Technology · Problem and solution · Band 7.5
The Smartphone Addiction Problem
The question, a model answer written to the band 7.5 descriptors, why it scores that band against the 4 official criteria, topic vocabulary, and a common mistake to avoid.
Problem and solution
Many young people now spend several hours a day on their smartphones, which some experts consider a form of addiction. What problems does this cause and what measures could be taken to reduce it? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.
Model answer (band 7.5)
Written to the band 7.5 descriptors, not by a real examiner. Read it for structure and language, then write your own in your own words. Examiners can tell a memorised essay from an original one.
Heavy smartphone use among young people has moved from a lifestyle habit to, for some, a genuine behavioural dependency, and the problems it causes extend well beyond simple distraction.
The most immediate consequence is sleep disruption. Blue light exposure late at night delays the release of melatonin, and the constant pull of notifications keeps many teenagers checking their phones until well past a reasonable bedtime, leaving them chronically tired during the school day. This fatigue, in turn, undermines concentration and academic performance, creating a cycle that is difficult to break without external intervention. A second, less visible problem is the erosion of attention span: constant notifications train the brain to expect frequent novelty, making sustained focus on a single task, such as reading or studying, noticeably harder than it was for previous generations.
Addressing this requires action at several levels. Parents can establish phone-free periods, particularly before bedtime and during meals, modelling the behaviour themselves rather than simply imposing rules on children. Schools could extend existing bans on phone use during lessons and actively teach digital literacy, including how notification design is engineered to maximise engagement, so students understand the mechanism they are up against rather than simply being told to use less. At a broader level, technology companies could be required to build in stronger default limits, such as automatic night-time notification blocking, rather than leaving self-control entirely to the user.
In conclusion, smartphone overuse among young people damages both sleep and attention span, and the most effective response combines parental example, school-based digital literacy, and firmer design responsibility from technology companies themselves.
Why this answer scores band 7.5
Mapped to the 4 official IELTS Writing criteria.
- Task Response: identifies two specific, well-explained problems and matches each with a distinct, realistic solution rather than one vague recommendation.
- Coherence and Cohesion: a clear problem-then-solution structure with explicit sequencing ('A second, less visible problem') guiding the reader through the logic.
- Lexical Resource: accurate, topic-appropriate vocabulary ('melatonin', 'notification design', 'digital literacy') used with genuine understanding, not just for display.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: sophisticated structures (participle clauses, passive constructions) handled with consistent accuracy across the essay.
Useful vocabulary & collocations
Phrases used in the model answer that lift Lexical Resource naturally.
Common mistake on this type of question
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