The Ten Essential ielts vocabulary

Topic 6: Healthcare, health and sport

About the topic


The Healthcare, health and sport topic includes health problems and disabilities (physical and mental), ways of keeping fit and healthy, diet/nutrition and exercise, ways of providing (and educating people about) healthcare and health services, medical innovations and treatments, the benefits and management of common sports.


This is one topic especially where you need to remember not to give personal stories about yourself or people that you know in the Task 2 Writing!


Topic 3 example Task


Many doctors are concerned about the high use of computer games by children and young people. What mental and physical problems may arise from excessive use of these games? How could these problems be reduced?


Explanation of the Task


This is an Ideas>Problem/solution type Task.
It does not ask about whether computer games are good or not, but about your ideas regarding possible mental and physical problems due to excessive use, and also any solutions that you can think of.
You should introduce the topic, describe two or three problems, then two or three solutions, and then summarise. Notice that the Task asks about mental and physical problems, so you should say something on each type of problem.
Band 9 model essay


Children appear to enjoy playing video games, and while there are undoubted benefits, various negative effects stem from this too. Let us consider the main issues, and then outline possible remedies.
Perhaps the major physical problem is the sedentary lifestyle which these games encourage, meaning that youngsters may incline to obesity or inadequate development. Added to this is the strain on eyesight resulting from excessive use of screens and consoles, meaning that children may suffer symptoms of poor vision. There are also concerns about impairment of reflexes due to the repetitive nature of the hand muscles when playing these games, and about the poor diet of convenience food which often accompanies this lifestyle.
The most alarming psychological impact of such activities is possibly the risk of addiction, meaning that children become obsessed with the games and are unable to socialise with family or peers. This undermines their interpersonal skills and makes them underperform both academically and socially.
Turning to possible solutions, perhaps the immediate step would be to promote a more active lifestyle through exercise regimes or sports programmes which would help to detoxify the lifestyles of children affected. This could be done through sponsorship of sports, or