IELTS writing: Model answer (General Training, Task 2)

IELTS writing: Model answer

Here is a model answer for general training module task 2 in an IELTS book (sorry, I forgot which book it was). The answer is given as a very good one. The task was to discuss teenagers and adults lives in terms of happiness.

What's the happiest time in people's lives: youth or old age; school, career or retirement? All of these have been suggested, but teenage years and adulthood both have many supporters.

Those who believe teenagers are the happiest people cite their lack of responsibilities as a significant factor. They are supported financially and emotionally by their parents, and although they may be included in family decisions, they're not ultimately responsible. However, adolescents are on the threshold of adult life: they're old enough to get a part-time job, so they can enjoy their first taste of financial independence, and their future study and career lie ahead.

Away from these serious concerns, young people have an active social life with their friends, often simply by hanging out with them. And of course, there's excitement of first love and first heartbreak. With all this to experience, teenagers see their parents lives as boring and stressful.

However, the reverse is also true. Adults see anxious self-dramatising adolescents, and appropriate they joys of maturity. These may include a contented family life, long-lasting friendships and a career. Long-term relationships may not have the fireworks of adolescence, but are stronger for it, because of the wealth of shared experience. At work, many of us are challenged and stimulated by the increasing professional skills we acquire, which ensures that our jobs remain interesting. 

The greatest benefit, though, is that maturity gives you greater confidence in your own judgement, in all areas of life. You're not afraid to express your opinion when others disagree and, unlike a teenager, you know when to let things go. 

Both these periods can be happy times, but I look back my own teenage years with no desire to go back. Adult life may be less dramatic, but fireworks don't keep you warm.

Number of words: 265 (>250)

Comments:

Various vocabularies to describe adults and teenagers are used: For example, youth, teenage years, teenagers, adolescents, young people, and adolescence are used for teenagers and old age, adulthood, parents, adults, maturity, adult life for adults. 

The writer's opinion comes only at the last paragraph. Two paragraphs for each period were used, yet he used the last two paragraphs before conclusion to describe the period of his preference. Total number of paragraphs are 6, (1) introduction, (2) and (3) adolescence, (4) and (5) adulthood, and (6) conclusion.

More posts on IELTS writing.

(1) IELTS writing 연습. General Training

(2) IELTS Writing practice. General training module. Task 1: Self-assessment

(3) IELTS Writing practice. General training module. Task 2: Self-assessment

(4) IELTS writing practice: General training module

And a post on IELTS statistics

영어시험 아이엘츠 나라별 통계 (IELTS statistics)

12 July 2016

gguro