This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of building houses and homes over parks and farmland and cities from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Positive/Negative Questions

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IELTS Essay: Parks, Farmland, Houses

Many cities are now turning parks and farmland into new housing developments.

Is this a positive or negative development?

Some are of the belief that current initiatives to transform public parks and farms into residential areas are misguided. I am in general agreement with this contention despite its ostensible advantages in dense urban areas.

Those who argue this policy is positive point out its effects on overcrowding in cities. In the last century, mass migrations to cities have created increasingly dense urban areas. One of the best solutions for this is to expand the size of cities by subsuming nearby farmland into urban districts. For instance, large metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Mexico City are only able to house their surging populations by spreading to neighboring lands. The result is that more individuals are able to live in cities and enjoy higher standards of living, better healthcare, improved economic opportunity, and various entertainments options. For the average resident, such a development is incontestably positive.

However, new housing developments neglect the primacy of the natural world. Firstly, building homes on nearby farmland not only clears away pristine natural land but also necessitates the transportation of agricultural products from greater distances. This will in turn exacerbate environmental issues and potentially lead to inflated food costs for the average person. More importantly, cities that lack parks are not providing an optimistic living environment for residents. For wealthy individuals, this is less pressing since they may be able to make frequent trips to outlying areas. However, for the least privileged classes, parks may be their only opportunities to experience nature and a life deprived of all contact with the natural world is undeniably bleak.

In conclusion, despite the positives related to population density in cities, it is an overall negative due to its effect on the natural environment and quality of life in cities. Such proposals should therefore be pursued in moderation.

Analysis

1. Some are of the belief that current initiatives to transform public parks and farms into residential areas are misguided. 2. I am in general agreement with this contention despite its ostensible advantages in dense urban areas.

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

1. Those who argue this policy is positive point out its effects on overcrowding in cities. 2. In the last century, mass migrations to cities have created increasingly dense urban areas. 3. One of the best solutions for this is to expand the size of cities by subsuming nearby farmland into urban districts. 4. For instance, large metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Mexico City are only able to house their surging populations by spreading to neighboring lands. 5. The result is that more individuals are able to live in cities and enjoy higher standards of living, better healthcare, improved economic opportunity, and various entertainments options. 6. For the average resident, such a development is incontestably positive.

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. Use short and long sentences.
6. Finish the paragraph strong.

1. However, new housing developments neglect the primacy of the natural world. 2. Firstly, building homes on nearby farmland not only clears away pristine natural land but also necessitates the transportation of agricultural products from greater distances. 3. This will in turn exacerbate environmental issues and potentially lead to inflated food costs for the average person. 4. More importantly, cities that lack parks are not providing an optimistic living environment for residents. 5. For wealthy individuals, this is less pressing since they may be able to make frequent trips to outlying areas. 6. However, for the least privileged classes, parks may be their only opportunities to experience nature and a life deprived of all contact with the natural world is undeniably bleak.

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. Develop the example fully.
6. Finish strong.

1. In conclusion, despite the positives related to population density in cities, it is an overall negative due to its effect on the natural environment and quality of life in cities. 2. Such proposals should therefore be pursued in moderation.

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 are of the belief that current initiatives to transform public parks and farms into residential areas are misguided. I am in general agreement with this contention despite its ostensible advantages in dense urban areas.

Those who argue this policy is positive point out its effects on overcrowding in cities. In the last century, mass migrations to cities have created increasingly dense urban areas. One of the best solutions for this is to expand the size of cities by subsuming nearby farmland into urban districts. For instance, large metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Mexico City are only able to house their surging populations by spreading to neighboring lands. The result is that more individuals are able to live in cities and enjoy higher standards of living, better healthcare, improved economic opportunity, and various entertainments options. For the average resident, such a development is incontestably positive.

However, new housing developments neglect the primacy of the natural world. Firstly, building homes on nearby farmland not only clears away pristine natural land but also necessitates the transportation of agricultural products from greater distances. This will in turn exacerbate environmental issues and potentially lead to inflated food costs for the average person. More importantly, cities that lack parks are not providing an optimistic living environment for residents. For wealthy individuals, this is less pressing since they may be able to make frequent trips to outlying areas. However, for the least privileged classes, parks may be their only opportunities to experience nature and a life deprived of all contact with the natural world is undeniably bleak.

In conclusion, despite the positives related to population density in cities, it is an overall negative due to its effect on the natural environment and quality of life in cities. Such proposals should therefore be pursued in moderation.

Answers

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

current initiatives efforts right now

transform change

public parks places for people to experience nature in cities

farms agricultural areas

residential areas places where people can live

misguided not a good idea

I am in general agreement with this contention despite I agree with the opinion regardless of

ostensible advantages seeming benefits

dense urban areas crowded cities

policy idea, way of operating

point out argue

overcrowding too many people

In the last century the last 100 years

mass migrations lots of people moving

increasingly more and more often

expand make bigger

subsuming nearby farmland into urban districts taking over nearby farms and making them part of cities

large metropolitan areas such as big cities including

house verb for live there, house

surging populations more and more people living there

spreading to neighboring lands go to places near there

enjoy higher standards of living live better

healthcare hospitals, medicine, etc.

economic opportunity job chances

various entertainments options places to have fun

the average resident normal person

incontestably positive definitely good

neglect not pay attention to

primacy central importance

natural world nature

nearby next to

clears away pristine natural land destroys nature

necessitates requires

transportation trucks, ships, etc.

agricultural products food products

greater distances further away

This will in turn exacerbate environmental issues makes climate change worse

potentially lead to inflated food costs possibly raise the price of foods

More importantly even more crucially

lack not have

providing giving

optimistic living environment positive place to live

wealthy rich

less pressing not that important

frequent trips often travel to

outlying areas regions nearby

least privileged classes poorest people

experience nature be in contact with trees, grass, etc.

a life deprived of all contact with the natural world not experiencing nature at all

undeniably bleak definitely really bad

related to concerning

density how many people in an area

overall negative due to not good because of

proposals ideas, efforts

pursued in moderation acted on carefully

Pronunciation

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

ˈkʌrənt ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪvz 
trænsˈfɔːm 
ˈpʌblɪk pɑːks 
fɑːmz 
ˌrɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl ˈeərɪəz 
ˌmɪsˈgaɪdɪd
aɪ æm ɪn ˈʤɛnərəl əˈgriːmənt wɪð ðɪs kənˈtɛnʃən dɪsˈpaɪt 
ɒsˈtɛnsəbl ədˈvɑːntɪʤɪz 
dɛns ˈɜːbən ˈeərɪəz
ˈpɒlɪsi 
pɔɪnt aʊt 
ˌəʊvəˈkraʊdɪŋ 
ɪn ðə lɑːst ˈsɛnʧʊri
mæs maɪˈgreɪʃənz 
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli 
ɪksˈpænd 
səbˈsjuːmɪŋ ˈnɪəbaɪ ˈfɑːmlænd ˈɪntuː ˈɜːbən ˈdɪstrɪkts
lɑːʤ ˌmɛtrəˈpɒlɪtən ˈeərɪəz sʌʧ æz 
haʊs 
ˈsɜːʤɪŋ ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃənz 
ˈsprɛdɪŋ tuː ˈneɪbərɪŋ lændz
ɪnˈʤɔɪ ˈhaɪə ˈstændədz ɒv ˈlɪvɪŋ 
ˈhɛlθkeə 
ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪti 
ˈveərɪəs ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənts ˈɒpʃənz.
ði ˈævərɪʤ ˈrɛzɪdənt
ˌɪnkənˈtɛstəbli ˈpɒzətɪv
nɪˈglɛkt 
ˈpraɪməsi 
ˈnæʧrəl wɜːld
ˈnɪəbaɪ 
klɪəz əˈweɪ ˈprɪstiːn ˈnæʧrəl lænd 
nɪˈsɛsɪteɪts 
ˌtrænspɔːˈteɪʃən 
ˌægrɪˈkʌlʧərəl ˈprɒdʌkts 
ˈgreɪtə ˈdɪstənsɪz
ðɪs wɪl ɪn tɜːn ɛksˈæsə(ː)beɪt ɪnˌvaɪərənˈmɛntl ˈɪʃuːz 
pəʊˈtɛnʃəli liːd tuː ɪnˈfleɪtɪd fuːd kɒsts 
mɔːr ɪmˈpɔːtəntli
læk 
prəˈvaɪdɪŋ 
ˌɒptɪˈmɪstɪk ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪnˈvaɪərənmənt 
ˈwɛlθi 
lɛs ˈprɛsɪŋ 
ˈfriːkwənt trɪps 
ˈaʊtˌlaɪɪŋ ˈeərɪəz
liːst ˈprɪvɪlɪʤd ˈklɑːsɪz
ɪksˈpɪərɪəns ˈneɪʧə 
ə laɪf dɪˈpraɪvd ɒv ɔːl ˈkɒntækt wɪð ðə ˈnæʧrəl wɜːld 
ˌʌndɪˈnaɪəbli bliːk
rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː 
ˈdɛnsɪti 
ˈəʊvərɔːl ˈnɛgətɪv djuː tuː 
prəˈpəʊzəlz 
pəˈsjuːd ɪn ˌmɒdəˈreɪʃən

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 are of the belief that c_____________________s to t_______________________s and f______s into r______________________s are m____________d. I____________________________________________________e its o_______________________s in d_________________s.

Those who argue this p_________y is positive p___________t its effects on o________________g in cities. I__________________________y, m_________________s to cities have created i_________________y dense urban areas. One of the best solutions for this is to e__________d the size of cities by s___________________________________________s. For instance, l_________________________________s Tokyo and Mexico City are only able to h________e their s_________________________s by s________________________________s. The result is that more individuals are able to live in cities and e________________________________g, better h________________e, improved e_________________y, and v_________________________________s. For t_________________________t, such a development is i______________________e.

However, new housing developments n__________t the p_________y of the n________d. Firstly, building homes on n________y farmland not only c_________________________________d but also n_____________s the t_______________n of a___________________________s from g__________________s. T____________________________________________s and p_____________________________________s for the average person. M__________________y, cities that l_______k parks are not p_____________g an o_____________________________t for residents. For w_____________y individuals, this is l_______________g since they may be able to make f________________s to o_______________s. However, for the l___________________________________s, parks may be their only opportunities to e___________________________e and a_____________________________________________________d is u________________k.

In conclusion, despite the positives r_____________o population d___________y in cities, it is an o______________________o its effect on the natural environment and quality of life in cities. Such p____________s should therefore be p______________________n.

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:

Urban sprawl defines unsustainable cities, but it can be undone

Speaking Practice

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

Cities

1. Have you ever lived in a city?
2. What do you enjoy most about living in the city?
3. Which city would you like to live in in the future?
4. Do most people in your country live in cities?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related IELTS essay topic below:

Today, many people do not know their neighbors in large cities.

What problems does this cause?

What can be done about this?

IELTS Essay: Neighbors in Large Cities