Mobile phones and the internet bring a lot of benefits to people nowadays. However, older people use them the least.

Practice this IELTS Writing Task 2 question on IELTSX. Mobile phones and the internet bring a lot of benefits to people nowadays. However, older people use them the least.

Benefits of mobile phones and the internet for older people and ways to encourage their use - IELTS Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

In what aspects do mobile phones and the internet benefit older people? How can we encourage them to use these technologies?

Write at least 250 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 6.5 ยท 456 words.

Internet connection and modern technologies have created enormous amount of opportunities for people lately, despite these available advantages, older people are taking the least amount of benifit from them. Although it is considered hard to teach them how to use devices, we still have to give certain instructions to make it happen for the sake of their comforts.

Regarding with the possible benificial sides of modern cell phones and intenet access, there is unwanted experience of being an old person and it is loneliness and least amount of social interaction, so the primary advantage of those technologies is the ability to maintain and build social ties which is crucial for older adults who may face isolation due to retirement, living alone or any health related reasons. As an example we can mention apps those created for messaging and video call purposes, such as Telegram, WhatsApp, Imo, Viber and etc., can be a real game changer in their lives, by giving the opportunity to stay in touch with their loved ones at any time they want, no matter how long the physical distance is. Grandparents can watch their grandchildren grow up via photos and videos shared online, which is also another cool function of the availability of the internet connections.

While the benifits are clear, simply owning device is not enough to make all them happen. Digital literacy - the confidence and skill to use the technology - is the real key. As we know we need targeted educational programs to train older adults and move them from feeling "technology is too complicated" to "I can figure this out". Peer-to-peer learning, where seniors teach other seniors, has shown promes as an effective model. Rather than offering exhaustive overview of device functionalities, instructors and family members should concentrate on limited set of high-value tasks. For example, lectures are only effective when combined with practice lessons, like how to get screenshots as a memory aid, or how to start a video call by just a few clicks on the touch screen and learning how to send a quick shor messages. Daily basis ten to fiveteen minutes practice with patience can create help them to adapt quicly, as the muscly memory does way more than we think.

In conclusion, it is our duty to help elderly how to use modern technologies. Even though they are not teachnological natives like us, we can shift to more human centred perspective instead of tech centred in order to create a supportive training sessions. Additionally, it is also important to note that moderate use is highly benificial, excessive use can bring negative outcomes, such as replacing meaningful face-to-face interactions. The goal should be using the technology to enrich, not raplacing the real world connection.

Examiner feedback

The essay demonstrates a strong ability to organize ideas and support arguments with relevant examples. However, the score is primarily limited by frequent spelling mistakes and some grammatical inaccuracies that, while not preventing communication, indicate a lack of control over more complex structures and vocabulary.

Task Response - 7

- The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing why the elderly struggle and how they can benefit. - A clear position is maintained throughout, emphasizing the need for support and training. - Main ideas are relevant and well-supported with specific examples of apps (Telegram, WhatsApp).

Coherence & Cohesion - 7

- Information is organized logically with a clear progression from the benefits of technology to the solutions for digital literacy. - Paragraphing is used effectively, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central topic. - Cohesive devices are used, though some phrases like "Regarding with" are slightly mechanical or inaccurate.

Lexical Resource - 6

- There is a good attempt to use sophisticated vocabulary such as "digital literacy," "social ties," and "human-centred perspective." - Spelling errors are frequent and noticeable (e.g., "benifit," "benificial," "intenet," "promes," "shor," "fiveteen," "raplacing"). - Word formation issues occur, such as using "muscly memory" instead of the standard collocation "muscle memory."

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 6

- A mix of simple and complex sentence forms is used, including relative clauses and conditional structures. - There are frequent grammatical errors such as "apps those created" instead of "apps created" and "create help them" which is a double verb error. - Punctuation is generally accurate, though some sentences are slightly over-extended.

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