Social media comes up often in recent tests and frequently leads into a Part 3 discussion of technology and society. Give a balanced view: the benefits and the harm.
What the examiner asks on this topic
Which social media do you use?
How much time do you spend on social media every day?
What do you usually post?
Do you think social media is good for young people?
Have you ever taken a break from social media?
Model answers (aimed at band 7+)
Which social media do you use?
Mainly Telegram and Instagram. Telegram is more for news and chatting, since almost every organisation here has a channel, while Instagram is where I follow friends and a few accounts about design and travel.
What do you usually post?
Hardly anything, to be honest. I'm more of a watcher than a poster. Now and then I'll share a story from a trip or a birthday, but I've never been comfortable putting my everyday life online.
Do you think social media is good for young people?
It's a mixed blessing. It can be a great way to learn things and stay in touch, but it also makes teenagers compare themselves to impossibly perfect lives, which can really damage their confidence.
Have you ever taken a break from social media?
Yes, I deleted Instagram for a month before my exams last year. The first few days were strange, because I kept reaching for my phone, but after that I felt calmer and I got a lot more done.
Useful words and phrases
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| stay in touch | stay in touch |
| a watcher rather than a poster | a watcher rather than a poster |
| a mixed blessing | a mixed blessing |
| compare yourself to | compare yourself to |
| damage confidence | damage confidence |
| take a break from | take a break from |
| reach for my phone | reach for my phone |
| get a lot more done | get a lot more done |
How to answer
- Name the platform together with what you use it for.
- For opinion questions, open with a balance ("a mixed blessing"), then give both sides.
- Personal experience (a break, a change) makes the answer convincing.
- Explain Telegram's role: the examiner may not know how central it is in Uzbekistan.
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Everything about Part 1: the Part 1 guide. More topics: all articles.
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