Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives - IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion Essay

The essay topic, ‘Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives’, gives you an opportunity to compare your emotions to adult duties by brainstorming ideas from your knowledge and logical reasoning. Even though it might seem difficult, you can approach the essay with the right strategies. By thoroughly going through the IELTS Writing sample answers, you can analyze them carefully to comprehend how to present balanced arguments. In this way, you can elevate your band scores and be exam-ready on the test day.

Band 8+ Tips to Attempt ‘Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives’

The IELTS Writing Task 2 essay requires you to provide an elaborated discussion on two viewpoints by providing an evaluation of happiness across the stages of life. As there are different parameters based on which you will be assessed, you can create well-supported arguments. The following are some of the guiding questions along with band 8+ strategies which will help you to address the four parameters for the Discussion Essay, ‘.Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives’.

Question - IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion Essay ‘Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives’

Structure Breakdown for ‘Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives’

As there are different essay types, it is crucial for you to first identify the type before you proceed to answer. To score a higher IELTS Band Score, it is necessary to create an outline so that your ideas can be organized logically. The following is the structure breakdown for the Discussion Essay ‘Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives’ which will guide you to write a coherent essay.

Check the video below for BAND 8+ ESSAY Structure and learn How to Plan Writing Task 2 Essay!

Sample Answer 1 on ‘Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives’

Life has many phases and some phases are considered more jocund and jaunty than others. While many believe that one lives life to its fullest during the delicate and carefree years of teenage, many contradict this notion and consider one lives exhilaratingly once one attains adulthood. In this essay, I shall reflect upon both the opinions and I will propound my views on the same.

Adulthood is a stage where one gets the utmost freedom and a true emancipation as far as individual decisions are concerned. One can nurture their intellect and perspicacity in adulthood to an optimum level that is not restricted, in most cases, by someone else's thoughts and reflections on a particular topic. To elucidate it better, an individual doesn’t have to rely upon the direction of a guardian to decide upon trivial matters. With adulthood, the discernment and understanding of people are contoured to resist the fallacious wishes that they might have had to be rebuffed from during their childhood. Moreover, one becomes economically independent upon the attainment of the adult stage of life. This is because they become prudential and providential at the same time when decisions are concerned. 

On the contrary, many believe that life endows all the happiness and exuberance during the teenage years. This phase is considered one’s pure soul as compared to what one grows up to be in one’s older age. The paucity of resources, the dearth of comfort and despondence if ever-pervasive in one’s life, is not intensely felt during the juvenile years as one doesn’t come to terms with the reference of the drudgery and perseverance of adulthood. Moreover, this phase of life is safeguarded under the tutelage of one’s guardians that look after them and check their routine requirements. This phase is considered to be the golden phase of one’s life.

In conclusion, the teenage years are unequivocally the most rejoiced phase of one’s life, where one lives to the fullest essence with a credulous soul and starry eyes.

Vocabulary for Sample Answer 1 on ‘Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives’

• Jocund

Meaning: Enthusiastic
Eg: They all look so good with that jocund guffawing.

• Jaunty

Meaning: Cheerful
Eg: That jaunty boy is my cousin.

• Exhilaratingly

Meaning: Blithely
Eg: They all were exhilaratingly singing the glory of the lord.

• Emancipation

Meaning: Freedom
Eg: The emancipation brought them happiness.

• Perspicacity

Meaning: Wisdom
Eg: Your perspicacity and pertinacity is all that counts.

• Paucity

Meaning: Lack
Eg: They all were disturbed by the paucity of funds.

• Despondence

Meaning: Hopelessness
Eg: There was a despondence in their behaviour.

• Tutelage

Meaning: Guidance
Eg: Under her tutelage, the teammates were able to do better than other groups.

Sample Answer 2 on ‘Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives’

A few people believe that the adolescence phase is the happiest time of a person’s life, while others think the adult phase is more rewarding. In my opinion, both life phases are unique and provide varying intensity of happiness. However, the joy of adulthood is usually more realistic and makes a person feel grounded.

The advocates of the adolescent phase maintain that in this period, teenagers are given the chance to choose from a wide range of entertainment. This is because they can take part in activities without being worried or stressed out. To elaborate it further, there are opportunities for the youth to undergo personal introspection, develop their traits, and make decisions which bring happiness. For instance, during the teenage years, the kids are more likely to form very close friendships which are the source of creating happy memories for a lifetime. Therefore, this period is a pivotal time frame which provides great pleasure to individuals.

However, the grown up stage of life would bolster them to think independently which is the source of independence and freedom. Even though the adults make decisions without the help of their guardians on trivial matters, these struggles build their character and help them achieve their goals both personally and professionally. For example, owning a car might be something which a child wishes but being an adult can make it possible which comes with the satisfaction of buying it. Thus, adult life connects dreams and reality which would make people dream and work towards it.

In conclusion, adolescence is all about fun activities, additional leisure time without thinking about taking responsible decisions as they get to explore themselves.  Meanwhile, adulthood includes deeper joys that can be quite rewarding but it involves the power one has to decide for themselves.

Vocabulary for Sample Answer 2 on ‘Teenage Years Are the Happiest of Our Lives’

• Intensity

Meaning: The degree of something
Eg:The intensity of stress related to studies has been increased in the last school years.

• Grounded

Meaning: Down-to-earth
Eg: Her grounded nature is adored by many in her workplace.

• Personal Introspection

Meaning: Thorough self-examination of one’s own thoughts, emotions, or experiences
Eg: Writing reflective essays promotes personal introspection and critical thinking.

• Pivotal

Meaning: Vital or Important
Sentence: Adolescence is a pivotal period when a person’s future decisions are influenced.

• Bolster

Meaning: Give support to something
Eg: Engaging in different activities can bolster one’s confidence in speaking on the stage.

• Trivial

Meaning: Not of great importance
Eg: Rehan’s serious concerns about his result turned out to be trivial as he passed the exam.

Remember that analyzing sample essays would help boost the understanding of logically arranged paragraphs, cohesion, and logical progression which would improve your Coherence and Cohesion. As you dive into different topics, take a note of the correct sentence structures, variety in grammar and lexical control which will hone your skills in the IELTS Exam. With constant practice, you can raise your band scores with confidence by learning about the key details to look at in all four assessment parameters.

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