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2020

IELTS essay, topic: Children today are spending more time watching TV than in the past, is it a positive or a negative change?

Today children are spending much more time watching TV compared to the past. Why do you think this happens? Is this a positive or a negative change?

Sample Band 8 Essay

A trend has emerged in the last two decades with youngsters watching more TV than ever before. One of the main reasons behind this issue is the recent advancements in technology in gaming and film industries. This tendency has both pros and cons, and will be further discussed in this essay.

The latest developments in video game consoles attracted both children and adults to spend extra time watching TV, compared to the past. With interactive gaming characters and high quality graphics, children are more likely to spend long hours playing games in front of the TV. A recent survey showed that TV addiction among young people, for example, has significantly increased from 5% to 80%, which was supposedly caused by the introduction of advanced gaming consoles. This increase is also partially due to films, drama series and cartoons being easily available on pirated websites and various gaming platforms.

This trend has had more negative than positive effects on young citizens. More time spent watching TV adversely affects the mental and physical wellbeing of a child. For instance, the obesity ratio among young individuals in the past 10 years has risen dramatically; this has caused further health problems such as anxiety and depression. However, TV can also be used in a positive way. It is a great source of information that can help youngsters increase their knowledge and succeed in their future careers.

In conclusion, recent breakthroughs in technology are driving up the amount of time our youngsters are spending in front of their TV screens. This can do more harm than good if we don’t regulate the use of TV, but parents have the power to make TV time useful and beneficial for their children.

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Michael got Band 8 in IELTS – here is how YOU can replicate his success

The tips we have for you today come from a very reliable source. Michael Abosi, a winner of our June IELTS Results competition who scored Band 8 in IELTS, is sharing what he learnt in his exam preparation:Band 9 in IELTS

“IELTS exam is a test of your English language proficiency. In other words you are going to be tested, as you already know, on your grasp of the English language.

Whichever way you approach this exam, your frequent usage and skill will show in one way or another. The best way, in my opinion, to tackle this exam is to expose yourself to a broad base of material that will challenge your knowledge base on the subject matter.

Writing skill

My favorite writing tips can be found here, most notably the 4 C’s of writing. You should read and understand all the tips presented in this website as they are informative. Remember ‘skill’ is the key, and not being verbose. Less is more!

Listening skill

Have a pen in hand to scribble down all important points discussed (these may include dates, addresses, team members, pointers, topics, requirements nuances etc) as you listen to the recording. That will be your only reference while answering the questions later.

Reading skill

The key to acing the reading section is to read books. The more abstract the books are, the better. This will better prepare you for the various content IELTS exam reading section is based on.

I have found that reading the first two lines in a paragraph and the last sentence gives you a good overview of the paragraph information. Skim through all the paragraph this way at first glance. Then head straight and read all the questions and return to read the comprehension thoroughly. With the questions ringing at the back of your mind, as you approach possible answers while reading the text again, you will be better poised to answer quickly and correctly. Feel free to skip hard questions an return to them later on.

Speaking skill

The key is to communicate clearly. I found that speaking is a skill both native and non-native English speakers have to learn. You need to be clear, concise and expressive to make a subjective impact on your examiner.

In summary, all the necessary tips can be found on this website. Wish you all the best in your exams.”