Raising Fuel Costs to Protect the Environment — 02.01.2026
Essay type: Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)Band 5.5-6.5Stance: Mostly agreeTarget ≈ 280 wordsModel essay: Band 6.5
Student's Edition
Ngô Đức Thảo
MTESOL · Academic Director
Task 2 Topic
Some people think that one of the best ways to solve environmental problems is to increase the cost of fuels for cars and other vehicles. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
1Task analysis
Item
Detail
Essay type
Opinion (agree / disagree — to what extent)
Main topic
Whether making petrol and diesel more expensive is one of the best ways to reduce environmental problems
Keywords
environmental problems · increase the cost · fuels · cars and other vehicles · one of the best ways
Task focus
Judge a price-based solution (higher fuel costs) to environmental problems caused by vehicles
Required position
Say clearly how far you agree or disagree and keep the same position in every paragraph
Plain-English meaning
If petrol becomes more expensive, people may drive less and pollute less. Is this one of the best solutions?
Hidden trap
The statement says one of the best ways, not the only way — you can agree and still mention it works best with other measures
Chosen stance
Mostly agree. Higher fuel costs reduce unnecessary driving and raise money for green transport, but they must be combined with good alternatives
Main-idea plan
BP1 → higher prices discourage unnecessary journeys and cut emissions · BP2 → fuel tax revenue funds public transport and electric vehicles
2Idea generation
Body 1 — Less driving, fewer emissions
Higher prices discourage unnecessary car journeys ✓ strongest
Drivers switch to shared or public transport
Firms make more fuel-efficient engines dự phòng
Body 2 — Funding cleaner alternatives
Tax revenue can fund cleaner public transport ✓ strongest
Subsidies for electric vehicles
Less congestion saves time dự phòng
✓ strongest = ý dùng trong bài mẫu · dự phòng = ý thay thế, không có trong bài mẫu.
3Skeleton
Introduction
General statement: Traffic damages the environment
Paraphrased task: Rewrite: higher petrol/diesel price = good solution
Body 2: Revenue → public transport and electric vehicle subsidies
Conclusion: Restate the opinion → summarise both reasons → final thought
4Plan & write your paragraphs
How to use: Read the main idea, tap the cue words to add them to the box, then write
your own sentence. Your essay is built automatically at the bottom and saved in this browser.
Introduction(45–60 words)
0 words
Goal: Topic → rewrite the statement → give your opinion.
General statement
Main idea: Traffic damages the environment
Starter: Environmental damage caused by … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Paraphrased task
Main idea: Rewrite: higher petrol/diesel price = good solution
Starter: It is argued that … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Thesis
Main idea: Mostly agree + needs alternatives
Starter: I mostly agree with … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Body Paragraph 1 — Less driving, fewer emissions(90–110 words)
0 words
Goal: Reason 1: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Higher costs → less unnecessary driving
Starter: The main reason I … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Drivers think twice about short trips
Starter: When motorists have to … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Workers cycle or share cars
Starter: For example, many office … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: Fewer cars in rush hour
Starter: This would reduce the … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Habits change → environment benefits
Starter: Therefore, a price increase … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Body Paragraph 2 — Funding cleaner alternatives(90–110 words)
0 words
Goal: Reason 2: explain it and give an example.
Topic sentence
Main idea: Revenue → clean transport
Starter: In addition, the extra … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 1
Main idea: Buses, metro, EV subsidies
Starter: Governments could use this … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Example
Main idea: Replace diesel buses
Starter: For instance, a city … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Explanation 2
Main idea: People still travel easily
Starter: This means that people … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Link
Main idea: Punish polluters + long-term benefits
Starter: As a result, the … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Conclusion(35–50 words)
0 words
Goal: Repeat your opinion, sum up both reasons, final thought. No new ideas!
Restated thesis
Main idea: I largely agree
Starter: In conclusion, I largely … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Summary
Main idea: Less driving + money for clean transport
Starter: It reduces unnecessary driving … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
Final thought
Main idea: Alternatives first
Starter: However, governments must make … ·
Tap a cue word to insert it at the cursor.
📝 My essay
✓ saved
5Language bank (Band 5.5-6.5)
Mỗi đoạn có bảng collocation riêng. ✓ = có trong bài mẫu · + = cụm mở rộng để học viên tự dùng. 5.5 = nền tảng · 6.5 = nâng band.
Introduction
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
environmental damage
adj + noun
thiệt hại môi trường
6.5
✓
road traffic
noun + noun
giao thông đường bộ
5.5
✓
the most pressing issues
noun phrase
những vấn đề cấp bách nhất
6.5
✓
petrol and diesel
noun phrase
xăng và dầu diesel
5.5
✓
the most effective solutions
noun phrase
những giải pháp hiệu quả nhất
6.5
✓
good alternatives
adj + noun
các lựa chọn thay thế tốt
5.5
✓
Body Paragraph 1 — Less driving, fewer emissions
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
higher fuel costs
adj + noun
chi phí nhiên liệu cao hơn
5.5
✓
discourage unnecessary driving
verb + noun
hạn chế việc lái xe không cần thiết
6.5
✓
think twice
fixed phrase
cân nhắc kỹ
6.5
✓
short journeys
adj + noun
các chuyến đi ngắn
5.5
✓
sharing a car
verb + noun
đi chung xe
5.5
✓
rush hour
noun + noun
giờ cao điểm
5.5
✓
lower carbon emissions
verb + noun
giảm khí thải carbon
6.5
✓
change travel habits
verb + noun
thay đổi thói quen đi lại
6.5
+
fuel-efficient engines
adj + noun
động cơ tiết kiệm nhiên liệu
6.5
+
Body Paragraph 2 — Funding cleaner alternatives
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
extra revenue
adj + noun
nguồn thu thêm
6.5
✓
fuel taxes
noun + noun
thuế nhiên liệu
5.5
✓
cleaner forms of transport
noun phrase
các loại hình giao thông sạch hơn
6.5
✓
expand bus networks
verb + noun
mở rộng mạng lưới xe buýt
6.5
✓
offer subsidies
verb + noun
trợ giá
6.5
✓
electric vehicles
adj + noun
xe điện
5.5
✓
convenient and affordable
adv + adj
tiện lợi và giá phải chăng
5.5
✓
long-term environmental benefits
noun phrase
lợi ích môi trường lâu dài
6.5
✓
public transport
adj + noun
giao thông công cộng
5.5
✓
Conclusion
Collocation
Form
Vietnamese
Band
Bài mẫu
In conclusion
linker
tóm lại
5.5
✓
increasing fuel prices
verb + noun
tăng giá nhiên liệu
5.5
✓
tackle environmental problems
verb + noun
giải quyết các vấn đề môi trường
6.5
✓
unnecessary driving
adj + noun
việc lái xe không cần thiết
5.5
✓
affordable alternatives
adj + noun
các lựa chọn thay thế giá phải chăng
6.5
✓
prices rise
noun + noun
giá tăng
5.5
✓
Useful structures
Although + clause, + main clause (concession)
Noun, which + verb …, + main verb (non-defining relative clause)
If + present, + will / can + verb (conditional for results)
This means that + clause (explaining a consequence)
… be + past participle (passive voice for processes and policies)
6Self-check before you submit
7🔒 Model Essay (Band 6.5)
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