People Work Long Hours Leaving Little Time for Leisure – IELTS Writing task 2

In the Advantage Disadvantage essays of IELTS Writing Task 2, like ‘People Work Long Hours Leaving Little Time for Leisure’, you have to note down the benefits and drawbacks of a particular aspect, like studying abroad, tourism, school systems, free healthcare, working overtime, etc. As a result, the structure of the essay is comparatively easy to frame as all you need is four paragraphs – Introduction, Body Paragraph 1 (advantages), Body Paragraph 2 (disadvantages) and Conclusion.

We will have a look at an advantage and disadvantage essay – People Work Long Hours Leaving Little Time for Leisure – with Sample Answers ranging from Band 7 to 9, accompanied by vocabulary, which will not only boost your IELTS preparation but also enhance your word bank. If you feel you need to practise more essays to master this task, you can check out the IELTS Writing Task 2 Practice Tests.

Let’s have a look at the Advantages and Disadvantages essay –People Work Long Hours Leaving Little Time for Leisure – with three expert-curated sample answers ranging from Band 7 to 9.

Question

Outline

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Band 7 Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 Question – People Work Long Hours Leaving Little Time for Leisure

In the modern world, working longer hours is becoming prevalent, especially among younger people who often lack free time for various reasons. While there may be some positive aspects to this situation, a number of drawbacks could be listed and both will be covered in this essay.

To start with, people who work more may grow more self-assured as their social and professional abilities improve. For example, employees who work longer hours at a company grow into strong, independent individuals as a result of acquiring experience, which boosts their confidence and opens up more career options. Also, by not wasting time on hobbies, people may feel more like they are using their time wisely. Their sense of confidence usually increases as a result.

However, there are several drawbacks to extended work hours. First of all, fatigue from lengthened workdays is likely to occur. Their mental health is badly impacted by this circumstance. Further, after working for extended periods of time, people become tired, which can lead to numerous mistakes in their work. For instance, if doctors worked long shifts all the time, they would become so tired that they would misdiagnose illnesses. It was therefore stated that engaging in leisure activities is essential for mental relaxation, which lowers mistake rates.

All in all, although working long hours may have certain benefits, the drawbacks of not being able to relax clearly exceed these benefits. It follows that everyone needs to manage their workload adequately. (243 words)

Band 7 Vocabulary 

• Prevalent

Meaning: existing very commonly or happening often

Example: Marrying at a young age was prevalent in that era.

• Self-assured

Meaning: having confidence in your own abilities

Example: It was good to see that he has grown up into a self-assured man.

• Extended 

Meaning: long or longer than usual

Example: When my cousin extended her stay, I was overjoyed.

• Fatigue 

Meaning: extreme tiredness

Example: After a whole day’s work, fatigue overcomes her and she falls asleep.

• Lengthened 

Meaning: make or become longer

Example: The days are lengthened and nights are shortened during summer.

• Misdiagnose 

Meaning: to state that a person has a particular illness or condition, when in fact they have a different one

Example: Although the disease was misdiagnosed, the patient became healthy under good care.

Band 8 Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 Question – People Work Long Hours Leaving Little Time for Leisure

Problems associated with extended work hours are a common topic of conversation these days. It is undeniable that a work-life imbalance has an impact on people’s lifestyles nowadays. It can be asserted that there are more drawbacks to this tendency than benefits. This essay will examine both the disadvantages and advantages of this phenomenon.

On the one hand, staying late at work has a number of benefits. The primary merit lies in the accumulation of valuable experience as employees commit additional time to their professional duties. In other words, numerous professions necessitate extensive hours to achieve professional qualifications. For instance, roles in healthcare, where substantial experience, patience, and talent are requisite attributes. Furthermore, extended periods of time spent on the job offer occasions for honing skills and acquiring expertise in specific domains.

On the other hand, spending more time at work comes with certain drawbacks. Foremost among them is the reduction in available time for leisure activities. This implies that individuals struggling to complete their tasks within regular hours are compromising their work-life equilibrium. For example, an individual compelled to remain in the office until the late hours would consequently forfeit the opportunity to share a dinner with their family or engage in fitness activities at the gym. Additionally, these challenges can potentially lead to both mental and physical health issues.

In conclusion, it appears that working longer hours has more drawbacks than benefits. While there are numerous benefits to working long hours, such as enhanced abilities and character, there can also be severe drawbacks, such as increased risk of mental health issues and physical ailments. (266 words)

Band 8 Vocabulary 

• Asserted 

Meaning: to behave in a way that expresses your confidence, importance, or power and earns you respect from others

Example: Everybody agreed to his decision when he asserted himself.

• Phenomenon

Meaning: an observable fact or event

Example: Every natural phenomenon has a beauty of its own.

• Accumulation 

Meaning: an amount of something that has been collected

Example: Due to lack of proper drainage system, there was an accumulation of water on the roads.

• Necessitate 

Meaning: to cause something to be needed, or to make something necessary

Example: The early-bird offer necessitates you to apply for the course as early as possible.

• Domain

Meaning: an area of interest or an area over which a person has control

Example: He is an expert in his domain of coding.

• Equilibrium

Meaning: a state of intellectual or emotional balance

Example: Stress is caused when the equilibrium of our body is disturbed.

• Forfeit 

Meaning: to lose the right to do or have something because you have broken a rule

Example: Mrs. Roberts forfeited her rights over the property before she left the country.

• Ailment

Meaning: an illness or health problem

Example: The ailment he is suffering from has been diagnosed correctly.

Band 9 Sample Answer for Writing Task 2 Question – People Work Long Hours Leaving Little Time for Leisure

Band 9 Vocabulary 

• Recreation 

Meaning: time when people do things for enjoyment when they are not working

Example: He did not have any recreation during his youth and he regrets it now.

• Augmented 

Meaning: to make something larger or fuller by adding something to it

Example: The profit was augmented by the increase in the number of enrolments.

• Supplement 

Meaning: to add more people or things to an activity or process in order to improve it

Example: His wife started a small business to supplement their family income.

• Prolonged 

Meaning: continuing for a long time

Example: After a prolonged time of crisis, the company made a huge profit.

• Burnout

Meaning: extreme tiredness or a feeling of not being able to work any more, caused by working too hard

Example: People should enjoy some leisure time to avoid burnout and reduction in productivity.

• Sustaining 

Meaning: to cause or allow something to continue for a period of time

Example: Their sustaining friendship impressed everyone.

• Hinder 

Meaning: to limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something

Example: The outdated policies hinder development of infrastructure in the country.

• Unwind 

Meaning: to make or become relaxed

Example: Mr. John took a long vacation to unwind himself with his family.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Connectors for Gaining Bonus Points in the Sample Answers for ‘People Work Long Hours Leaving Little Time for Leisure’

Connectors or Linking words helps to bring coherence to your writing and increase your chances of scoring a high band. So, check out the list of connectors/linking words used in the sample responses for the IELTS Writing Task 2 – People Work Long Hours Leaving Little Time for Leisure.

• To start with
• For example/For instance/ To exemplify
• Also/Further/Furthermore/Additionally/In addition to
• However/Nonetheless
• First of all
• All in all
• On the one hand
• On the other hand/On the flip side
• In other words
• In conclusion/To sum up
• Firstly…Secondly…Lastly

Now that you have gone through the sample answers on the topic – People Work Long Hours Leaving Little Time for Leisure – it is time for you to try writing on your own. For that, leave your answers as a comment below or you can use our FREE evaluation service!

Additional Resources

• Many Working People get little or no Exercise either During the Working Day- IELTS Writing Task 2
• IELTS Writing 2 Topic: People tend to work longer hours nowadays
• How to Plan an IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay (Best Strategy)
• IELTS Writing Task 2 – Which Do You Prefer Planning or Not Planning For Leisure Time?
• IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic 06: Many families find it necessary for both parents go out to work
• IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic 07: Is it right to exclude males or females from certain professions because of their gender?