Problems of Sedentary Lifestyles and Government Solutions
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 2 question with a model answer of 288 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.
Modern lifestyles are becoming increasingly sedentary, with people spending most of their time sitting at desks, in cars, and in front of screens. What problems does this cause, and how can governments address them? Write at least 250 words.
How to approach it
- 01Structure clearly: one paragraph on problems, one on government solutions
- 02Cover both physical and mental health consequences for depth in the problems section
- 03Use concrete policy examples — Copenhagen cycling, school PE, workplace incentives
- 04Avoid vague solutions like 'people should exercise more' — focus on what governments can do
- 05Use cause-effect language: 'is linked to', 'correlates with', 'leads to'
- 06Keep your introduction short and reach your first body paragraph quickly
Model answer
288 words in 4 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.
Across much of the developed and developing world, daily life has been quietly redesigned around chairs and screens. The consequences for public health are alarming, and although individual choices matter, governments are uniquely placed to reverse the trend through coordinated policy.
The problems associated with sedentary living are both physical and psychological. Prolonged sitting is now linked, in studies published by the World Health Organization, to higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Children who spend hours on tablets rather than playing outside develop weaker bones and poorer posture, while desk-bound adults suffer from chronic back pain and stiffness. Mental health is also affected: physical inactivity correlates strongly with anxiety and depression, partly because exercise releases mood-regulating neurochemicals that screen time does not. The economic cost is significant, with healthcare systems in countries such as the United Kingdom spending billions annually on conditions that are largely preventable.
Governments can address these problems through a combination of urban design, education, and regulation. Cities can be redesigned to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists rather than cars, following the example of Copenhagen, where dedicated cycle lanes have made commuting by bicycle the default for many residents. Schools can be required to provide at least one hour of physical education each day and to limit screen-based homework. Workplaces could be incentivised, through tax breaks, to offer standing desks, walking meetings, and on-site gyms. Public health campaigns, modelled on successful anti-smoking efforts, can also shift cultural attitudes towards movement.
In conclusion, sedentary lifestyles pose a genuine public health crisis whose costs reach far beyond individual waistlines. Through thoughtful urban planning, school reform, and workplace incentives, governments have both the responsibility and the tools to encourage a more active population.
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.
3 fewer than the median answer for this task type
11 words at the shortest, 31 at the longest
1 fewer than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 20.6 words and vary by 5.4 words either side of that, running from 11 words to 31. 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. 5 of the 14 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
5 in total, spread across 4 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.
although, while
because
such as
in conclusion
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 89 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 81 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
Clearly identify problems and propose realistic government solutions
Coherence & Cohesion
Logical structure with effective cause-effect linkers
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary for health, lifestyle, and public policy
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Range of complex structures including conditionals and modals
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