Task 2 · · 18 samples

Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree? What other measures do you think might be effective?

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Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • A fuel-price rise may discourage optional car journeys, but it can affect people with limited transport choices more heavily.
  • Frequent, affordable and reliable public transport gives commuters a practical alternative to driving.
  • Combine congestion measures, such as peak-time charges, with investments in cleaner vehicles and safe walking or cycling routes.

Suggested structure

  1. Introduce the problem and state clearly whether higher petrol prices are the best solution.
  2. Explain one benefit and one limitation of increasing fuel prices.
  3. Develop public transport as a main alternative, linking service improvements to reduced car use.
  4. Add one or two complementary measures for congestion and pollution.
  5. Conclude by comparing a price increase alone with a combined approach.
Useful vocabulary & examples
a practical alternative to driving
A realistic option that people can use instead of travelling by car.

Frequent buses would give commuters a practical alternative to driving.

peak-time charges
Fees applied to vehicles travelling in busy areas during the most congested hours.

Peak-time charges could reduce the number of cars entering the city centre.

emissions standards
Official limits on the pollutants that vehicles or other sources may release.

Stricter emissions standards can help reduce pollution from vehicles.

place a heavier burden on
To make a cost or difficulty affect a particular group more severely.

A large fuel-price increase could place a heavier burden on lower-income drivers.

Sample answers

AI-completed learning example

372 words · Illustrative target band

It is argued that the most suitable way to tackle the issues of air pollution and increasing traffic is to raise the price of petrol. I completely disagree with this idea and believe that several other, more effective approaches exist. In my opinion, increasing the price of petrol presents several complications, the most important of which is the lack of a practical alternative for some travellers. A higher fuel pri…

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AI-completed learning example

368 words · Illustrative target band

Pollution and traffic congestion are significant issues in today’s world, and some people believe that increasing the price of petrol is the most effective way to address these problems. While I agree that higher fuel prices could help reduce pollution by discouraging car use, I believe that a combination of other solutions, such as promoting reliable shared transport, is more effective overall. A higher fuel price …

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AI-completed learning example

364 words · Illustrative target band

Nowadays, there is a growing belief that increasing the cost of fuels is an essential method for controlling traffic and pollution in society. In this essay, I will explore this notion from different perspectives and explain why I disagree with this statement. On one hand, some individuals assert that raising petrol prices can lead to fewer optional journeys. A higher fuel price can give drivers a reason to reconsid…

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