Computers Are Replacing More And More Jobs - IELTS Task 2 Sample Essays

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Model Essay 1

As societies become increasingly digitalised, machines and software systems are taking over tasks once performed exclusively by humans. While technological progress undeniably improves efficiency, it also leads to the disappearance of certain job roles and creates serious social challenges. This essay argues that routine-based occupations are most vulnerable to automation and that large-scale job displacement can result in profound economic and psychological problems for workers.

One category of jobs likely to be lost due to computers is routine clerical and administrative work. Positions such as data entry clerks, bank tellers, and basic accounting assistants are rapidly being replaced by automated software capable of processing vast amounts of information with speed and accuracy. For example, online banking platforms now allow customers to transfer funds, pay bills, and manage accounts without any human assistance, reducing the need for front-desk staff. Similarly, artificial intelligence-powered systems can generate invoices, track expenses, and flag errors more efficiently than junior accountants. Because these roles rely heavily on repetitive tasks governed by clear rules, computers can easily replicate them at a lower long-term cost, making human labour economically less attractive to employers.

A major problem arising from this shift is structural unemployment, which can have far-reaching social consequences. Workers who lose routine jobs often lack the advanced technical or creative skills required in emerging sectors, making re-employment difficult. This skills mismatch may lead to long-term joblessness, reduced income, and increased reliance on government welfare systems. Moreover, prolonged unemployment can damage individuals’ self-esteem and mental health, contributing to social instability and inequality. For instance, middle-aged office workers displaced by automation may struggle to retrain while supporting families, creating financial stress and social frustration. If such trends persist, the economic benefits of technology may be overshadowed by widening gaps between highly skilled professionals and those left behind.

In conclusion, computers are most likely to replace routine administrative and clerical jobs, fundamentally reshaping the labour market. Although technological advancement boosts efficiency, it also risks causing significant unemployment and social hardship. Therefore, without effective retraining and support measures, the negative consequences of job displacement may become a serious obstacle to sustainable technological progress.

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Model Essay 2

As technological innovation accelerates, computers increasingly replace human labour across multiple sectors, a trend often defended on the grounds of environmental efficiency. However, despite marginal ecological gains, this development ultimately disadvantages both individuals and businesses. This essay contends that any environmental benefits are limited and indirect, while the social cost of job displacement and the economic strain on firms far outweigh them. It will examine vulnerable job positions and then critically analyse the resulting harm to workers and commercial stability.

One clear group of job positions threatened by computerisation is found in labour-intensive service and production roles. The first major point is that automation disproportionately eliminates low- and mid-skilled occupations that rely on predictable processes rather than judgement. Cashiers are replaced by self-checkout systems, warehouse workers by robotic sorting lines, and call-centre agents by AI-driven chatbots. These roles are not phased out gradually; they are often removed at scale once the technology becomes viable. Unlike past industrial transitions, the speed of digital replacement leaves little time for adaptation. Crucially, the workers affected are rarely those contributing most to environmental harm, which undermines the argument that their displacement is justified by ecological efficiency.

The most serious disadvantage of this shift is the long-term economic damage inflicted on individuals and businesses alike. The second key point is that widespread automation destabilises consumer markets by reducing purchasing power and increasing operational risk. When workers lose income, demand for goods and services contracts, directly harming small and medium-sized enterprises that rely on local consumption. Moreover, companies that invest heavily in automation face high upfront costs, technological dependency, and vulnerability to system failures or cyberattacks. Any reduction in paper use or energy consumption achieved through digitalisation is therefore overshadowed by rising inequality, fragile supply chains, and declining economic resilience. Environmental gains become meaningless if businesses cannot survive and workers cannot sustain livelihoods.

In conclusion, although computer-driven automation may offer limited environmental efficiencies, these benefits do not outweigh the profound disadvantages imposed on individuals and businesses. The elimination of accessible jobs and the erosion of economic stability create deeper, more enduring problems than the ecological savings achieved. Without balanced policies that prioritise human welfare alongside sustainability, this technological shift remains fundamentally unjustified.

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