Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways, or on improving public transportation (buses, trains, subways etc.)? Why?
Sample Response
The transportation system is one of the serious problems in this day which is related to traffic congestion and air pollution. A suitable decision will always think by the government to cope this issue. There are two points which the government can choose, whether they want to expense money on developing roads and highways or spend money on improving public transportation. I definitely agree for improving public transportation for some reasons.
First and foremost, it is an impossible way to build roads and highways today, because the large areas are not available. For instance, in an urban area, it is hard to find a wide place because most of these places in here are used to built houses and other building. Thus, the government cannot find a space to build new roads or highways. Whereas, if the government still aspire to continue this program it seems that a new problem will create, such as traffic jam.
In addition, it is wise if the government can reduce the number of private vehicles and improve the number of public transportation. There was a sharp rise of private transportation every year. However, if the government can reduce it by making a distinct rule to appeal the society to use public transportation, the traffic issue would be in a better situation. Thus, traffic jam can solve and air pollution can reduce too.
In conclusion, I believe that improving public transportation is the best way to solve the transportation problem, rather than building roads and highways. When the government builds new ones, the numbers of vehicles do not decrease, but it will increase.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use precise noun Original: points Suggested revision: options Why it matters: The government is choosing between alternatives, so 'options' is more precise than 'points'.
- 2. Use correct verb Original: expense Suggested revision: spend Why it matters: 'Expense' is not used as a verb meaning to allocate money in this context.
- 3. Fix verb pattern Original: agree for improving Suggested revision: support improving Why it matters: 'Agree for' does not take a gerund to express support for this policy.
- 4. Simplify adjective structure Original: it is an impossible way to build Suggested revision: it is impossible to build Why it matters: 'Impossible' should directly govern the infinitive rather than modify 'way' here.
- 5. Remove definite article Original: the large areas are not available Suggested revision: large areas are not available Why it matters: The writer refers to large areas generally, so the definite article is unnecessary.
- 6. Use precise space term Original: find a wide place Suggested revision: find sufficient open space Why it matters: 'Open space' expresses available land more naturally than 'a wide place'.
- 7. Remove vague redundancy Original: these places in here Suggested revision: such places Why it matters: The original combines two redundant location references and remains vague.
- 8. Use base verb Original: built Suggested revision: build Why it matters: The passive construction 'are used to' must be followed by the base form 'build'.
- 9. Use plural noun Original: building Suggested revision: buildings Why it matters: The general reference to additional structures requires a plural noun.
- 10. Use uncountable space Original: find a space to build new roads Suggested revision: find space to build new roads Why it matters: 'Space' is uncountable when referring generally to available land.
- 11. Fix conditional structure Original: it is wise if the government can reduce Suggested revision: it would be wise for the government to reduce Why it matters: The adjective requires a 'for + noun + infinitive' structure to express the recommendation naturally.
- 12. Fix transport collocation Original: improve the number of public transportation Suggested revision: increase the availability of public transportation Why it matters: Public transportation is uncountable, and its availability can be increased rather than its number improved.
Suggested Rewrites
- points options
- expense spend
- agree for improving support improving
- it is an impossible way to build it is impossible to build
- the large areas are not available large areas are not available
- find a wide place find sufficient open space
Why this response received Band 6.0
The essay gives a clear preference for public transport and supports it with two relevant reasons: limited urban space for new roads and the potential to reduce private vehicles, congestion, and pollution. Its main limitation is language control, as frequent grammatical and lexical errors make several causal claims imprecise. Prioritise explaining how improved services attract drivers from cars while using shorter, grammatically complete sentences.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The preference for public transport is consistent and supported by relevant points about urban space, traffic, and pollution, though the mechanisms and comparison with road investment need fuller explanation.
Explain how reliable, affordable public transport changes commuter behaviour and why this produces better results than expanding roads.
Coherence and Cohesion
The introduction, two reason paragraphs, and conclusion create a clear overall sequence, but mechanical linking, repetition, and a fragment beginning 'Whereas' weaken cohesion.
Use direct topic sentences for land constraints and modal shift, then connect each reason to the funding choice with complete clauses.
Lexical Resource
The response has enough transport vocabulary to convey its position, but repetition and frequent inaccurate collocations reduce precision.
Use natural phrases such as 'allocate funding,' 'expand road capacity,' 'increase public transport services,' and 'encourage commuters.'
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Some complex forms are attempted and the main ideas remain understandable, but frequent errors in passive forms, agreement, articles, verb patterns, and sentence boundaries reduce control.
Practise complete active and passive clauses, including 'the government should decide,' 'land is unavailable,' and 'congestion can be reduced.'
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways, or on improving public transportation (buses, trains, subways etc.)? Why?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.