Hustlers IELTS | Cambridge IELTS 8 Academic (Test 3) | Band 7–9 Structure + Model Answer + Vocabulary
This task is a two-part direct question essay, but it hides a trap: the first question asks for an evaluation (“To what extent do you agree?”) and the second asks for alternatives (“What other measures…?”).
So your essay must do three things clearly:
- state whether you agree petrol price increases are the best solution
- explain why
- propose other effective measures
If you only argue about petrol prices and forget alternatives, you haven’t completed the task.
The Task (Cambridge IELTS 8 Academic, Test 3)
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?
Hustlers IELTS Position (Strong and Clear)
A high-band stance here is:
- Disagree: raising petrol prices is too simplistic and unfair to workers who depend on cars.
- Better solutions:
- invest in reliable public transport
- introduce congestion charges in the worst-hit areas
That’s a practical, defensible position with clear paragraph topics.
Band 7–9 Model Essay
Many cities around the world have seen a rapid rise in the number of private vehicles on the road, and this has led to serious problems related to traffic congestion, as well as pollution from exhaust fumes. Some feel that the best way to deal with this problem is by increasing fuel prices, but I disagree and think that there are more effective options.
Raising petrol prices is an overly simplistic solution to a rather complicated situation. It may have worked 30 years ago, but today many people live some distance from their workplace, often so they can live somewhere more cheaply, and have come to rely on their cars to get to work. If they are suddenly forced to spend more money on petrol, these people would find it a lot harder to make ends meet. So what can be done instead?
One obvious solution would be to improve public transport so that workers have more choice over how to get to work. Many cities have invested heavily in light rail and underground systems, meaning many commuters no longer need to drive, and this has helped to alleviate road congestion. For example, Bangkok has recently expanded its Skytrain network, enabling people living in the suburbs to quickly get to work in the centre of the city.
However, this alone is not enough. Perhaps the best solution would be to target the parts of the road network most susceptible to congestion and charge motorists a fee for using those stretches of road. Such a solution is known as a congestion charge and it has been used to good effect in many major cities including London.
To conclude, traffic congestion and the resultant pollution is a growing and complicated problem which needs to be approached in a more sophisticated manner than simply increasing petrol prices. Investing in public transport and congestion charges are perhaps two more effective solutions.
(317 words)
Why This Essay Scores High
1) It answers both questions fully
- Disagrees with petrol price rises as the best solution
- Gives two concrete alternatives with examples
2) The reasoning is realistic
It explains the social consequence: many workers rely on cars due to housing distance and cost. This makes the argument convincing and relevant.
3) The alternatives are specific, not vague
- “Improve public transport” becomes light rail + underground, with an example (Bangkok Skytrain).
- “Reduce traffic” becomes congestion charges, with a proven case (London).
That is exactly what Band 7+ Task Response looks like.
High-Value Vocabulary & Collocations (Band 7+)
- a rapid rise in the number of private vehicles on the road
- serious problems related to traffic congestion
- pollution from exhaust fumes
- the best way to deal with this problem
- more effective options
- an overly simplistic solution
- a rather complicated situation
- some distance from their workplace
- rely on their cars
- make ends meet
- improve public transport
- light rail and underground systems
- alleviate road congestion
- Skytrain network
- people living in the suburbs
- parts of the road network most susceptible to congestion
- charge motorists a fee
- a congestion charge
- used to good effect
- the resultant pollution
- approached in a more sophisticated manner
Hustlers IELTS Final Word
To score high on questions like this:
- don’t argue one idea for 300 words
- evaluate the claim (“best way”)
- then provide better alternatives with specific examples