IELTS Writing Task 2 topics: Cities and transport, with practice questions and ideas

Questions on cities and transport ask how people move around, where they choose to live and how places should be planned, and they link easily to the environment and to government. IELTS publishes no list of Task 2 topics. The themes here are candidate-reported from practice material, so prepare by theme and by essay shape, not by guessing the exact question.

The angles this theme comes up with

Traffic and public transport. A question may ask how a city can reduce congestion or whether public transport should be improved. You weigh what a better bus or train network achieves against the habits it must change.

Limiting private cars. Practice material often reports questions on city centres closed to cars, restricted access or encouraging cycling. You weigh cleaner, quieter streets against the freedom and convenience of a car.

City or countryside. A question may ask whether living in a city is better than living in a rural area, or why people move. You weigh opportunity and services against space, quiet and community.

Urban planning and green space. Questions may ask what a city should prioritise: tall buildings, parks, roads or shared public places. You weigh how best to use limited land.

The growth of cities. A question may ask about rapid population growth in urban areas and its effects on housing, services and the places people leave. You weigh the pull of cities against the strain they face.

Practice questions

These ten questions are invented for practice, in our own words. They are not copied from any list or past paper. Each is labelled with its shape; the first of each shape links to that shape’s guide.

1. The best way to reduce traffic in large cities is to ban private cars from the city centre. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Agree or disagree
2. Some people think that living in a city is better for young adults. Others believe that the countryside offers a better quality of life. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Discuss both views
3. Many cities are building more cycle lanes and reducing road space for cars. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development? Advantages and disadvantages
4. Traffic jams and crowded buses and trains are a daily problem in many cities. What are the causes, and what solutions can you suggest? Problem and solution
5. More and more people are moving from rural areas to cities. Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative development? Two-part question
6. Governments should spend more on public transport than on building new roads. Do you agree or disagree? Agree or disagree
7. Some people believe that city planners should protect green spaces, even if this limits the number of new homes. Others think housing should come first. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Discuss both views
8. Tall apartment blocks are becoming more common in city centres. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? Advantages and disadvantages
9. Many city residents say their neighbourhoods have become noisy and polluted because of traffic. What problems does this cause, and what measures could be taken? Problem and solution
10. Some cities have grown so fast that services cannot keep up. What are the reasons for this growth? What can be done to manage it? Two-part question

Ideas for and against

Traffic and public transport

• For investing in public transport: a reliable, frequent service gives drivers a real alternative, so fewer cars enter the centre at rush hour.
• For: one full train takes the place of many cars, which frees road space for buses, ambulances and deliveries.
• Against relying on it: if services are slow or stop early, people keep driving, so the investment changes nothing without good planning.
• Against: networks serve main corridors, and residents of outer districts may still have no practical option but a car.

Limiting private cars

• For limits: with fewer cars, city centres become quieter and safer, so more people walk and children can play outdoors.
• For: lower exhaust emissions improve air quality, which is a gain for residents with breathing problems.
• Against limits: shops and workplaces in the centre may lose customers and staff who cannot reach them easily.
• Against: disabled and elderly people, and workers with early shifts, often depend on a car, so a ban can shut them out.

City or countryside

• For cities: more jobs, universities and hospitals are within reach, so a young person can build a career without moving again.
• For cities: a mix of cultures and activities makes it easier to meet people with similar interests.
• For the countryside: space, clean air and a slower pace may suit families, and neighbours often know each other.
• For the countryside: less crowding means shorter, less stressful journeys, which gives people more time at home.

Urban planning and green space

• For parks: green areas give residents a place to exercise and relax, which supports both physical and mental health.
• For parks: trees reduce heat in summer, so the city is more comfortable without extra machinery.
• For more housing: if homes are not built, people crowd into too few and young families may be unable to settle in the city at all.
• For tall buildings: housing more people on less land leaves room for open spaces elsewhere, although the buildings must be well designed.

The growth of cities

• Positive: a growing population brings workers and ideas, and a larger market encourages new businesses to open.
• Negative: services such as schools and clinics may not expand fast enough, so queues lengthen and quality falls.
• Positive: moving to a city can give rural families access to better schools and healthcare.
• Negative: villages left behind lose their young people, so farms close and the remaining residents are mostly elderly.

Vocabulary for this theme

A worked plan

Planned from question 6: Governments should spend more on public transport than on building new roads. Do you agree or disagree?

• Position: I agree, with one limit. Public transport should be the priority, though some road building is still needed where no other link exists.
• Introduction: Rephrase the statement, then state the position and its limit in one sentence.
• Body paragraph one (agree): Reason: new roads attract more cars, so congestion returns within a few years. Consequence: the investment is soon used up and the city is no better off. Example: a city that widens a main road may see it full again, while a new metro line carries thousands of passengers a day on the same corridor.
• Body paragraph two (limit): Reason: public transport does not reach every place. Consequence: villages and outer districts without a rail or bus link remain dependent on cars. Example: a rural community cut off by a river needs a bridge, which supports the same aim, access, by different means.
• Conclusion: Restate the position in different words: public transport first, roads where they close a real gap. No new argument.

How the app marks it

IELTS Mentor AI marks a Task 2 essay on all four criteria and gives an Examiner’s Summary, followed by what worked and how to improve for each criterion. For an essay on cities, read the Task Response comments first: they show whether you answered the exact question, for example “spend more on public transport than on roads”, not just the general theme of traffic.

Where this fits

This page is one of the theme pages behind the general answer to what the common Task 2 topics are. Practise each theme in every shape: agree or disagree, discuss both views, problem and solution, advantages and disadvantages and two-part questions. To see how bands differ on one question, read the problem and solution essay at Band 6, 7 and 8. When you have written an essay, use the essay checker.