strike a balance

IELTS use

Useful in IELTS Speaking when discussing trade-offs and in Writing Task 2 when presenting a nuanced or balanced argument.

Examples

1. Many employees struggle to strike a balance between their job responsibilities and family life.
2. Governments need to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental protection.
3. In my opinion, the best way to stay healthy is to strike a balance between exercise and rest.
4. Parents often find it difficult to strike a balance between giving their children freedom and keeping them safe.

Collocations

strike a balance between work and life

Remote workers often find it easier to strike a balance between work and life.

strike a balance between costs and benefits

Urban planners must strike a balance between costs and benefits when designing new transport systems.

strike a balance between freedom and security

In a democracy, lawmakers try to strike a balance between freedom and security.

strike a balance between tradition and modernity

Many cities face the challenge of striking a balance between tradition and modernity.

strike a balance between individual needs and collective interests

A fair education policy should strike a balance between individual needs and collective interests.

Word family

Noun

balance

Verb

balance

Adjective

balanced

Paraphrases

• find a middle ground: A more conversational alternative, common in Speaking.
• achieve a compromise: Useful when describing negotiation or policy decisions.
• maintain a healthy mix: Natural when talking about lifestyle or time management.
• weigh the competing factors: More formal; suitable for Writing Task 2 when discussing trade-offs.

Common mistakes

• strike a balance of work and life to strike a balance between work and life. The correct collocation is 'strike a balance between X and Y', not 'of'.
• strike the balance between two things to strike a balance between two things. Use the indefinite article 'a' unless you are referring to a specific balance already mentioned.
• make a balance between to strike a balance between. 'Strike a balance' is the fixed collocation; 'make a balance' is not used in this sense.
• strike a balance among many factors to strike a balance between many factors. Even with multiple factors, the standard pattern is 'between'.