IELTS Writing Task 2 essay with model answer

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.

Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.

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


Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

All over the world, cities are choked by the numbers of people that they attract. The industrialization of agriculture has led to more and more people fleeing the countryside and looking for work cities. As a result, the population of urban areas is growing but the respective infrastructure is not always up to the challenge. One of the main problems arising from this trend, in my opinion, is the level of pollution, especially air pollution from motorized traffic. 



Smog has become a ubiquitous problem in cities. Cars, lorries, vespas - they all spew pollutants into the air that are not easily contained or cleaned up. The more people arrive in an urban area, the more there is a need for transport, both of goods and of people. 

While smog in itself is unpleasant, there is a flow-on effect in public health, as smog can cause serious respiratory illness and even death. This means that urban air pollution is not simply an aesthetic issue, but is indeed a severe health problem that drains public health systems.

It is thus in the best interest of governments to tackle this issue. One obvious solution to the problem is an investment in rail-based infrastructure, which provides a means of transport that doesn't produce smog. Such an investment should include both public transport, for example, light-rail or train, and rail-based transport of goods. Furthermore, governments could initiate public health campaigns, including advertising, to better educate the public about the risks of smog.

Individuals, on the other hand, also have a role to play. They can make an effort to chose public transport over the car - even if it isn't always as convenient - and they can even choose the bike as a means of getting around. In addition, a lot of traffic can be avoided if one simply chooses to live near the workplace.

In conclusion, it is unlikely that the influx of people into urban centres is coming to a halt anytime soon. Among the many problems this development causes, urban air pollution is one of the most pressing ones, but it can be tackled if governments and individuals realize the urgency of this public health crisis and act accordingly.

 

Total Words: 4oo

Task Achievement: 9

Coherence & Cohesion: 9

Lexical resources: 9

Grammar: 9

Overall Score: Band 9

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