TASK 2: it is more important to spend money on roads and motorways than on public transport systems

Some people think it is more important to spend money on roads and motorways than on public transport systems such as railways and trams.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Whether the focus of funding for refurbishing existing roads or improving public transport has been a hot-debated topic. Some people are of the opinion that it is more necessary to invest in highways than new railways. In my opinion, I wholeheartedly agree with the idea due to the benefits it might bring to citizens' lives and the inconvenience of the public transport counterpart.

To begin with, allocating money to renovating existing transportation system will be a straightforward solution to address the emergent problem of vehicular traffic congestion in urban areas. This is because the construction of new roads and overpasses provides alternative routes for drivers. As a result, vehicles will be distributed to different routes leading to the same destinations, thereby improving overall traffic efficiency. Also, when the authorities spend the budget on reconstruction and upgrading roads by removing potholes, it will enhance the commuting experience of local citizens while maintain the comfort of driving their own cars.

Some people believe that the introduction and expansion of public transportation systems can also offer the same benefits, such as ease congestion bottenecks, due to the larger capacity of public transport vehicles. However, these public vehicles fail to offer passengers a comfortable experience. For example, train overcrowding at peak times will lead to the similar frustration to the road jams. Besides, over-crowded trains might pose safety issues, such as pickpockets and thieves. Secondly, the proposal of subways and rail systems is believed to cost a larger amount of national budget that not all nations can afford. Compared to works on existing roads, the public transport systems require larger projects due to their complexity and modernity, such as high-speed trams. Therefore, in my view, as a easier and cost effective approach, repairing and contructing existing roads are more recommended.

In conclusion, I am inclined to the operation and refurbishment of road infrastructure as this brings straightforward solution to traffic issues and offers a comfortable experience for the traffic participants. Meanwhile, the public transport counterpart seems not ideal due to its high cost and less favorable experience for passengers.

This is an incorrect claim that has affected the original discussion topic. There is no debate being presented. There is only a difference of ideas when it comes to the given idea. You have created a prompt deviation that will result in point deductions for the paraphrasing section.


You have to be specific here. Which idea do you agree with? The opinion presentation should be extremely clear when it comes to which opinion you are supporting. This is too vague and will result in confusion for the reader, affecting the preliminary GRA score.

As an examiner, I am looking for your personal opinion in the reasoning paragraphs. The fact that you are discussing the public opinion instead makes your opinion little developed. In fact, you are discussing it in the conclusion here, which is the wrong place to discuss it. So you will actually end up with a failing score for this essay. Your personal opinion should be discussed within the 2 reasoning paragraphs.