Designing Better Cities
Lesson 7.4 builds the Task 2 opinion essay with strong cohesion devices that lift scripts from Band 6 to Band 7.
- Plan a 4-paragraph opinion essay
- Use 6 cohesion devices accurately
- Defend an opinion with relevant examples
Listening Skills — A Tutorial on Designing Better Cities
You will hear a tutor and a student discussing an urban design project. Read the statements first and decide what kind of information would confirm or contradict each one.
- Remember NOT GIVEN means the information simply isn't mentioned, not that it's wrong.
- Listen for the student correcting a figure — the correction usually gives the true answer.
- Do not assume a statement is true just because a similar topic is mentioned.
- Compare the exact wording of each statement with what is actually said.
Listen first — the transcript stays hidden so this works like the real exam.
Listening audio
Tap play to generate and listen.
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the tutorial? Write TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.
- The main design goal of the Harbourside Renewal Project was to reduce car dependency.
- Before redevelopment, more than half of trips into the district were made by car.
- The shuttle bus connecting the waterfront to the train station charges a small fare.
- The city has announced plans to extend the cycle path network further.
- Car trips dropped to around twenty-five per cent of all trips within three years.
- Most shop owners reported higher sales two years after the changes.
Answer key
Today's Task 2 prompt
Some people believe that city planners should focus on building more housing. Others argue that priority should be given to improving public transport. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Plan · 4 paragraphs
Cohesion · Band 7 devices
- 'Building houses is important. Also, transport is important. So, the government should do both.'
- 'Admittedly, building more homes addresses an immediate need. Nevertheless, without parallel investment in transport, those new residents quickly add to congestion — which is why a coordinated approach makes more sense.'
Pathway focus · Academic register check
Replace 'a lot of' with 'considerable', 'big problem' with 'significant challenge', and 'good' with 'beneficial'.
Exam Strategy
- Exam Tip
Put your opinion in the intro AND the conclusion — never wait until the end.
Independent Practice
Write the full 250 words in 40 minutes.
Key Takeaways
- Cohesion = how ideas connect, not just linking words.
- Discuss-both-views requires BOTH sides + your view.
- Band 7 upgrades — grammar rangeCombine simple sentences into accurate complex ones — and keep them error-free.
- Matching headings sprintMatch six headings to six paragraph summaries — fast.
- Band 7 upgrades — Task 1 languageOverview quality, comparison language and precise data description.
Optional — this doesn't affect your lesson or course progress.