This Band 7 IELTS Writing Task 2 essay discusses urban funding, emphasizing the need to balance essential services with cultural investments. While it effectively addresses both views, there are opportunities for lexical enhancement and grammatical accuracy improvements.
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 meets the word count requirement (300 words) and addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views and presenting a clear opinion. However, lexical resource and grammatical accuracy show some errors and limitations, affecting the overall fluency. The response is coherent and well-structured, but ideas could be more fully developed.
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Many people think that city governments should allocate all public funds to necessary urban facilities such as healthcare, education and infrastructure while other people think that spending in arts, culture and entertainment is equally crucial for improving the quality of urban life. I believe that no sectors should be decided as trivial and the investments of the government should be priotized wisely and sensitively.
Healthcare, education and infrastructure are some of the essential requirements for improving quality of life. In many developing nations, people don't have proper access to this services. Not having proper education and healthcare facilities directly influences the skilled labor force of a country. When countries don't focus on these necessary facilities, they might fall into a vicious cycle of underdevelopment.
On the other hand, arts, culture and entertainment are sectors that provide unique identity to a country. Many traditions and practices are already in the verge of extinction. If the local cultures and traditions are preserved and promoted properly, they have the potential of attracting number of tourists, which can eventually help in the economy of the country as well.
Funding only essential services results in cultures and practices not being preserved and have higher chances of getting extinct. Many countries that previously focused on funding essential servies only now have started to spend millions to find their previously practiced cultures and arts. So, I believe that, rather than concentrating the funding on just few sectors, government can prioritize wisely on essential services while also allocating a substantial amount for arts, culture and entertainment sectors.
In conclusion, government needs to provide more funding to the essential services but also ensure that other sectors such as arts, culture and entertainment are getting their fair share as they have equal potential to enhance the quality of urban life.
AI Feedback Report Details
Spelling · Grammar · Vocabulary · Criteria Analysis
Spelling Mistakes
2 errors| Misspelled Word | Corrected Word |
|---|---|
| priotized | prioritized |
| servies | services |
Grammatical Mistakes
7 errors| Mistake | Correction | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| this services | these services | Pronoun agreement: 'services' is plural, so use 'these' instead of 'this' |
| in the verge | on the verge | Preposition error: the correct phrase is 'on the verge of' |
| attracting number of tourists | attracting a number of tourists | Missing article: 'a number of' requires the indefinite article 'a' |
| help in the economy | help the economy | Preposition error: 'help' typically takes a direct object without 'in' |
| results in cultures and practices not being preserved and have higher chances | results in cultures and practices not being preserved and having higher chances | Parallel structure error: after 'not being preserved', use the gerund 'having' for consistency |
| on just few sectors | on just a few sectors | Missing article: 'a few' is the correct quantifier phrase |
| prioritize wisely on essential services | prioritize essential services wisely | Preposition misuse: 'prioritize' is transitive and does not require 'on'; reordered for better syntax |
Vocabulary Improvements
5 suggestions| Original Word/Phrase | Improved Word/Phrase | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| don't | do not | Informal contraction: in academic writing, use full forms for formality |
| get extinct | become extinct | Informal verb: 'become' is more formal than 'get' |
| help in the economy | benefit the economy | Vague phrasing: 'benefit' is more precise and academic in this context |
| find | rediscover | Incorrect word choice: 'rediscover' accurately conveys recovering something that was lost |
| fair share | adequate allocation | Informal expression: 'adequate allocation' is more formal and precise for academic writing |
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Detailed Criteria Feedback
AI-powered analysis for each scoring criterion
Task Response
7
Evaluation
The essay adequately discusses both views and gives a clear opinion. It provides relevant points on essential services and arts/culture, but the development of ideas could be deeper, with more specific examples or counter-arguments.
Examples
For example, the essay mentions that lacking essential services leads to underdevelopment, and that arts can attract tourism, but these points are not extensively elaborated.
How to Improve
To improve, expand on each view with more detailed examples, such as case studies of cities that have balanced funding, or discuss potential trade-offs more critically.
Coherence and Cohesion
7
Evaluation
The essay is generally well-organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs for each view, and a conclusion. Logical progression is evident, but some transitions could be smoother.
Examples
Paragraphs are logically separated: one for essential services, one for arts/culture. However, phrases like 'On the other hand' are used appropriately, but cohesion within paragraphs can be enhanced.
How to Improve
Use a wider range of linking words and ensure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence. Also, improve the flow between ideas by using referential pronouns more effectively.
Lexical Resource
6.5
Evaluation
Vocabulary is sufficient for the task but lacks sophistication and has some inaccuracies. There is repetition of key terms, and word choice is occasionally awkward.
Examples
Errors include 'priotized' (should be 'prioritized'), 'this services' (should be 'these services'), and 'number of tourists' (should be 'a number of tourists'). Phrases like 'wisely and sensitively' could be more precise.
How to Improve
Work on spelling and collocations. Introduce more varied vocabulary related to urban funding, such as 'allocations', 'cultural preservation', 'socio-economic benefits'. Use a thesaurus to avoid repetition.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
6.5
Evaluation
Grammatical structures are mostly simple and compound, with some complex sentences. Errors in articles, verb forms, and word order are noticeable but do not severely hinder comprehension.
Examples
Incorrect article usage: 'government can prioritize' (should be 'the government'). Informal contractions: 'don't' (acceptable but less formal). Spelling: 'servies' (should be 'services').
How to Improve
Practice using a wider range of complex sentences, such as conditional or relative clauses. Focus on accuracy with articles, plurals, and verb tenses. Proofreading can help reduce spelling errors.
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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