I nte r nati o nal e n g LI s h lan g uag e testi n g syste m

The world’s air pollution levels are rising year on year. What should hu-

manity do to counter this problem?

Increasing levels of airborne pollutants have proved to be a major obstacle for 

humanity in the 21st century. To counter this problem, efforts should focus on the 

two most major causes of airborne pollutants: coal-based energy and the burning 

of fossil fuels. This essay will examine the plausibility of addressing this problem 

through alternative municipal energy sources and traffic regulations.

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IELTS Academic Task 2: How to write at a band 9 level

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Firstly, cities that power themselves with coal could shift to more environmentally 

friendly energy sources like nuclear. Similar shifts have successfully occurred in cit-

ies like Shanghai. Although this move would involve several years of reconnaissance 

work to ensure safety, the results are exponentially cleaner than coal-based energy. 

If all major cities were to shift away from coal in this way, the world’s air would be 

much cleaner.