Students are becoming more and more reliant on technology. What are some of the problems associated with reliance on computers, and what are some of the possible solutions?
Sample Response
Learners are becoming increasingly dependent on technology, such as the Internet and mobile devices. This essay believes the main problems associated with dependence on computers are the lack of original thought and copying original work from others and suggests critical thinking classes and writing analysis software as the most viable solutions. The principal problems with over-reliance on technology are an inability to think independentlypeople being unable to think for themselves and plagiarism. With access to so much information, students often rely on other people’s opinions instead of forming their own. FurthermoreAs well as this, they often use search engines to answer a question and copy the text from a website rather than reasoning independentlyrather than thinking about the question. This practice is prohibited in schools and universities and stunts students’ intellectual development because they will never truly think for themselves, which is a central purpose of university educationwhich is what university is supposed to be for. For example, many teachers complain that students copy web pages straight from Wikipedia word for word rather than giving a reasoned answer to their questions. Solutions to these worrying problems are special classes to focus on critical thinking and teachers using anti-plagiarism software to detect copying. If teachers create situations where students have to infer meaning and express opinions based on a small amount of information, these activities will give students an opportunitythis will ensure that students have an opportunity to develop these skills. Also, if students know that their assignments are being checked for plagiarism, the prospect of detection may deter them from plagiarisingthis will be enough to deter them from doing so. For instance, many universities already use this kind of software to scan coursework for plagiarism, and it could be extended to include all work submitted by studentsall homework by learners in both secondary and tertiary education. In conclusion, the main problems with the overuse of technology in education are the lack of original thought and plagiarism. These can be solved through special classes that teach students analytical skills and the use of plagiarism-detection softwareand plagiarism detection software.
Why this response received Band 7.5
The response directly answers both parts, pairs each problem with a practical solution, and supports the discussion with relevant educational examples. Its main limitation is presentation as one uninterrupted paragraph, which obscures an otherwise clear problem-solution structure and makes the argument unnecessarily dense. The highest-priority improvement is to divide the essay into a brief introduction, focused problem and solution paragraphs, and a concise conclusion.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both identified problems are matched with relevant, well-developed solutions and supported by plausible examples.
Distinguish more sharply between weakened independent thinking and plagiarism so each problem receives separate analytical depth.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through problems and solutions, but the entire response is presented as one dense paragraph.
Separate the introduction, main problem and solution sections, and conclusion into clear paragraphs while preserving the existing logical links.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a broad and generally precise academic vocabulary suited to education, technology, and plagiarism.
Reduce repetition of words such as students and problems by using carefully chosen reference and controlled substitution.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Varied complex sentences are produced with strong control, and the few awkward constructions do not affect clarity.
Refine parallel structures, especially when coordinating proposed solutions, to make already accurate sentences more polished.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Students are becoming more and more reliant on technology. What are some of the problems associated with reliance on computers, and what are some of the possible solutions?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.