Many people find it hard to spend even a short time away from their phones.
A full IELTS Writing Task 2 answer to this question, with a paragraph plan, ideas you can use, and the vocabulary that fits this topic.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Many people find it hard to spend even a short time away from their phones.
Why do you think this is? What could individuals do about it?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
How to read this question
The second question narrows the scope deliberately: what could <em>individuals</em> do. That rules out the easy answer of regulating technology companies, however justified, and forces you to propose things a person can actually implement. The strongest causal point is that the difficulty is engineered rather than accidental — these products are designed by well-funded teams to be hard to stop using — which frames willpower as the wrong tool.
Paragraph plan
Introduction — Paraphrase, then signpost both answers: the pull is deliberately engineered and socially reinforced; what works for individuals is changing the environment rather than resisting the impulse.
Body 1 — Why — variable rewards, infinite feeds designed without stopping cues, and the genuine social cost of being unreachable.
Body 2 — What individuals can do — increase friction, remove the phone from contexts rather than resisting it inside them, and replace the habit rather than merely suppress it.
Conclusion — Willpower fails against a system engineered to defeat it; changing the environment is what an individual can realistically control.
Model essay
Band 8.5–9.0 model essay
282 words
A considerable number of people struggle to disconnect from their smartphones even for brief periods, checking them almost reflexively throughout the day. This is largely attributable to the deliberately addictive design of mobile applications and habitual anxiety about missing information, though individuals can adopt several practical strategies to regain control over their phone use.
The primary reason behind this persistent attachment is that many applications, particularly social media and video-streaming platforms, are deliberately engineered by their developers to maximise user engagement. To clarify, features such as infinite scrolling, frequent notifications and unpredictable rewards, such as likes or messages, trigger dopamine responses that condition users to check their phones compulsively, much like a mild behavioural addiction that intensifies the longer these habits go unchecked. Furthermore, many individuals experience a persistent fear of missing important updates, whether professional emails, breaking news or social interactions, which compels them to remain constantly connected, even during moments intended for rest, family time or focused work.
Fortunately, individuals can take several practical steps to address this dependency. First, disabling non-essential notifications and setting designated phone-free periods, such as during meals, family gatherings or the hour before sleep, can gradually reduce the compulsive urge to check devices without requiring drastic lifestyle changes. Second, replacing phone use with alternative activities, such as reading, exercise or face-to-face conversation, can help individuals rediscover satisfaction in offline experiences, thereby diminishing their reliance on digital stimulation over time and restoring a healthier sense of balance.
In conclusion, excessive phone attachment largely stems from deliberately addictive application design and a persistent anxiety about missing information, but individuals can mitigate this through disabling notifications, establishing phone-free periods and consciously and consistently engaging in offline activities instead.
Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to read the rest of this essay and unlock every model on the site.
This is a problem and solution question. The essay above shows you what a strong answer looks like when it is finished. What it cannot show you is how to get there from a blank page in forty minutes.
That is what our Writing Study Library is for: the structure we teach for this exact question type, the paragraph pattern that goes with it, and the sentence openers for each stage — so the essay is planned before you start writing rather than assembled as you go.
Introduction: Paraphrase how many people struggle to disconnect from their phones and preview that the essay will explain the cause and what individuals can do about it.
Body 1: Answer why this happens: apps are deliberately engineered with infinite scrolling and unpredictable rewards to trigger compulsive checking, and users fear missing important messages or updates if they disconnect.
Body 2: Answer what individuals could do: disable non-essential notifications and set phone-free periods during meals or before sleep, and replace phone use with offline activities like reading, exercise or conversation.
Conclusion: Summarise that addictive app design and fear of missing out drive excessive phone use, and that individuals can counter this through notification controls, phone-free periods and offline activities.
Word or phrase
Meaning
Used in a sentence
reflexively
done automatically, without conscious thought
checking them almost reflexively throughout the day
engineered
deliberately designed or constructed for a particular purpose
many applications...are deliberately engineered by their developers to maximise user engagement
infinite scrolling
a design feature that lets users keep scrolling through content endlessly
features such as infinite scrolling, frequent notifications and unpredictable rewards
dopamine responses
brain reactions linked to feelings of pleasure and reward
trigger dopamine responses that condition users to check their phones compulsively
compulsively
in a way that is difficult to control or resist
condition users to check their phones compulsively
fear of missing important updates
anxiety that one might miss valuable information or events
many individuals experience a persistent fear of missing important updates
designated
officially assigned for a particular purpose
setting designated phone-free periods, such as during meals
digital stimulation
mental arousal or engagement caused by using electronic devices
diminishing their reliance on digital stimulation over time
Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to see the ideas and vocabulary for this topic and unlock every model on the site.
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Common questions
The question asks what individuals could do — can I propose regulation?
Only in a closing clause, if at all. The question sets the scope, and answering with government action when it asked about individuals is a Task Response failure. You can note the limits of individual action honestly, as the Band 8.5 model does, but the substance must stay within the scope given.
How do I avoid moralising about technology?
Explain the design rather than judging the user. "Unpredictable rewards sustain behaviour more powerfully than reliable ones" is analysis; "people lack discipline" is a complaint. The analytical version is also more useful, because it tells you what would actually help.
Is it acceptable to admit my solutions are incomplete?
Yes, and it is a mark of maturity when done briefly. Conceding that individuals cannot dissolve a social expectation shows judgement, provided you have already given practical answers rather than using the concession to avoid them.
