ielts writing

This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.

Set 3 General Training book, Practice Test 13

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Traffic on roads has become a problem in nearly every country in the world. What can be done to reduce the amount of traffic at a society level? What could individuals do to help?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

In nearly every city around the world, the volume of traffic on roads has become a significant problem. Society’s dependence on the car has led to nearly all families owning at least one car and often two. Changing this situation will not be easy, but a series of social reforms and education could allow the numbers of cars on today’s roads to be reduced.

To decrease traffic, multiple social reforms could be imposed. First of all, fuel prices could be raised, while simultaneously public transportation improved. The aim would be to make more people rely on public transportation. Another method to decrease traffic in cities would be to decrease the number of parking slots in the city and increase the cost for these. This method also aims at encouraging the usage of public transportation, as it would make public transport more appealing than parking. Yet another social reform could be to give tax breaks, if proven, that the person is using public transport on a regular basis.

In addition to social reforms, each individual would need to be educated to increase awareness of the environment. This could be achieved through addressing the matter using multiple media. Within this campaign, the environmental as well as the individual benefits of decreasing the usage of cars would have to be highlighted. As a result, the likelihood of voluntary cooperation would increase, because people would become motivated to reduce their reliance on cars.

In conclusion, only when individuals become aware can social reforms function properly. Success would mean more people using public transport and fewer people using cars. When this goal is achieved, stress on the environment will be decreased.

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This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.

Set 5 General Training book, Practice Test 23

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

In some cities, the numbers of tourists seem to be overwhelming. Why is this happening? What are the effects of this on individuals and society?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

With the rise of cheaper airlines and with technology and affluence allowing people to travel more easily, tourism is an industry that has experienced a significant increase. This caused the numbers of tourists in some popular cities to become greater than desirable and created some effects on both individuals and society.

People feed on the positive experiences of others, and vivid images on social media, shared by happy holiday-makers, attract more and more visitors to iconic cities. This creates a snowball effect where increasing numbers of people cause an even bigger influx of tourism by sharing their experiences online. Affordable airfares and modern websites that make finding accommodation easier also play a significant role in making certain cities extremely attractive to tourists.

One positive effect of this phenomenon for both individuals and society is that it is an indicator that people are travelling to different countries. Travel is a great way to broaden the mind and develop more understanding and acceptance of other cultures and beliefs. Individuals will become more tolerant and society should be more integrated and peaceful. Another positive effect is that jobs and businesses are created and supported by the tourism industry, thus generating taxes to help support government infrastructures.

There are negative effects though, especially for the residents of the cities with high numbers of tourists. It is well known that excessive tourism dilutes the authentic culture of the destination, the prices go up and the quality of products and services goes down. The historic centres of too many popular cities now seem to only feature the same chain stores and services, and food tends to become more internationalised rather than offering the authentic food of the country and region. The centres of very busy tourist towns become overly geared towards providing accommodation for rent, whether it is hotels, hostels or private apartments. This reduces the amount of housing for locals, as well as driving up rental and purchase prices.

To sum up, tourism has many positive effects, but when the numbers of tourists get so high, it can spoil the authenticity of a destination, which is negative for local and visiting individuals and society as a whole.

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