Plan this problem and solution essay about family with the ideas and outline below, write it on a 40-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Parents and children today often spend time together but each is using a phone or tablet, so real conversation is rare.
What are the causes of this problem and what measures could be taken to solve it?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
Pick two or three points from one or both columns. You do not need all of them, and your own examples score better than memorised ones.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 250 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
Parents and children today often spend time in the same room, yet each is using a phone or tablet, so real conversation is rare. This essay will explain the causes and suggest ways to address the problem.
Several causes can be identified. Devices are designed to capture attention, with endless videos, games and notifications, so it takes real effort to put them down. Many parents also need their phones for work, and they answer emails and messages at home, which gives children the impression that screens come first. Children copy what they see, so when adults are constantly looking at their phones, the habit seems natural. In addition, busy parents sometimes give a tablet to a child as an easy way to keep them quiet while they finish tasks, and over time both sides become used to silence. Finally, online entertainment is often more immediately rewarding than ordinary conversation, which can feel slow or awkward by comparison.
There are practical measures that families can take. They can establish device-free times, such as meals and the hour before bed, and keep phones in a basket during these periods. Parents should lead by example, because rules that adults do not follow themselves are rarely respected. Planning shared activities that do not involve screens, such as cooking, sports, board games or walks, creates natural opportunities for talking. Parents may also use technology together with children, for instance by playing a video game or watching a film and then discussing it. Schools can support families by teaching children about balanced use of technology.
In conclusion, attractive devices, work demands, parental example and convenience explain why family conversation is declining. Device-free routines, positive role models and shared activities would help families reconnect.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| screen time | hours spent on screens |
| glued to the screen | constantly looking at a device |
| meaningful conversation | talk that matters |
| digital detox | period without using devices |
| set a good example | behave in a way others copy |
| family bonding | building closeness within a family |
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