Time Alone and Time with Others - North London Collegiate School 11+
It is as important to spend time by yourself as it is to spend time with other people.
To what extent do you agree with this statement?
💡 Writing Tips
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- Explain the benefits of friendship and quiet time.
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- Use examples from school or home.
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- Consider the difference between solitude and loneliness.
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- Make your final judgement clear.
📝 Sample Answer
Why We Need Both Company and Quiet
I strongly agree that spending time alone can be just as important as spending time with other people. Both experiences help us in different ways, and neither should replace the other entirely.
Being with friends and family teaches us to listen, cooperate and understand other viewpoints. For example, working with a team on a school project can show us how someone else’s idea improves our own. Shared experiences also create happy memories and support us when we feel worried.
However, time alone has special benefits. After a busy school day, reading a book or drawing quietly can help us relax. Solitude gives us space to think about our feelings without being interrupted. It can also encourage independence: when there is nobody else to entertain us, we must use our own imagination.
Of course, being alone is not the same as feeling lonely. Someone who has no choice about being by themselves might feel unhappy. Similarly, spending every moment in a crowd can be tiring, even for a sociable person.
For these reasons, I think balance matters most. Good friendships make life richer, while peaceful moments help us understand ourselves. We need both connection and quiet to feel truly content.
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