages/disadvantages clearly signposted, Alice.
For students, to be safe, you can write a paragraph with ‘firstly’ and ‘secondly’ to make sure the examiner knows you are answering the question fully.