Some people say that the most important requirement of a modern city is an effective public transport system. While other people believe that there are other important requirements for a city. Discuss both views, give your opinion.
Sample Response
It is believed that the most important requirementforemost necessity for a modern city is an effective public transport system, while others contend that other factors are equally importantadditional factors are equally crucial. I agree that efficient mass transit can form the backbone of urban life, but affordable housing and robust digital infrastructure are indispensable for a truly thriving metropolis.
Those who prioritise public transportProponents of prioritising public transport emphasise its role in alleviating urban congestion. They argue that high-capacity metros and bus rapid transit corridors can carry thousands of passengers per hour, reducing reliance on private cars and ensuring smoother traffic flow during peak times. Moreover, public transport also supports environmental sustainabilityis believed to underpin environmental sustainability. This is because electric trains and clean-fuel buses emit significantly less CO₂ than privateindividual vehicles, helping cities meet climate targets and improve air quality.
However, the availability of affordable housingaffordable housing availability is equally vital to a city’s health. One reason is thatThe first reason behind my belief is that mixed-income developments located close to employment centres prevent long commutes and foster social stability by integrating diverse communities. When residents can live affordably near their workplaces, residents’ overall quality of life improvesoverall quality of life improves and economic participation rises. In addition, resilient digital infrastructure has become a cornerstone of modern urban living. City-wide high-speed internet supports remote work, reduces the need for daily commutes, and enables smart-city services—from real-time traffic management to telemedicine—that enhance efficiency and accessibility. Together, these elements demonstrate that true urban resilience stems from a combination ofa synergistic blend of liveable communities and seamless digital connectivity, laying the groundwork for equitable opportunity and sustainable prosperity.
In conclusion, while I acknowledge that an effective public transport network is a essential feature of modern citiescritical pillar of contemporary urban environments, I contend that without sufficientadequate affordable housing and advanced digital connectivity, cities cannot achieve their full potential. A balanced investment in all three areas is essential for sustainable and inclusive urban growth.
Why this response received Band 8.5
The response’s strongest feature is its fully developed, balanced treatment of public transport alongside housing and digital infrastructure, anchored by a clear and consistent judgement. Its main limitation is a tendency toward densely packaged, highly abstract phrasing in the third paragraph; prioritise slightly leaner expression and a clearer division of the non-transport requirements so each line of reasoning remains maximally accessible and emphatic.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
Both views are addressed in depth through specific, relevant explanations, and the writer’s balanced opinion remains unambiguous throughout.
Add a brief concrete illustration of how the three priorities interact to make the already strong case even more persuasive.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument progresses naturally from transport to alternative priorities and concludes with a concise synthesis of the position.
Separate housing and digital infrastructure into more visibly distinct stages to prevent the third paragraph from becoming overly dense.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is wide, precise and highly flexible across transport, housing, technology and sustainability, with only occasional abstraction.
Temper phrases such as synergistic blend and sustainable prosperity with plainer wording where maximum immediacy is preferable.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A wide variety of complex structures is used accurately and naturally, with consistently strong control of punctuation and clause relationships.
Maintain this control while occasionally shortening multi-clause sentences to give the most important claims greater emphasis.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people say that the most important requirement of a modern city is an effective public transport system. While other people believe that there are other important requirements for a city. Discuss both views, give your opinion.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.