In Some countries, many more people are choosing to live alone nowadays than in the past. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
Sample Response
Modern people adapt skills very frequently and nowadays living as nuclear is more preferable in developed cities, like metropolitan cities. Development is positive or negative is a question that needs to be deliberated.
People choose to live alone as nowadays, nobody likes the involvement of other persons in their personal matter. They like to be independent to make decisions likewise not possible if living in a joint family. In Addition, there will be less burden on everybody’s timetable. Furthermore, expenses of food and electricity will be impacted. People face depression due to loneliness. The stress of work will be more as the person has to handle all chores by themselves. Living alone for parents is a very tedious job without the help of family. They will have to manage their jobs as well as take care of their children, due to which more parents left their children at the crotch.
In my view, living in a family is better than living alone. Children can learn more moral values and etiquette from their parents and grandparents. They feel less lonely and hence will not face depression. Nowadays, the cost of living is higher than in past, so they can share their bills with others and spend more on where they need. People will be able to help each other in doing all household chores. For employed parents, living with family is more advantageous as they don’t have to left their children in the crotch while they were away. Their children will be taken care of by their other family members.
To conclude, the number of single-person families is increasing these days and this has some positive aspects despite many negative consequences.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use causal linker Original: as Suggested revision: because Why it matters: 'Because' clearly introduces the reason that follows.
- 2. Use natural noun Original: persons Suggested revision: people Why it matters: 'Other people' is the natural expression in this context.
- 3. Use plural noun Original: matter Suggested revision: matters Why it matters: The plural noun is needed for personal affairs in general.
- 4. Fix capitalization Original: Addition Suggested revision: addition Why it matters: The second word of this linking phrase should not be capitalized.
- 5. Clarify the benefit Original: less burden on everybody’s timetable Suggested revision: fewer demands on everyone's schedule Why it matters: The replacement uses natural countable wording and a more appropriate noun.
- 6. State effect precisely Original: expenses of food and electricity will be impacted Suggested revision: spending on food and electricity may be lower Why it matters: 'Impacted' does not specify the claimed effect on these expenses.
- 7. Use natural comparison Original: The stress of work will be more Suggested revision: Work-related stress will be greater Why it matters: 'Greater' is the appropriate comparative adjective for the level of stress.
- 8. Place modifier clearly Original: Living alone for parents Suggested revision: For parents, living alone Why it matters: Moving the introductory phrase prevents it from appearing to modify 'alone'.
- 9. Add possessive determiner Original: without the help of family Suggested revision: without the help of their family Why it matters: A possessive determiner is needed to identify whose family provides help.
- 10. Use present tense Original: left Suggested revision: leave Why it matters: The present tense matches the essay's description of a current situation.
- 11. Correct word choice Original: at the crotch. Suggested revision: at a crèche. Why it matters: A crèche is a childcare facility; 'crotch' has an unrelated meaning.
- 12. Add definite article Original: higher than in past Suggested revision: higher than in the past Why it matters: The fixed time expression is 'in the past'.
Suggested Rewrites
- as because
- persons people
- matter matters
- Addition addition
- less burden on everybody’s timetable fewer demands on everyone's schedule
- expenses of food and electricity will be impacted spending on food and electricity may be lower
Why this response received Band 5.5
The response gives a recognisable negative view of living alone and offers several relevant points about loneliness, costs, childcare, and household support. However, the argument is uneven because advantages and disadvantages are mixed together, some examples do not clearly concern single-person households, and inaccurate wording sometimes obscures meaning. The priority is to organise a consistent position around two well-explained consequences that directly answer the question.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
A position is evident and several relevant consequences are identified, but development is uneven and some claims are confused or only briefly explained.
Select two directly relevant negative effects and explain each with a clear reason and realistic example.
Coherence and Cohesion
The response uses paragraphs and basic linking devices, although ideas within the body paragraphs are sometimes mixed and progression becomes list-like.
Give each body paragraph one controlling idea and arrange its sentences as claim, explanation, and example.
Lexical Resource
The vocabulary covers the topic, but frequent inaccurate expressions and word choices sometimes make the intended meaning difficult to follow.
Use precise topic language such as single-person households, childcare, shared expenses, and social isolation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Simple meanings are usually recoverable, but frequent errors in sentence structure, verb forms, articles, and agreement limit grammatical control.
Practise building accurate simple and compound sentences before attempting longer clauses with several ideas.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
In Some countries, many more people are choosing to live alone nowadays than in the past. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.