Samples of Public Transport Writing

Task 1 in IELTS Writing

Sample

The provided line graph illustrates the fluctuation of passenger numbers using the Paris metro station across different times of the day.

Overall, it is clear that the number of underground users traveling from and to this place fluctuates wildly, with its peak recording at 8:00 and 18:00.

6:00 and 16:00 are when the passenger figures stand at lows of roughly 100. However, these numbers similarly quadruple after two-hour surges, making 8:00 and 18:00 the busiest hours in the day. The station then becomes less and less crowded as it comes to 10:00 and 20:00, the data for which are a little under 200 and 100 travellers, respectively.

Regarding the remaining surveyed times, there is a 50% increase in the number of metro passengers between 10:00 and 12:00. Two hours from noon shows a rare stability in the figure, which subsequently plunges to a trough at 16:00. From 20:00 to 22:00, the statistics continued to be volatile, ranging from approximately 100 to 180 people.

Vocabulary

• Fluctuate wildly (v): dao động dữ dội
• Quadruple (v): tăng 4 lần
• Plunge to a trough of (v): giảm mạnh tới đáy
• Volatile (adj): dao động

 Analysis

– The figures vary significantly across the hourly intervals.

– There is a similarity in the trends of increase, decrease, and peak figures during the 6:00-10:00 and 16:00-20:00 time frames.

IELTS Writing Task 2

Sample

Rapid transits have long proven a practical approach to traffic congestion, and, among the various available systems, many urban planners prefer sky rails to the ground-bound versions or metros. Although trains that are operated on elevated platforms offer some apparent pros, their cons should not be overlooked.

A comparison between underground and elevated railways shows that the latter are cheaper to erect and maintain in the long run. Their building is also less time-consuming and causes less disruption to transport and business activity on the streets. While tunneling requires vast sections of land to be excavated, overhead construction sites do not interrupt what happens on the ground as much. However, it is indisputable that sky trains, along with their tracks, distort urban architecture, making areas regarded as concrete jungles even stuffier and consequently not ideal for working and living.

When weighed against surface trains, sky alternatives are more advantageous in terms of space. Instead of area being allocated to train stations and railway lines, urban land could be better utilised by expanding existing lanes and introducing new bus-and-cycle-dedicated ones. This indeed prevents traffic from grinding to a halt during rush hour and considerably reduces commuting times due to high-speed travel. Dealing with emergencies yet raises particular concerns when elevated trains are in use. Should there be accidents or natural disasters, immediate evacuation and repairs may be quite challenging.

In conclusion, proposals for elevated track projects aimed at reducing traffic congestion should be approved only after careful consideration of their potential financial and spatial benefits, in comparison to their safety implications and impact on urban environments.

Vocabulary

• rapid transit (n): hệ thống giao thông công cộng nhanh
• urban planner (n): nhà quy hoạch đô thị
• sky rail / elevated railway (n): đường sắt trên không
• excavate (v): đào bới
• distort (v): làm biến dạng
• concrete jungle (n): khu rừng bê tông (tả sự ngột ngạt của thành phố)
• grind to a halt (v): từ từ dừng lại
• evacuation (n): sự sơ tán

Analysis

So sánh đường sắt ngầm và đường sắt trên cao:

– Elevated railways are cheaper and quicker to build, and cause less disruption to street traffic.

– Elevated trains alter urban architecture.

So sánh đường sắt trên cao và đường sắt trên mặt đất:

– Saves space for expanding other infrastructure facilities.