This Band 6 IELTS Urban Funding essay discusses both views on public spending while highlighting crucial task response issues. With a word count of 240, it falls short of the required minimum, impacting its overall effectiveness. Explore key recommendations to enhance your writing.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Question
Discuss both views · City Life · 40 min
Some people believe that city governments should allocate public funds only to essential urban services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Others argue that investment in arts, culture, and entertainment is equally important for enhancing the quality of urban life.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Write at least 250 words.
Score Breakdown
IELTS Writing Band Scores (1–9)
Summary: The essay addresses the prompt and presents both views with a clear opinion, but it is under the required 250-word minimum (actual: 240 words). This negatively impacts the Task Response score. The response is well-structured and cohesive, with adequate vocabulary and grammar, but limited development and some repetition prevent a higher score.
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Some people argue that city governments should spend public money only on essential services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure, while others believe that funding for arts, culture, and entertainment is equally important. This essay will discuss both views before presenting my opinion.
On the one hand, prioritizing basic services is crucial for the proper functioning of any city. Healthcare and education are fundamental to citizens’ well-being and long-term development. Without adequate hospitals and schools, the quality of life would decline significantly. Similarly, investment in infrastructure, such as roads and public transport, ensures economic growth and efficient daily activities. Therefore, allocating funds to these sectors should be the primary responsibility of governments.
On the other hand, spending on arts, culture, and entertainment also plays a vital role in urban life. Cultural activities not only enrich people’s lives but also promote creativity and social cohesion. Museums, theaters, and festivals can attract tourists, generating additional revenue for the city. Moreover, entertainment facilities help reduce stress and improve mental health, which is equally important in modern urban societies.
In my opinion, while essential services must receive the majority of public funding, governments should not neglect cultural investment. A balanced approach is necessary, where basic needs are met first, followed by reasonable support for arts and entertainment.
In conclusion, both perspectives have merit, but a well-rounded funding strategy that prioritizes essentials while supporting cultural development is the most effective way to enhance urban living.
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Detailed Criteria Feedback
AI-powered analysis for each scoring criterion
Task Response5.5
Evaluation
The essay covers both views and gives a clear opinion, meeting the basic task requirements. However, it is 10 words short of the 250-word minimum, which is a significant shortfall in IELTS. Additionally, the arguments are somewhat generic and lack detailed examples or deeper analysis.
Examples
The first body paragraph discusses essential services generally, but does not provide specific examples (e.g., types of hospitals, education programs). The opinion paragraph simply states a balanced approach without elaboration.
How to Improve
Extend the essay to at least 250 words by adding more specific examples or evidence. Expand on each viewpoint with concrete scenarios, such as citing a city that succeeded with cultural funding or a case where infrastructure was neglected. Develop the opinion paragraph with reasoning and potential outcomes.
Coherence & Cohesion6
Evaluation
The essay has a clear structure with an introduction, two body paragraphs, an opinion paragraph, and a conclusion. Transition phrases like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' are used effectively. However, the conclusion is very brief and partly repeats the introduction. Cohesion within paragraphs could be stronger.
Examples
The second body paragraph uses 'Moreover' and 'not only...but also', which help link ideas. However, the paragraph lacks a clear topic sentence and the final sentence feels abrupt. The conclusion repeats 'well-rounded funding strategy' without summarizing main points.
How to Improve
Use a clear topic sentence for each body paragraph. In the conclusion, briefly restate the main arguments from both sides before restating your opinion. Add linking words within paragraphs to connect sentences more smoothly (e.g., 'for instance', 'as a result').
Lexical Resource6
Evaluation
Vocabulary is adequate and appropriate for the task, with some good collocations (e.g., 'proper functioning', 'social cohesion', 'generate additional revenue'). However, the range is limited and there is some repetition ('essential services', 'public funding'). No sophisticated or less common words are used.
Examples
Words like 'crucial', 'fundamental', 'vital' are used, but they are repeated. The phrase 'promote creativity and social cohesion' is good. There is no use of topic-specific vocabulary such as 'urban planning', 'public expenditure', or 'cultural heritage'.
How to Improve
Incorporate a wider range of vocabulary related to urban development and public spending. For instance, use 'prudent allocation', 'municipal budget', 'civic amenities', 'cultural enrichment'. Avoid repeating the same adjectives; use synonyms like 'essential', 'core', 'basic'.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy6
Evaluation
Grammar is generally accurate with good control of tense and sentence structure. Simple and complex sentences are used, but there is some awkward phrasing (e.g., 'daily activities' could be 'economic productivity' or 'daily commuting'). Punctuation is mostly correct, but there are extra spaces before commas in one instance.
Examples
Sentence: 'Similarly, investment in infrastructure, such as roads and public transport, ensures economic growth and efficient daily activities.' – fine but could be more precise. The phrase 'modern urban societies' is correct. No major errors, but the range of structures is limited (mostly subject-verb-object).
How to Improve
Practice using a mix of sentence structures, such as conditional sentences ('If cities allocate funds to culture, they may boost tourism'), relative clauses, and passive voice where appropriate. Proofread to remove extra spaces. Avoid very short sentences; combine ideas for more complexity.
Tip: Review the Band 9 model answer to see how a high-scoring essay structures arguments, uses advanced vocabulary, and maintains coherence throughout.
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