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People living alone essay

2

This sample essay is designed to show you one way an essay can fit together and become more coherent.
This is an important part of your score and if you dont really understand what it means I suggest you
check out this lesson on coherence first:

Understand the question and structure your essay

The first step is to read and understand the question. There are in fact two main questions here and you
need to answer both parts fully. The logical approach here is to use a separate paragraph for each part of
the question.
There is an increasing trend for people to live alone. What is causing this to happen? Will it
have a negative or a positive impact on the society?

A brief introduction and conclusion

There are different ways you can write introductions and conclusions. The ones in this essay are very short
and functional this is a possible approach. You should still make sure that:
the introduction identifies the task the question and outlines your position
the conclusion summarises the main points in your essay

Get the essay structure right

It is important that the separate parts of your essay fit together. Look at the colour coding below and see
how the main paragraphs fit together. To get this right you need to be able to write clear topic sentences.

An increasing number of people are choosing to live by themselves. My belief is that the changing
nature of the family is the root cause of this and that it will have an negative effect on society.
There are two main ways in which changing family relationships are responsible for more people living
by themselves. Perhaps the most significant of these is that not only has marriage become less
popular, but the rate of divorce has risen dramatically in the last 20 years. This naturally leads to fewer
people sharing accommodation. Another related factor is that there is a tendency for children to leave
home earlier than before. This can have the effect of leaving a single parent living alone in the family
home and the child living in a bedsit in another town.
This phenomenon is likely to be harmful to society at two different levels. At the personal level, there is
a clear risk that people living by themselves can become isolated and lonely because they live without
the daily support that a family can provide. This is particularly the case with elderly people and the
divorced who are more at risk of depression, which is becoming an increasingly severe problem is
society. Then on the social level, if fewer people are sharing accommodation, the housing shortage is
only likely to increase and this is a serious problem in our overcrowded towns and cities.
My conclusion is that people living by themselves is strongly connected to new patterns in family
lifeand will cause harm.

Organise your paragraphs too

The paragraphs within the essay also need to be organised. See how both paragraphs are clearly
organised. The topic sentence outlines that there are going to be two main points and then each point is
clearly introduced with a linking phrase.

There are two main ways in which changing family relationships are responsible for more people living
by themselves. Perhaps the most significant of these is that not only has marriage become less
popular, but the rate of divorce has risen dramatically in the last 20 years. This naturally leads to fewer
people sharing accommodation. Another related factor is that there is a tendency for children to leave
home earlier than before. This can have the effect of leaving a single parent living alone in the family
home and the child living in a bedsit in another town.

This phenomenon is likely to be harmful to society at two different levels. At the personal level, there is
a clear risk that people living by themselves can become isolated and lonely because they live without
the daily support that a family can provide. This is particularly the case with elderly people and the
divorced who are more at risk of depression, which is becoming an increasingly severe problem is
society. Then on the social level, if fewer people are sharing accommodation, the housing shortage is
only likely to increase and this is a serious problem in our overcrowded towns and cities.

Using linking language try this!

Its also important that you link your sentences together. One of the most effective ways to do this is use
this. It is a very natural linking word and can help you avoid repetition. See how it introduces these
sentences:
Perhaps the most significant of these is that not only has marriage become less popular,
This naturally leads to fewer people
This can have the effect of
This phenomenon is likely to be harmful
This is particularly the case

GET MORE SAMPLE IELTS ESSAYS

LEARN ABOUT TOPIC SENTENCES

9 Responses to People living alone essay

Gabriela September 28, 2016 at 5:04 pm #

REPLY

Very helpful 10x a lot!

Henry October 4, 2016 at 11:38 am #

REPLY

Amazing ideas and good structures ,but the number of words in this essay is less than 250.

Dominic Cole October 4, 2016 at 3:41 pm #

REPLY

My word count is 257 words did you look at the version showing the intro and conclusion?

Anonymous October 17, 2016 at 6:23 pm #

Is living in a bedsit a phrase?

REPLY

nafisa October 17, 2016 at 6:28 pm #

REPLY

Is this living in a bedsit a phrase?

Dominic Cole October 17, 2016 at 7:34 pm #

REPLY

Very much so. Its a great phrase to use good precise language

nafisa October 17, 2016 at 6:30 pm #

REPLY

My belief is that the changing nature of the family is the root cause of this and THAT it will have an
negative effect on society.
Sir,can we omit this THAT?

Dominic Cole October 17, 2016 at 7:34 pm #

REPLY

Yes

Jessie October 25, 2016 at 2:57 pm #

REPLY

Thanks for your help. I wonder whether it is true to say at the personal level, when the question is
Will it have a negative or a positive impact on the SOCIETY??

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