Some cities have vehicle-free days when private cars, trucks, and motorcycles are banned from the city centre. People are encouraged to use public transportation such as buses, taxis, and metro on vehicle-free days. Do the advantages of having vehicle-free days outweigh the disadvantages?
Sample Response
In numerous urban areas worldwide, the concept of vehicle-free days has gained momentum, promoting the restriction of private cars, trucks, and motorcycles within city centres. On these days, citizens are urged to utilize public transportation like buses, taxis, and metros as an alternative. In my opinion, the advantages of this practice far outweigh the drawbacks it may have.
It is undeniable that this approach may present several drawbacks. The inconvenience caused to individuals who heavily rely on private vehicles for their daily commute could lead to dissatisfaction. Moreover, businesses that depend on deliveries or transportation for their operations might face logistical challenges, potentially impacting their productivity. For instance, courier companies tasked with timely deliveries of perishable goods or essential supplies to various city businesses could encounter delays during vehicle-free days, affecting their ability to meet customer demands.
However, this practice brings several benefits. The primary advantage of vehicle-free days lies in mitigating environmental pollution and reducing traffic congestion. By limiting the number of private vehicles traversing the city centre, there is a substantial decline in harmful emissions, contributing to cleaner air and reduced noise pollution. Moreover, this temporary ban can alleviate traffic congestion, providing smoother movement for public transportation, cyclists, and pedestrians, thereby improving overall road safety. Finally and most importantly, it encourages some people to try public transportation or ride a bicycle which may change their attitude towards solely using private cars.
Based on the discussion, it can be inferred that the advantages of vehicle-free days significantly outweigh the disadvantages. The positive impact on the environment, public health and attitude, and reduced traffic congestion in city centres can lead to sustainable urban development.
In conclusion, while vehicle-free days may pose some minor inconveniences, their overarching benefits in terms of environmental sustainability, changing people's perceptions about using public transport, and reduced traffic congestion make them a worthwhile initiative for cities to adopt.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Clarify the relationship Original: has gained momentum, promoting the restriction of Suggested revision: has become more common, resulting in restrictions on Why it matters: The revision makes the causal relationship between the practice and the restrictions clearer.
- 2. Use simpler wording Original: utilize Suggested revision: use Why it matters: The simpler verb is more natural here and preserves the meaning.
- 3. Refine the phrasing Original: metros as an alternative Suggested revision: metro services instead Why it matters: This is a more natural way to describe the alternative mode of transport.
- 4. Avoid conflicting stance Original: It is undeniable that this approach may present Suggested revision: This approach may present Why it matters: Combining an absolute claim with 'may' creates unnecessary tension in the phrasing.
- 5. Remove redundancy Original: for their daily commute Suggested revision: for commuting Why it matters: A commute is normally routine, so 'daily' is unnecessary in this context.
- 6. Tighten the wording Original: depend on deliveries or transportation for their operations Suggested revision: depend on transport and deliveries Why it matters: The revision removes the vague phrase 'for their operations' while retaining the intended meaning.
- 7. Use natural phrasing Original: various city businesses Suggested revision: businesses across the city Why it matters: This replacement expresses the location more idiomatically.
- 8. Improve the collocation Original: lies in mitigating environmental pollution Suggested revision: is the reduction of environmental pollution Why it matters: 'Reduction of pollution' is more natural than describing an advantage as 'lying in mitigating' it.
- 9. Strengthen the clause Original: there is a substantial decline in harmful emissions Suggested revision: harmful emissions decline substantially Why it matters: The active clause states the result more directly and fits the preceding participial phrase.
- 10. Use natural collocation Original: providing smoother movement Suggested revision: allowing easier movement Why it matters: 'Smoother movement' is awkward when referring collectively to transport users, cyclists, and pedestrians.
- 11. Limit emphatic linking Original: Finally and most importantly, Suggested revision: Finally, Why it matters: Removing the extra emphasis gives the sequence of benefits a more measured progression.
- 12. Correct the noun form Original: attitude Suggested revision: attitudes Why it matters: The plural noun is needed to refer generally to people's attitudes.
Suggested Rewrites
- has gained momentum, promoting the restriction of has become more common, resulting in restrictions on
- utilize use
- metros as an alternative metro services instead
- It is undeniable that this approach may present This approach may present
- for their daily commute for commuting
- depend on deliveries or transportation for their operations depend on transport and deliveries
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response presents a clear comparative position and supports both sides with relevant, well-developed consequences, particularly the environmental and transport benefits. Its main limitation is some repetition near the end, where two concluding paragraphs restate similar points, alongside a few imprecise phrases. The highest-priority improvement is to consolidate the conclusion and sharpen the explanation of how the benefits decisively outweigh the practical drawbacks.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Response
The question is fully addressed through a clear position, relevant discussion of both sides, and developed supporting examples.
Make the comparative judgment even more explicit by directly weighing the scale and duration of the benefits against the stated inconveniences.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically within well-focused body paragraphs, but the separate penultimate summary and final conclusion create avoidable repetition.
Use one concise concluding paragraph so the argument ends decisively without restating the same benefits twice.
Lexical Resource
A wide and generally precise vocabulary conveys environmental, logistical, and behavioural ideas effectively, with only occasional awkward phrasing.
Refine collocations such as references to public health and attitude so each abstract idea is expressed more precisely.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A broad range of complex sentence structures is used accurately, and the few minor lapses do not impede communication.
Polish relative-clause attachment and punctuation in longer sentences to make already strong grammatical control more exact.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some cities have vehicle-free days when private cars, trucks, and motorcycles are banned from the city centre. People are encouraged to use public transportation such as buses, taxis, and metro on vehicle-free days. Do the advantages of having vehicle-free days outweigh the disadvantages?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.