Explore the debate around video games and digital culture, then practise conditional sentences (all four types) and gaming vocabulary — before writing your own argumentative response.
Read the article carefully, then answer the comprehension questions below.
Every week, it seems, a newspaper publishes another headline blaming video games for the problems of modern teenagers: poor grades, aggressive behaviour, social isolation. Critics argue that if young people spent less time gaming, they would develop stronger real-world relationships and achieve more academically. They point to studies suggesting that excessive screen time is linked to anxiety and disrupted sleep, and they warn that some games are deliberately designed to exploit reward systems, keeping players hooked for hours at a time.
Yet this picture is far from complete. Millions of teenagers play games responsibly, and many benefit enormously. Multiplayer games teach teamwork, quick decision-making and problem-solving under pressure — skills that transfer directly into the workplace. Competitive gaming, or esports, has become a legitimate career path, with professional players earning scholarships and salaries once reserved for traditional athletes. Furthermore, online communities built around games often provide genuine friendship and support, particularly for teenagers who struggle to connect with peers offline.
The real issue, most psychologists agree, is not gaming itself but moderation. If parents set clear limits and stayed involved in what their children play, the risks would shrink dramatically. Rather than banning video games outright, families and schools should focus on teaching balance — because if society had approached the invention of television or the internet with total prohibition, we would have missed their benefits too.
1 According to critics, what would happen if young people spent less time gaming?
2 What do critics say some games are deliberately designed to do?
3 What skills does the article say multiplayer games can teach?
4 What has esports become, according to the article?
5 What do online gaming communities often provide for teenagers who struggle socially offline?
6 According to most psychologists, what is the real issue with gaming?
Discussions about video games and digital habits often use conditional sentences — to talk about facts, likely futures, hypothetical situations and unreal pasts. Choose the correct form for each gap.
1 If you play video games for too many hours without a break, your eyes tired — that is simply how eye muscles work.
2 If she practises every day, she noticeably better at the game by next month.
3 If I unlimited free time, I would try to become a professional esports player.
4 If he had not spent so many hours gaming last term, his grades higher.
5 If a player breaks the community guidelines, the platform their account automatically — it is an automated process every time.
6 If developers add more diverse characters, more players represented in the games they love.
7 If esports recognised as an official Olympic sport, millions more viewers would tune in.
8 If parents had set clearer screen-time limits in the past, many teenagers today healthier digital habits.
Choose the correct term to complete each sentence about digital culture and gaming.
1 Competitive gaming at a professional level, often watched by huge stadium and online audiences, is known as .
2 The total number of hours someone spends looking at a screen each day is called their .
3 Games designed to keep players hooked for as long as possible are often criticised for being .
4 A game with realistic graphics and sound that makes players feel like they are really inside the world is described as .
5 Games that allow several players to compete or cooperate online at the same time are called games.
6 Most psychologists argue that the key to healthy gaming habits is rather than total prohibition.
7 The set of rules a platform uses to decide which videos or content to recommend to users is called an .
8 Broadcasting gameplay live over the internet for others to watch in real time is known as a .
Imagine your local newspaper has published the article “Are Video Games Ruining a Generation?” Write a reader’s letter (6–8 sentences) giving your own opinion.
In your letter, address one or more of these questions:
• Do you agree that moderation, not gaming itself, is the real issue?
• Should esports be treated as seriously as traditional sports?
• How has gaming or digital culture affected your own generation, for better or worse?
Try to include:
• At least two conditional sentences (e.g. If schools offered esports clubs, more students would…)
• At least three vocabulary items from Exercise C (e.g. moderation, immersive, screen time)
“Dear Editor, I read your article about video games with great interest, and I have to disagree with…”
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