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A study shows that new technology is reducing children's [able / ability] to use a pencil or pen. The [study / studied] is from the National Health Service in the UK. Researchers said that [today's / nowadays] , children spend so much time [sweeping / swiping] iPads or mobile phone screens that they cannot hold a pencil [property / properly] . Children are not using pencils, so they now lack the muscle [strength / strong] in their hands to be able to write properly. Researcher Dr Sally Payne said: "Children are not [come / coming] into school with the hand strength and ability they [have / had] 10 years ago. Children coming into school are being given a pencil but are [increasingly / increased] not able to hold it because they don’t have the fundamental movement [skillful / skills] ."

The researchers said technology is [changing / changed] the physical way that children write, [drew / draw] or make things. Children are increasingly [using / uses] technology to create. Dr Payne explained [what / why] . She said: "It's easier to give a [child / children] an iPad than encourage them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes. Because of this, they're not [developing / development] the underlying foundation skills they need to [gripe / grip] and hold a pencil." Some [experts / expertise] say technology may be causing bigger problems. One expert said if a child isn't strong [plenty / enough] to hold a pencil, perhaps their whole body is [weak / week] . She said it was better for children's physical development to climb trees than to watch YouTube videos.