IELTS Task 2 model essay: Social media has made people less sociable in real life

The question

Social media has made people less sociable in real life. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Essay type: Opinion (agree or disagree). Write at least 250 words in 40 minutes.

The plan (5 minutes)

• Paragraph 1: Social media platforms now play a central role in how people communicate.
• Paragraph 2: It is true that social media can replace real-life interaction in certain situations.
• Paragraph 3: However, for most people, social media supports real-world relationships rather than replacing them.
• Paragraph 4: Furthermore, social media helps people maintain relationships that would otherwise fade.
• Paragraph 5: In conclusion, although excessive use of social media can reduce face-to-face interaction, I believe that for most people it makes real-life social co.

Model essay (267 words)

Social media platforms now play a central role in how people communicate. Some argue that this has made people less sociable in real life. While I accept that social media can reduce face-to-face contact for some people, I largely disagree with this statement.

It is true that social media can replace real-life interaction in certain situations. It is not unusual to see a group of friends at a restaurant, each looking at their own phone rather than talking to one another. Some people, particularly teenagers, may also find it easier to message than to speak in person, and spending hours scrolling through other people's lives can leave less time for meeting friends.

However, for most people, social media supports real-world relationships rather than replacing them. Event pages and group chats make it far easier to organise gatherings, from birthday parties to sports matches. Many people use social media to find local clubs, volunteer groups or communities that share their interests, which then lead to new friendships in person. For migrants and people who move cities for work, social media is often the first step in building a new social network.

Furthermore, social media helps people maintain relationships that would otherwise fade. Keeping in touch with distant friends and relatives means that, when people do meet again, the relationship is still strong.

In conclusion, although excessive use of social media can reduce face-to-face interaction, I believe that for most people it makes real-life social contact easier to arrange and maintain. The key is using these platforms as a tool to connect, not as a substitute for meeting people.

Why it's a band 7+ answer

• Task Response: every part of the question is answered, with a clear position from the introduction to the conclusion.
• Coherence and Cohesion: 5 paragraphs, each with one main idea, linked naturally (however, moreover, in my view, in conclusion).
• Lexical Resource: precise topic vocabulary and collocations, without forced "big words".
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy: a mix of simple and complex sentences, with very few errors.

Your turn

Write your own answer to this question in 40 minutes, then paste it into the free IELTS writing checker for an estimated band on all four criteria. For more practice questions, see the 60 IELTS Task 2 questions.