Plan this problem and solution essay about transport 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:
Traffic congestion in major cities wastes time and money and increases pollution.
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.
Traffic congestion in major cities costs businesses and individuals a great deal of time and money, and it adds to air pollution. This essay will examine its causes and suggest some solutions.
There are three main causes. The first is the sheer number of private cars. As incomes rise, more households buy vehicles, and in many cities most cars carry only one person. The second is inadequate public transport: where buses and trains are slow, crowded or infrequent, commuters have no real alternative to driving. Poor urban planning is the third. When housing, offices and shops are spread far apart, people are forced to make long journeys, and everyone travels at the same peak hours because working days begin and end at similar times. Narrow historic streets in older cities make the problem worse.
Solutions need to reduce demand as well as increase capacity. The most effective is to improve public transport, with metro lines, dedicated bus lanes and cheap, integrated tickets, so that people choose to leave their cars at home. Congestion charges, such as the scheme introduced in London, make drivers pay to enter the centre at busy times, and have cut traffic noticeably while raising money for buses. Employers can help by allowing flexible hours and working from home, which spreads the load across the day. In the longer term, planners should create neighbourhoods where homes, workplaces and shops are close together so that journeys are shorter. Finally, encouraging cycling through safe lanes and bicycle-sharing schemes offers a healthy alternative for short trips.
In conclusion, congestion stems from too many cars, weak public transport and poor planning. Better transport, pricing measures, flexible working and smarter urban design would significantly reduce it.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| congestion charge | fee for driving into a city |
| park and ride | leaving a car and taking transit |
| peak hours | busiest times |
| gridlock | complete traffic blockage |
| traffic management | controlling traffic flow |
| commuter belt | area people travel from |
Answer random Part 1, 2 and 3 questions on an exam timer.
Average your four skill bands, rounded the way IELTS rounds them.
Compare an IELTS band with TOEFL, Duolingo and PTE scores and CEFR levels.
Look up the IELTS score a university asks for, with the source.