GT-T2-005 General Training · Task 2 · intermediate · 40 min · 250+ words Two-Part Question Technology

Technology and Children

The question

Children today spend increasing amounts of time using electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. Some people believe this technology use is beneficial for children's development, while others worry about negative effects on their physical and social development. What is your opinion? Support your view with specific reasons and examples. Write at least 250 words.

Instructions

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. • Take a clear position on technology use by children • Provide specific reasons for your viewpoint • Use examples from education, development, or family experience • Consider both benefits and potential risks

How to approach this two-part question question

A two-part question asks two direct questions. Answer both fully, one in each body paragraph.

Paraphrase the topic and say how you will answer both questions.
Body 1 answers question one with reasons and an example.
Body 2 answers question two with reasons and an example.
Conclude with a short summary of both answers.

How to plan this answer

Structure

Introduction: paraphrase the growth in children's device use and state your opinion clearly in one sentence.
Body paragraph 1: give specific benefits for children's development, such as learning apps and digital skills.
Body paragraph 2: explain the risks to physical development, such as reduced outdoor play and disrupted sleep.
Body paragraph 3: explain the risks to social development, such as weaker face-to-face skills and exposure to cyberbullying.
Conclusion: restate your opinion and recommend specific measures, such as time limits and parental involvement.

Idea bank

Learning: educational apps that help young children practise reading or basic maths in a playful way.
Digital skills: early exposure to devices can help children become confident with the tools they will use later.
Physical risk: screen time can replace outdoor play, and screens used late at night can disrupt sleep.
Social risk: heavy use may reduce time for face-to-face conversation and cooperative play with other children.
Solutions: co-viewing with parents, agreed time limits, and parental controls set to suit a child's age.

Useful vocabulary

digital literacy: Early digital literacy can prepare children for school and work.
screen time: Excessive screen time can reduce the hours children spend on physical activity.
sedentary: Long periods of sedentary play can contribute to weight gain and poor posture.
co-viewing: Co-viewing allows parents to discuss what children are watching or playing.
parental controls: Parental controls can limit access to content that is unsuitable for young children.
social development: Regular play with other children supports social development.
cyberbullying: Cyberbullying can have serious effects on a child's confidence.
sleep routine: A device-free hour before bed helps protect a child's sleep routine.
in moderation: Technology can be beneficial when it is used in moderation and with clear boundaries.

Common mistakes

Stating an opinion but supporting it with general claims rather than specific reasons.
Discussing benefits and risks without making clear which side you think outweighs the other.
Ignoring the physical and social development named in the prompt.
Giving examples that are too vague, such as 'technology is good for children'.
Ending with recommendations that contradict the argument developed in the body.

Examiner tip: Answer the opinion question in your introduction, then use the physical and social development areas named in the prompt as the basis of your body paragraphs.

Model answers by band score

Written for this question to show what changes from one band to the next. Try the task yourself first, then compare.

Band 6 answer

Today children use smartphones, tablets and computers more and more. Some people say that this is good for the development, but other people are worried about the effect on the health and the social skills. In my opinion, technology can be useful for children, but only if parents control it. On the one hand, there are many benefits. Children can learn a lot from the devices, for example with educational apps and videos. In many schools students use tablets to do homework and to research information, and this make learning more interesting. Also, children who use computers early learn skills which will be important for their future jobs. For example, my nephew learned to read English with an app when he was five years old. On the other hand, the risks are serious. If children sit in front of a screen for many hours, they do not do enough exercise, and it can cause problems like obesity and bad eyes. Another problem is that children who spend all their time on devices have fewer chances to speak with other people, so their social skills do not develop well. Also, they can see bad things on the Internet, and some children become addicted to games. For this reason, I think the parents have an important role. They should make rules about the time that children can use the devices, for example one or two hours a day, and they should check what the children are watching. They should also encourage the children to play outside and to meet friends. In conclusion, technology has both advantages and disadvantages for children, but if the use is limited and controlled, the benefits can be bigger than the risks.

Why this is band 6

States a clear opinion (useful only if controlled) and considers both benefits and risks, as the question requires.
Examples (a nephew learning English with an app) are relevant but simple, and the points are only partly developed.
Errors such as 'this make learning' and 'the development' and repetition of 'children' and 'devices' show a limited range, though the message is clear.
To reach Band 7, it would develop each point with more precise support and use more varied vocabulary and structures with fewer errors.

Band 7 answer

Children today spend a growing amount of time on smartphones, tablets and computers. Some people believe this helps their development, while others fear it harms their physical and social wellbeing. In my view, technology can be genuinely beneficial, provided that its use is limited and supervised. The advantages are significant. Educational apps and videos allow children to learn at their own pace, and in many schools tablets are used for research and interactive lessons that hold pupils' attention far better than a textbook. Moreover, children who become comfortable with technology early are better prepared for a working world in which digital skills are essential. A young relative of mine, for instance, learned to read basic English from an app before he started school. Nevertheless, the risks should not be ignored. Children who spend hours in front of screens often take too little exercise, which contributes to obesity and eyesight problems. There is also a social cost: time spent online can replace face-to-face play, which is where children practise sharing, negotiating and reading other people's emotions. In addition, unsupervised access exposes them to unsuitable content and to games that are designed to be addictive. For this reason, parental involvement is crucial. Families should set clear daily time limits, choose educational content and keep devices out of bedrooms at night. Schools can also teach children to use the Internet safely. Above all, parents should encourage outdoor activity and time with friends, so that technology supplements, rather than replaces, normal childhood experiences. In conclusion, electronic devices are neither entirely good nor entirely bad for children; their effect depends on how much and how wisely they are used.

Why this is band 7

The opinion is clear from the introduction and carried through, covering benefits, risks and a practical way forward.
Ideas are developed with relevant support (learning at one's own pace, face-to-face play, practising negotiation) and a personal example.
Good range of vocabulary ('supplements, rather than replaces') with only a few minor slips.
To reach Band 8, it would use more specific evidence and more precise, flexible phrasing.

Band 8 answer

Children now spend a growing share of their day on smartphones, tablets and computers. While some argue that this supports their development, others fear for their physical and social wellbeing. In my view, technology is a valuable tool for children, provided that its use is limited and supervised. The benefits are considerable. Educational apps and videos allow children to learn at their own pace, and in many classrooms tablets support research and interactive lessons that hold attention far more effectively than a textbook. Early familiarity with technology also equips children for a working world in which digital competence is taken for granted. A young relative of mine, for instance, learned to read basic English from an app before he started school. Nevertheless, the risks deserve to be taken seriously. Children who spend hours in front of a screen often take too little exercise, which contributes to obesity and eyesight problems. There is a social cost too, since time online can displace the face-to-face play through which children learn to share, negotiate and read other people's emotions. Furthermore, unsupervised access exposes them to unsuitable content and to games that are deliberately designed to be addictive. It follows that parental involvement is decisive. Families can set daily time limits, choose educational content and keep devices out of bedrooms at night, while schools can teach safe and critical use of the Internet. Above all, adults should protect time for outdoor activity and friendships, so that technology supplements rather than replaces a normal childhood. In conclusion, electronic devices are neither wholly harmful nor wholly beneficial; their effect depends on how much they are used and how wisely.

Why this is band 8

A clear, consistent position that weighs both benefits and risks and arrives at a practical conclusion.
Ideas are fully extended and well chosen, such as time online displacing the face-to-face play through which children learn to negotiate.
Precise, flexible vocabulary ('displace', 'digital competence', 'deliberately designed to be addictive') with rare errors.
To reach Band 9, it would give more original insight and use even more natural, economical phrasing, avoiding some predictable constructions.

Band 9 answer

Children now spend a growing share of their waking hours on smartphones, tablets and computers. Some argue that this accelerates their development; others fear for their physical and social wellbeing. I take the view that technology is a powerful tool for children, but only when its use is bounded and supervised. Its benefits are substantial. Educational apps and videos allow children to learn at their own pace, and in many classrooms tablets support research and interactive lessons that hold attention far better than a textbook. Early familiarity with technology also equips children for a working world in which digital competence is taken for granted. A young relative of mine, for instance, learned to read basic English from an app before starting school. Yet the risks are real. Children who spend hours on screens often take too little exercise, which contributes to obesity and eyestrain. The social cost may be subtler but no less important: time online can displace the face-to-face play through which children learn to share, negotiate and interpret other people's emotions. Unsupervised browsing also exposes them to unsuitable content and to games engineered to be hard to put down. The decisive factor, then, is not the device but the adult. Families can set daily limits, choose worthwhile content and keep screens out of bedrooms at night, while schools can teach children to evaluate what they find online. Above all, adults should safeguard time for outdoor activity and friendship, so that technology supplements, rather than replaces, a normal childhood. In short, electronic devices are neither wholly harmful nor wholly beneficial; the outcome depends on how much children use them and how wisely.

Why this is band 9

Clear, nuanced position throughout; the essay concludes that 'the decisive factor is not the device but the adult', which gives it real insight.
Benefits, risks and solutions are fully developed, with relevant examples from education, development and family life as the instructions request.
Sophisticated, natural, precise language ('engineered to be hard to put down', 'bounded and supervised') with essentially no errors.
Cohesion is seamless, working through logical progression rather than mechanical linkers.

Band levels are our estimate against the public IELTS criteria; they are not official scores.

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