Hustlers IELTS | Cambridge IELTS 8 | Band 7–9 Structure + Model Answer + Vocabulary
This is a two-part direct question essay, and it’s a common place where candidates lose marks because they answer only one question well.
You must do both:
- explain how technology has affected the types of relationships people make
- judge whether this is positive or negative overall
Also, notice the wording: “types of relationships”. This is bigger than romance. It includes:
- family relationships
- friendships
- work networks
- online audiences/followings
If you ignore that and write only about dating, you narrow the task too much.
The Task (Cambridge IELTS 8)
Nowadays the way many people interact with each other has changed because of technology.
- In what ways has technology affected the types of relationships people make?
- Has this become a positive or negative development?
Hustlers IELTS Planning (4 Steps That Keep You Focused)
Step 1: Understand the task
Topic: relationships, not just communication.
Technology: phones, apps, internet, social media.
Step 2: Decide your position
Position used here:
- Technology has changed relationships in major ways.
- Overall positive, with one important caveat: online relationships can be shallow.
Step 3: Build 2 strong “ways” (not 6 weak ones)
- staying in touch globally is now effortless
- social media creates “audience-style” relationships at scale
Step 4: Structure
- Introduction
- BP1: long-distance contact
- BP2: social media audiences
- BP3: judgement (positive) + benefits
- BP4: caveat
- Conclusion
Band 7–9 Model Essay
Technology has changed the kinds of relationships people make between each other in significant ways over the last twenty years. This essay will consider two of these changes and whether or not these have had positive repercussions.
One of the major impacts of technology is that it has enabled us to easily stay in touch with friends and family on the other side of the world. Thirty years ago, if you wanted to communicate with a friend or relative, you would either have written a letter (which could have taken weeks to arrive) or made an expensive international phone call. Today, we can simply send a text message on WhatsApp or call them on Zoom. These technologies are either free or low-cost, and instantaneous. So it makes maintaining relationships over a long distance much easier.
Another big change is that social media has made it possible for us to build a relationship with thousands and sometimes millions of people. Some people on TikTok, for example, have quickly built an audience of millions and most people on Facebook have hundreds of friends at least. This kind of audience-style relationship was rare before the advent of social media.
I think that in general, these changes have been positive. It is now easy to maintain and build relationships with relatives, friends and work colleagues that you may previously have lost contact with. And it’s also possible to build a wider social network of people which you can tap into for advice and support. Access to this pool of social capital was almost impossible in the past.
However, it is also true that many of these relationships, especially those on social media, can be fleeting and tenuous. Is a Facebook “friend” really a friend or just a passing acquaintance? It’s therefore important that people don’t allow such relationships to displace close, nurturing friendships.
On the whole though, technology’s affect on our ability to stay in touch with people all over the world and to access a wider range of people has been positive.
(339 words)
Why This Essay Scores High
1) It answers both questions fully
Two clear “ways” + a clear judgement + a realistic limitation.
2) It interprets “types of relationships” correctly
It covers:
- traditional relationships (family/friends)
- new-scale relationships (audiences/followings)
That’s exactly what the wording demands.
3) It shows balanced evaluation
Overall positive, but not naïve. The caveat about shallow online ties adds maturity.
Useful Vocabulary & Collocations (Steal These)
- the kinds of relationships people make
- in significant ways
- positive repercussions
- major impacts of technology
- easily stay in touch
- on the other side of the world
- an expensive international phone call
- free or low-cost
- instantaneous
- built an audience of millions
- audience-style relationship
- the advent of social media
- maintain and build relationships
- lost contact
- tap into for advice and support
- a pool of social capital
- fleeting and tenuous
- a passing acquaintance
- close, nurturing friendships
Hustlers IELTS Final Word
Direct-question essays are easy to score high on when you stay disciplined:
- answer Q1 with 2 strong points
- answer Q2 with a clear judgement
- add one caveat to show depth
- conclude consistently