IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topic: Living in big cities is becoming more difficult

Some people believe that living in big cities is becoming more difficult. Others believe that it is getting easier. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. OR

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of living in the city.

Sample

There has been much debate about whether city life is harder or easier. While it is argued that it is more difficult to live there, I think there are more comforts of urban life.

City dwellers may be confronted with various problems. The first matter can be the higher cost of living than that in villages or other smaller towns because urban citizens might have to pay higher prices for transport service or household bills. Secondly, high population density in urban areas may cause overcrowding, followed by a lack of open spaces for green trees or other recreational activities for metropolitan residents. Finally, together with thousands of tons of daily emissions discharged from families or offices, a huge quantity of fumes are released from motor street vehicles or metropolitan factories, leading to air and water pollution. In other words, there may be a deterioration in the quality of air and water; consequently, health conditions are likely to be threatened.

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However, in my view, city life is becoming easier in several cases. Well-known universities, schools at the international level, or other high-quality educational centers located in metropolitan zones generate advantages for city inhabitants to enjoy better educational opportunities to increase their knowledge level. Another factor to make urban life easier is that thanks to the governmental financial investment in improvements in public transport systems like bus or underground services in cities, urban residents’ travel can be facilitated. Furthermore, metropolitan citizens may enhance their spiritual life or enjoy relaxing moments by going to the cinema and theater or spending time in art galleries as well as museums.

In conclusion, although there are numerous difficulties of residing in metropolitan areas, from my point of view, it is increasingly easier to spend life in big urban areas on the basis of my above-mentioned analyses and explanation.

Vocabulary & Expressions

• City dweller (noun) a person who lives in a city
• Confront with (verb) face up to and deal with (a problem or difficult situation)
• Cost of living (phrase) the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living
• Population density (noun) the number of people living in each unit of area (such as a square mile)
• Recreational activity (phrase) actions that are performed solely for the enjoyment, pleasure and amusement of individuals
• Metropolitan (adj) belonging to a big city, or typical of big cities
• Discharge (verb) to allow liquid or gas to leave a place, especially when this has harmful effects
• Deteriorate (verb) to become worse
• Inhabitant (noun) a person or animal that lives in a particular place