Band 9 model answer
It is frequently claimed that smartphones and social media, for all their convenience, are eroding our capacity for genuine social interaction. While I accept that technology can be misused, I only partially agree that it is making people less sociable.
There is undeniable evidence for the pessimistic view. In restaurants and homes alike, it is now common to see people absorbed in their screens rather than conversing with those beside them. Excessive reliance on text-based communication may also weaken the subtle skills, such as reading body language and tone, on which face-to-face relationships depend. For a minority, online interaction can even become a substitute for real companionship, deepening isolation rather than relieving it.
Nonetheless, I believe technology more often enhances sociability than diminishes it. Messaging apps and video calls allow people to sustain close relationships across great distances, so that families separated by migration or work can remain in daily contact. Social platforms help individuals discover communities of shared interest they could never have found locally, and they frequently lead to meetings in the real world. Used thoughtfully, these tools complement rather than replace personal contact.
The decisive factor, then, is not the technology itself but how it is used. A person who allows a device to dominate every moment will inevitably neglect those around them, whereas one who uses it purposefully can be more connected than ever.
In conclusion, although communication technology can encourage antisocial habits when abused, it also enables relationships to flourish. I therefore disagree that it is inherently making people less sociable; responsibility lies with the user.
Examiner’s notes
- Adopts a measured position (partial agreement) and sustains it, examining both the harms and benefits in depth.
- Pinpoints the true variable (how technology is used) rather than blaming the technology itself, a sign of strong critical thinking.
- Lexical sophistication is evident: eroding, companionship, complement, antisocial habits.