Unit 8 Writing Task 2 - Distance within Modern Families

Model Answer A: IELTS Band 5+

Fill in the blanks with the words and phrases in the box below.

stayed at home to take care of the children       governments could subsidise parents        than ever before       are no longer as close as they once were       would be a good first step One other factor       I will firstly discuss the causes of       increasingly common        Another positive step       the primary cause of this problem       the financial pain

Lack of communication and closeness between family members is a vitally important issue in many societies today. In this essay, I will firstly discuss the causes of this problem and then offer some possible solutions to it.

In my view, the primary cause of this problem is the modern lifestyle. Most parents today work much harder than ever before. In the past, one parent – usually the mother – stayed at home to take care of the children. In recent times, however, it has become increasingly common for both parents to work. As a result, more and more children now grow up with neither parent at home. It is unsurprising, then, that families are no longer as close as they once were.

One other factor adding to this problem is that people today spend too much time on solitary activities like watching television. In order to overcome this problem and make families closer, people’s lifestyle must change. I feel more parents should stay at home and take care of their children. Perhaps governments could subsidise parents who choose to look after their families rather than work. Of course, these subsidies would probably not fully cover the income a family would lose, but they would reduce the financial pain of surviving on one income and if a parent wanted to stay home, he or she could afford to do so. Another positive step would be to promote active pastimes through public education programmes.

To conclude, while it is improbable that any solution will be found in the near future, I feel that the above mentioned measures would be a good first step.

(280 words)

Model Answer B: IELTS Band 7+

Using the same colours as the phrases in the box above, highlight the equivalent phrases in the essay below. The first one has been done for you as an example.

Divorce and family breakdown were virtually unheard of just 100 years ago. Now, however, almost half of all marriages fail. This phenomenon is symptomatic of the growing distance between family members in modern society. In this essay, I intend to explore the sources of this problem along with some possible solutions to it.

Chief among the causes of this problem is the modern lifestyle. Today’s parents have to work harder than those of previous generations to support their families. Traditionally, one parent assumed the role of breadwinner, while the other – typically the mother – acted as the homemaker. Recently, though, double income families have become the norm. Consequently, an increasing number of children now grow up in a parentless environment. Little wonder, then, that they feel alienated.

Another contributing factor is the passive and solitary nature of many modern forms of entertainment. In order to resolve this sense of alienation within families, I believe we must first address its root causes. Perhaps the most effective method of doing this would be for governments to offer financial incentives to parents who choose to remain at home and take care of their families. Admittedly, such incentives would probably not fully compensate couples for lost income; however, they would at least soften the hardship of living on a single income and provide an alternative for parents who would rather remain at home but are unable to do so because of financial constraints. One further measure would be to promote more interactive leisure activities in the community through public education campaigns.

In conclusion, I believe that this is clearly a problem of such complexity that no solution is likely in the short term. However, I believe that the measures outlined above would constitute a good first step.

(292 words)