Some people think that the teenage years are the happiest times of most people’s lives. Others think that adult life brings more happiness, in spite of greater responsibilities.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Analysing the questionThe question is asking you to discuss both the views. So what two views ought to be discussed? One is that teenage years are the happiest, and the other is about adult life being happier.
That is only one half of the question. The other half is asking you to give your opinion.
Look at an examiner prepared response, and understand why it deserves a great score.
The Response
What’s the happiest time in people’s lives: youth or old age; school, career or retirement? All of these have been suggested, but teenage years and adulthood both have many supporters.
Those who believe teenagers are the happiest people cite their lack of responsibilities as a significant factor. They are supported financially and emotionally by their parents, and although they may be included in family decisions, they’re not ultimately responsible. However, adolescents are on the threshold of adult life: they’re old enough to get a part-time job, so they can enjoy first taste of financial independence, and their future study and career lie ahead.
Away from these serious concerns, young people have an active social life with their friends, often simply by hanging out with them. And of course, there’s the excitement of first love and first heartbreak. With all this to experience, teenagers see their parents’ lives as boring and stressful.
However, the reverse is also true. Adults see anxious, self-dramatising adolescents, and appreciate the joys of maturity. These may include a contended family life, long-lasting friendships and a career. Long-term relationships may not have the fireworks of adolescence, but are stronger for it, because of the wealth of shared experience. At work, many of us are challenged and stimulated by the increasing professional skills we acquire, which ensures that our jobs remain interesting.
The greatest benefit, though, is that maturity gives you greater confidence in your own judgement, in all areas of life. You are not afraid to express your opinion when others disagree and, unlike a teenager, you know when to let things go.
Both these periods can be happy times, but I look back at my own teenage years with no desire to go back. Adult life may be less dramatic, but fireworks, don’t keep you warm.
Why Does It Deserve a Great Score?
There are several reasons why this essay deserves a great score:
- The essay clearly, and completely answers the question. It also keeps the reader in mind, and never confuses the reader or leaves the reader wondering why a certain statement has been made.
- The task flows so well. True there are barely any connecting words (and that is a good thing) but one sentence so easily leads to another.
- Words. There are some really awesome words. And by awesome words, we do not mean those big words. Words and phrases like suggested, family decisions, increasing professional skills we acquire, are all really brilliantly used. And these are the things that make all the difference.
- The conclusion. Look at the absolute, clean simplicity of it. It just does what it is intended to do. Nothing more and nothing else.
All in all, the piece of writing deserves a 9, and it gets it. If you want to attend some awesome classes of the kind to know what IELTS writing is all about, we suggest you give this place a shot. There are quite literally hundreds of reviews praising them to high heavens, and the reviews are most certainly genuine. I suppose it might actually be the best if you want to go in for IELTS coaching.
