Band 7 Example

Question: What positive and negative impact do mobile phones have on friendship?

Idea 1

Positive Impact
Model Answer
Mobile phones have a lot of positive effects on friendship. For example, it’s much easier to stay in touch with friends, even if they live far away. We can send instant messages or share photos and videos anytime, which helps us feel closer. Group chats are also useful for planning events or just chatting with everyone at once. I think mobile phones help shy people too, because they can communicate more easily without feeling nervous. And if there’s an emergency, friends can quickly support each other.
Mobile phones have definitely brought many positive changes to friendships. They make it incredibly easy to keep in touch, regardless of distance, thanks to instant messaging and social media platforms. Sharing photos, videos, and life updates helps friends stay connected and strengthens their bond. Group chats are especially helpful for organizing events and maintaining a sense of community. Moreover, mobile phones can be a lifeline for shy individuals, allowing them to communicate more comfortably. In emergencies, the ability to reach out instantly means friends can offer support when it’s needed most.
Grammar Analysis
1. Present perfect tense: "have definitely brought" shows the ongoing impact of mobile phones on friendships. 2. Infinitive of purpose: "to keep in touch" and "to communicate more comfortably" express the purpose of using mobile phones. 3. Present participle as subject: "Sharing photos, videos, and life updates" is used as the subject of the sentence, adding complexity. 4. Relative clause: "thanks to instant messaging and social media platforms" and "when it’s needed most" provide additional information, enhancing sentence structure.
Vocabulary
  • positive changes
  • keep in touch
  • instant messaging
  • social media platforms
  • sharing photos, videos, and life updates
  • stay connected
  • strengthens their bond
  • group chats
  • organizing events
  • maintaining a sense of community
  • lifeline for shy individuals
  • communicate more comfortably
  • reach out instantly
  • offer support

Idea 2

Negative Impact
Model Answer
There are also some negative impacts of mobile phones on friendship. Sometimes, messages can be misunderstood because you can’t see the other person’s face or hear their voice. People might spend too much time on their phones and not talk to friends in person, which can make them feel lonely. Social media can also make friends jealous or competitive. Sometimes, people ignore their friends who are right next to them because they are busy on their phones. And there’s also the problem of cyberbullying, which can really hurt friendships.
On the other hand, mobile phones can negatively affect friendships in several ways. Communication through text lacks tone and facial expressions, which can easily lead to misunderstandings. Excessive phone use often results in people neglecting face-to-face interactions, making them feel isolated even when surrounded by friends. Social media can also introduce jealousy or unhealthy competition among friends, as people compare their lives online. It’s common to see people ignoring those physically present because they’re absorbed in their phones. Additionally, issues like cyberbullying or negative comments online can seriously damage friendships and trust.
Grammar Analysis
1. Contrast structure: "On the other hand, mobile phones can negatively affect friendships..." uses a contrast structure to clearly separate positive and negative impacts. 2. Modal verbs: "can negatively affect," "can easily lead," "can seriously damage" use modal verbs to express possibility and potential, adding nuance to the answer. 3. Present participle as adverbial: "neglecting face-to-face interactions" uses a present participle phrase to describe the result of excessive phone use. 4. Relative clauses: "which can easily lead to misunderstandings" and "as people compare their lives online" use relative clauses to provide additional information and detail.
Vocabulary
  • positive and negative impacts
  • stay in touch
  • maintain long-distance relationships
  • share experiences instantly
  • communication through text
  • lacks tone and facial expressions
  • misunderstandings
  • excessive phone use
  • neglecting face-to-face interactions
  • feel isolated
  • introduce jealousy
  • unhealthy competition
  • cyberbullying
  • negative comments
  • damage friendships and trust