Some people think that vertical cities are the best, where people live and work in tall buildings. Others think that horizontal cities are better, where there are few tall buildings. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
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Sample Response
There is an ongoing debate over which urban model is preferablewhich kind of city is better. Although some people believe that vertical cities are better, others believe that horizontal cities are better. From my point of view, I agree that horizontal cities are better, as they provide more sunlight for people living there. Supporters of the view that vertical cities with a lot of tall buildings are better often argue that vertical cities can provide more space for people to live and work in. It is true that nowadays there are more and more people in cities, which means that there is not enough space for extra people who want to live or work in citieswho want to live in or work in cities in the future. Furthermore, the tall buildings in vertical cities can sometimes besometimes can be very magnificent, which might attract some people. Thus, some people believe that vertical cities are better. Nevertheless, the taller buildingsthe more tall buildings there are in cities, the less sunlight people get, and in my view,and in my opinion, I think horizontal cities with few tall buildings are better. It is mainly because with few tall buildings, people can get more sunlight in their houses. A prime example is that every morning when people wakeget up, it must be better if they can see the bright sunlight or the blue sky outside instead of the cold walls of tall buildings. Furthermore, with few tall buildings, people can feel less stressed when standing on the street and looking up. Consequently, I think that horizontal cities with few tall buildings are much better, as this can greatly improvemuch better, which can greatly improve the quality of people's lives. In conclusion, I agree that horizontal cities with few tall buildings are much better than vertical cities with numerous skyscrapers, becausea lot of tall buildings, because living in horizontal cities can provide people with more sunlight, which greatly improves their quality of life.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The essay addresses both perspectives clearly and presents a consistent position supported by logical reasons and examples. The main strength is its clear paragraph structure and readable progression of ideas, while the primary limitation is repetitive phrasing across paragraphs. To improve further, diversify your vocabulary choices and expand on the advantages of vertical cities in greater depth.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are discussed with relevant main points, and a clear personal opinion is maintained throughout the essay.
Develop the argument for vertical cities with more specific details or counterarguments to make the discussion fully balanced.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information is organized logically across clear paragraphs with a clear progression from introduction to conclusion.
Vary cohesive phrases and linking expressions to avoid repeating structure and words across paragraph transitions.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a sufficient range of vocabulary accurately to convey meaning clearly throughout the text.
Incorporate a wider variety of synonyms for key topic words like 'tall buildings' and 'horizontal cities' to reduce repetition.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A good variety of complex grammatical structures is produced with high accuracy and good control over sentence boundaries.
Experiment with more advanced grammatical constructions, such as inverted structures or reduced relative clauses, to enhance variety.