Plan this discussion essay about cities with the ideas and outline below, write it on a 40-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people think that new shopping centres should be built in the centre of towns. Others prefer to build them outside the town.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
Pick two or three points from one or both columns. You do not need all of them, and your own examples score better than memorised ones.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 250 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
Some people think that new shopping centres should be built in the middle of towns, while others prefer sites on the outskirts. Both approaches have merits, but I believe town centres are the better choice.
Those who favour out-of-town locations point to practical advantages. Land is cheaper and more plentiful on the edge of a town, so developers can build large stores with generous car parks, which suits families who do their weekly shopping by car. Moving big shops away from the centre can also reduce traffic and noise on historic streets, and builders face fewer planning difficulties than in crowded areas.
However, I believe the case for the centre is stronger. A central shopping centre is accessible by bus, tram and on foot, so people who do not own a car, such as students and elderly residents, can reach it easily. This reduces the number of private journeys and therefore lowers emissions. Central sites also support the local economy. Shoppers who visit a mall in the middle of town are likely to stop at nearby cafes, markets and small independent shops, whereas an out-of-town mall draws all the trade into one place and leaves the high street empty. Many British towns suffered precisely this fate, with closed shops and a declining atmosphere after large retail parks opened on their edges. In addition, building within the existing urban area avoids using up green fields and farmland.
Admittedly, central development must be handled carefully to prevent congestion, for example by providing park-and-ride schemes and pedestrian zones.
In conclusion, although out-of-town centres offer cheap land and easy parking, shopping centres in the middle of towns are more accessible, more environmentally friendly and better for local businesses, and that is my preference.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| town centre | main area of a town |
| out-of-town retail park | shops outside a town |
| car dependence | need to use cars |
| shopping district | area with shops |
| land prices | cost of land |
| footfall | number of people visiting a shop |
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