Should growing cities build roads or invest in public transport?

A band 6 model answer to a real TOEFL iBT writing question in the official format, with notes on why it scores. Write your own version below it and get an instant rater-style score.

The question

Your professor is teaching a class on urban planning. Write a post responding to the professor's question. In your response, express and support your opinion and add to the discussion in your own words. A strong response has at least 100 words. Professor Adeyemi: Cities around the world are struggling with traffic congestion. Some governments respond by building more roads, while others invest in public transport instead. In your view, which approach should a growing city prioritise, and why? Marta: I think building roads is more practical. Buses and trains take years to plan, but a new road helps drivers almost immediately, and most families in my country still rely on cars. Kenji: I disagree. More roads simply invite more cars, so the congestion returns within a few years. Reliable public transport moves far more people using far less space.

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Band 6 model answer

I side with Kenji here, because road building solves the wrong problem. Marta is right that a new road helps immediately, but that relief is exactly what attracts more drivers, and within a few years the jams return at a larger scale. Public transport is slower to build, yet it changes the arithmetic of the city permanently: one rail line can move as many people as a ten-lane highway using a fraction of the land. I would add a point neither student raised, which is fairness. In most growing cities the majority cannot afford cars at all, so every naira or rupee spent on roads serves a minority, while buses and trains serve everyone, including the drivers who finally get clearer roads.

Why this answer earns band 6

Takes a clear side immediately and names the students it engages with, which is exactly what the rubric rewards.
Adds a genuinely new argument (fairness and who owns cars) instead of repeating the discussion.
Stays around 120 words with varied sentence structures and precise vocabulary like 'arithmetic of the city'.

Do not memorise model answers; raters recognise recycled essays instantly. Study the moves, then make them with your own ideas, and check where you stand with a scored practice.

Questions about this answer

What band is this model answer?

It is written to band 6, and the notes under it quote the answer's own words to show why.

How long should my answer be?

This model answer is 122 words, and the task asks for at least 100.

What is the most common mistake with a model answer?

Memorising it. Raters recognise recycled answers instantly, so study the moves, then make them with your own ideas.