Task 2 · · 18 samples

Governments should spend money on railways rather than roads. To what extend do you agree or disagree with this statement?

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Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Explain how carrying many passengers in one train can reduce emissions per traveller compared with relying on individual cars.
  • Connect reliable rail services with fewer commuter car journeys, reduced congestion and improved urban air quality.
  • Acknowledge that roads provide direct access to rural areas and destinations not served by rail, so prioritising rail does not require neglecting roads.

Suggested structure

  1. Introduce the funding comparison and state clearly whether you agree.
  2. Develop the environmental argument with a cause-and-effect explanation.
  3. Add a separate argument about rail capacity, connectivity or business travel.
  4. Concede the continuing value of roads and clarify that they still require essential funding.
  5. Conclude by restating the priority and describing a balanced approach.
Useful vocabulary & examples
railway investment
Government spending on rail infrastructure or services.

Railway investment can improve the reliability of services between major towns.

well-connected services
Transport services that link effectively with other routes or places.

Well-connected services can make rail a more practical option for commuters.

road congestion
Heavy traffic that slows movement on roads.

Reliable trains may help reduce road congestion during busy commuting periods.

rural access
The ability of people in countryside communities to reach services and destinations.

Road funding remains important for rural access where railway routes are limited.

Sample answers

AI-completed learning example

363 words · Illustrative target band

It’s often argued that governments should spend the budget on railways rather than roads. I completely agree with this opinion and think that the extra railways are much more essential than highways. First of all, the independent car amount is increasing day by day. Even if cars facilitate people’s lives, traffic congestion causes many problems. A practical rail service can give commuters another option. Railways ca…

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AI-completed learning example

360 words · Illustrative target band

Some people believe that government should use their money to improve on railways instead of roads. In the past, government used to spend a lot of money on the roads, but now a days they are investing much on railways. I strongly agree that they should start invest more in railway projects as it offers a shared alternative on suitable routes. Railways can be useful for moving many people along a shared route. A freq…

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AI-completed learning example

358 words · Illustrative target band

Some people believe that government should use their money to improve on railways instead of roads. In the past, government used to spend alot of money on the roads, but now a days they are investing much on railways. I strongly agree that they should start invest more on railway projects as it offers more options for shared travel. Railways can be useful for moving many people along a shared route. A frequent servi…

Read full answer & analysis →