The Use of Mobile Phone is as Antisocial as Smoking - IELTS Writing Task 2 Argumentative Essay

The use of mobile phone is as antisocial as smoking. Smoking is banned in certain places so mobile phone should be banned like smoking. To what extent do you agree or disagree? OR

Some people believe that having a conversation on a mobile phone in a public or crowded place should be banned. Others feel that we should be able to talk wherever we like. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Sample Answer

It has been claimed that, like smoking, mobile phones should be banned in some places due to their harmful effects. While I accept that the use of mobile phones is antisocial in some ways, I believe it has more benefits and therefore, should not be prohibited.

On the one hand, I agree that the use of mobile phones can sometimes be antisocial. Firstly, these devices might disturb people’s work or study in some cases. For example, the sound of a mobile phone can interrupt a lecture, which affects the concentration of students. Secondly, the use of mobile phones also adversely impacts communication between people. Since individuals currently tend to spend too much time using mobile phones, they seem to have less time to interact with others.

On the other hand, I disagree that mobile phones should be banned because of certain reasons. The first one is that since they allow people who live far away from each other to speak or send messages, they help people keep in touch more easily. For instance, students who study abroad can use mobile phones to make phone calls or even video calls with their families. The second reason is that mobile phones often provide users with many useful applications such as maps and weather forecasts, which can make people’s lives become easier. Additionally, using mobile phones is not as bad as smoking as some people think. While smoking directly affects people’s health and leads to health problems, the negative influences of mobile phones are less serious.

In conclusion, while I agree that mobile phones are sometimes antisocial, I believe they should not be banned.

Vocabulary

• Harmful: causing damage or injury to sb/sth, especially to a person’s health or to the environment
  Eg: the harmful effects of alcohol
• Prohibit: to stop sth from being done or used especially by law
  Eg: Soviet citizens were prohibited from travelling abroad.
• Interrupt: to stop sth for a short time
  Eg: The game was interrupted several times by rain.

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