Plan this problem and solution 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:
In many large cities, housing has become so expensive that young people cannot afford to buy or rent their own homes.
What are the causes of this problem and what measures could be taken to solve it?
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.
In many big cities, property has become so expensive that young people struggle to buy or even rent a home. This essay will explore the causes of the problem and propose some measures to tackle it.
Several factors push prices up. The most basic is that demand exceeds supply: populations in major cities keep growing as people move there for work, but new homes are built too slowly because of limited land, strict planning rules and high construction costs. Investors also buy flats as assets, sometimes leaving them empty, and short-term holiday lettings remove further homes from the market. At the same time, wages for young workers have risen far more slowly than rents and property prices, so deposits are out of reach even for those with steady jobs. In London, for instance, the average first-time buyer needs many years of savings to afford a deposit.
Governments and planners can respond in several ways. They should make it easier to build, by releasing public land, simplifying approval processes and encouraging higher-density housing near transport links. Rent controls or caps on increases could give tenants some protection, though they must be designed carefully to avoid discouraging new building. Public funding for affordable and social housing would directly help young people on low incomes, and shared-ownership schemes would allow them to buy a portion of a home and increase it over time. Higher taxes on empty properties and foreign speculators could also bring more homes into use.
In conclusion, expensive housing results from a shortage of supply, speculation and stagnant wages. If governments act decisively, young people will be able to live independently and cities will remain diverse and economically healthy.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| affordable housing | homes with reasonable prices |
| property prices | cost of homes |
| urban sprawl | unplanned spread of a city |
| rental market | renting homes |
| first-time buyer | someone buying their first home |
| housing shortage | too few homes |
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