Task 38.1
Essay Writing · Survey Comment
Comment on Data & Give Your Opinion
Free Time Preferences — What Do Zetland Teenagers Enjoy Most?
Survey-Based Essay · 200–250 words · 5 Paragraphs
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Task 38.1 · Variant 20
Imagine that you are doing a project on how Zetland teenagers prefer to spend their free time. You have found some data on the subject — the results of a survey conducted among Zetland teenagers (see the table below).
Comment on the survey data and give your opinion on the subject of the project.
The survey question: What do you prefer to do in your free time?
Choose one option
| Options | Number of teenagers (%) |
|---|---|
| Going for a walk with friends | |
| Going to the cinema | |
| Shopping in a mall | |
| Eating out in a café | |
| Visiting music festivals |
Write 200–250 words. Use the following plan:
- make an opening statement on the subject of the project;
- select and report 2–3 facts;
- make 1–2 comparisons where relevant and give your comments;
- outline a problem that can arise with ways of spending free time and suggest a way of solving it;
- conclude by giving and explaining your opinion on the best way of spending free time.
Part 1 of 5 — Opening Statement
Introduce the topic. State the subject of your project: how Zetland teenagers prefer to spend their free time. Mention the survey briefly.
Tap a phrase to insert it:
Free time is an important part of every teenager's life.
How teenagers choose to spend their leisure time says a lot about
A recent survey among Zetland teenagers explored
This project focuses on
As part of a project on teenage leisure habits,
0 words~2–3 sentences
Part 2 of 5 — Key Facts from the Survey
Report 2–3 specific facts from the data. Use percentages from the table. Mention the most and least popular activities.
Facts you can use — pick 2 or 3
45% said they prefer going for a walk with friends — the most popular answer by far.
22% chose going to the cinema — the second most common choice.
Only 5% prefer visiting music festivals — the least popular option.
15% enjoy shopping in a mall in their free time.
13% prefer eating out in a café as their favourite leisure activity.
Useful phrases — tap to insert:
According to the survey,
The results show that
The majority of respondents (45%)
Notably,
It is worth mentioning that
At the other end of the scale,
0 words~3–5 sentences
Part 3 of 5 — Comparisons & Comments
Compare 1–2 pairs of results and add your comment. Why might teenagers prefer one activity over another? Are the results surprising?
Comparison ideas
Walking with friends (45%) vs. visiting music festivals (5%) — social outdoor activities clearly outshine cultural events.
Cinema (22%) vs. shopping (15%) — entertainment experiences are preferred over consumer activities.
Active/social choices vs. passive/solo — teenagers seem to value real-life social interaction over indoor or commercial pursuits.
Comparison starters — tap to insert:
Compared to going for a walk with friends,
While 45% prefer outdoor walks,
This is perhaps because
In contrast,
Interestingly,
It seems that face-to-face social interaction matters most to teenagers,
0 words~3–4 sentences
Part 4 of 5 — Problem & Solution
Outline a problem that can arise with ways of spending free time and suggest a realistic way to solve it.
Problem & solution ideas
Problem: spending too much free time on passive or screen-based activities can harm physical health and social skills.
Problem: shopping as a leisure habit can lead to overspending and financial pressure on teenagers and families.
Problem: teenagers who lack access to parks or cinemas may struggle to find meaningful free-time activities.
Solution: schools and communities could offer affordable organised leisure activities such as sports clubs, art workshops, and outdoor trips.
Solution: parents and teachers could encourage a healthy balance between active outdoor time and other leisure choices.
Problem / solution phrases — tap to insert:
One major challenge is
A significant problem with
However, this could be solved by
One possible solution would be
To overcome this,
Schools and local communities could
0 words~3–4 sentences
Part 5 of 5 — Conclusion
Give and explain your opinion on the best way of spending free time. Why does it matter? What benefits does your chosen activity provide?
Closing phrases — tap to insert:
In conclusion,
To sum up,
I strongly believe that
In my opinion, the best way to spend free time is
Spending time with friends outdoors is beneficial because
Without quality leisure time,
0 words~2–4 sentences
Vocabulary — key words & phrases