This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of whether or not it is easier to have a healthy lifestyle in the countryside or in a city from the real IELTS general training exam.

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IELTS Essay: Healthy Lifestyles in the Countryside

Many people believe that it is easier to have a healthy lifestyle in the countryside. Other believe that there are health benefits to living in cities.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Some feel that the countryside is more conducive to a healthy lifestyle than the city. Though cities offer modern hospitals, I am in agreement with this sentiment as the countryside encourages greater activity.

Those who believe cities are healthier point out the access to superior medical care. In most cities, it is possible to find a variety of hospitals specializing in subdivisions of medicine and staffed with the best professionals. This is a result of urban populations, the demand for care, and the earning potential of cities. In contrast, in the countryside, there are fewer hospitals, with less modern facilities located further apart. An individual with a chronic health problem would naturally prefer to be in closer proximity to their primary healthcare provider. Similarly, in the event of an emergency such as a car accident or heart attack, being in the city guarantees a higher chance of receiving quality care.

Nonetheless, the situations above are exceptional and most individuals benefit more from an active life in the countryside. Cities residents are becoming increasingly sedentary and passive as the internet and services such as food delivery applications enable less activity. In the countryside, individuals are more likely to walk to school, spend time with friends outdoors, play a variety of sports, and work a more physically demanding job. All these small instances of activity combined over the span of days, months, and years contribute to better overall conditioning and health. This applies to physical and mental health since those outside of cities are less likely to be dependent on technology and suffer from concomitant anxiety disorders.

In conclusion, despite the modern medical facilities present in cities, the less passive living in the countryside makes it healthier generally. Individuals who prioritize health should strongly consider living outside of an urban area.

Analysis

1. Some feel that the countryside is more conducive to a healthy lifestyle than the city. 2. Though cities offer modern hospitals, I am in agreement with this sentiment as the countryside encourages greater activity.

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

1. Those who believe cities are healthier point out the access to superior medical care. 2. In most cities, it is possible to find a variety of hospitals specializing in subdivisions of medicine and staffed with the best professionals. 3. This is a result of urban populations, the demand for care, and the earning potential of cities. 4. In contrast, in the countryside, there are fewer hospitals, with less modern facilities located further apart. 5. An individual with a chronic health problem would naturally prefer to be in closer proximity to their primary healthcare provider. 6. Similarly, in the event of an emergency such as a car accident or heart attack, being in the city guarantees a higher chance of receiving quality care.

Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
Explain your main idea.
Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
Keep developing it fully.
State the results of your ideas.
You can add a concession at the end.

1. Nonetheless, the situations above are exceptional and most individuals benefit more from an active life in the countryside. 2. Cities residents are becoming increasingly sedentary and passive as the internet and services such as food delivery applications enable less activity. 3. In the countryside, individuals are more likely to walk to school, spend time with friends outdoors, play a variety of sports, and work a more physically demanding job. 4. All these small instances of activity combined over the span of days, months, and years contribute to better overall conditioning and health. 5. This applies to physical and mental health since those outside of cities are less likely to be dependent on technology and suffer from concomitant anxiety disorders.

Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
Explain your new main idea.
Include specific details and examples.
Continue developing it…
as fully as possible!

1. In conclusion, despite the modern medical facilities present in cities, the less passive living in the countryside makes it healthier generally. 2. Individuals who prioritize health should strongly consider living outside of an urban area.

Summarise your main ideas.
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 feel that the countryside is more conducive to a healthy lifestyle than the city. Though cities offer modern hospitals, I am in agreement with this sentiment as the countryside encourages greater activity.

Those who believe cities are healthier point out the access to superior medical care. In most cities, it is possible to find a variety of hospitals specializing in subdivisions of medicine and staffed with the best professionals. This is a result of urban populations, the demand for care, and the earning potential of cities. In contrast, in the countryside, there are fewer hospitals, with less modern facilities located further apart. An individual with a chronic health problem would naturally prefer to be in closer proximity to their primary healthcare provider. Similarly, in the event of an emergency such as a car accident or heart attack, being in the city guarantees a higher chance of receiving quality care.

Nonetheless, the situations above are exceptional and most individuals benefit more from an active life in the countryside. Cities residents are becoming increasingly sedentary and passive as the internet and services such as food delivery applications enable less activity. In the countryside, individuals are more likely to walk to school, spend time with friends outdoors, play a variety of sports, and work a more physically demanding job. All these small instances of activity combined over the span of days, months, and years contribute to better overall conditioning and health. This applies to physical and mental health since those outside of cities are less likely to be dependent on technology and suffer from concomitant anxiety disorders.

In conclusion, despite the modern medical facilities present in cities, the less passive living in the countryside makes it healthier generally. Individuals who prioritize health should strongly consider living outside of an urban area.

Answers

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

countryside rural areas

conducive helps, results in

healthy lifestyle living well

modern hospitals new hospitals

sentiment belief

encourages motivates

activity working

point out argue

access can get into

superior medical care good hospitals

possible can happen

variety lots of different

specializing in focused on

subdivisions disciplines

staffed with people employed there

professionals trained employees

result of caused by

urban populations people living in cities

demand require

earning potential how much money can be made

in contrast in comparison

less modern facilities older buildings

located further apart not near where you live

chronic health problem persistent ailment

naturally of course

prefer would rather

in closer proximity nearer to

primary healthcare provider main doctor

similarly relatedly

emergency accident, etc.

guarantees safeguards

higher chance greater probability

receiving quality care getting good medical care

nonetheless regardless of

situations above examples detailed before

exceptional not normal

residents people living there

increasingly sedentary more passive

passive not active, lazy

enable allow for

more likely to greater chance that

spend time hang out

outdoors outside

physically demanding job phsyically stressful work

instances examples

combined over the span of put together over many years

contribute combine

overall conditioning how good of shape you are in

applies is true in this case too

mental health psychological state

outside of away from

dependent reliant on

suffer from have the condition

concomitant related, caused by

anxiety disorders nervous conditions

despite regardless of

present in living

generally overall

prioritize value

strongly consider think deeply about

urban area cities

Pronunciation

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

ˈkʌntrɪˌsaɪd
kənˈdjuːsɪv
ˈhɛlθi ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl
ˈmɒdən ˈhɒspɪtlz
ˈsɛntɪmənt
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤɪz
ækˈtɪvɪti
pɔɪnt aʊt
ˈæksɛs
sju(ː)ˈpɪərɪə ˈmɛdɪkəl keə
ˈpɒsəbl
vəˈraɪəti
ˈspɛʃəlaɪzɪŋ ɪn
ˈsʌbdɪˌvɪʒənz
stɑːft wɪð
prəˈfɛʃənlz
rɪˈzʌlt ɒv
ˈɜːbən ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃənz
dɪˈmɑːnd
ˈɜːnɪŋ pəʊˈtɛnʃəl
ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst
lɛs ˈmɒdən fəˈsɪlɪtiz
ləʊˈkeɪtɪd ˈfɜːðər əˈpɑːt
ˈkrɒnɪk hɛlθ ˈprɒbləm
ˈnæʧrəli
priˈfɜː
ɪn ˈkləʊsə prɒkˈsɪmɪti
ˈpraɪməri ˈhɛlθkeə prəˈvaɪdə
ˈsɪmɪləli
ɪˈmɜːʤənsi
ˌgærənˈtiːz
ˈhaɪə ʧɑːns
rɪˈsiːvɪŋ ˈkwɒlɪti keə
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃənz əˈbʌv
ɪkˈsɛpʃənl
ˈrɛzɪdənts
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈsɛdntəri
ˈpæsɪv
ɪˈneɪbl
mɔː ˈlaɪkli tuː
spɛnd taɪm
ˌaʊtˈdɔːz
ˈfɪzɪkəli dɪˈmɑːndɪŋ ʤɒb
ˈɪnstənsɪz
kəmˈbaɪnd ˈəʊvə ðə spæn ɒv
kənˈtrɪbju(ː)t
ˈəʊvərɔːl kənˈdɪʃnɪŋ
əˈplaɪz
ˈmɛntl hɛlθ
ˌaʊtˈsaɪd ɒv
dɪˈpɛndənt
ˈsʌfə frɒm
kənˈkɒmɪtənt
æŋˈzaɪəti dɪsˈɔːdəz
dɪsˈpaɪt
ˈprɛznt ɪn
ˈʤɛnərəli
praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz
ˈstrɒŋli kənˈsɪdə
ˈɜːbən ˈeərɪə

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 feel that the c______________e is more c___________e to a h____________________e than the city. Though cities offer m_________________s, I am in agreement with this s_____________t as the countryside e___________s greater a__________y.

Those who believe cities are healthier p___________t the a_______s to s_________________________e. In most cities, it is p_______e to find a v________y of hospitals s_________________n s______________s of medicine and s______________h the best p__________________s. This is a r_____________f u___________________s, the d_________d for care, and the e__________________l of cities. I____________t, in the countryside, there are fewer hospitals, with l___________________s l__________d f__________________t. An individual with a c________________________m would n_____________y p________r to be i______________________y to their p____________________________r. S___________y, in the event of an e____________y such as a car accident or heart attack, being in the city g_______________s a h___________________e of r__________________________e.

N_____________s, the s_________________e are e______________l and most individuals benefit more from an active life in the countryside. Cities r_____________s are becoming i_________________________y and p____________e as the internet and services such as food delivery applications e_________e less activity. In the countryside, individuals are m________________o walk to school, s______________e with friends o_________s, play a variety of sports, and work a more p_____________________b. All these small i____________s of activity c____________d o_____________________f days, months, and years c_______________e to better o_____________________g and health. This a_________s to physical and m_________________h since those o______________f cities are less likely to be d_____________t on technology and s_____________m c_____________t a___________________s.

In conclusion, d_________e the modern medical facilities p___________n cities, the less passive living in the countryside makes it healthier g___________y. Individuals who p____________e health should s_________________r living outside of an u______________a.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic by watching videos from The New York Times YouTube channel below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

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

https://www.theteenmagazine.com/what-life-is-like-living-in-the-countryside

Speaking Practice

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

Where you Live

My sample speaking for these questions is here.

Where do you live at the moment?
What do you like about your neighborhood?
Are there any parks where you live?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic 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.

IELTS Essay General Training: Children & the Countryside