Sunday 5 July 2015

IELTS General Training - Task 2

More and more people are travelling by car nowadays.
What are the reasons for the increase in car use and what problems does it cause?
What can be done to discourage people from using their cars?

Traffic is on the rise and being stuck in it is a part of people’s daily routine. Instead of opting for public transport, commuters prefer to use their own cars.

As the standard of living rises, people are able to afford a vehicle and car ownership increases. Owning a car is often seen as a status symbol and shows that a person has wealth. A car also gives a person independence. They don’t need to rely on public transport and are free to go wherever they like and at a time that suits them. They are also able to travel long distances in comfort without having to worry about the inconvenience of public transport.

Travelling by car is not without its problems. The main problem is the amount of pollution it causes to the environment. Cars produce carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere contributing to global warming. As a result of high car ownership, roads and highways are full of vehicles, causing delays, frustration and stress to drivers.


Encouraging motorists to choose public transport or other environmentally friendly means of getting around will benefit the environment greatly. The government could take several measures to ensure that drivers opt for other less damaging means of reaching their destination. They could tax new cars making them expensive to buy or make bills associated with care ownership such as M.O.T, road tax and insurance high. Cars driving into the city centre could be taxed and any public parking areas could be very expensive to use. Alternatively, public transport could be made cheaper, pedestrian streets created and affordable bicycle rental could be provided.

Question taken from Richmond Practice Tests for IELTS p.105

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