IELTS Essay - Compare & Contrast - Using Transition Words

This is an IELTS activity to help students master the use of transition words. Transition words are extremely important in scoring well on the IELTS. They can be the difference between a 6 and 7, for example. I spend at least a couple of classes per term teaching them.

If you follow my blog (and I hope you do!), you 'll notice that this is the same essay that I used for an IELTS activity a couple of weeks back.  This is intentional and not for lack of material! : ) I sometimes like to use an essay a couple of times to help students understand its structure. We look at one essay from different angles. Once students get over their grumbling, they reluctantly admit that writing an essay is much more than just throwing words down on paper. If you have really enthusiastic complainers (which I sometimes do, especially for my upper-level classes), you can assign a repeat essay activity for homework.

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DIRECTIONS: FILL IN THE BLANKS WITH THE APPROPRIATE TRANSITION/SIGNAL WORD.

Question: Some people believe that it is better to spend your free time on useful activities, while others feel that free time is best used for relaxation. What are your opinions on this?

Free time is limited, and 1 _____ precious, to most people. 2_____ _____ _____, many people carefully consider how to spend it. Some people feel that it is better to spend your spare time being busy and developing yourself through useful activities, 3_____ others prefer to spend this time relaxing.

Those who prefer to use their leisure time to develop themselves and remain busy enjoy several benefits. 4_____, because such people are busy gaining knowledge and experience, they will be more likely to get ahead, both at work and in life. This getting ahead and increased ability and performance could very well result in promotions and a higher salary at work. This would, 5_____ _____, lead to other benefits 6_____ _____ longer vacations and more money. 7_____ _____, a person who has developed himself will feel better about himself, his knowledge and abilities, and will have more self-confidence. This psychological benefit could be reason enough to some people to remain productive during their free time.

8_____ _____ _____ _____, those who prefer to use their leisure time to relax have several arguments in their favor. 9_____ _____ they probably enjoy less stress and therefore better health. 10_____ _____ _____ _____, stress levels and physical health are strongly linked. 11_____ _____, those who take time out to relax enjoy better relationships with their friends and family simply because they have more time to spend with them. Psychologists say that, 12_____ _____ _____ _____ spending time with family, quantity is as important as quality. 13_____ _____ _____ _____ having better relationships with those most important to us contributes to our overall quality of life. 14_____, those who enjoy their spare time and use this time to rejuvenate and refresh themselves will ultimately perform better at work, 15_____ their minds and bodies will be rested. 16_____ _____ _____, they will be ready to give everything they have at work. Who knows? 17_____ they will get further ahead than those who spend all their time working!

18_____ _____ _____, while those who prefer to work during their spare time have relevant arguments, 19_____ _____ _____ those who prefer to relax during this time will enjoy more benefits, both in their personal lives and at work. 20_____, I think it is much more advantageous to use one's spare time to relax.

ANSWER KEY

Free time is limited, and 1therefore precious, to most people. 2As a result, many people carefully consider how to spend it. Some people feel that it is better to spend your spare time being busy and developing yourself through useful activities, 3while others prefer to spend this time relaxing.

Those who prefer to use their leisure time to develop themselves and remain busy enjoy several benefits. 4First, because such people are busy gaining knowledge and experience, they will be more likely to get ahead, both at work and in life. This getting ahead and increased ability and performance could very well result in promotions and a higher salary at work. This would, 5in turn, lead to other benefits 6such as longer vacations and more money. 7As well, a person who has developed himself will feel better about himself, his knowledge and abilities, and will have more self-confidence. This psychological benefit could be reason enough to some people to remain productive during their free time.

8On the other hand, those who prefer to use their leisure time to relax have several arguments in their favor. 9For example, they probably enjoy less stress and therefore better health. 10As we all know, stress levels and physical health are strongly linked. 11In addition, those who take time out to relax enjoy better relationships with their friends and family simply because they have more time to spend with them. Psychologists say that, 12when it comes to spending time with family, quantity is as important as quality. 13I strongly believe that having better relationships with those most important to us contributes to our overall quality of life. 14Lastly, those who enjoy their spare time and use this time to rejuvenate and refresh themselves will ultimately perform better at work, 15since their minds and bodies will be rested. 16As a result, they will be ready to give everything they have at work. Who knows? 17Maybe they will get further ahead than those who spend all their time working!

18To sum up, while those who prefer to work during their spare time have relevant arguments, 19I believe that those who prefer to relax during this time will enjoy more benefits, both in their personal lives and at work. 20Therefore, I think it is much more advantageous to use one's spare time to relax.

 Thank you for visiting!

Faiza Raintree

To download the worksheet for this activity, click below.