This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of urban infrastructure from the general training exam.

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IELTS General Training Essay: Urban Infrastructure

Some believe that traffic problems in cities can best be resolved by investing in urban infrastructure while others feel there are superior solutions.

Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Many policymakers feel that the optimal counter to traffic issues in urban areas is increased funding for infrastructure. In my opinion, though this funding may have a marginal effect, there are other, potentially more impactful, regulations.

Supporters of investment in infrastructure contend it is a direct and pragmatic solution. As cities become larger, they face inevitable traffic problems caused by overcrowding and deteriorating roads. Improving the existing infrastructure can include repaving these roads to reduce accidents and slow driving, building additional public transportation lines for subways, creating biking lanes, widening streets, constructing overpasses, and so on. Combined, the theoretical result of these changes will be an alleviation of current strain on transport systems. However, in practice, in large cities such as New York City, rarely produce any actual difference in traffic conditions as they cannot keep pace with growing populations.

Instead, governments must consider more drastic policies. The first such reform would be to ban or severely limit the use of private vehicles. A good example of this would be in certain European cities that have enacted single day bans or raised taxes on automobile purchases. Since cars occupy the majority of the space on roads, while often only transporting one or two individuals, they are the least efficient and slowest modes of travel. Secondly, governments can subtly shift housing policies to engender dramatic effects. Instead of allowing cities to build upwards, through skyscrapers and tall apartment buildings, they can limit the number of floors on buildings to encourage a more horizontal cityscape. The result of this would be to spread out workplaces and lower congestion levels generally.

In conclusion, there is little doubt that improved infrastructure could alleviate traffic congestion in cities to an extent; however, the best remedy is to pass laws concerning private vehicles and housing. Governments should implement these long-term policies over short-term fixes.

Analysis

1. Many policymakers feel that the optimal counter to traffic issues in urban areas is increased funding for infrastructure. 2. In my opinion, though this funding may have a marginal effect, there are other, potentially more impactful, regulations.

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

1. Supporters of investment in infrastructure contend it is a direct and pragmatic solution. 2. As cities become larger, they face inevitable traffic problems caused by overcrowding and deteriorating roads. 3. Improving the existing infrastructure can include repaving these roads to reduce accidents and slow driving, building additional public transportation lines for subways, creating biking lanes, widening streets, constructing overpasses, and so on. 4. Combined, the theoretical result of these changes will be an alleviation of current strain on transport systems. 5. However, in practice, in large cities such as New York City, rarely produce any actual difference in traffic conditions as they cannot keep pace with growing populations.

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. You can sometimes include the counterpoint here too.

1. Instead, governments must consider more drastic policies. 2. The first such reform would be to ban or severely limit the use of private vehicles. 3. A good example of this would be in certain European cities that have enacted single day bans or raised taxes on automobile purchases. 4. Since cars occupy the majority of the space on roads, while often only transporting one or two individuals, they are the least efficient and slowest modes of travel. Secondly, governments can subtly shift housing policies to engender dramatic effects. 5. Instead of allowing cities to build upwards, through skyscrapers and tall apartment buildings, they can limit the number of floors on buildings to encourage a more horizontal cityscape. 6. The result of this would be to spread out workplaces and lower congestion levels generally.

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. Continue your development.
6. Finish the paragraph strong.

1. In conclusion, there is little doubt that improved infrastructure could alleviate traffic congestion in cities to an extent; however, the best remedy is to pass laws concerning private vehicles and housing. 2. Governments should implement these long-term policies over short-term fixes.

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.

Many policymakers feel that the optimal counter to traffic issues in urban areas is increased funding for infrastructure. In my opinion, though this funding may have a marginal effect, there are other, potentially more impactful, regulations.

Supporters of investment in infrastructure contend it is a direct and pragmatic solution. As cities become larger, they face inevitable traffic problems caused by overcrowding and deteriorating roads. Improving the existing infrastructure can include repaving these roads to reduce accidents and slow driving, building additional public transportation lines for subways, creating biking lanes, widening streets, constructing overpasses, and so on. Combined, the theoretical result of these changes will be an alleviation of current strain on transport systems. However, in practice, in large cities such as New York City, rarely produce any actual difference in traffic conditions as they cannot keep pace with growing populations.

Instead, governments must consider more drastic policies. The first such reform would be to ban or severely limit the use of private vehicles. A good example of this would be in certain European cities that have enacted single day bans or raised taxes on automobile purchases. Since cars occupy the majority of the space on roads, while often only transporting one or two individuals, they are the least efficient and slowest modes of travel. Secondly, governments can subtly shift housing policies to engender dramatic effects. Instead of allowing cities to build upwards, through skyscrapers and tall apartment buildings, they can limit the number of floors on buildings to encourage a more horizontal cityscape. The result of this would be to spread out workplaces and lower congestion levels generally.

In conclusion, there is little doubt that improved infrastructure could alleviate traffic congestion in cities to an extent; however, the best remedy is to pass laws concerning private vehicles and housing. Governments should implement these long-term policies over short-term fixes.

Answers

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

policymakers politicians, the authorities

optimal counter best solution

traffic issues problems related to too many cars

urban areas cities

increased funding for infrastructure more money for buildings

marginal effect small impact

potentially more impactful possibly greater effect

regulations rules and laws

Supporters of investment in people in favor of funding

contend argue

direct straightforward

pragmatic useful

face inevitable traffic problems caused by overcrowding and deteriorating roads have to deal with issues from too many people and streets getting old

Improving the existing infrastructure fixing roads now

repaving putting down new pavement

reduce accidents fewer crashes

slow driving not going fast

building additional public transportation lines for subways adding on metro routes

creating biking lanes making space for bikes to ride

widening increasing

overpasses roads going over other ones

Combined in the aggregate

theoretical result what could happen

alleviation fixing

current strain on transport systems pressure on roads, transport, etc.

in practice in reality

rarely produce doesn’t often happen

actual difference in traffic conditions real change for traffic

keep pace with growing populations match the growth of people living there

Instead rather than

drastic policies strong laws

reform change

ban prohibit

severely limit really contain/stop

private vehicles cars

enacted single day bans or raised taxes on automobile purchases create laws where you can’t drive one day or make cars more expensive

occupy take up space

majority most of

least efficient wastes time and energy

slowest modes of travel not the fastest ways to go

subtly shift housing policies slightly change how much it costs

engender dramatic effects create a big impact

build upwards construct tall apartment buildings

skyscrapers tall buildings

limit contain

encourage a more horizontal cityscape make the city more spread out

spread out workplaces

lower less than

generally overall

there is little doubt that few would question

alleviate fix

congestion traffic

to an extent to some degree

best remedy optimal fix

pass laws concerning private vehicles and housing make rules related to cars and real estate

implement put in place

long-term policies over short-term fixes think about the future, not just now

Pronunciation

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

dɪsˈkʌs bəʊθ saɪdz ænd gɪv jɔːr əʊn əˈpɪnjən
ˈpɒlɪsi ˈmeɪkəz 
ˈɒptɪməl ˈkaʊntə 
ˈtræfɪk ˈɪʃuːz 
ˈɜːbən ˈeərɪəz 
ɪnˈkriːst ˈfʌndɪŋ fɔːr ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌkʧə
ˈmɑːʤɪnəl ɪˈfɛkt
pəʊˈtɛnʃəli mɔːr ˈɪmpæktf(ə)l
ˌrɛgjʊˈleɪʃənz
səˈpɔːtəz ɒv ɪnˈvɛstmənt ɪn 
kənˈtɛnd 
dɪˈrɛkt 
prægˈmætɪk 
feɪs ɪnˈɛvɪtəbl ˈtræfɪk ˈprɒbləmz kɔːzd baɪ ˌəʊvəˈkraʊdɪŋ ænd dɪˈtɪərɪəreɪtɪŋ rəʊdz
ɪmˈpruːvɪŋ ði ɪgˈzɪstɪŋ ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌkʧə 
ˌriːˈpeɪvɪŋ 
rɪˈdjuːs ˈæksɪdənts 
sləʊ ˈdraɪvɪŋ
ˈbɪldɪŋ əˈdɪʃənl ˈpʌblɪk ˌtrænspɔːˈteɪʃən laɪnz fɔː ˈsʌbweɪz
kri(ː)ˈeɪtɪŋ ˈbaɪkɪŋ leɪnz
ˈwaɪdnɪŋ 
ˈəʊvəpɑːsɪz
kəmˈbaɪnd 
θɪəˈrɛtɪkəl rɪˈzʌlt 
əˌliːvɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n 
ˈkʌrənt streɪn ɒn ˈtrænspɔːt ˈsɪstɪmz
ɪn ˈpræktɪs
ˈreəli ˈprɒdjuːs 
ˈækʧʊəl ˈdɪfrəns ɪn ˈtræfɪk kənˈdɪʃənz 
kiːp peɪs wɪð ˈgrəʊɪŋ ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃənz
ɪnˈstɛd
ˈdræstɪk ˈpɒlɪsiz
ˌriːˈfɔːm 
bæn 
sɪˈvɪəli ˈlɪmɪt 
ˈpraɪvɪt ˈviːɪklz
ɪˈnæktɪd ˈsɪŋgl deɪ bænz ɔː reɪzd ˈtæksɪz ɒn ˈɔːtəməʊbiːl ˈpɜːʧəsɪz
ˈɒkjʊpaɪ 
məˈʤɒrɪti 
liːst ɪˈfɪʃənt 
ˈsləʊɪst məʊdz ɒv ˈtrævl
ˈsʌtli ʃɪft ˈhaʊzɪŋ ˈpɒlɪsiz 
ɪnˈʤɛndə drəˈmætɪk ɪˈfɛkts
bɪld ˈʌpwədz 
ˈskaɪˌskreɪpəz 
ˈlɪmɪt 
ɪnˈkʌrɪʤ ə mɔː ˌhɒrɪˈzɒntl ˈsɪti skeɪp
sprɛd aʊt ˈwɜːkˌpleɪsɪz 
ˈləʊə 
ˈʤɛnərəli
ðeər ɪz ˈlɪtl daʊt ðæt 
əˈliːvɪeɪt 
kənˈʤɛsʧən 
tuː ən ɪksˈtɛnt
bɛst ˈrɛmɪdi 
pɑːs lɔːz kənˈsɜːnɪŋ ˈpraɪvɪt ˈviːɪklz ænd ˈhaʊzɪŋ
ˈɪmplɪmənt 
ˈlɒŋtɜːm ˈpɒlɪsiz ˈəʊvə ʃɔːt-tɜːm ˈfɪksɪz

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:

Many p___________s feel that the o__________________r to t________________s in u___________s is i_________________________________e. In my opinion, though this funding may have a m____________t, there are other, p_______________________________l, r___________s.

S_____________________________n infrastructure c_________d it is a d_______t and p_____________c solution. As cities become larger, they f_________________________________________________________________s. I_______________________________e can include r____________g these roads to r________________s and s___________g, b____________________________________________________________________s, c______________________s, w________g streets, constructing o______________s, and so on. C____________d, the t__________________________t of these changes will be an a__________________n of c________________________________________s. However, i_____________e, in large cities such as New York City, r_________________e any a______________________________________s as they cannot k______________________________________s.

I__________d, governments must consider more d_____________________s. The first such r_______m would be to b__n or s_______________t the use of p______________s. A good example of this would be in certain European cities that have e__________________________________________________s. Since cars o_______y the m________y of the space on roads, while often only transporting one or two individuals, they are the l_______________t and s__________________________l. Secondly, governments can s________________________s to e___________________________s. Instead of allowing cities to b_____________s, through s___________s and tall apartment buildings, they can l______t the number of floors on buildings to e___________________________________e. The result of this would be to s__________________________s and l_______r congestion levels g_____________y.

In conclusion, t___________________t improved infrastructure could a___________e traffic c___________n in cities t___________t; however, the b_____________y is to p________________________________________________g. Governments should i____________t these l____________________________________________s.

Listening Practice

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NenDzgLTxEU

Reading Practice

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

https://www.planetware.com/world/top-cities-in-the-world-to-visit-eng-1-39.htm

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 topics below:

Some people think the main purpose of school is to turn children into good citizens and workers, rather than to benefit them as individuals.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

https://howtodoielts.com/ielts-essay-good-citizens/