In many countries people are having children later in life than previous generations did.
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.
In many countries people are having children later in life than previous generations did.
Why do you think this is happening? How does it affect society?
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 asks how it affects <em>society</em>, not the individual family — answering with points about parental tiredness misses it. The most useful causal observation is that the years when fertility is highest are now exactly the years demanded by education, career establishment and saving for housing, so the delay is a rational response to a scheduling conflict rather than a change in what people want.
Paragraph plan
Introduction — Paraphrase, then signpost both answers: the delay follows from a collision between biological and economic timetables; the effects on society are demographic and fiscal.
Body 1 — Why — extended education, housing costs requiring years of saving, career penalties concentrated in the late twenties, and reliable contraception making the delay possible.
Body 2 — Effects on society — falling birth rates and a shifting dependency ratio, greater demand on fertility treatment, but also better-resourced and better-educated parents.
Conclusion — The delay is rational individually and consequential collectively, which is why exhortation to have children earlier has no effect anywhere.
Model essay
Band 8.5–9.0 model essay
287 words
In numerous countries around the world, individuals are choosing to start families considerably later in life than earlier generations did. This shift is largely driven by extended education and mounting economic pressures, and it carries substantial consequences for society as a whole.
The principal reason behind this trend is that young people now spend far longer pursuing higher education and establishing their careers before considering parenthood. To clarify, whereas previous generations often entered the workforce directly after secondary school, contemporary graduates frequently complete undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications, and sometimes years of early-career job-hopping, before securing stable employment, naturally delaying the point at which they feel financially prepared to raise children. Furthermore, escalating living costs, particularly for housing in major cities, have made many young couples hesitant to have children until they have accumulated sufficient savings and secured a permanent home, given the considerable ongoing expenses associated with childcare and education.
This trend produces several notable, far-reaching effects on society. Foremost, delayed childbearing contributes to declining birth rates, which can gradually shrink the working-age population relative to the growing number of retirees, placing mounting pressure on pension systems and healthcare services that depend heavily on tax contributions from younger workers. Additionally, smaller family sizes, a common consequence of later parenthood, can alter social structures, as extended family support networks shrink, leaving older parents with fewer relatives available to assist with childcare, and leaving children themselves with fewer siblings and cousins to rely on throughout their lives.
In conclusion, people are delaying parenthood primarily due to prolonged education and rising living costs, and this trend is gradually reshaping society through declining birth rates and mounting strain on pension and healthcare systems that rely heavily on a robust working-age population.
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 people having children later than previous generations and preview that the essay will explain the cause and its effect on society.
Body 1: Answer why this is happening: prolonged education and career-building delay financial readiness, and rising housing and childcare costs make couples wait until they have enough savings.
Body 2: Answer how it affects society: declining birth rates shrink the working-age population relative to retirees, straining pensions and healthcare, and smaller families shrink extended support networks for both parents and children.
Conclusion: Summarise that extended education and rising costs explain later parenthood, and that this is gradually straining pension and healthcare systems that depend on a strong working-age population.
Word or phrase
Meaning
Used in a sentence
considerably
to a notably large degree
individuals are choosing to start families considerably later in life
postgraduate
relating to study undertaken after a first university degree
contemporary graduates frequently complete undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications
escalating
increasing rapidly
escalating living costs, particularly for housing in major cities
working-age population
the segment of the population generally considered able to work, excluding children and retirees
which can gradually shrink the working-age population relative to the growing number of retirees
mounting pressure
increasing strain or demand
placing mounting pressure on pension systems and healthcare services
extended family
relatives beyond the immediate household, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles
as extended family support networks shrink
reshaping
changing the form or structure of something
this trend is gradually reshaping society through declining birth rates
robust
strong and healthy; able to function well
healthcare systems that rely heavily on a robust working-age population
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 second question asks about society — can I write about families?
Only briefly, and only to reach a societal point. If the question says society, effects on individual parents are off-target, and drifting there is one of the most common Task Response errors on cause/effect questions. Reread the question line before writing that paragraph.
How do I explain a trend without claiming values have changed?
Look for a constraint instead. Showing that the fertile years now collide with education, career and housing explains the delay as rational, which is both more accurate and harder to argue with than a claim about attitudes.
Is it worth noting that a common policy response fails?
Yes, when you can say why. Observing that campaigns encouraging earlier parenthood target preferences rather than costs demonstrates evaluation and shows your causal analysis was doing real work.
