friendship essay in ielts

IELTS WRITING TASK 2 [Agree or disagree]: Friendships Online, In Person

Sep 20, 2023 | IELTS Test

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Friendships that take place online are not as meaningful as those where 

people meet each other face to face.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

The mock essay below addresses the very common Agree/Disagree task type. As you read through, think about how it fully meets the task requirement by giving a clear opinion; presenting a number of relevant ideas; and how it maintains an advanced level of vocabulary with frequent higher-level, less common terms ( superficial, characterised, evaluated, overstatement, validity, eventuate etc). If you are not familiar with these words already, it is well worth taking the time to check in your learner’s dictionary to gain a fuller understanding and see example sentences of how they are used. Over-repetition of key terms is avoided (see how we substitute relationship for friendship in places), and there are a number of collocations ( body language, world view, visual platform, facial expressions etc) which an examiner would note in awarding a high score. 

Remember how the To what extent …. wording always gives us the option to take a position along the Scale of Agreement other than completely Agree/Disagree at the extremes. In this case, our position could be summarised as Mostly Disagree.  

Note too, that this is not a Discuss both views type task, so we are not required to present the view with which we do not agree. However, doing so demonstrates to the examiner our wider knowledge of the issue and the opportunity to show more terms related to this view.

There is also a variety of grammar forms, with frequent longer, complex sentences, but the final sentence is a shorter, simple structure: True friendships can and do eventuate through this medium. .  

Note too the use of passive verb forms ( could be viewed, can be…..evaluated in parts of the text.  

The essay is structured here in a five-paragraph format as follows:

Introduction : paraphrasing the topic and question; giving a clear opinion.

1st Body Paragraph : conceding/admitting the Agree side of the issue, with an example.

2nd Body Paragraph : refuting the Agree argument with a personal example. 

3rd Body Paragraph:   extending the Disagree view with reasoning and an example (Skype/Zoom). Note that this section could have formed the latter part of the 2 nd body paragraph without any problem, but we chose to focus the reader’s attention a little more on the idea here by separating it.

Conclusion : reinforcing the author’s opinion as stated in the Introduction 

Mock IELTS Task 2 Answer

It is often suggested that online friendships lack the degree of meaning possible in face-to-face relationships. While many of the former type could be viewed this way, I disagree with such a broad statement.

Admittedly, many internet relationships, usually via social media, can be judged as superficial. Some people say that those known in this way would be better characterised as acquaintances, with whom one can exchange views and information but who cannot become genuine friends like those we meet in person. They ask whether emotions can be really evaluated without seeing someone’s body language as well as speech intonation. They point out that exchanging a firm handshake or even a hug as with a true friend is of course not possible in this situation. 

However, to say no online contact can become a true friendship is an overstatement. I have a personal experience of this, whereby some years ago I joined an international group of online Scrabble players and began to share more non-game related views with one of the group players who was about the same age and had a very similar world outlook as my own, including a shared sense of humour. I felt I knew this person quite well and considered her a genuine friend before we did eventually meet when I traveled to her country.   

Additionally, with visual platforms like Skype or Zoom, it is now possible to see the other person speaking, and gain a fuller appreciation of them through their facial expressions and body language. Use of these platforms can negate most of the deficiencies said to prevent a real friendship developing. 

In short, while there is a validity in the view expressed, to suggest that it is impossible for an online contact to become a meaningful friendship is overstating the case. True friendships can and do eventuate through this medium. 

(308 words) 

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Describe a Close Friend [Speaking Part 2]

Posted by David S. Wills | Mar 10, 2018 | IELTS Tips , Speaking | 0

Friendship is a common IELTS topic and so it is essential that you can talk about your friends to succeed in the speaking exam. In fact, people and relationships are really important. You should learn how to speak about personality, appearance, and how we interact with one another. This could prove useful in any part of the speaking exam, but today we are going to look at a part two question, which asks us to describe a close friend.

Note that if you want to view this lesson as a video then you can scroll to the bottom of this page and watch the recorded version instead.

Describing People

Being able to describe people can prove really useful for the IELTS speaking part two because often you do have to describe someone. Of course, there are many people you could be asked to describe: a relative, a sportsperson , a pop star, a world leader, a teacher, a family member, and so on. You can’t predict the exact question, but you can be prepared to give a good description of a person by learning some useful language. Think about some personality adjectives:

• open-minded
• introverted
• hard-working
• trustworthy
• judgemental

You should also be able to talk about how you know each other, in the case of friends, family, and other acquaintances. Pay attention not just to getting the correct word, but using the right tense.

• We grow up together -> We grew up together
• I know him since we are children. -> I’ve known him since we were children.
• We are close when we are schoolmates, but now we grow apart. -> We were close when we were schoolmates, but now we’ve grown apart.

Relationship Vocabulary

I posted this about five months ago, but it’s useful so here it is again. This PPT contains important language for describing friends or family:

Describe a Close Friend

As with any IELTS speaking part 2 question, you need to look at the cue card and quickly analyse it – what exactly does it ask you to do? What are the important things to say?

Here’s how it might look:

Describe a close friend. You should say: how long you have known this person how you met what kind of person he/she is and explain why you like him/her.

So clearly you must talk about the beginning of your friendship, as the first two points relate to this. Then you should describe their personality, and also what it is that you like about them. This is a great question, but it should be quite easy to answer. But first, let’s think about making notes.

I would personally look to make brief notes about meeting my friend and about his personality. I would be sure to jot down any good vocabulary that I might later forget, as well as a structure of the story of how we met. This can help me to keep my tenses in order. It might look like this:

Remember that you only have one minute to make notes, so keep them short. Don’t attempt to write any sentences in this time, as you won’t have time to finish.

Describe a Friend [General Topic]

It is important you read the cue card very carefully because there are often subtle ideas that can really impact how you give your answer. For example, we are talking about describing a friend but in this cue card it says “a close friend.” What if it was slightly different? Maybe you could talk about the same person… but it might not be possible. Here are some others:

• Describe the person who was your best friend as a child.
• Describe a friend that you rarely speak to now.

There are so many possibilities, including “describe an old friend” or “describe a friend you made in school.” You should make sure that you fully understand the cue card before you begin to plan your answer or else you might talk about something different. This could cause you to panic later.

Hints and Tips for Part 2

The most important thing you need to remember is that you shouldn’t speak for less than 1 minute . In order to speak 1-2 minutes confidently, you must practice at home regularly. Use the timer on your phone, or a watch, to make sure you know how it feels to speak for that length of time. Pace yourself. Talk slowly and don’t panic. Nervous people tend to talk very quickly and you could easily find yourself running out of things to say in just 30 seconds! If that happens, you will repeat yourself and hesitate, and your score will be very low.

Sample Answer – Describe a Friend

So here is my sample answer, in which I describe a close friend. There is a video below, in which I also answer this question, but I will do it off the top of my head, so the answer will be different to this:

My best friend is a guy called Rich. We met in 2003 on our first day of university, during Freshers’ Week . I can hardly believe that it was fifteen years ago! We were both seventeen at the time and we met in the halls of residence, which is where we stayed during that first year. He was an art student and I was studying literature. We got along well from the very first moment. I remember him wearing a Guns n Roses t-shirt, and they were my favourite band at the time. We lived together for two years and have stayed best friends ever since. Rich is a very generous and creative person. He plays in a band and he loves to paint and do other artistic things. A few years ago he got married and now he has a child. He’s changed a lot since we were students, but in many ways he has stayed the same. I liked him back then because he was such a nice guy, and the same is true now. Everyone who knows him thinks he is patient and open-minded, so he’s very easy to get along with.

Reading this took me about 01:20 minutes, which is perfect. However, if I’d been nervous and read too quickly, it would have gone under 1 minute, so please be careful of this.

Notes on Language

In this answer, I described my friend in simple terms. There is no advanced jargon to be used here. Instead, you should focus on using simple, everyday English like I have done.

I have used some adjectives to describe him:

However, you should not just list adjectives when you are asked to describe a friend . Instead, you can tell stories or give information about their past or present. Look at these simple but effective sentences that I used:

• He plays in a band and he loves to paint and do other artistic things.
• A few years ago he got married and now he has a child.
• He’s changed a lot since we were students, but in many ways he has stayed the same.

These tell the reader a lot about my friend, so they are very useful. Remember that you don’t need to use very advanced vocabulary. Just make sure that the words you do use are accurate and relevant.

Here’s a video of me explaining the topic and giving my sample answer. It’s a little different from above because I did it spontaneously. Please subscribe to my channel and give the video a like. It means a lot to me!

So who is your close friend? Who would you choose to talk about if you were asked this question? Put it in the comment section below and I will answer you back. 🙂

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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IELTS band 9 essay: relationships with colleagues

Here you can find advice on how to structure IELTS essay and see IELTS model answer for relationships with colleagues topic . Question type: to what extent do you agree/disagree .

Here is the question card:

Establishing good relationships in the workplace is not important, as the primary goal of every person is to focus on work.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

In this essay you're asked about :

• Your opinion about relations between colleagues or groupmates

Before writing this IELTS essay, you should decide to what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement and then choose nice arguments to support your opinion.

Now let's look at some of the possible arguments :

• Complete agreement :

• friends at work may distract you and decrease your productivity
• it is better to focus only on work in the workplace, to have faster career growth
• good relationships with colleagues are hard to retain and are very emotionally demanding
• Complete disagreement :

• good relationships make it more comfortable for you to work
• if you're on good terms with your co-workers, you might ask them for help
• good relations with colleagues result in better teamwork
• Partial agreement/disagreement :
• just combine ideas from the previous points

How to structure my answer?

Surely, there are a lot of ways to organise this essay. You can completely agree with the statement, completely disagree, or you can partially agree/disagree. The third option - partially agree/disagree essay - is presented in this lesson. Here is one possible way of structuring the answer to produce a band 9 essay :

Introduction : rephrase the topic and state your opinion.

Body paragraphs :

• paragraph 1: reason why you agree
• paragraph 2: reason why you disagree

Conclusion : sum up the ideas from body paragraphs and briefly give your opinion.

Band 9 essay sample (relationships with colleagues)

It is commonly argued that the primary goal of every employee is to focus on his/her job duties, while being on good terms with colleagues is not crucial. Although I agree that being productive at work is more important than trying to befriend all colleagues, I think that it is advantageous to have at least a few friends in the workplace.

On the one hand, maintaining good relations with all co-workers is often hard and even counter-productive. Firstly, it is very emotionally demanding to forge friendships in the office. It is almost impossible to cater for every colleague’s needs and interests, be nice even with people who irritate you, and make friends under stressful conditions. Moreover, sometimes it is wiser to eschew the niceties of interaction in favor of productivity. For instance, if all people were trying to build good relationships with everyone in their workplace, much less work would be done.

On the other hand, there are many compelling reasons to get closer to our colleagues. First of all, it is very beneficial to build warm relationships with those who surround you most of the time. Many full-time employees spend more of their waking hours with co-workers than they do with their families. And thus, people who have a few friends in their offices are usually happier than their solitary peers. Secondly, good interpersonal relations result in an improved teamwork. It is not a secret that team members who like and respect each other tend to collaborate on a project more effectively.

In conclusion, we need to find a healthy balance between being productive at work and forming social bonds. The ideal option is to find friends in the workplace, but not at the cost of our own productivity.

(290 words)

Useful vocabulary

atmosphere in the workplace

career growth = career ladder

cater for every colleague’s needs and interests = pay attention to every colleague’s needs/interests and be nice

co-workers = colleagues

compelling reasons = serious reasons

eschew the niceties of interaction in favor of productivity = avoid formal kindness and be more productive instead

full-time employee = employee working 40 hours per week

improved teamwork

job satisfaction

to be on good terms with colleagues = to build warm relationships with colleagues = to get closer to colleagues

to effectively collaborate on a project = to effectively work together on a project

to focus on job duties

to forge friendships in the office = to make friends in the office

to form social bonds = to make friends

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IELTS Speaking Part 2 – Topic: Describe a Good Friend

ielts speaking part 2 2020

IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe a good friend. You should say: • When and how you met   • What kind of personality he/she has • What makes you like him/her  

I would like to describe my best friend , Huong, whom I have known for roughly 10 years . I first met her at primary school when she was my classmate. At first , she was quite shy and did not want to talk with anyone, which made me feel that she was a bit proud . However , when we became close friends , she was more sociable and amiable.

We have done a lot of things together. Studying at the same schools , we have various  mutual friends . So, we usually throw parties at the weekends or have a picnic together.  Besides , whenever I get into trouble, I turn to her for help. For example, I remember when I got bad marks in the mock university entrance exam, she consoled me and then we studied  together until the official exam took place. Finally , we had the opportunity to study at our favorite college.

At present , despite the fact that we have different plans and goals to pursue, I believe that we will be best friends for good and we will try our best to maintain this relationship.

Vocabulary:

– roughly: [adverb] approximately, but not exactly. Example: In the exam, I wrote roughly 300 words for my essay.

– close friends: [expression] friends who know each other very well and like each other a lot. Example: Close friends usually share the same interests and have no secrets from each other.

– amiable: [adjective] pleasant and easy to like Example: Our form teacher is very amiable and we all enjoy the relaxed atmosphere in her classes.

– mutual friends: [expression] friends which are shared by two or more people. Example: Although we had not met before, when we started chatting, we discovered that we had some mutual friends.

– throw parties: [expression] give parties. Example: Some Hollywood film stars throw parties which hundreds of people attend.

– consoled: [verb] gave sympathy to someone who is unhappy. Example: After the team lost the match, the coach consoled the players and told them that they had played well.

– for good: [expression] permanently Example: I decided to leave New York for good and move to Europe.

– try our best : do as much as possible to achieve something Example: Although we tried our best , we failed the exam.

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IELTS Speaking Sample Questions # Friendship

Friends are the people in our lives whom we need to share our lives, to share our joys, our sorrows. They are the people who we need the most in times of trouble. The people who understand us and are just like us. The ones who are with us in every crazy thing that we do and support us in every glut we fall ourselves into.

Are there any famous stories of friendship in your culture?

There is a very popular story of friendship between Krishna (the Lord) and Sudama. Sudama was from a poor family while Krishna belonged to a royal one. Despite the differences in their financial condition, both of them enjoyed each others company. Over the years they loose contact and Krishna becomes the leader or the king of Dwarka while Sudama remains humble. There comes a time in Sudama’s life when he is very poor and is not able to feed his family. Then, his wife reminds  him of their friendship. Though reluctant to go and meet him, Sudama goes and brings along beaten rice with him as gift. Krishna not only welcomes him with both hand but even without him asking, give him all the riches.

Can you describe one of your closest friends.

Over the years, I have the pleasure to be with some amazing people, one of them is Vipula Badoni. She is my closest friend and an amazing person. She is one of those sweetest people you would meet and would never talk harshly to anyone. Ever ready to help people, she is a doctor and very caring about her patients and family as well. No matter how little we are able to meet each other, whenever there is a trouble or joy, we both contact each other first.

Do you have any childhood friendships that are still strong today?

It won’t be very old, but I have a friend who has been with me since we were in high school. So, it is almost a decade that we have known each other. It is amazing that physically we have been together with each other only for two years but it is only when we separated our ways that we even came closer.

Do you have any long distance friends?

Most of my friends are long distance. My job requires me to travel a lot and so it is very difficult for me to stay in touch with people I know and I love, so we are almost always connected with each other either using our phones or letters. But, it is amazing since, whenever we meet, it is always like we met just yesterday.

How do you keep in touch with your long-distance friends?

We are connected with each other on either social media or on phone. There are even some friends of mine who I am connected with using letters. Yes, there is a friend of mine who does not like talking either on phone or social media. For her, I prefer writing letters and it is very beautiful. Because, every month we both wait for each others letters.

How often do you see your long-distance friends?

There are some friends of mine I have not seen for as long as I think five years. But those of my friends who live near my parents house and come during festivals, we get to meet each other every year.

Do you think it is a good idea to borrow money from a friend? Why or why not?

I am not a very big supporter of borrowing money, either from friend or family or for that matter anyone else. But, in cases of emergencies, I think it is not a bad idea to borrow money from a friend. But, it should be kept in mind that the money has to be returned as soon as possible. Because, often people tend to get worried in financial affairs.

Do you make friends easily?

If you say, people whom I can hang out with and interact here and there, yes I can do that very easily. But, then there are few people in my life who are very close to me and know me inside out. So, for the general interaction, yes I do make friends easily but for the intimate details about me, I tend to share it with only a few..

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Cue Card Sample

Describe one of your friends - cue card # 388, describe one of your friends..

• how you met
• how long you two have known each other
• how you spend time together

Part 3 - Two-way Discussion:

Similar cue card topics.

• Describe a friend you like to spend time with.
• Describe a friend you like.
• Describe a friend you have.
• Describe your best buddy.
• Describe a friend you can rely on.
• Describe a helpful friend you have.
• Describe a friend from your school or college.
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Friends Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer

Updated On Dec 01, 2023

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Get a Complimentary IELTS Speaking Strategies PDF

This article contains the Friends Speaking Part 1 sample answers.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 consists of a short discussion between the examiner and the candidate. You will be asked a series of questions on common topics. You have to state your opinion or experiences.

Given below are real IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions with sample answers on the subject – Friends.

When speaking, your tone will clarify and convey meaning. To learn how to effectively utilise a good tone and gain a high Speaking band, check out IELTS Speaking Test –Tone.

Aiming for a high Speaking score? Take a look at the expert tips and tricks below!

Speaking Part 1

1 do you have a lot of close friends (or) tell me about your friends (or) do you have many friends.

I have only one friend I would confide in . I’m quite picky and more importantly, I have a somewhat irrational fear that none of my friends really like me and that I’m just a guy they can barely tolerate and it is hard for me to live in harmony with them .

2 Do you think friendship is important?

There is no doubt that friendships play a vital role in our life. They make our lives interesting and wonderful. They help us develop a sense of sharing whether they are tangible things or just inspirational or motivational words of wisdom.

3 Which do you prefer: to spend time with a friend or spend time alone? (or) How often do you go out with your friends?

It depends. Normally, I’m more of a loner and generally spend more time in solitude than with friends. But when I’m in a bad mood, loneliness makes me feel isolated from the whole world. On those days, I will hang out with my friends so that sad and unhappy thoughts don’t come into my mind.

4 What kind of people do you like to have as friends?

I find myself attracted to people who are honest and who know how to behave with others. I always avoid making friends with people who have a superiority complex.

5 Do you like face-to-face conversations with people?

Actually I like to talk with cyber friends more than having real-world conversations. I think others observe me a lot, they judge me and hence I become very self-conscious and shy away from speaking face to face.

6 Are most of your friends from school or outside school?

Most of my friends are from high school. People who I met at work or from clubs have less in common with me, whereas at Uni we shared common interests.

7 How often do you meet with your friends?

When I was younger, I used to meet my friends almost every day. Even friends outside of school were a part of my daily social interaction. But now, as a 23-year-old working professional, I barely meet anyone during weekdays. I meet my closest friends only on weekends. These meetups are sporadic too.

8 What do you and your friends do together?

My closest friends and I have a mutual interest in shopping for clothes. So whenever we have time, we will go shopping together until we break the bank . Sometimes when we are out of money, just window shopping would be enough.

9 How do people in your country meet others and make friends?

I don’t think it matters what country you’re from. In every country, you can make friends just by sitting next to someone a few times during class, then a friendship logically happens. Otherwise, you can make cyber friends through social networks like Facebook or Twitter.

10 Do adults and children make friends in the same way?

Adults use self-disclosure to develop trust and loyalty among friends. This is quite complicated in practice while children usually use common interests and goals as the basis of their friendships. More importantly, kids have a whale of a time with whoever, but adults have to use their time for work and taking care of their family.

11 Do you think it is possible to become real friends with people you meet on the internet?

Of course, it is possible to establish real friendships through the internet. What you need in a friendship is truthfulness, reliability, empathy, respect and loyalty. If you’re getting all that from your online friends then you can consider them as genuine friends.

• Confined in: restricted in area or volume; cramped Eg: The children are totally confined in the white house for 2 days.
• Picky:  very careful or too careful about choosing or accepting things Eg: He is too picky that he has just one close friend.
•  Tolerate: allow the existence, occurrence, or practice of (something that one dislikes or disagrees with) without interference. Eg: Her mother cannot tolerate this abnormal torture from her family.
• Tangible: perceptible by touch. Eg: The scheme promised tangible benefits.
• Superiority complex: behavior that suggests a person believes they’re somehow superior to others.  Eg: The superiority complex of this family is very hard to understand.
• Cyber: relating to or characteristic of the culture of computers, information technology, and virtual reality. Eg: The email was traced by cyber crime.
• Genuine:  it is real and exactly what it appears to be: genuine leather.  Eg: He has no genuine reason for being absent.
• Break the bank: win more money than is held by the bank. Eg: The heavy downpour broke the bank of the river.
• Have a whale of time: to get pleasure from something. Eg: They are having a whale of  a time in Pennsylvania.

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Soon after graduating with a Master’s in Literature from Southern Arkansas University, she joined an institute as an English language trainer. She has had innumerous student interactions and has produced a couple of research papers on English language teaching. She soon found that non-native speakers struggled to meet the English language requirements set by foreign universities. It was when she decided to jump ship into IELTS training. From then on, she has been mentoring IELTS aspirants. She joined IELTSMaterial about a year ago, and her contributions have been exceptional. Her essay ideas and vocabulary have taken many students to a band 9.

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• Influence of Children's Friends Essay

Influence of Children's Friends Essay

In this IELTS essay you have to discuss how children's friends influence them and what parents can do to make sure they have a good influence.

This is the question:

The friends that children have are a very important part of their lives.

What kinds of influence may children’s friends have on them?

What can parents do to ensure that their children’s friends are a good influence on them?

Answering the Question

You should be able to see that there are two aspects that you need to discuss in your essay:

• The kinds of influence children’s friends may have on them
• The best way for parents to make sure that their children’s friends are a good influence on them

To answer this essay question you simply need to brainstorm some ideas that directly answer each question. 

Try to think of two or three ideas to support each of the questions, and make sure you have some further support to explain each idea fully. You can use examples to do this if you like. 

Organising your Answer

For an IELTS essay you wouldn’t normally have more than three body paragraphs.

So you could have one body paragraph about each aspect (2 body paragraphs). For example:

• Influence of children's friends
• Parents input

Or perhaps if you are going to discuss both the negative and positive influence of children’s friends, you could have one body paragraph about each of these and then a final body paragraph explaining the way parents can make sure the influence is positive. 

• Positive influence of children's friends
• Negative influence of children's friends

Now take a look at the model answer. Which organisation does it follow?

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer

An essential part of childhood is friendship and most children realise the need to have a friend or two to make life more fun, especially in school or their immediate community. However, the influence of friends can be both positive and negative, so parents should find ways to ensure their children’s friendships are not detrimental to them. 

On the positive side, a child’s friends can motivate them to try activities they might not do on their own because of fear or embarrassment. Thus, some children dabble in sports or the arts because their friends are doing the same. Friends are also a source of help and encouragement when things are tough in school or the family. By lending their expertise or providing sympathy, friends are a blessing in difficult times.

Despite this, on the negative side, some friends can steer a child in the wrong direction. Bullying is something many children copy from their friends until they become full-fledged bullies themselves. There are also many vices children pick up from the wrong crowd in school or their community, such as pornography, drinking, smoking, and even overindulging in video games.

Since children should have a good set of friends, parents must do their part to ensure that happens. One way is for parents to know who these friends are, by inquiring about them and learning what they do together. Having these friends over for a meal also allows parents to observe and determine the influence such friends have on their children. Another important task for parents is to educate their children on moral values. There will come a time when parents will no longer be able to dictate who their children choose as friends. But if their children understand right and wrong and are aware of the telltale signs that they are being misled, they will know who to keep and who to drop from their inner circle.

To sum up, friendship is an important part of a child’s formative years as good friends can help a child become better in the different aspects of life. However, parents must be actively involved in monitoring and teaching their children about selecting their friends well to ensure their kids do not fall into the wrong crowd.

(373 Words)

The essay is well-written and argued. It fully answers both parts of the question, with plenty of relevant support. It’s also logically organised, and so easy to read and understand. 

The good use of lexis (vocabulary) shows that this person has an excellent grasp of English. With your lexis, it’s important to get the word forms correct. These examples show how the writer is good at doing this:

• detrimental
• embarrassment
• encouragement  

Collocations are also important to end up with correct sentences. If a word collocates with another word, that means it commonly goes together with it. For instance, a certain preposition may go with certain words (depending on the context). For example:

• influence of
• in difficult times
• involved in 

If a writer knows which words commonly collocate, then they are able to write accurate sentences. 

The essay is fairly long (373 words) so you'd need to be a very competent writer to achieve this. If you are a weaker writer, you can still follow the same essay format but you would want to reduce the amount of ideas you are placing in as support.

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More 'Hybrid' Type IELTS Essays:

IELTS Animal Testing Essay: What are the arguments for and against?

Animal testing essay: In this essay, you are asked to discuss the arguments for and against animal testing, and then give your own conclusions on the issue. This means you must look at both sides of the issue and you must also be sure you give your opinion too.

Old Buildings Essay: How important is it to maintain & protect them?

This essay is about old buildings and whether they should be protected. It's an opinion essay, as you have to give your opinion on protecting old buildings.

Fear of Crime Essay: Can more be done to prevent crime?

In this fear of crime essay question for IELTS you have to discuss whether more can be down to prevent crime. It's an opinion type essay.

Communication Technology Essay: How have relationships changed?

Communication Technology Essay for IELTS: This essay is about how relationships have been impacted. View a model answer with tips on how to answer the Task 2 Question.

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