This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of driving tests from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay: Driving Tests

The best way to make the road transport of goods safer is to ask drivers to take a driving test each year.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some today argue that the transportation of goods would be safer if drivers were required to take mandatory driving tests each year. In my opinion, this is not a realistic solution despite its potential benefits.

Those in favor of such a reform point out that truck drivers need these courses more than other motorists. After driving for many years, it is natural that individuals may forget certain rules and a course to refresh their knowledge of road safety and etiquette cannot possibly do any harm. Added to this is the fact that truck drivers transporting goods are on the road far more than your average commuter. Therefore, it is logical that their ability to drive well will have an outsized impact on overall road safety statistics. A truck driver who submits to yearly re-certification under this proposal is likely to have at least a superior formal understanding of driving laws.

However, the effects of such learning might be marginal and the program itself would be prohibitively expensive. Individuals who often drive might not be strictly following the rules they learned when they first got their licenses but they are better informed of the realities and nuances of actual driving. Years of experience on the road, similar to any job, will likely do more to develop their ability than standardized testing and certification. Moreover, implementation of annual driving tests would necessitate immense bureaucratic expenses. Not only would there need to be a large department in charge but transport drivers themselves would waste time each year getting recertified. In the aggregate, the effect on road safety would be negligible but the impact on efficiency would be significant.

In conclusion, although this proposal is well-intentioned, its actual implementation would likely be inefficient and wasteful. Therefore, more viable options should be explored.

Analysis

1. Some today argue that the transportation of goods would be safer if drivers were required to take mandatory driving tests each year. 2. In my opinion, this is not a realistic solution despite its potential benefits.

  1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
  2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. Those in favor of such a reform point out that truck drivers need these courses more than other motorists. 2. After driving for many years, it is natural that individuals may forget certain rules and a course to refresh their knowledge of road safety and etiquette cannot possibly do any harm. 3. Added to this is the fact that truck drivers transporting goods are on the road far more than your average commuter. 4. Therefore, it is logical that their ability to drive well will have an outsized impact on overall road safety statistics. 5. A truck driver who submits to yearly re-certification under this proposal is likely to have at least a superior formal understanding of driving laws.

  1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
  2. Explain your main idea.
  3. Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
  4. Keep developing it fully.
  5. Short sentences can make your writing clearer.

1. However, the effects of such learning might be marginal and the program itself would be prohibitively expensive. 2. Individuals who often drive might not be strictly following the rules they learned when they first got their licenses but they are better informed of the realities and nuances of actual driving. 3. Years of experience on the road, similar to any job, will likely do more to develop their ability than standardized testing and certification. 4. Moreover, implementation of annual driving tests would necessitate immense bureaucratic expenses. 5. Not only would there need to be a large department in charge but transport drivers themselves would waste time each year getting recertified. 6. In the aggregate, the effect on road safety would be negligible but the impact on efficiency would be significant.

  1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
  2. Explain your new main idea.
  3. Include specific details and examples.
  4. Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
  5. Finish the paragraph strong.
  6. Use complex and simple sentences.

1. In conclusion, although this proposal is well-intentioned, its actual implementation would likely be inefficient and wasteful. 2. Therefore, more viable options should be explored.

  1. Summarise your main ideas.
  2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

Some today argue that the transportation of goods would be safer if drivers were required to take mandatory driving tests each year. In my opinion, this is not a realistic solution despite its potential benefits.

Those in favor of such a reform point out that truck drivers need these courses more than other motorists. After driving for many years, it is natural that individuals may forget certain rules and a course to refresh their knowledge of road safety and etiquette cannot possibly do any harm. Added to this is the fact that truck drivers transporting goods are on the road far more than your average commuter. Therefore, it is logical that their ability to drive well will have an outsized impact on overall road safety statistics. A truck driver who submits to yearly re-certification under this proposal is likely to have at least a superior formal understanding of driving laws.

However, the effects of such learning might be marginal and the program itself would be prohibitively expensive. Individuals who often drive might not be strictly following the rules they learned when they first got their licenses but they are better informed of the realities and nuances of actual driving. Years of experience on the road, similar to any job, will likely do more to develop their ability than standardized testing and certification. Moreover, implementation of annual driving tests would necessitate immense bureaucratic expenses. Not only would there need to be a large department in charge but transport drivers themselves would waste time each year getting recertified. In the aggregate, the effect on road safety would be negligible but the impact on efficiency would be significant.

In conclusion, although this proposal is well-intentioned, its actual implementation would likely be inefficient and wasteful. Therefore, more viable options should be explored.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

argue point out

transportation of goods bring items and products from place to place

drivers people who drive

required need to

take mandatory driving tests required tests for your license

realistic solution despite possible fix regardless of

potential benefits possible advantages

Those in favor of such a reform point out people who support it argue

motorists people who drive

natural of course

forget certain rules not remember the laws

refresh remember, make new again

knowledge of road safety what you know about driving

etiquette how to behave on the road

do any harm hurt

Added to this is the fact that also

far more than a lot more than

average commuter normal driver

logical makes sense

outsized impact very large effect

overall road safety statistics the numbers for accidents, etc.

submits allows themselves to be subjected to

yearly re-certification under new license for

at least a superior formal understanding of driving laws at minimum know the law well

marginal minor

program initiative

prohibitively expensive too costly

strictly following the rules rigidly obeying the law

better informed know more about

realities truth

nuances complexities

actual driving how people really drive

similar to like

standardized testing tests

certification licenses

implementation put into place

annual yearly

necessitate immense bureaucratic expenses would require lots of money

large department in charge group of people managing it

waste time each year getting recertified not a good use of time renewing your license

In the aggregate combined

negligible not much effect

efficiency good use of time, energy

significant major

well-intentioned good reasons to try it

actual implementation how it is actually put into place

inefficient not a good use of time and energy

wasteful not a good use

viable options good ways

explored looked into

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ˈɑːgjuː 
ˌtrænspɔːˈteɪʃən ɒv gʊdz 
ˈdraɪvəz 
rɪˈkwaɪəd 
teɪk ˈmændətəri ˈdraɪvɪŋ tɛsts 
rɪəˈlɪstɪk səˈluːʃən dɪsˈpaɪt 
pəʊˈtɛnʃəl ˈbɛnɪfɪts
ðəʊz ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv sʌʧ ə ˌriːˈfɔːm pɔɪnt aʊt 
ˈməʊtərɪsts
ˈnæʧrəl 
fəˈgɛt ˈsɜːtn ruːlz 
rɪˈfrɛʃ 
ˈnɒlɪʤ ɒv rəʊd ˈseɪfti 
ˈɛtɪkɛt 
duː ˈɛni hɑːm
ˈædɪd tuː ðɪs ɪz ðə fækt ðæt 
fɑː mɔː ðæn 
ˈævərɪʤ kəˈmjuːtə
ˈlɒʤɪkəl 
ˈaʊtsaɪzd ˈɪmpækt 
ˈəʊvərɔːl rəʊd ˈseɪfti stəˈtɪstɪks
səbˈmɪts 
ˈjɪəli riː-ˌsɜːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən ˈʌndə 
æt liːst ə sju(ː)ˈpɪərɪə ˈfɔːməl ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ ɒv ˈdraɪvɪŋ lɔːz
ˈmɑːʤɪnəl 
ˈprəʊgræm 
prəˈhɪbɪtɪvli ɪksˈpɛnsɪv
ˈstrɪktli ˈfɒləʊɪŋ ðə ruːlz 
ˈbɛtər ɪnˈfɔːmd 
ri(ː)ˈælɪtiz 
nju(ː)ˈɑːnsɪz 
ˈækʧʊəl ˈdraɪvɪŋ
ˈsɪmɪlə tuː 
ˈstændədaɪzd ˈtɛstɪŋ 
ˌsɜːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən
ˌɪmplɪmɛnˈteɪʃən 
ˈænjʊəl 
nɪˈsɛsɪteɪt ɪˈmɛns ˌbjʊərəʊˈkrætɪk ɪksˈpɛnsɪz
lɑːʤ dɪˈpɑːtmənt ɪn ʧɑːʤ 
weɪst taɪm iːʧ jɪə ˈgɛtɪŋ ˌriːˈsɜːtɪfaɪd
ɪn ði ˈægrɪgɪt
ˈnɛglɪʤəbl 
ɪˈfɪʃənsi 
sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt
wɛl-ɪnˈtɛnʃənd 
ˈækʧʊəl ˌɪmplɪmɛnˈteɪʃən 
ˌɪnɪˈfɪʃənt 
ˈweɪstfʊl
ˈvaɪəbl ˈɒpʃənz 
ɪksˈplɔːd

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

Some today a______e that the t_______________________s would be safer if d________s were r________d to t____________________________s each year. In my opinion, this is not a r_______________________e its p_____________s.

T____________________________________t that truck drivers need these courses more than other m___________s. After driving for many years, it is n________l that individuals may f_____________________s and a course to r__________h their k_____________________y and e_____________e cannot possibly d_________m. A___________________t truck drivers transporting goods are on the road f________________n your a______________r. Therefore, it is l_______l that their ability to drive well will have an o______________t on o_____________________________s. A truck driver who s___________s to y____________________________r this proposal is likely to have a_________________________________________________s.

However, the effects of such learning might be m__________l and the p_________m itself would be p___________________e. Individuals who often drive might not be s_________________________s they learned when they first got their licenses but they are b_________________d of the r____________s and n____________s of a___________g. Years of experience on the road, s___________o any job, will likely do more to develop their ability than s_____________________g and c____________n. Moreover, i___________________n of a_________l driving tests would n____________________________________s. Not only would there need to be a l_____________________________e but transport drivers themselves would w________________________________d. I___________________e, the effect on road safety would be n__________e but the impact on e___________y would be s__________t.

In conclusion, although this proposal is w_______________d, its a___________________n would likely be i____________t and w_________l. Therefore, more v______________s should be e_________d.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching from YouTube below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Driving

  1. Do you like driving?
  2. Where was the last place you drove?
  3. Where do you like to sit in a car?
  4. Is driving common in your country?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topics below:

The manufacturing and use of cars damages the environment but their popularity is increasing.

Why is this?

How could this be controlled?

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