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This is an IELTS writing task 1 sample answer essay from the general training exam on whether it is better to live in cities or rural areas.
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IELTS Essay General Training: Cities vs Rural Areas
Some people think that cities are the best places to live. Others prefer to live in rural areas.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
There are fundamentally different reasons that dictate whether one lives in the countryside or an urban area. In my opinion, the health benefits of living in the countryside do not outweigh the range of opportunities available in cities.
The chief advantages of the countryside relate to health. City-dwelling lends itself to a more sedentary lifestyle and the threat of air pollution is ever-growing. In contrast, individuals living in the country are much more likely to walk or ride bikes as part of their daily routine. Over time this equates to healthier living habits and can reduce the risk of obesity and concomitant conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Moreover, recent studies have found that worsening air quality in cities and the absorption of microparticles into the lungs is driving up rates of cancer and asthma. The countryside presents an alternative environment where cleaner air can result in both short and long-term health benefits.
Nonetheless, cities offer a wide array of options rural areas lack. This begins with the employment on offer. The vast majority of well-paid jobs are located in cities ranging from doctors to lawyers to managers in companies. Living in the countryside limits one to careers primarily centred around agriculture. Cities also contain a richer variety of educational and cultural opportunities. The best schools are usually found in cities and museums and concerts are rare in the countryside. Take New York City for example, where some of the most famous museums in the world are located next to beautiful concert venues and renowned five star restaurants. This broadens an individual’s horizons and makes cities ideal for both single people and families.
In conclusion, despite the healthier overall lifestyle enjoyed in the countryside, city life allows too many modern conveniences to be ignored. Each individual must decide what they value highest but most should opt for city life.
Analysis
1. There are fundamentally different reasons that dictate whether one lives in the countryside or an urban area. 2. In my opinion, the health benefits of living in the countryside do not outweigh the range of opportunities available in cities.
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about writing introductions here.
1. The chief advantages of the countryside relate to health. 2. City-dwelling lends itself to a more sedentary lifestyle and the threat of air pollution is ever-growing. 3. In contrast, individuals living in the country are much more likely to walk or ride bikes as part of their daily routine. 4. Over time this equates to healthier living habits and can reduce the risk of obesity and concomitant conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. 5. Moreover, recent studies have found that worsening air quality in cities and the absorption of microparticles into the lungs is driving up rates of cancer and asthma. 6. The countryside presents an alternative environment where cleaner air can result in both short and long-term health benefits.
- Write another topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Use specific examples to support your idea.
- State the results to develop your idea.
- Don’t write about a new idea but you can write about multiple ideas within a topic (healthy).
- Conclude with a summary sentence.
1. Nonetheless, cities offer a wide array of options rural areas lack. This begins with the employment on offer. 2. The vast majority of well-paid jobs are located in cities ranging from doctors to lawyers to managers in companies. 3. Living in the countryside limits one to careers primarily centred around agriculture. 4. Cities also contain a richer variety of educational and cultural opportunities. 5. The best schools are usually found in cities and museums and concerts are rare in the countryside. 6. Take New York City for example, where some of the most famous museums in the world are located next to beautiful concert venues and renowned five star restaurants. 7. This broadens an individual’s horizons and makes cities ideal for both single people and families.
- Write another topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Use counter-examples for more support.
- Start with more general sentences.
- Then get more specific.
- Use a specific city as an example.
- Conclude with a strong statement relating it back to your opinion.
1. In conclusion, despite the healthier overall lifestyle enjoyed in the countryside, city life allows too many modern conveniences to be ignored. 2. Each individual must decide what they value highest but most should opt for city life.
- Summarise your ideas and repeat your opinion.
- Add a final thought/detail. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
What do the words in bold below mean?
There are fundamentally different reasons that dictate whether one lives in the countryside or an urban area. In my opinion, the health benefits of living in the countryside do not outweigh the range of opportunities available in cities.
The chief advantages of the countryside relate to health. City-dwelling lends itself to a more sedentary lifestyle and the threat of air pollution is ever-growing. In contrast, individuals living in the country are much more likely to walk or ride bikes as part of their daily routine. Over time this equates to healthier living habits and can reduce the risk of obesity and concomitant conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Moreover, recent studies have found that worsening air quality in cities and the absorption of microparticles into the lungs is driving up rates of cancer and asthma. The countryside presents an alternative environment where cleaner air can result in both short and long-term health benefits.
Nonetheless, cities offer a wide array of options rural areas lack. This begins with the employment on offer. The vast majority of well-paid jobs are located in cities ranging from doctors to lawyers to managers in companies. Living in the countryside limits one to careers primarily centred around agriculture. Cities also contain a richer variety of educational and cultural opportunities. The best schools are usually found in cities and museums and concerts are rare in the countryside. Take New York City for example, where some of the most famous museums in the world are located next to beautiful concert venues and renowned five star restaurants. This broadens an individual’s horizons and makes cities ideal for both single people and families.
In conclusion, despite the healthier overall lifestyle enjoyed in the countryside, city life allows too many modern conveniences to be ignored. Each individual must decide what they value highest but most should opt for city life.
Answers
fundamentally different reasons basically differing justifications
dictate decide
urban area city
health benefits good for you
outweigh stronger than
range of opportunities many chances
chief advantages main benefits
relate to regarding
city-dwelling lends itself living in a city makes you more likely to
more sedentary lifestyle less active living
threat of air pollution risk of poor air quality
ever-growing always increasing
in contrast however
part of their daily routine something you do everyday
equates means
healthier living habits doing something healthy everday
reduce the risk less chance of
obesity getting fat
concomitant conditions related problems
cardiovascular disease heart disease
diabetes a disease from eating too much sugar
recent studies have found research has shown
worsening air quality more air pollution
absorption becoming part of
microparticles small bits of stuff
driving up rates of cancer increasing the odds of getting cancer
asthma a breathing condition
presents allows for
alternative environment different place
cleaner air less air pollution
result in so
short and long-term health benefits in the near and distant future
nonetheless regardless
wide array of options many chances
lack don’t have
employment on offer jobs available
vast majority most of
well-paid jobs good employment
ranging from including
limits restricts
primarily centred around agriculture mostly to do with farming
contain a richer variety have a lot more
educational related to education
cultural opportunities museums, theatre, music, etc.
usually found often located
rare not common
are located are situated
concert venues places for music
renowned five star restaurants famous restaurants
broadens expands
individual’s horizons what you know about
ideal perfect
enjoyed in that they have
modern conveniences that people expect these days
ignored not paying attention to
value highest consider most important
opt choose
Pronunciation
ˌfʌndəˈmɛntli ˈdɪfrənt ˈriːznz
ˈdɪkteɪt
ˈɜːbən ˈeərɪə
hɛlθ ˈbɛnɪfɪts
aʊtˈweɪ
reɪnʤ ɒv ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪtiz
ʧiːf ədˈvɑːntɪʤɪz
rɪˈleɪt tuː
ˈsɪti-ˈdwɛlɪŋ lɛndz ɪtˈsɛlf
mɔː ˈsɛdntəri ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl
θrɛt ɒv eə pəˈluːʃən
ˈɛvə-ˈgrəʊɪŋ
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst
pɑːt ɒv ðeə ˈdeɪli ruːˈtiːn
ɪˈkweɪts
ˈhɛlθɪə ˈlɪvɪŋ ˈhæbɪts
rɪˈdjuːs ðə rɪsk
əʊˈbiːsɪti
kənˈkɒmɪtənt kənˈdɪʃənz
ˌkɑːdɪəʊˈvæskjʊlə dɪˈziːz
ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz
ˈriːsnt ˈstʌdiz hæv faʊnd
ˈwɜːsnɪŋ eə ˈkwɒlɪti
əbˈsɔːpʃ(ə)n
microparticles
ˈdraɪvɪŋ ʌp reɪts ɒv ˈkænsə
ˈæsmə
ˈprɛznts
ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv ɪnˈvaɪərənmənt
ˈkliːnər eə
rɪˈzʌlt ɪn
ʃɔːt ænd ˈlɒŋtɜːm hɛlθ ˈbɛnɪfɪts
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
waɪd əˈreɪ ɒv ˈɒpʃənz
læk
ɪmˈplɔɪmənt ɒn ˈɒfə
vɑːst məˈʤɒrɪti
wɛl-peɪd ʤɒbz
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm
ˈlɪmɪts
ˈpraɪmərɪli ˈsɛntəd əˈraʊnd ˈægrɪkʌlʧə
kənˈteɪn ə ˈrɪʧə vəˈraɪəti
ˌɛdju(ː)ˈkeɪʃənl
ˈkʌlʧərəl ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪtiz
ˈjuːʒʊəli faʊnd
reə
ɑː ləʊˈkeɪtɪd
ˈkɒnsə(ː)t ˈvɛnjuːz
rɪˈnaʊnd faɪv stɑː ˈrɛstrɒnts
ˈbrɔːdnz
ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəlz həˈraɪznz
aɪˈdɪəl
ɪnˈʤɔɪd ɪn
ˈmɒdən kənˈviːniənsɪz
ɪgˈnɔːd
ˈvæljuː ˈhaɪɪst
ɒpt
Vocabulary Practice
Remember and fill in the blanks:
There are f______________________________s that d__________e whether one lives in the countryside or an u_____________a. In my opinion, the h______________s of living in the countryside do not o_____________h the r__________________________s available in cities.
The c___________________s of the countryside r____________o health. C_______________________________f to a m____________________e and the t_________________________n is e_______________g. I_______________t, individuals living in the country are much more likely to walk or ride bikes as p___________________________e. Over time this e______________s to h_____________________________s and can r___________________k of o__________y and c_____________________s such as c_______________________e and d____________s. Moreover, r______________________d that w_______________________y in cities and the a________________n of m____________________s into the lungs is d______________________r and a___________a. The countryside p_____________s an a____________________t where c_________________r can r______________n both s________________________s.
N_______________s, cities offer a w____________________s rural areas l_____k. This begins with the e_____________________r. The v_________________y of w_____________________s are located in cities r________________m doctors to lawyers to managers in companies. Living in the countryside l___________s one to careers p_________________________________e. Cities also c________________________y of e_________________l and c______________________s. The best schools are u___________________d in cities and museums and concerts are r_____e in the countryside. Take New York City for example, where some of the most famous museums in the world a_____________d next to beautiful c________________s and r______________________________s. This b_______________s an i__________________________s and makes cities i______l for both single people and families.
In conclusion, despite the healthier overall lifestyle e_______________n the countryside, city life allows too many m___________________s to be i_______________d. Each individual must decide what they v_______________t but most should o_____t for city life.
Listening Practice
Learn more about living in New York City below:
Reading Practice
Read a counterpoint below:
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/06/pandemic-cities-moving-remote-work/613069/
Speaking Practice
Practice speaking with the following questions from the real IELTS exam:
Countryside
- Do you like going to the countryside?
- What do you like to do there?
- Have you ever lived in the countryside?
- Would you like to live in the countryside in the future?
Writing Practice
Write about the following related topic then check with my sample answer below:
Some people believe that children should grow up in the city while others believe the countryside is a better choice.
Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
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