IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer (band score 8-9)
IELTS Essay # 1220 - Many working people get little or no exercise
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IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Essay:
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Many working people get little or no exercise either during the working day or in their free time, and have health problems as a result.
Why do so many working people not get enough exercise?
What can be done about this problem?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Model Answer 1: [Band 8 Essay Sample]
Nowadays, the ratio of employed people who suffer from different health-related issues is increasing faster than ever and their general health condition is deteriorating. Such a cataclysm has stemmed from work pressure, lack of physical exercise and dependency on machines to do our work. Exercise, encouragement from the employer and the government to do workouts, and finally, a balanced diet are the solutions to this problem.
One of the primary reasons for working people not to do enough or any exercise is the abysmal working conditions where working life is extremely competitive and full of anxiety. For instance, employers have constant deadlines and tough targets at their offices, and to achieve them, they have to work long hours each day. It drains their stamina, and as a consequence, they do not want to do any exercise even when they are at home. In addition, dependency on technology has deteriorated the condition. Due to technological advancements, people have exchanged the available time for exercise with browsing the internet, watching television and checking their accounts on social media websites. They also prefer to drive than to walk, and use washing machines to clean their clothes - just to give some examples. This trend, in turn, has negative impacts on their health.
To address this problem, physical exercise is a "must". To remain fit, those workers have to stop leading a sedentary lifestyle and start moving. The government can facilitate outdoor activities so that people get out and take part in those activities after office hours. Employers have to realise that healthy employees mean better productivity and they should arrange exercise facilities at the office premises. To give an example of how sports and exercise facilities can encourage employees to do some workouts, we can take offices near parks and gyms as an example. It is evident that employees in those offices are practically more inclined to do exercise than those who are located in areas where public parks and exercise facilities are rare. Finally, the workers have to follow a balanced diet to achieve better results, and the office can help them with that too.
In conclusion, exercise is essential to our health, productivity and life. In consequence, workers, authorities, employers, and individuals should collaborate to make everyone's lifestyle healthier by adding more time for exercise and helping them follow a balanced diet.
Model Answer 2:
Physical inactivity has become a major health concern in modern society, with many working individuals leading a sedentary lifestyle. This has led to a plethora of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and heart diseases. The reasons for this lack of exercise amongst working individuals are multifaceted, but some potential solutions do exist.
One reason for this phenomenon is the nature of many modern jobs, which require individuals to sit at a desk for long periods of time. This lack of physical activity is further exacerbated by the widespread use of technology, which means that many tasks can be performed without leaving one's desk. Additionally, the pressure to meet work targets and deadlines can lead to longer working hours, leaving little time for exercise.
Another contributing factor is the availability of leisure time activities. Many people tend to choose passive activities such as watching television or browsing social media over physical exercise due to convenience and ease. Furthermore, the high cost of gym memberships or other physical activities can deter some individuals from engaging in regular exercise.
There are several solutions to this problem. Employers can take an active role in promoting physical activity by providing facilities such as on-site gyms, standing desks, and incentives for employees who engage in regular exercise. Additionally, introducing regular breaks during the workday to engage in physical activity can also be effective. Governments can also play a role in encouraging physical activity by providing public parks and recreation areas.
In conclusion, the lack of exercise among working individuals is a multifaceted problem, caused by a combination of factors such as sedentary jobs and the availability of leisure time activities. Nevertheless, solutions such as the provision of facilities and breaks during the workday can promote physical activity, leading to better health outcomes.
Idea Generation for this IELTS Essay:
Essay question:
Many working people get little or no exercise either during the working day or in their free time, and have health problems as a result.
Why do so many working people not get enough exercise?
What can be done about this problem?
Essay type:
Cause & Solution Essay.
The main question of this essay:
A) Why do many working individuals fail to get enough exercise?
B) What solutions can help address this issue?
Reasons why many working people do not get enough exercise:
1. Busy work schedules and long working hours:
Many employees work extended hours, leaving them with little time or energy for physical activities. The pressure to meet deadlines and complete tasks often takes priority over exercise. For example, corporate professionals working 10–12 hours a day rarely find time for a workout, leading to a sedentary lifestyle.
2. Sedentary job roles and lack of physical movement:
Many jobs, especially office-based ones, involve sitting for prolonged periods with minimal physical activity. Unlike physically demanding jobs, these roles do not provide natural exercise. For instance, IT professionals or administrative workers spend most of their time in front of a computer, resulting in limited physical movement.
3. Lack of motivation and awareness:
Some individuals do not prioritize exercise due to a lack of awareness about its long-term health benefits or simply lack the motivation to engage in physical activities. For example, people who do not experience immediate health issues may not feel the need to incorporate exercise into their routine until problems arise.
4. Family and personal commitments:
Many working individuals, especially parents, have additional responsibilities such as childcare, household chores, and social obligations, leaving little room for exercise. For example, a working mother who has to cook, clean, and take care of children may struggle to find time for a daily workout.
5. Lack of access to fitness facilities or outdoor spaces:
Some people live in areas where there are no gyms, parks, or open spaces suitable for exercise, making it harder for them to engage in physical activities. For instance, employees living in densely populated urban areas with no nearby parks may find it inconvenient to work out regularly.
Solutions to encourage working people to exercise more:
1. Promoting workplace wellness programs:
Companies can introduce wellness initiatives such as gym memberships, on-site fitness sessions, or standing desks to encourage employees to stay active. For example, some multinational firms provide in-house gym facilities or yoga classes to promote employee well-being.
2. Encouraging active commuting and movement breaks:
Employees can be encouraged to walk or cycle to work instead of driving, and take short breaks to stretch or move around during office hours. For instance, organizations can introduce a "walk-and-talk" meeting policy to incorporate movement into daily tasks.
3. Raising awareness about the importance of exercise:
Governments and health organizations should launch awareness campaigns emphasizing the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle and the benefits of regular exercise. For example, social media campaigns promoting simple home workouts or step challenges can encourage individuals to stay active.
4. Providing flexible work hours and remote work options:
Allowing employees to have more control over their schedules can enable them to set aside time for exercise without compromising their work responsibilities. For instance, companies that offer remote work options allow workers to integrate short workout sessions into their day.
5. Making exercise enjoyable and accessible:
People are more likely to engage in fitness activities if they find them enjoyable, such as joining a sports club, dancing, or using interactive fitness apps. For example, apps like Strava or Fitbit encourage users to track their progress, making exercise more engaging and fun.
6. Employers offer exercise facilities at offices:
Workplaces can incorporate fitness-friendly environments, such as in-office gyms, standing desks, or designated exercise areas, to encourage physical activity during work hours. For example, some companies have introduced treadmill desks or dedicated workout spaces, allowing employees to stay active without leaving the office.
7. Employers offer gym and fitness centre membership:
Providing employees with free or subsidized gym memberships can encourage them to prioritize exercise and integrate it into their daily routines. For instance, large corporations like Google and Apple offer fitness memberships as part of their employee benefits to promote a healthier workforce.
Why do so many working people not get enough exercise?
What can be done about this problem?
Many employees have almost no time for exercise in their daily routine, which is deteriorating their health conditions. In this essay, I will elaborate on the causes of this problem and propose some solutions.
First of all, the insufficient exercise of office employees largely attributes to their very long working hours. Many people desire to get a job with a big salary to have a better lifestyle. However, those lucrative jobs often entail tremendous workloads, resulting in forcing them to cut their time or energy requires for engaging in exercises. In addition to this, in the modern world, transportation systems are highly developed. Thus, many people take trains, buses or private cars to commute instead of walking or riding bicycles.
One of the primary solutions for this aggravating health issue caused by the lack of exercise is to make more use of technologies to enhance working efficiency. Even though digital innovations have been advancing, many workers are still swamped with monotonous tasks or tedious chores. Therefore, emancipating people from those tasks would be effective to promote them to do exercise. Additionally, creating gyms nearby offices or inside the office premises is also a plausible solution. Great accessibility is one of the significant factors for busy persons to hit the gym regularly. Hence, minimizing distances to gyms would encourage more working people to augment their time to work out.
To recapitulate, a great proportion of workers do not exercise which leads to various diseases. This is because long working hours prevent them from taking the time and energy to exercise. Moreover, convenient transports have replaced the habit of walking or riding bicycles during commuting. To change the egregious situation, we should accelerate in using modern technologies to reduce redundant tasks and increase accessible gyms to enable people to go there more frequently.
Why do so many working people not get enough exercise?
What can be done about this problem?
It is an indisputable fact that a large number of working men and women lead sedentary life and experience very little or no physical activity throughout the week. This problematic aspect of life is leading to health quandaries. There are numerous reasons for this. A few possible preventive measures can improve the situation to a great extent.
Drawing on my knowledge and experience, there has been ample scientific evidence revealing that sedentary life is extremely harmful to human health, resulting in problems such as obesity. Nowadays, as we live in the era of the Digital Age, almost everything is done in front of computers. Starting from money transactions, sales, marketing and so on which requires long office hours in a long-term manner. Another inevitable fact leading to this trend is the lack of time. By far the most cogent reason for this is that mainly the young, the middle-aged, and the old all busy with daily responsibilitie s leaving less time for fitness. Moreover, the membership costs of a good fitness club or a gymnasium is also high. By and large, although working male and female sacrifice their precious health for working hard in offices, not everyone has enough funds and/or time to afford gyms or fitness clubs.
On the other hand, there are grounds to believe that employers might play a significant role in improving working circumstances and workers' health condition. For example, employees might have a special room with the required fitness equipment suitable for office conditions where they could have light exercises. They can also offer nutritious food during lunch and snacks time. But, physical activity and diet habit will depend on individuals and their lifestyle choices.
In conclusion, employers can take initiative to help employees maintain a healthy lifestyle, at least during office hours, and on top of that, our personal lifestyle choice can also help us with that.
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