IELTS Opinion Essay Jan 2021 With Sample Answer
Find the best sample answer and writing structure for getting a 8+ band score in IELTS Writing Task 2.
About the article
Question:
Today family members eat fewer meals together.
Why is this? Is this a positive or negative trend?
Write at least 250 words.
(Appeared on Jan 4th 2021)
Answer:
In the modern day, sitting together for meals with family has considerably decreased. The main reasons could be attributed to different time schedules of each member, availability of a plethora of alternatives for interaction and the disintegration of joint family structure.
Each family consists of a heterogeneous mix of members. It is rare that lunch time coincides for most people. As far as dinner is concerned, the children might need to go to bed early needing to eat prior to or later than the adults who might be engaged in important or odd hour work commitments. Therefore, coordinating meal timings becomes awfully tough.For instance,a gynaecologist’s profession has erratic work hours and demands unpredictable availability.
Moreover, the intrinsic human need for interaction is fulfilled not just by the family these days but by a myriad of other options. In today’s digital, tech savvy world , connecting with another human is possible with the click of a button. For example, children in the middle of watching an intense thriller on the OTT platform may refuse to join in for a meal.
Earlier, the prevalence of joint families ensured clear authority and a more regulated environment for the generations living under the same roof. The time shared together during meals was considered and enforced as a sacrosanct practice. But with more and more nuclear families being in vogue in the present times, the absence of a senior family member sometimes results in a non structured way of life. To illustrate, convenience for each family member is given more importance today than tweaking one’s comfort to deliberately meet up for meals.
To conclude, the mismatch of study/work schedules of each person , the technological allure of the modern day world and a change in family structure are largely responsible for family members being unable to eat their meals together.