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.

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.

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.