In many of today's major cities, young residents are increasingly being "priced out" by soaring housing costs and the fast pace of urban life, while empty-nest elderly remain isolated in aging neighborhoods. Faced with this phenomenon, some argue that governments should prioritize investing resources in revitalizing urban centers to restore the vitality of intergenerational mixed communities; others insist that, rather than resisting market forces, it is better to encourage decentralized settlement so that different age groups can each find their proper place. Which approach do you support? Provide your reasons, and support your argument with specific examples from particular countries or cities.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Band Descriptors
Task Response: Address all parts of the task, present a clear position, support ideas with evidence
Coherence and Cohesion: Logical paragraphing, clear progression, appropriate linking devices
Lexical Resource: Wide range of vocabulary, accurate and natural collocations
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Variety of sentence structures, error-free grammar
Overall band score is 0-9, each criterion weighted equally.
Answering Tips
Spend 5 minutes planning your position and main arguments
Use the structure: Introduction - Body 1 - Body 2 - Concession - Conclusion
Develop each body paragraph with: topic sentence + explanation + example + summary
Use a variety of linking words, avoid repetition
Reserve 5 minutes at the end to check grammar and spelling