Remote work has become an increasingly popular topic in IELTS Writing Task 2 essays, particularly in the context of its impact on work-life balance. This theme has appeared in several recent IELTS exams and is likely to continue being a relevant subject for future tests. Given its significance, let’s examine a real IELTS question that addresses this issue and provide sample essays for different band scores.
Some people believe that the opportunity to work from home has improved workers’ work-life balance. Others argue that working from home has blurred the line between work and personal life. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Analysis of the Question
This question asks candidates to discuss two contrasting views on how remote work affects work-life balance. It’s a typical IELTS Task 2 question that requires you to:
- Discuss the view that working from home improves work-life balance
- Discuss the opposing view that it blurs the line between work and personal life
- Provide your own opinion on the matter
Let’s now look at sample essays for different band scores, starting with a high band score essay.
Band 8-9 Sample Essay
Remote work has revolutionized the modern workplace, sparking debates about its impact on work-life balance. While some argue that working from home enhances this balance, others contend that it blurs the boundaries between professional and personal life. In my opinion, while remote work offers significant potential for improving work-life balance, it requires careful management to prevent work from encroaching on personal time.
Proponents of remote work argue that it significantly improves work-life balance. The elimination of commuting time allows employees to allocate more hours to personal activities or family responsibilities. For instance, a worker who previously spent two hours daily commuting can now use that time for exercise, household chores, or quality time with family. Additionally, the flexibility of working from home enables individuals to structure their day around personal commitments, such as attending a child’s school event or caring for an elderly relative, which was often challenging in traditional office settings.
On the other hand, critics argue that remote work blurs the line between professional and personal life. Without the physical separation of office and home, many employees find it difficult to “switch off” from work mode. The constant presence of work materials and digital communication tools can lead to an “always-on” mentality, where individuals feel compelled to respond to work-related matters outside of regular hours. This can result in longer working days and increased stress, ultimately undermining the very work-life balance that remote work was supposed to improve.
In my view, while remote work has the potential to greatly enhance work-life balance, its success depends largely on individual and organizational practices. Employees need to establish clear boundaries between work and personal time, creating dedicated workspaces and adhering to set work hours. Equally important is the role of employers in fostering a culture that respects personal time and discourages after-hours communication. When implemented thoughtfully, remote work can offer the best of both worlds: increased flexibility and productivity, alongside improved personal well-being.
In conclusion, the impact of remote work on work-life balance is nuanced and depends on how it is managed. While it offers unprecedented flexibility, it also presents challenges in maintaining clear boundaries between work and personal life. With conscious effort from both employees and employers, remote work can indeed lead to a more harmonious work-life balance, benefiting individuals and organizations alike.
(Word count: 398)
Remote work home office setup
Explanation of Band 8-9 Score
This essay would likely receive a Band 8-9 score for the following reasons:
Task Response: The essay fully addresses all parts of the task, discussing both views and clearly presenting the writer’s own opinion.
Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is well-organized with clear progression throughout. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, and ideas are logically sequenced.
Lexical Resource: The essay uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features. For example, “revolutionized,” “encroaching,” “undermining,” and “fostering a culture.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay demonstrates a wide range of grammatical structures used accurately and appropriately. Complex sentences are used effectively, and there are no noticeable errors.
Development of Ideas: Each main point is well-developed with relevant examples and explanations, showing depth of understanding of the issue.
Now, let’s look at a sample essay for a Band 6-7 score.
Band 6-7 Sample Essay
In recent years, working from home has become more common, and people have different opinions about how it affects work-life balance. Some believe it has made life better for workers, while others think it has made it harder to separate work from personal life. I will discuss both views and give my opinion.
On the one hand, working from home can improve work-life balance. When people don’t have to travel to an office, they save time that they can use for personal activities. For example, instead of spending an hour in traffic, someone could use that time to exercise or help their children with homework. Also, working from home allows people to be more flexible with their schedule. They might be able to take a break to run errands or attend a family event, which would be difficult if they were in an office.
On the other hand, some argue that remote work makes it hard to separate work life from personal life. When your home is also your office, it can be tempting to keep working even after normal work hours. People might feel like they always need to be available to answer emails or messages from colleagues. This can lead to working longer hours and feeling more stressed, which is not good for work-life balance.
In my opinion, whether working from home improves or worsens work-life balance depends on how it is managed. If people can set clear boundaries between work time and personal time, and if employers respect these boundaries, then remote work can be very beneficial. However, if there are no clear rules or if people feel pressured to work all the time, then it can have negative effects on their personal life.
To conclude, working from home has both advantages and disadvantages for work-life balance. While it offers more flexibility, it also risks blurring the lines between work and personal life. I believe that with proper management and clear boundaries, remote work can lead to a better work-life balance for many people.
(Word count: 339)
Work-life balance illustration
Explanation of Band 6-7 Score
This essay would likely receive a Band 6-7 score for the following reasons:
Task Response: The essay addresses all parts of the task, discussing both views and presenting the writer’s opinion. However, the ideas could be more fully developed.
Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is generally well-organized with clear overall progression. Paragraphing is logical, but the use of cohesive devices could be more sophisticated.
Lexical Resource: The essay uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary (e.g., “tempting,” “boundaries”), but the range is not as wide as in the Band 8-9 essay.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. There are no major grammatical errors, but the range is not as wide as in the higher band essay.
Development of Ideas: Main ideas are relevant and supported, but the level of detail and explanation is not as extensive as in the Band 8-9 essay.
Now, let’s examine some key vocabulary from these essays.
Key Vocabulary to Remember
Revolutionize (verb) /ˌrevəˈluːʃənaɪz/: To change something completely and fundamentally.
Encroach (verb) /ɪnˈkrəʊtʃ/: To gradually take away someone’s rights, power, etc.
Proponent (noun) /prəˈpəʊnənt/: A person who advocates for something.
Undermine (verb) /ˌʌndəˈmaɪn/: To gradually weaken or destroy.
Foster (verb) /ˈfɒstə(r)/: To encourage the development of something.
Nuanced (adjective) /ˈnjuːɑːnst/: Characterized by subtle differences.
Harmonious (adjective) /hɑːˈməʊniəs/: Peaceful and balanced.
Boundary (noun) /ˈbaʊndri/: A real or imagined line that marks the limit of something.
Tempting (adjective) /ˈtemptɪŋ/: Attractive or appealing.
Errand (noun) /ˈerənd/: A short journey to do a task, often involving a delivery or purchase.
In conclusion, the topic of remote work’s effect on mental health and work-life balance is likely to remain relevant in future IELTS exams. To prepare, consider practicing with similar questions such as:
- “Do you think the trend of remote work will continue in the future? What might be the long-term effects on society?”
- “Some people argue that remote work increases productivity, while others claim it leads to isolation and decreased teamwork. Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
Remember to structure your essays clearly, use a range of vocabulary and grammatical structures, and support your points with relevant examples. Feel free to practice writing an essay on this topic and share it in the comments section for feedback and discussion.