Nowadays, many people do not repair old things to use them further and throw old things away when they buy new things. What factors cause this phenomenon? What effects this phenomenon has?
Sample Response
In today's consumer-driven society, a concerning phenomenon has emerged in whichphenomenon has emerged where people are increasingly discarding old items instead of repairing them for further use. This essay will examine the factors contributing to this behaviour and explore the effects it has on individuals and the environment.
The trend can be attributed to several factorsSeveral factors can be attributed to the trend of not repairing old items. Firstly, the rapid pace of technological advancesadvancements has led to the availability of new and improved products at affordable prices. As a result, people are enticed by the latest features and functionsfunctionalities, making them more inclined to discard their old belongings and purchase new ones.
Secondly, the prevalence of planned obsolescence plays a significant role in this phenomenon. Many manufacturers intentionally design products with a limited lifespan to encourage frequent replacement. This marketing strategy creates a disposable mindsetmindset of disposability, in which individuals feelwhere individuals feel that repairing old items is not worth the time, effort, or cost, givenconsidering the availability of cheaper alternatives.
The consequences of this phenomenon are multifaceted. AtOn an individual level, the habit of discarding rather than repairing reinforces a culture of instant gratification and overconsumption. People become accustomed to constantly upgradingthe idea of constantly upgrading and discarding items, which can lead to financial strain and unsustainable consumption patterns. Additionally, the act of discarding old items contributes to the accumulation of waste, placing a burden on already overwhelmed landfills and causing environmental degradation.
Moreover, this behaviour perpetuates a throwaway culture that undervalues the importance of resource conservation. By disregarding the potential value of repairing and reusing items, valuable resources and materials are squandered, exacerbating the strain on the environment and exacerbating issues such as deforestation, energy consumption, and pollution associated with the manufacturing of new goods.
To conclude, the tendency to discard old items instead of repairing them stems from factors such as technological advancements and planned obsolescence. However, this behaviour has significant effects on individuals, the economy, and the environment. It promotes unsustainable consumption patterns, strains people’s financesstrains financial resources, and contributes to the mounting waste problem.
Why this response received Band 8.0
The essay fully explains two convincing causes—affordable technological upgrades and planned obsolescence—and traces their personal and environmental consequences in a clear, well-developed structure. Its strongest feature is the logical cause-and-effect reasoning, while the main limitation is some repetition, especially around discarding, consumption, and environmental strain. Prioritise adding one concrete example and tightening repeated language so the already strong analysis becomes more specific and economical.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both questions are fully addressed through two well-explained causes and several developed financial, behavioural, waste, and resource consequences.
Add one concise real-world example of planned obsolescence or landfill pressure to make the analysis more concrete and persuasive.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas are logically sequenced and effectively paragraphed from causes to individual and environmental effects, with clear progression throughout.
Merge or more distinctly differentiate the two environmental-effect paragraphs and avoid repeating the same strain-on-the-environment point.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is broad, precise, and well suited to consumerism and environmental impact, with only occasional repetition and slightly formulaic phrasing.
Vary repeated words such as ‘phenomenon’, ‘discarding’, ‘items’, and ‘exacerbating’ while retaining the essay’s precise academic tone.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide range of complex structures is used accurately and flexibly, with only rare minor awkwardness that does not affect clarity.
Refine the ‘where individuals feel’ clause and ensure modifying phrases such as ‘considering the availability’ attach as directly as possible.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Nowadays, many people do not repair old things to use them further and throw old things away when they buy new things. What factors cause this phenomenon? What effects this phenomenon has?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.