Advantages and Disadvantages of Cycling as Main Transport

Many people believe that using a bicycle as your main form of transport has a lot of advantages whereas others think that it has many disadvantages. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Annotated response

9 correction notes

Showing 9 correction notes.

It has been a while since the eco-friendly was first introduced, and its popularity seems to have declined in many countries over time. However, some effective measures could help encourage people in society to use it more widely.

On a positive note, there are many benefits of riding a bicycle. The increased usage of private cars is a significant cause of air pollution and global warming. A cycle does not have any exhausts. As such, the adoption of this mode of transportation by more people results in less emission of greenhouse gasses and a reduction in air contamination. The lower pollution index in Amsterdam, a city where the majority of the residents use bikes for commuting, is a good indicator of how the usage of bicycles instead of personal vehicles pollution. In addition, it is advantageous for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. Many professionals these days develop numerous diseases from a tender age because of the lack of sufficient exercise. A daily ride to the office on a cycle gives them the requisite workout needed daily without even going to a gym or jogging. Furthermore, they are easier to on the congested roads in cities.

A few decades ago, the bicycle was one of the around the globe. But, with the popularity of motorized vehicles, the use of cycles has decreased drastically. The prime disadvantage of pedal cycles is that they cannot be used as a faster mode of transport. It is time-consuming for one who stays at a place that is some miles away from their work in daily life. Ultimately, we cannot rely on bicycles to . If one uses a cycle, that they may miss their deadlines. As a result, people prefer a faster mode of transport like public buses, trains or their . Moreover, the safety of cyclists is a grave issue when dedicated roads are not built for them. Finally, bicycles lost their appeal in many countries where people prioritized comfort over an active lifestyle.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that the demerits of using bicycles are easily its gains. The government should encourage people to use them more by creating dedicated lanes and bike storage units throughout the cities.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 7.0

The response covers both viewpoints with a clear personal position and generally well-developed supporting ideas, including a relevant Amsterdam example. The main limitation is a pattern of imprecise collocation and grammar, such as awkward phrasing around speed, deadlines, and 'transportations', alongside slightly mechanical linking in places.

IELTS criteria

How each score was decided

Task Response

7.0

Both views are addressed with relevant, extended ideas and a clear opinion in the conclusion, though the advantage section is more developed than the disadvantage side and the introduction briefly digresses from the task.

Coherence and Cohesion

7.0

The essay progresses logically across well-organised paragraphs with generally appropriate cohesive devices, but some links are mechanical and the transition between viewpoints could be smoother.

Lexical Resource

7.0

Vocabulary is reasonably flexible with topic-appropriate terms such as 'greenhouse gasses' and 'sedentary lifestyle', though occasional imprecise collocations like 'easier to drive' and 'outclassed by its gains' reduce precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

6.5

Complex and simple structures convey the argument, but some forms are inaccurate. In how the usage of bicycles ... abate pollution, the singular head noun usage needs abates. A more probability is also malformed; a higher probability would express the intended comparison. They are easier to drive is grammatical, although drive is an imprecise verb for bicycles.