Housing in major cities has become unaffordable for many people who work in them.
A full IELTS Writing Task 2 answer to this question, with a paragraph plan, ideas you can use, and the vocabulary that fits this topic.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Housing in major cities has become unaffordable for many people who work in them.
What problems does this cause, and how can these problems be solved?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
How to read this question
Two questions, so two body paragraphs with a strict obligation: every solution must answer a problem you actually raised. Unlinked problem and solution paragraphs are the standard Task Response penalty on this type. The detail worth noticing is "people who work in them" — the question is not about housing costs in general but about the specific absurdity of a city being unaffordable to the people who run it, which is what gives a high-band answer its focus.
Paragraph plan
Introduction — Paraphrase, then signpost: the problems are the loss of essential workers and long commutes; the solutions are supply-side and tenure reform.
Body 1 — Problems — cities lose the workers they depend on, and those who stay pay in commuting time, which damages both the worker and the city.
Body 2 — Solutions — build more in the places that resist it, and use planning powers to tie a share of new housing to the workforce the city needs.
Conclusion — The cause is a shortage of homes where the jobs are, so only supply-side answers reach it.
Model essay
Band 8.5–9.0 model essay
334 words
Housing prices in major cities have climbed beyond the reach of many people who work there. However, several measures could be taken to address this pressing issue.
The most immediate consequence of unaffordable housing is that essential workers, such as teachers, nurses and public transport staff, are increasingly forced to commute from distant suburbs where accommodation remains affordable. To clarify, lengthy commutes not only exhaust employees before their working day even begins, but also reduce the time they can dedicate to family and rest, gradually eroding their overall wellbeing and increasing rates of workplace burnout. Furthermore, when key workers can no longer afford to live near their workplaces, cities risk losing the very staff who sustain essential services, such as hospitals and schools, ultimately compromising the quality of urban life for all residents, including those who can still afford to live centrally. Over time, this can hollow out the social fabric of city centres, leaving them populated mainly by wealthier residents who commute the shortest distances.
To alleviate this problem, local governments should expand the supply of affordable housing through subsidised construction schemes targeted specifically at low- and middle-income workers. For instance, cities could mandate that a fixed proportion of any new residential development be reserved for affordable units, ensuring that housing growth does not solely benefit high-income buyers. In addition, authorities could improve public transport links between city centres and outlying affordable areas, thereby easing the burden of longer commutes for those unable to live nearby. Rent controls, if applied carefully, could further prevent the type of speculative pricing that continues to push essential workers out of urban centres and into overcrowded outer districts. Governments could also offer tax incentives to developers who prioritise affordable projects over luxury developments aimed at investors.
In conclusion, the growing unaffordability of urban housing threatens both the wellbeing of key workers and the functioning of cities themselves, but coordinated measures such as subsidised housing, improved transport links and carefully regulated rent controls can help resolve this problem.
Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to read the rest of this essay and unlock every model on the site.
This is a problem and solution question. The essay above shows you what a strong answer looks like when it is finished. What it cannot show you is how to get there from a blank page in forty minutes.
That is what our Writing Study Library is for: the structure we teach for this exact question type, the paragraph pattern that goes with it, and the sentence openers for each stage — so the essay is planned before you start writing rather than assembled as you go.
Introduction: Introduction — paraphrase that city housing has become unaffordable for many who work there, and note that measures exist to address it.
Body 1: Body 1 — explain the problems: essential workers like teachers and nurses must endure long commutes from cheaper suburbs, exhausting them and risking that cities lose the staff who run essential services.
Body 2: Body 2 — explain the solutions: governments should build subsidised affordable housing, require quotas of affordable units in new developments, improve transport links, and apply careful rent controls.
Conclusion: Conclusion — briefly summarise that unaffordable housing harms key workers and cities, but coordinated policy measures can resolve it.
Word or phrase
Meaning
Used in a sentence
unaffordable housing
housing priced beyond what typical residents can pay
The most immediate consequence of unaffordable housing is that essential workers are increasingly forced to commute from distant suburbs.
essential workers
employees whose jobs are necessary for society to function, such as teachers or nurses
essential workers, such as teachers, nurses and public transport staff, are increasingly forced to commute from distant suburbs.
erode... wellbeing
gradually damage someone's overall health and happiness
lengthy commutes... gradually eroding their overall wellbeing and increasing rates of workplace burnout.
subsidised construction
building projects financially supported by the government
local governments should expand the supply of affordable housing through subsidised construction schemes.
affordable units
housing priced within reach of lower- or middle-income buyers
cities could mandate that a fixed proportion of any new residential development be reserved for affordable units.
public transport links
connections provided by buses, trains and similar services
authorities could improve public transport links between city centres and outlying affordable areas.
rent controls
government limits on how much landlords can charge in rent
Rent controls, if applied carefully, could further prevent the type of speculative pricing.
speculative pricing
prices set high in anticipation of future profit rather than real value
could further prevent the type of speculative pricing that continues to push essential workers out of urban centres.
Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to see the ideas and vocabulary for this topic and unlock every model on the site.
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Common questions
How many problems and solutions should I write about?
Two problems and two solutions is the safest structure in 40 minutes, and one well-developed pair in each paragraph beats four thin ones. What is not optional is the link: every solution must visibly answer a problem you raised. Unconnected lists are the standard reason this question type scores 6.
Can a solution paragraph criticise a solution?
Yes, and it is a strong move. Explaining why a popular remedy fails — as the Band 8.5 model does with subsidies — shows evaluation rather than recall, provided you then give one that works. Criticising without proposing anything does not answer the question.
Should I use headings or bullet points?
No. IELTS Writing is assessed as continuous prose, and bullet points are penalised under Coherence and Cohesion. Use paragraphs, and let the topic sentence do the signposting a heading would have done.
Is "the government should" acceptable, or is it too simple?
It is perfectly acceptable — most solutions at this scale are governmental. What separates the bands is specificity: "the government should build more houses" is Band 6; naming where, at what density, and with what condition attached is Band 7 and above.
