IELTS Writing Task 2 | Who should pay for the construction of road systems?

Task 2 | Essay 8
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As the number of cars increases, more money has to be spent on road systems. Some people think the government should pay for this. Others, however, think that drivers should cover the costs.
  • Discuss both views and give your opinion.
How to answer this essay?
  • Introduction:
  • Paraphrase the overall essay main topic.
  • Write a clear opinion.
  • 1st Body Paragraph
  • Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea.
  • Explain your main idea.
  • Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
  • 2nd Body Paragraph
  • Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea.
  • Explain your new main idea.
  • Include specific details and examples.
  • Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
  • Conclusion:
  • Summarise your main ideas.
  • Include a final thought.
Model Answer | Marked as Band 8
Cohesive connecting words that improve coherence in writing . Useful less common words that boost fluency in writing .
  • Some today have argued that the funding for road systems should be the responsibility of governments instead of individuals. In my opinion, although maintaining roads can be considered a public service, private motorists should pay in order to more generally benefit society.
  • Proponents of governments assuming road costs argue this is a basic service tax-payers expect. In all countries, working adults must pay a certain percentage of their monthly salary to the government. From these contributions, individuals justly feel entitled to a variety of public services ranging from police and fire departments to affordable hospitals and safe infrastructure. Roads are a key component in this contract as most people drive in order to go to work, see friends, and take holidays. The government will itself benefit not only from fulfilling this mandate but also in terms of the financial byproduct of consumers being outside actively contributing to a market economy.
  • However, forcing drivers to pay these costs will greatly discourage private automobile ownership. This disincentive is crucial today because cities are overcrowded and private vehicles contribute to rising pollution levels. In large cities such as New York City and Tokyo, it is nearly impossible to traverse the city by automobile at peak rush hours. If there were fewer cars on the road, people could travel more freely on bicycles, on foot, and using public transportation. Additionally, private vehicles are inefficient. Other forms of travel leave relatively small carbon footprints but cars, often carrying only one or two passengers, use more petrol than would normally be required to transport people. Replace cars with more efficient transport options and there would be a marked decrease in the consumption of fossil fuels.
  • In conclusion, despite the strong argument that tax-payers deserve public infrastructure such as roads, it is more important to discourage individuals from purchasing cars. In the long-term, this will greatly benefit cities and the world as a whole.
317 words
Vocabulary and Useful Expression
  • Some today have argued that: many people have made the point that
  • funding: money, resources
  • road systems: streets
  • responsibility of governments: duty of the authorities
  • maintaining roads: keeping streets up
  • considered a public service: for the public good
  • private motorists: people who drive their own vehicles
  • pay in order to more generally benefit society: give money to help everyone out
  • Proponents of: people who support
  • assuming road costs: taking on the expense of streets
  • basic service tax-payers expect: minimum that people who pay taxes want
  • certain percentage of their monthly salary to the government: some amount of their money every month to the state
  • contributions: what they give
  • feel entitled to a variety of public services ranging from police and fire departments to affordable hospitals and safe infrastructure: think they should get things from the government related to health, safety, and roads/buildings
  • key component: crucial part of
  • contract: deal
  • in order to: so that
  • take holidays: go on a trip
  • benefit not only from fulfilling this mandate: good not only to satisfy the deal
  • in terms of: concerning
  • financial byproduct: economic result
  • consumers being outside actively contributing to a market economy: people who buy things adding to the consumer market
  • forcing drivers to pay these costs: making people who drive pay for it
  • greatly discourage private automobile ownership: make people not want to own cars
  • disincentive: does not encourage people to do it
  • crucial: key
  • overcrowded: overpopulated
  • private vehicles contribute to rising pollution levels: cars add to more climate change
  • In large cities such as: in big urban areas like
  • nearly impossible: almost can’t happen
  • traverse: go across
  • automobile at peak rush hours: car when it gets busy
  • freely: when they want
  • Additionally: also
  • inefficient: not a productive way
  • relatively small carbon footprints: comparatively little added to pollution
  • carrying: bringing along
  • petrol: gas
  • normally be required to: usually have to
  • Replace: take the place of
  • transport options: ways of getting around
  • marked decrease in the consumption of fossil fuels: big fall in the use of gas
  • despite the strong argument that tax-payers deserve: regardless of the good point citizens should get
  • discourage: not encourage
  • In the long-term: over time
  • greatly benefit cities and the world as a whole: help urban areas and the whole Earth
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