This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay from the general training exam on the topic of spending more time in the workplace.
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Dave
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay General Training: Workplace Hours
In many countries, people are spending more time in their workplace.
Why is this?
Is this a negative or positive development?
Real Past IELTS Writing Exam
More and more employees find themselves worker long hours these days. This is chiefly due to the evolving nature of work in the 21st century and it is decidedly not a positive change.
Younger generations today cannot expect to work a traditional 9 to 5 and receive good compensation. In the past, a person collected the majority of their income from salary and was able to afford a car, a home, and a stable family life. Nowadays, salaries are lower relative to living expenses, many good jobs have disappeared as technology improves and companies become more efficient, and investing capital now makes up the major share of income. This shift means the average worker often has to work long hours or take a second job to strive for the same standard of living they remember from childhood. It is unsurprising that many today are therefore discontent with their work-life balance.
This is typically a negative development because it leads to mental health problems. The exception is when an individual has a passion for their job, but few today have the luxury of working in their chosen field. Instead, most must accept jobs they do not love with low salaries. Working long hours, making little money, and not having passion for work can result in the formation of an unhealthy mental state. This ranges according to the individual from mild unhappiness and restlessness to more extreme manifestations such as depression and panic attacks. Many people today have begun self-medicating with alcohol and drugs or turning to a therapist who is only too happy to prescribe mood-altering pharmaceuticals to address the symptoms rooted in large-scale societal problems.
In conclusion, many people work too much today because of lower overall salaries and this worsens mental health. It is important for individuals today to cut back on living expenses to lead a happy life with less money.
Analysis
1. More and more employees find themselves worker long hours these days. 2. This is chiefly due to the evolving nature of work in the 21st century and it is decidedly not a positive change.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear answer to each of the two questions. Read more here about two-part questions.
1. Younger generations today cannot expect to work a traditional 9 to 5 and receive good compensation. 2. In the past, a person collected the majority of their income from salary and was able to afford a car, a home, and a stable family life. 3. Nowadays, salaries are lower relative to living expenses, many good jobs have disappeared as technology improves and companies become more efficient, and investing capital now makes up the major share of income. 4. This shift means the average worker often has to work long hours or take a second job to strive for the same standard of living they remember from childhood. 5. It is unsurprising that many today are therefore discontent with their work-life balance.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Starting by comparing to the past is a good approach.
- Use specific details and examples to support your main idea.
- State the results.
- Finish by relating it back to the overall question.
1. This is typically a negative development because it leads to mental health problems. 2. The exception is when an individual has a passion for their job, but few today have the luxury of working in their chosen field. 3. Instead, most must accept jobs they do not love with low salaries. 4. Working long hours, making little money, and not having passion for work can result in the formation of an unhealthy mental state. 5. This ranges according to the individual from mild unhappiness and restlessness to more extreme manifestations such as depression and panic attacks. 6. Many people today have begun self-medicating with alcohol and drugs or turning to a therapist who is only too happy to prescribe mood-altering pharmaceuticals to address the symptoms rooted in large-scale societal problems.
- Write another topic sentence with a new main idea.
- You can start with an exception.
- Then explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific support.
- Give clera specific examples.
- Conclude with a strong statement and the fullest possible results.
1. In conclusion, many people work too much today because of lower overall salaries and this worsens mental health. 2. It is important for individuals today to cut back on living expenses to lead a happy life with less money.
- Summarise your main ideas and repeat your opinion.
- Add a final thought/detail.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
More and more employees find themselves worker long hours these days. This is chiefly due to the evolving nature of work in the 21st century and it is decidedly not a positive change.
Younger generations today cannot expect to work a traditional 9 to 5 and receive good compensation. In the past, a person collected the majority of their income from salary and was able to afford a car, a home, and a stable family life. Nowadays, salaries are lower relative to living expenses, many good jobs have disappeared as technology improves and companies become more efficient, and investing capital now makes up the major share of income. This shift means the average worker often has to work long hours or take a second job to strive for the same standard of living they remember from childhood. It is unsurprising that many today are therefore discontent with their work-life balance.
This is typically a negative development because it leads to mental health problems. The exception is when an individual has a passion for their job, but few today have the luxury of working in their chosen field. Instead, most must accept jobs they do not love with low salaries. Working long hours, making little money, and not having passion for work can result in the formation of an unhealthy mental state. This ranges according to the individual from mild unhappiness and restlessness to more extreme manifestations such as depression and panic attacks. Many people today have begun self-medicating with alcohol and drugs or turning to a therapist who is only too happy to prescribe mood-altering pharmaceuticals to address the symptoms rooted in large-scale societal problems.
In conclusion, many people work too much today because of lower overall salaries and this worsens mental health. It is important for individuals today to cut back on living expenses to lead a happy life with less money.
Answers
more and more increasingly
find themselves are in the situation
chiefly due to mainly because of
evolving nature of work in the 21st century how employment is changing since 2000
decidedly not definitely not
cannot expect should not anticipate
traditional 9 to 5 normal office job
compensation salary
collected made
majority most of
income salary
afford can pay for
stable family life normal family
lower relative to living expenses less money compared to how much things cost
investing capital stocks, land, etc.
makes up forms
major share majority of
shift change
average worker normal person
take a second job get another occupation
strive try for
same standard of living equal living conditions
unsurprising not surprising
therefore discontent it follows they are unhappy
work-life balance enough free time
typically normally
mental health problems psychological issues
exception outside the normal cases
luxury extravagance
chosen field what they want to do
instead however
accept jobs take positions
formation development/starting
unhealthy mental state psychological problems
ranges according to can include
mild unhappiness a bit unhappy
restlessness discontentment
extreme manifestations furthest examples
depression very sad
panic attacks breakdowns
self-medicating using drugs to deal with issues
turning to seeking advice/help from
therapist psychiatrist
only too happy very willing to
prescribe mood-altering pharmaceuticals give drugs to make them happier
address deal with
symptoms effects
rooted in sourced in
large-scale societal problems systemic issues
lower overall salaries less money earned
worsens gets bad
cut back reduce
living expenses rent, food, etc.
lead a happy life have a good life
Pronunciation
mɔːr ænd mɔː
faɪnd ðəmˈsɛlvz
ˈʧiːfli djuː tuː
ɪˈvɒlvɪŋ ˈneɪʧər ɒv wɜːk ɪn ðə ˈtwɛnti fɜːst ˈsɛnʧʊri
dɪˈsaɪdɪdli nɒt
ˈkænɒt ɪksˈpɛkt
trəˈdɪʃənl naɪ tuː faɪv
ˌkɒmpɛnˈseɪʃən
kəˈlɛktɪd
məˈʤɒrɪti
ˈɪnkʌm
əˈfɔːd
ˈsteɪbl ˈfæmɪli laɪf
ˈləʊə ˈrɛlətɪv tuː ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪksˈpɛnsɪz
ɪnˈvɛstɪŋ ˈkæpɪtl
meɪks ʌp
ˈmeɪʤə ʃeə
ʃɪft
ˈævərɪʤ ˈwɜːkə
teɪk ə ˈsɛkənd ʤɒb
straɪv
seɪm ˈstændəd ɒv ˈlɪvɪŋ
ˌʌnsəˈpraɪzɪŋ
ˈðeəfɔː ˌdɪskənˈtɛnt
wɜːk-laɪf ˈbæləns
ˈtɪpɪk(ə)li
ˈmɛntl hɛlθ ˈprɒbləmz
ɪkˈsɛpʃən
ˈlʌkʃəri
ˈʧəʊzn fiːld
ɪnˈstɛd
əkˈsɛpt ʤɒbz
fɔːˈmeɪʃən
ʌnˈhɛlθi ˈmɛntl steɪt
ˈreɪnʤɪz əˈkɔːdɪŋ tuː
maɪld ʌnˈhæpɪnəs
ˈrɛstlɪsnɪs
ɪksˈtriːm ˌmænɪfɛsˈteɪʃənz
dɪˈprɛʃən
ˈpænɪk əˈtæks
sɛlf-ˈmɛdɪkeɪtɪŋ
ˈtɜːnɪŋ tuː
ˈθɛrəpɪst
ˈəʊnli tuː ˈhæpi
prɪsˈkraɪb muːd-ˈɔːltərɪŋ ˌfɑːməˈsjuːtɪkəlz
əˈdrɛs
ˈsɪmptəmz
ˈruːtɪd ɪn
lɑːʤ-skeɪl səˈsaɪətl ˈprɒbləmz
ˈləʊər ˈəʊvərɔːl ˈsæləriz
ˈwɜːsnz
kʌt bæk
ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪksˈpɛnsɪz
liːd ə ˈhæpi laɪf
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
M______________e employees f________________s worker long hours these days. This is c_______________o the e___________________________________________y and it is d__________________t a positive change.
Younger generations today c__________________t to work a t___________________5 and receive good c_________________n. In the past, a person c_______________d the m_____________y of their i____________e from salary and was able to a___________d a car, a home, and a s________________e. Nowadays, salaries are l____________________________s, many good jobs have disappeared as technology improves and companies become more efficient, and i_______________________l now m_______________p the m_____________e of income. This s________t means the a_________________r often has to work long hours or t_____________________b to s__________e for the s__________________________g they remember from childhood. It is u_____________________g that many today are t____________________t with their w_____________________e.
This is t________________y a negative development because it leads to m_________________________s. The e______________n is when an individual has a passion for their job, but few today have the l____________y of working in their c________________d. I___________d, most must a_____________s they do not love with low salaries. Working long hours, making little money, and not having passion for work can result in the f____________n of an u________________________e. This r_____________________o the individual from m____________________s and r_______________s to more e________________________s such as d_______________n and p__________________s. Many people today have begun s__________________g with alcohol and drugs or t________________o a t_______________t who is o___________________y to p_______________________________________s to a_______________s the s____________s r____________n l__________________________s.
In conclusion, many people work too much today because of l_________________________s and this w____________s mental health. It is important for individuals today to c______________k on l_____________________s to l______________________e with less money.
Listening Practice
Watch the video below for some interesting ideas on this topic:
Reading Practice
Read from the BBC below if your long hours are killing you:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/are-my-long-hours-killing-me/zk2ky9q
Speaking Practice
Answer the following questions from the real IELTS speaking exam below:
Work
Do you work or are you a student?
What do you like about your work?
What has changed at your work since you started?
Do you like to work in the morning or afternoon?
IELTS Speaking Exam
Writing Practice
Write about the following related topic then check with my sample answer:
Some people like to spend their leisure time after work with co-workers while others prefer to keep their private life separate from their work life.
Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.
IELTS Writing Exam
Would you please tell me how much band can i get in this..
It is indeed true that people devote less time at home and more at their offices. This is due to higher inflation rates in the world and it should be seen as a negative development because it makes people prone to various ailments.
People spend more time at work to provide extra monetary support to the family. This is because in this day and age prices of everything are surging and it is difficult to cover all the expenses. As a result their loved ones can have a comfortable life. For example, a person who works overtime gets extra monetary benefits and will be more financially stable than the other co-workers who do not work for extra time. Another possible reason of people opting to go away from home is to find better job opportunities and greener pastures for them. As there may not be enough job options available for a person at his native place. Therefore, they have to move out to another city or country to have a better future.
On the other hand, there are some drawbacks of staying away from home and working for longer period of time. Firstly, when people spend more time at work, they are prone to many ailments. Spending most of their time on computers, affects their eyesight and also sitting for longer period causes obesity to most of the people. Secondly, people have to face work-life imbalance when they are not able to give proper time to their family members. This results in weakens the bond between them and has negative consequences. Finally, people staying away from home may sometimes feel homesickness which results in have feeling of loneliness and could cause depression sometimes.
In conclusion, while working for long time provides financial support to the family, it has some serious repercussions that affect a person physically and mentally as well.
Hi Vikas!
You can sign up here: course.howtodoielts.com/band-scores-corrections
Careful with your prepositions, relative clauses, and your level of complexity and formality.
Hello Dave,
Can you please tell me what type of essay is this? I am a bit confused. Is it “problem/solution”?
Thank you
Yes, Diana, basically. It is phrased as two questions but it is essentially a cause/solution essay.
Hello, in the 1st body paragraph, 2nd sentence, In the past, a person collected the majority of their income from salary and was able to afford a car, ……. So, here , income and salary both are same. Is this sentence correct? Please clear my doubt.
Yes, Sandra, they are similar but income is the total amount you make and salary is what you get from work. You might have other sources of income – such as investments – so that is the distinction I am pointing out here.
Is that clear?