IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: Family and the Home

This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer from the real IELTS exam concerned with the topic of family and moving out of the home.

Questions about family are fairly common on IELTS and could come up in listening, reading, writing, or (most likely) speaking.

Read my sample answer below and practice some of the vocabulary related to family!

Here is some review on IELTS Task 2 Writing structures.

These are some other IELTS Task 2 Writing Sample Answers that I wrote!

If you want to get over your IELTS fears and achieve your dreams (of going abroad or getting a better job), I now offer online lessons complete with feedback, videos, workbooks and more – you can learn more here!

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer (Family and the Home)

Many parents encourage young people to leave home when they become older, while others think they should stay at home with the family. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

It has become increasingly prevalent for young adults to leave home before getting married. In my opinion, this is a positive trend taken as a whole because it fosters independence but it can have rare debilitating financial drawbacks.

The main drawback to moving out early is losing a parental safety net that safeguards financial stability. In large cities such as New York, real estate prices are so high that without  a high-paying job you will struggle to contend with rent, food, transportation costs, and allowances for leisure activities. It is even possible that these hardships could prove overwhelming and pride may prevent your from going back to your parents. These individuals might end up taking a job with a low salary or that is not their passion.

The aforementioned drawbacks are the exceptions; the majority of people who move out are successful because they become self-reliant. A standout example of this is the typical American university student. Most students leave their parental home at 18 and never look back. These students take their first baby steps towards looking after themselves by doing their own laundry, managing their finances to an extent, and taking on campus employment. Once they graduate from university they will likely take over their entire financial outlay. This means they must find a good job and spend more responsibly. These qualities, of frugality and responsibility, will serve them well in their lives and increase their odds of future success.

In conclusion, the majority benefit from the added responsibility that leaving home brings. To encourage more people to move out parents should provide a degree of financial support when necessary but focus moreso on fostering their children’s independence.

IELTS Examiner Sample Answer Analysis (Family and the Home)

1. It has become increasingly prevalent for young adults to leave home before getting married. 2. In my opinion, this is a positive trend taken as a whole because it fosters independence but it can have rare debilitating financial drawbacks.

1. My first sentence simple  restates the main topic for the whole essay. If you misunderstand the question and write about the wrong topic you will end up with a band 3, 4, or 5 maximum for task achievement! Spend some time carefully reading the question but then write this sentence fast because you are simply paraphrasing.

2. The next sentence is my opinion. Make your opinion 100% clear or you could get a task achievement band 5! (And repeat it again in the conclusion later.)

1. The main drawback to moving out early is losing a parental safety net that safeguards financial stability. 2. In large cities such as New York, real estate prices are so high that without  a high-paying job you will struggle to contend with rent, food, transportation costs, and allowances for leisure activities. 3. It is even possible that these hardships could prove overwhelming and pride may prevent your from going back to your parents. 4. These individuals might end up taking a job with a low salary or that is not their passion.

1. The first sentence is the topic sentence for the paragraph that contains my main idea (financial stability). My whole paragraph will focus on this one idea!

2. My second sentence explains some of the costs that can come up in life.

3. The third sentence describes the possible results of financial hardships.

4. My final sentence describes the results. Don’t make statements that are too strong – for example, don’t say ‘People will then turn to crime’ because this is both factually incorrect and much too strong of a statement for a short essay!

1. The aforementioned drawbacks are the exceptions; the majority of people who move out are successful because they become self-reliant. 2. A standout example of this is the typical American university student. 3. Most students leave their parental home at 18 and never look back. 4. These students take their first baby steps towards looking after themselves by doing their own laundry, managing their finances to an extent, and taking on campus employment. 5. Once they graduate from university they will likely take over their entire financial outlay. 6. This means they must find a good job and spend more responsibly. 7. These qualities, of frugality and responsibility, will serve them well in their lives and increase their odds of future success.

1. The first sentence is another topic sentence with my new main idea: moving out makes young adults more self-reliant.

2. My second sentence starts my example.

3. The third sentence continues to develop this example.

4. My fourth sentence also further develops the example by describing the tasks they must do independently.

5. The fifth sentence also continues this example by introducing finances.

6. My sixth sentence focuses on what they must do to meet their financial obligations.

7. The final sentence concludes how these qualities will help them in a more general sense.

1. In conclusion, the majority benefit from the added responsibility that leaving home brings. 2. To encourage more people to move out parents should provide a degree of financial support when necessary but focus moreso on fostering their children’s independence.

1. My first sentence repeats my overall opinion. Be crystal clear – don’t sit in the middle!

2. The final sentence adds an extra detail to the paragraph that many examiners will require for at least band 7 for task achievement.

Sample Answer Vocabulary

What do the words in bold mean? If you’re not sure, don’t use a dictionary – try to figure out the meaning from the whole sentence then check your answers below!

It has become increasingly prevalent for young adults to leave home before getting married. In my opinion, this is a positive trend taken as a whole because it fosters independence but it can have rare debilitating financial drawbacks.

The main drawback to moving out early is losing a parental safety net that safeguards financial stability. In large cities such as New York, real estate prices are so high that without  a high-paying job you will struggle to contend with rent, food, transportation costs, and allowances for leisure activities. It is even possible that these hardships could prove overwhelming and pride may prevent your from going back to your parents. These individuals might end up taking a job with a low salary or that is not their passion.

The aforementioned drawbacks are the exceptions; the majority of people who move out are successful because they become self-reliant. A standout example of this is the typical American university student. Most students leave their parental home at 18 and never look back. These students take their first baby steps towards looking after themselves by doing their own laundry, managing their finances to an extent, and taking on campus employment. Once they graduate from university they will likely take over their entire financial outlay. This means they must find a good job and spend more responsibly. These qualities, of frugality and responsibility, will serve them well in their lives and increase their odds of future success.

In conclusion, the majority benefit from the added responsibility that leaving home brings. To encourage more people to move out parents should provide a degree of financial support when necessary but focus moreso on fostering their children’s independence.

Answers:

increasingly prevalent: more and more common

young adults: young people

taken as a whole: considered overall

fosters independence: encourages them to be self-reliant

rare debilitating financial drawbacks: uncommon very bad consequences for their money

safety net: something to protect you in bad times

safeguards: protects from

financial stability: regular income

high-paying job: making a lot of money in your work

struggle: have difficulty with

contend: deal with

allowances: exceptions/money set aside

hardships: difficult times

prove overwhelming: be too much to get past

pride: feelings of self-worth

end up: finally be

passion: love for something

aforementioned drawback: previously stated negative

self-reliant: don’t need help from others

A standout example of this is the typical: A good example of this is the average

parental home: their parent’s home

never look back: do no return

first baby steps: early, basic stages

to an extent: not fully/somewhat

taking on: assuming responsibility for

take over: be in charge of

financial outlay: the amount of money you have to spend

spend more responsibly: spend your money more wisely

frugality: not spending a lot of money

serve them well: work well for them

increase their odds of: make it more likely that

provide a degree of financial support: help out with money somewhat

focus moreso: instead concentrate on

fostering their children’s independence: encouraging their children to be more responsible

Pronunciation

ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈprɛvələnt 

jʌŋ ˈædʌlts 

ˈteɪkən æz ə həʊl 

ˈfɒstəz ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns 

reə dɪˈbɪlɪteɪtɪŋ faɪˈnænʃəl ˈdrɔːbæks 

ˈseɪfti nɛt 

ˈseɪfgɑːdz 

faɪˈnænʃəl stəˈbɪlɪti:  

haɪ–ˈpeɪɪŋ ʤɒb 

ˈstrʌgl 

kənˈtɛnd 

əˈlaʊənsɪz 

ˈhɑːdʃɪps 

pruːv ˌəʊvəˈwɛlmɪŋ 

praɪd 

ɛnd ʌp 

ˈpæʃən 

əˌfɔːˈmɛnʃənd ˈdrɔːbæk 

sɛlf–rɪˈlaɪənt 

ə ˈstændaʊt ɪgˈzɑːmpl ɒv ðɪs ɪz ðə ˈtɪpɪk(ə)l 

pəˈrɛntl həʊm 

ˈnɛvə lʊk bæk 

fɜːst ˈbeɪbi stɛps 

tuː ən ɪksˈtɛnt 

ˈteɪkɪŋ ɒn 

teɪk ˈəʊvə 

faɪˈnænʃəl ˈaʊtleɪ 

spɛnd mɔː rɪsˈpɒnsəbli 

fru(ː)ˈgælɪti 

sɜːv ðɛm wɛl 

ˈɪnkriːs ðeər ɒdz ɒv 

prəˈvaɪd ə dɪˈgriː ɒv faɪˈnænʃəl səˈpɔːt 

ˈfəʊkəs mɔːsəʊ 

ˈfɒstərɪŋ ðeə ˈʧɪldrənz ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

It has become _________________ for _________________ to leave home before getting married. In my opinion, this is a positive trend _________________ because it _________________ but it can have _________________.

The main drawback to moving out early is losing a parental _________________ that _________________. In large cities such as New York, real estate prices are so high that without  a _________________ you will _________________ to _________________ with rent, food, transportation costs, and _________________ for leisure activities. It is even possible that these _________________ could _________________ and _________________ may prevent your from going back to your parents. These individuals might _________________ taking a job with a low salary or that is not their _________________.

The _________________ are the exceptions; the majority of people who move out are successful because they become _________________. _________________ American university student. Most students leave their _________________ at 18 and _________________. These students take their _________________ towards looking after themselves by doing their own laundry, managing their finances _________________, and _________________ campus employment. Once they graduate from university they will likely _________________ their entire _________________. This means they must find a good job and _________________. These qualities, of _________________ and responsibility, will _________________ in their lives and _________________ future success.

In conclusion, the majority benefit from the added responsibility that leaving home brings. To encourage more people to move out parents should _________________ when necessary but _________________ on _________________.

Family Links from YouTube and Articles

The Left-Behind Children

Mom vs Dad: What did you Inherit

Mr. Trump, Meet my Family

Comment below  – write your own essay and I will give you some feedback!

If you want more helpful resources check out my private Facebook group, my YouTube channel and my Instagram – keep up to date with your English and your IELTS!