Working From Home: Younger or Older Workers?
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 2 question with a model answer of 294 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.
Working from home has become increasingly common in recent years. Some people think that younger workers benefit most from this arrangement, while others believe it is more beneficial for older workers. Which group do you think gains more from working from home? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience. Write at least 250 words.
How to approach it
- 01Take a clear position in the introduction — which group benefits more — and stick to it
- 02Acknowledge the other side briefly to show balance, then build your stronger case
- 03Use personal or observed examples (your workplace, family) — this is encouraged in General Training Task 2
- 04Group ideas by theme (commuting, caring, technology) rather than listing disconnected points
- 05Use a friendly but educated register — slightly less formal than Academic Task 2
- 06Conclude by restating your view and offering a practical implication or recommendation
Model answer
294 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.
Remote working has shifted from a temporary pandemic measure to a permanent feature of many industries, prompting debate over which age group it suits best. While younger employees value the flexibility, I believe older workers gain more overall benefit from the arrangement.
There is no doubt that younger workers enjoy real advantages when they can work from home. Many save substantially on rent by living outside expensive city centres, and the absence of a long commute leaves more time for further study, side projects or simply rest. People in their twenties and early thirties also tend to be more comfortable with the digital tools that make remote collaboration possible, from project management apps to video calling platforms. For new parents in this group, working from home can be the difference between continuing a career and stepping back from it.
However, the gains for older workers are arguably more significant. Many employees in their late forties and fifties have responsibilities that pull in several directions at once — older children, ageing parents, and sometimes health conditions of their own. Eliminating a daily commute frees up the time and energy needed to manage these competing demands. Older workers also tend to have well-developed self-discipline and established professional networks, which means productivity rarely suffers when they work remotely. In my own family, my aunt was able to extend her career by several years after her firm introduced hybrid working; without that flexibility, the strain of caring for her mother would have forced her to retire early.
In conclusion, although younger workers clearly appreciate the lifestyle benefits of remote work, older employees gain more in terms of career longevity, caring responsibilities and overall wellbeing. Employers who wish to retain experienced staff should make working from home a permanent option.
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 more than the median answer for this task type
10 words at the shortest, 38 at the longest
2 more than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 22.6 words and vary by 7.5 words either side of that, running from 10 words to 38. 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 13 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
8 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, however, while
once
in conclusion, overall
arguably
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 77 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 63 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 3 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
Clear answer to the question with relevant reasons and personal examples
Coherence & Cohesion
Logical organisation with clear topic sentences and linking devices
Lexical Resource
Range of vocabulary on work, family, and lifestyle, used accurately
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Variety of sentence types including conditionals and modal verbs
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