"To what extent do you believe that technological

advancements are making people more disconnected from

one another?
Some people think that technological advancements are
making people more disconnected (disconnectedness) from
one another. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Some individuals believe that the changes brought about in
the connectedness among people by development of
technology have been negative. ( the changes that are
brought about by technological advancements can have a
negative impact on people’s level of interconnectedness). I
partly agree this statement for several reasons.
On the one hand, there is one major reason that explains
why people may feel more isolated physically and mentally
due to the use of technological advancements.
On the one hand, there is one major reason that explains why
the likelihood of disconectedness among humans tend to
increase. In order to maintain high quality social
relationships, people must devote both time and effort to
others, catering to the emotional needs of others. However,
as communications between people are primarily hosted on
the Internet, especially via messenger applications or social
media platforms, spending enough time with each other
becomes increasingly difficult. As a result, people’s level of
interconnectedness becomes weakened, directly threatening
the social fabric that defines the nature of humen beings.
On the one hand, there is one major reason that explains
why people may feel more isolated physically and mentally
due to the use of technological advancements. In the past,
relationships were fostered in a conventional way where
both parties or a group of individuals devoted time and
effort to setting up real-life meet-ups, helping them interact
and comprehend others’ emotions in a more nuanced way.
Nevertheless, as communicating through technologically
advanced methods, such as social media platforms, becomes
dominating, these conventional circumstances have their
frequency greatly decreased, causing a rift between people’s
relationships. As a result, it is true that technology does
instill a sense of disconnectedness between people.
On the one hand, there is one major reason that explains
why the likelihood of disconectedness among humans tend to
increase. In this day and age, technological advancements
can give people exposure to a plethora of mental stimuli. For
instance, while young children are stuck with their phones
playing games, adults must use these devices to work.
Gradually, people only communicate with others virtually,
making it hard for them to spend time meaningfully with
their loves ones or even family members. This situation
causes a level of disconnectedness between all people in
society.
The emergence of technological advancements, on the other
hand, can promote connectivity between people in an
unprecedented fashion. In the past, when people were
geographically distant from others, their relationships
became excruciatingly hard to sustain as there were no
effective communication methods. Nevertheless, the Internet
and portable devices, some of the most important
technological innovations of the past decades, have bridged
this gap, helping people maintain their social bonds despite
location and time differences. Also, social media platforms
have provided universal connections with people across the
globe, creating relationships that are not supposed to occur
in the past.

In a fast-pacing world, human being is able to approach to a

vast range of content on the social media. Due to this
extreme variety offered by many platforms, the addicted
nature is innevitable to be widespread, thereby reducing the
amount of time that people spend on interpersonal
interaction.
As development company have made such huge efforts to
create many platforms that endorse people to stick to the
screen namely: online game, social network... These
applications lead to nonstop using conditions because they
contains addictive features that make people can not get rid
of. For instance, addicting to playing game has become a
serious problem in the young generations
Nowadays, large conglomerates in the field of technology
provide people the most convenient options to communicate.
For instance, people can communicate simply by texting or
virtual video calls, which take limited effort and time.
However, genuine relationships can only be fostered if
people are willing to sacrifice t
On the one hand, proponents supporting the view that
technology can build up a barrier among people may have a
convincing argument. The most prominent one can stem from
the fact that humans gradually over-rely on this innovation to
contact the outside world, resulting in a hesitation to maintain
in-person connections afterwards. This phenomenon juxtaposes
provides a level of superficiality to people’s relationships, which
are drastically different from what they normally experienced in
the past when technology was rarely utilized in communication.
had years ago when technology was so prevalent. Furtheremore,
for individuals with low level of technological adaptability or
accessibility, such as the elderly or people with lower means of
living, may suffer from social isolation as their interactions with
others become less frequent.
Even more, the elderly, considered to be slow in modern
developments, are
subject to their loneliness
On the one hand, those who believe that the the isolation being
more socially isolated is an inevitable consequence of relying
excessively on technological development may have compelling
reasons. In light of the advent of the Internet, people are
provided with the ability to have instantaneous/instant
communication via online chatting platforms without the
demand for spending time on traditionally time-consuming
method of physical meetings.

having a face-to-face meet as in the past, which is less

convenient as it is considered as time-consuming to travel to the
meeting place.
This colossal merit makes people more dependent
on technology, thereby leading to the plunge in the amount of
time allocated for direct interactions and eventually widening
intangible /the physical and psychological gap between people.
As development company have made such huge efforts to create
many platforms that endorse people to stick to the screen
namely: online game, social network... These applications lead
to nonstop using conditions because they contains addictive
features that make people can not get rid of. For instance,
addicting to playing game has become a serious problem in the
young generation and many research have shown that people
spend more and more time scrolling Facebook, TikTok... And as
a consequence,
the more time spending on the digital applications, the less time
people can have interpersonal connection

heir comfort for it, making it challenging for people to have

good relationships nowadays. As a result, the use of
technology truly affects people’s interconnectedness in a
negative way.
There is one major reason that explains why the over-reliance
on technology can make us disconnected from others. Since
the algorithms of social media platforms can easily predict
human preferences, they can customize their content to
users’ needs, thereby making them fully engaged in the
virtual world and increasingly socially withdrawn. As a result,
people’s actual time spent on their relationships becomes
minimized, effectively decreasing the quality of their bonds
and degrading their social presence. These problems
collectively cause a severe plunge in the level of
interconnectedness between humans in society.
To begin with, there is one major reason why people may feel
more isolated physically and mentally due to the use of
technological advancements. Firstly, when people have too
much exposure to technology, they often tend to be
immersed into it and do not care about anything around
them. Gradually, this circumstance of being socially isolated
makes it uncomfortable for people to engage in their
relationships or make an effort to strengthen their ties with
others. As social relationships are essential in maintaining
people’s mental well-being, these problems can lead to
mental illnesses, further drifting the affected individuals from
society and causing disconnectedness.
On the one hand, there is one major reason that explains why
the likelihood of disconectedness among humans tends to
increase. In the past, the emergence of the Internet and
smartphones has not been developed. In order to gain
knowledge and information in life, people must socially
connect by interacting face-to-face with others, increasing
the social bonds between them. However, as the Internet and
other technological advancements bring about information at
the tip of users’ fingers, the demand for going to out to learn
and meet others decreases. As a result, people get more
comfortably being alone, causing a level of disconnectedness
between them.
On the other hand, as people use much of their time on
social networks , even resolving working or communicating
via messages or video call, people do not touch or engage in
the real world, making people may feel more isolated
physically and mentally due to the use of technological
advancements. -> Nowadays, a lot of people’s works revolve
around using different technological devices and
innovations, making it hard for them to have physical
interactions with others.

For instance, recently there are lots of children with autism

who used much time in their ipad or social network have
interfered by medical intervention

It is scientifically proven that the use of technological devices

and featurs negatively affects the level of intimacy that people
assign for their relationships with loved ones. The reason
comes from the addiction that many technological
advancements instill in users, such as the addictive
algorithms of social media platforms or the entertainment
abilities of smarthpones. For instance, multiple studies have
shown that young people, whose use of smartphones is much
higher than other groups, have a very limited amount of
interaction times with their parents.

Much scientific evidence has shown many young people fail

to engage in daily conversations with their family members
as they always keep their eyes glued to TikTok where they
can mindlessly surf many captivating videos on different
topics of interest.

However, nowadays, with the innovations of technology and

the Internet, people glue their eye onto monitors' screen,
such as smartphones and computers, and tablets which allow
them to emerge/immerse in the international widespead
amount of information and stay connected with widerange of
people across the globe through media platforms, while
spending time with other may become difficult due to the
limitation of geographical condition along with the
narrowess of information.

Gradually, they will lose relationships with their friends or

relatives or even connections with society because after a
long time without contacting, they are likely to be afraid of
communication with others. This
This will lead to loneliness and can even cause depression if
lasting for a long time.

and eventually lacking social interactions. Much scientific

evidence has shown that many young people fail to engage in
daily conversations with their family members as they always
keep their eyes glued to
Much scientific evidence has shown many young people fail
to engage in daily conversations with their family members
as they always keep their eyes glued to TikTok where they
can mindlessly surf many captivating videos on different
topics of interest. As a result, the ever-increasing
development of technology can weaken social ties between
people

TCA -> In the past / Nowadays

on way to demonstrate this is by pointing out how virtual

interactions facilitated by technology often replace in-person
ones. For instance, instead of meeting friends for coffee,
people may opt to chat online or through social media
platforms. This can lead to a lack of genuine conncections
and feeling of isolation, as there virtuals interactions may not
provide the same level of emotional support of depth as face-
to-face conversations.

CTA
What are the characteristics of a good relationship.
What are the disruptive abilities of technology.
è Association between them -> decrease the quality
of relationships.
In a (the) fast-pacing world caused by the dominance of
technology, human beings are able to approach to a vast
range of content on the social media. In the era of
sponteneous interactions and behaviors caused by he use of
technology, people’s connections with others rely heavily on
these technological advancements. Nevertheless, they fail to
actually engage with others in real-life settings, causing a
drop in the strength of their relationships. As a result, the
interconnectedness between people becomes weakened.
Due to this extreme variety offered by many platforms, the
addicted nature is innevitable to be widespread, thereby
reducing the amount of time that people spend on
interpersonal interaction.
‘(CAR) / TCA / CTA
Car – counterargument refinement -> phản biện trước nội
dung và đưa ra câu tư duy back-up
TCA – Temporal contrast analysis -> tạo ra sự tương phản
giữa các hoàn cảnh lịch sự để giải thích 1 xu hướng hoặc
1 hệ quả
CTA – Characteristic-Trait Association -> tương thích
giữa đặc tích của đối tượng sẽ dẫn đến hành vi.

Despite the inherent nature of technological advancements

that promote connections between individuals, some people
comprehend a sense of disconnectedness from the over-
reliance of them. Personally, I partly agree with this way of
thinking due to some reasons that are elucidated in this
essay.

Rely on reliant on
With the advent of technological advancements that bring
about drastic alterations in our societal structure, one school
of thought holds that people are likely to lead socially
isolated lives in an era marked by technological ascendance.
While acknowledging the reasons behind the proposal, my
opinion only aligns partially with it due to reasons that are
elucidated in this essay.
I partly agree with this proposal for some reasons which will
be elucidated further in this essay
some people are opinion that the increasing of technological
innovations, such as the use of smartphones and the
Internet, are causing dramatically distant a widening mental
distance between human's connection humans. Personally, I
partly agree with this viewpoint and will (give further
explanations about my perspective in this essay) explain it in
below paragraphs
In today era's technological development, advances in this
field are believed to can cause distances between people.
While acknowledging the rationale behind this thought, I
still agree that there are merits associated with this
development.
In this modern age, thanks to the advent of technological
advancements, people have been able to expand their social
circle. However, some individuals think that it (these
drastical alterations in the way people utilize technology)
may lead to the lack of strength in interpersonal
relationships. From my perspective, I partly agree with that
statement due to several reasons.
merits can be brought with the help of it.

Advanced Grammatical Techniques

For Band 7
Fronting: Bring information to the front of the sentence for
emphasis.
"Rapid are the advancements in technology that we scarcely
notice our dwindling interpersonal interactions."
Relative Adverbs: Introduce relative clauses with adverbs like
'where', 'when', and 'why' to add more information about the
subject.
"There are social media platforms where people can interact, yet
these platforms often lack the intimacy of face-to-face
conversations."
Quantifiers with Comparatives: Use quantifiers with
comparative adjectives to show the degree of difference.
"Technological devices are becoming more sophisticated, yet
people are feeling less connected than ever."
For Band 8
Elliptical Constructions: Use ellipsis to omit elements of a
sentence when the meaning can be understood from the context.
"Technology: advancing rapidly; human connection: waning just
as quickly."
Complex Prepositions: Use complex prepositions to express
nuanced relationships in time and space.
"In the midst of technological ubiquity, we find our social bonds
fraying at the edges."
Past Subjunctive: Use the past subjunctive mood for
hypothetical situations.
"If society were to reassess its relationship with technology, a
more harmonious balance might be struck."
Step-by-Step Essay Writing Guide
Step 1: Understanding and Analyzing the Prompt
Break down the prompt to understand the core issue: the
relationship between technology and social disconnection.
Decide on your stance: Agree, disagree, or present a nuanced
view.
Step 2: Planning Your Response
Jot down points for both sides of the argument: how technology
might disconnect us or how it could potentially connect us
further.
Choose the most compelling and relevant arguments to develop
in your essay.
Step 3: Structuring the Essay
Introduction
Craft an engaging hook related to the ubiquity of technology in
daily life.
Provide a brief context about the perceived impact of technology
on human connections.
Conclude with a thesis statement that outlines your overall
viewpoint on the issue.
Main Body Paragraphs
Paragraph 1: The Disconnecting Power of Technology
Discuss the ways in which technology might lead to social
disconnection, using fronting and relative adverbs for emphasis.
Include examples or evidence to illustrate your points.
Paragraph 2: The Connecting Power of Technology
Explore the potential for technology to enhance human
connections, using quantifiers with comparatives to show the
scale of impact.
Offer counterarguments or examples to provide balance.
Conclusion
Recapitulate the main points of the essay, succinctly
summarizing the arguments from both paragraphs.
Reiterate your thesis, demonstrating how the discussion supports
your overarching view.
Provide a final thought that underscores the importance of
finding balance in our use of technology.
Step 4: Writing the Essay
Ensure each paragraph serves a clear purpose and contributes to
the overall argument.
Use the identified grammatical structures to enrich your essay
and demonstrate linguistic range.
Stay focused on the topic and maintain a coherent line of
reasoning throughout.
Step 5: Reviewing and Refining Your Essay
Review your essay for logical flow and clarity of argument.
Check your grammatical structures and vocabulary to ensure
they meet the criteria for the desired band level.
Proofread for errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Vocabulary List
Digital Communication Over Physical Interaction:
Technologies like social media, texting, and emailing allow for
constant communication but lack the nuances of face-to-face
interactions, potentially leading to a sense of disconnection.
Screen Time vs. Human Contact:
Increased screen time can displace the time spent on direct
human interactions. People may choose to engage with devices
rather than with the people around them.
Social Media and Superficial Relationships:
Social media can create the illusion of being connected while
fostering superficial relationships that lack depth and genuine
emotional bonds.
Echo Chambers and Polarization:
Online platforms often create echo chambers, isolating
individuals from diverse perspectives and potentially creating
social polarization.
Mental Health Concerns:
The rise in reported loneliness and mental health issues,
particularly among young people, has been linked to the overuse
of digital technology and social media.
Arguments against Increased Disconnection:
Global Connectivity:
Technology has enabled people to connect across vast distances,
fostering relationships that would have been impossible in
previous eras.
Access to Support Communities:
Individuals with niche interests or those seeking support can
find communities online, which they might not have access to
locally.
Enhanced Social Networking:
Social media and communication platforms can strengthen
existing relationships by enabling more frequent contact and
shared experiences.
Collaborative Opportunities:
Technology has led to unprecedented collaborative opportunities
in work and leisure, connecting people to achieve common
goals.
Inclusion for the Disabled:
Advancements in technology have provided new ways for
people with disabilities to connect, communicate, and engage
with society.
Nuances and Middle Ground:
Quality vs. Quantity:
While people may have a larger number of connections due to
technology, the quality of these connections is crucial.
Technology can both facilitate deeper relationships and
contribute to more superficial ones.
Generational Differences:
Younger generations, who are digital natives, might experience
and manage their social connections differently compared to
older generations, who may value in-person contact more.
Individual Differences:
Personal preferences and individual differences play a
significant role. Some may thrive with digital connections, while
others may feel isolated.
The Role of Moderation:
The extent to which technology affects social connections may
depend on how it is used. Moderation and conscious use of
technology can mitigate feelings of disconnection.
COVID-19 Pandemic:
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that technology can be a
lifeline for social connection during times when physical
distancing is necessary.
Sample Essays
Band 7 Sample Essay
Introduction
With each passing day, technology weaves itself more tightly
into the fabric of our lives. This essay examines the contention
that, despite its intent to connect, technology is rendering human
interactions increasingly superficial, leading to a paradoxical
sense of isolation in a hyper-connected world.
Main Body Paragraph 1
Rapid are the advancements in technology that individuals often
find themselves engrossed in a digital realm at the expense of
real-world connections. Social media platforms, where people
spend hours interacting, paradoxically contribute to a decline in
genuine social engagements. The ease of liking a photo or
sending a text message is replacing the depth and richness of
conversations that occur when people meet face-to-face.
Main Body Paragraph 2
On the other hand, technology has the power to connect people
across vast distances, creating communities and relationships
that were once impossible. Video calls, for example, have
become a lifeline for families separated by geography.
Nevertheless, these digital interactions often feel less fulfilling
compared to the multifaceted experience of in-person
exchanges.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while technology indisputably provides tools for
communication, its contributionto a feeling of societal
disconnection cannot be overlooked. The challenge lies in using
technology as a bridge rather than a barrier to human
connection, ensuring that as we progress digitally, we do not
regress socially.
Band 8 Sample Essay
Introduction
In an age where technology's tentacles reach into every nook of
human experience, the assertion that it is driving a wedge
between personal relationships is a subject of intense debate.
This essay will explore the intricate dynamics of how
technological advancements, while ostensibly designed to
connect, may indeed be fostering a climate of social
disconnection.
Main Body Paragraph 1
Technology's relentless march forward has brought about an
unprecedented ease of communication; yet, it is precisely within
this facility that the roots of disconnection lie. The past
subjunctive mood reflects the hypothetical nature of a society
reconsidering its technological dependencies: if society were to
reassess its relationship with technology, a more harmonious
balance might be struck. Despite the ability to maintain
instantaneous contact, the quality of these interactions has often
been diluted. Elliptical constructions highlight the dichotomy:
"Technology: advancing rapidly; human connection: waning just
as quickly." The depth and resonance of face-to-face interaction
are frequently lost in the digital translation, leaving individuals
feeling more isolated amidst a sea of online connections.
Main Body Paragraph 2
Conversely, technology's role as a connector cannot be
dismissed cavalierly. It has the capacity to unite individuals
from disparate corners of the globe, forging bonds over shared
interests and experiences. Complex prepositions illustrate the
spatial and temporal context: "In the midst of technological
ubiquity, we find our social bonds fraying at the edges." Yet,
these digital threads, while expansive, can also be tenuous,
lacking the robustness of relationships formed and maintained
through traditional means. It is the quality, not the quantity, of
connections that defines the richness of our social tapestry.
Conclusion
To encapsulate, the impact of technology on social connectivity
is a paradoxical narrative of convergence and divergence. While
it has undeniably shrunk the world, enabling a global
conversation, the nuances of human interaction have, at times,
been lost in transmission. It is incumbent upon us to navigate
this digital landscape with a conscious effort to preserve the core
of what makes us inherently social beings: meaningful and
authentic human connections.