Does Technology Make People Less Social?
A complete IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 question with a model answer of 263 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 40 minutes. Write at least 250 words.
Some people believe that modern technology is making people less sociable, while others think it helps us connect with more people than ever before. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Write at least 250 words.
How to approach it
- 01Address BOTH views before giving your opinion
- 02Use specific examples, not just abstract claims
- 03Your opinion should be clear and consistent throughout
- 04Each body paragraph should have a clear topic sentence
- 05Use academic vocabulary: 'it is often argued', 'legitimate observations'
Model answer
263 words in 5 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
It is often argued that technological advances, particularly smartphones and social media, have diminished the quality of human interaction. While there is merit to this concern, I believe technology has ultimately expanded our capacity for meaningful connection.
Those who argue technology reduces sociability point to legitimate observations. In public spaces, people are frequently absorbed in their phones rather than engaging with those around them. Family dinners are interrupted by notifications, and face-to-face conversations often compete with the pull of digital distractions. Research by Turkle at MIT has shown that even the mere presence of a phone on a table reduces the depth and empathy of conversations between people.
However, technology has also democratised social connection in unprecedented ways. People can maintain relationships across continents through video calls, reconnect with lost friends through social platforms, and find communities of like-minded individuals who may not exist in their immediate geography. For marginalised groups — whether based on identity, disability, or rural isolation — technology has provided lifelines to social connection that would otherwise be impossible.
In my view, technology is a tool whose social impact depends entirely on how we use it. The same smartphone that distracts us at dinner also enables a grandmother to watch her grandchild take first steps from thousands of miles away. The key lies in developing digital literacy and intentional usage habits rather than blaming the technology itself.
In conclusion, while concerns about technology's impact on sociability are valid, the net effect has been to expand rather than diminish our social worlds. The responsibility lies with individuals to use these tools thoughtfully.
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 69 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
28 fewer than the median answer for this task type
10 words at the shortest, 30 at the longest
1 fewer than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 18.8 words and vary by 6 words either side of that, running from 10 words to 30. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 9 of the 14 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
5 in total, spread across 2 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
however, while
in conclusion, ultimately
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 83 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 73 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 2 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Response
Address both views and give a clear opinion
Coherence & Cohesion
Clear paragraph structure with logical progression
Lexical Resource
Academic vocabulary with precise word choices
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Complex structures with accuracy
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