IELTS Writing Task 2: City Topics – Expert Guide & 8.5 Band Sample

“City” is a major topic that frequently appears in the IELTS Writing Task 2 exam. Within this, the aspect of “City development and planning” is always a challenge, requiring candidates to possess both social awareness and sharp analytical skills.

To help you conquer this topic, let’s dive deep into the study materials compiled by Ms. Nguyen Huong Giang (an 8.5 IELTS instructor at ECE), covering everything from outline construction and key vocabulary to a complete sample essay.

Analyzing a sample prompt on City Development

We will explore this topic through a specific prompt:

“Some people think governments should spend money on building new towns in the countryside to address the problem of housing in cities. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”

This is an Opinion Essay, which requires you to provide a clear personal stance and defend it with persuasive arguments.

Brainstorming & Structuring

According to Ms. Huong Giang’s guidance, a multi-dimensional and in-depth response should be structured as follows:

• Central Idea: While building new towns in rural areas can alleviate housing shortages in cities, I believe this measure must be combined with other strategies to maintain long-term effectiveness.
• Body Paragraph 1: Analyze the effectiveness of building new towns (Why is this a good solution?).
• Body Paragraph 2: Highlight the limitations and downsides of this approach (Why is this solution alone insufficient?).
• Body Paragraph 3: Propose additional solutions to address the problem thoroughly.
• Conclusion: Reiterate your stance. Building new towns is necessary but not sufficient. Only when the government simultaneously develops facilities and relocates institutions will people truly move, thereby reducing housing pressure in major cities.

Essential Collocations for City Development

To make your writing more academic and precise, Ms. Huong Giang suggests the following high-value collocations:

• divert/allocate funds to: to invest/distribute budget to a specific area
• housing shortages: a lack of available housing
• inflated property prices: rising or overpriced real estate costs
• rural settlements: residential areas in the countryside
• essential infrastructure: critical facilities and systems
• thriving communities: prosperous and growing communities
• ease housing pressures: to reduce the burden of housing demand

IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essay: City topic

Below is a complete sample essay written by Ms. Nguyen Huong Giang, in which key collocations have been bolded for easy identification and study.

It is often argued that governments should divert funds to building new towns in the countryside as a solution to urban housing shortages. While this policy can indeed be effective, I contend that it must be complemented by broader measures if it is to achieve sustainable success.

Developing satellite towns outside major cities can reasonably alleviate pressure on urban housing markets. By attracting residents to these new areas, demand for inner city accommodation would fall, thereby easing problems such as overcrowding and inflated property prices. Moreover, well-planned towns typically offer modern housing at relatively affordable rates, which is particularly appealing to young families seeking better living conditions. In this sense, establishing new towns represents a practical and immediate step toward reducing the strain on large metropolitan areas.

Nevertheless, this approach on its own is insufficient to resolve the housing crisis. Many citizens are reluctant to relocate to rural settlements if employment opportunities, universities, and healthcare facilities remain concentrated in urban centers. In the absence of robust transport links and social infrastructure, new towns risk becoming underpopulated and economically stagnant, resulting in wasted public investment.

For such schemes to succeed, they must be coupled with complementary policies. Relocating companies, government offices, and higher education institutions to these areas would attract professionals and students, creating both economic activity and social vibrancy. Meanwhile, targeted investment in essential infrastructure including hospitals, schools, and efficient public transport would provide long-term incentives for residents to establish themselves permanently. These measures combined would transform new towns from mere housing projects into thriving communities that can genuinely ease the pressure on major cities.

In conclusion, building new towns in the countryside can ease housing pressures in major cities, but it is insufficient if implemented in isolation. Only by combining this initiative with complementary policies that generate opportunities and improve living standards, can governments ensure its effectiveness in addressing urban housing challenges.

As Ms. Huong Giang shares, we hope this article provides those of you learning to write essays with a deep perspective on the “City Development” topic, as well as how to approach the task in a logical, multi-dimensional, and high-scoring way.

By learning from the structure, ideas, and vocabulary of an expert, you can be fully confident in handling similar prompts in the exam room. Wishing you effective preparation!