Would You Prefer to Live in A Traditional House or in A Modern Apartment Building? (IELTS Sample Essays)

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Sample Essay 1

Choosing between a traditional house and a modern apartment hinges on how people value time, comfort, and sustainability. I would choose a modern apartment building. Its location and amenities maximise daily efficiency and safety, while contemporary design and management deliver greener, lower-maintenance living. The discussion below explains, first, the practical advantages for work–life balance and, second, the environmental and resilience benefits that make apartments the smarter long-term choice.

A well-designed apartment compresses life’s logistics. Proximity to transit and workplaces trims hours of commuting into minutes, freeing time for study, family, or exercise. On-site facilities—gyms, co-working lounges, package lockers, even small daycare rooms—turn scattered errands into elevator rides. Layered security (key-card access, cameras, staffed lobbies) reduces the everyday mental load of safety. Smart building systems—fault sensors, centralised waste chutes, reliable lifts—minimise disruptive chores common in stand-alone houses, such as roof repairs or driveway snow clearing. Critics argue that apartments feel anonymous or noisy; yet better acoustic insulation, clear by-laws, and resident councils cultivate courtesy and accountability. In practice, neighbours one floor away are easier to meet in shared spaces than those separated by long suburban streets, so social capital can actually grow.

Apartments also outperform detached houses on sustainability and resilience. Shared walls cut heat loss, lowering utility bills and carbon footprints; central boilers, district energy, and heat-recovery ventilation work at scales single homes cannot match. Many new complexes harvest rainwater, sort organics, and host rooftop gardens and solar arrays, turning once-wasted surfaces into productive infrastructure. Professional management schedules preventative maintenance, so plumbing, elevators, and fire systems stay compliant—avoiding costly emergencies that owner-occupiers often defer. Accessibility is built in: step-free entries and lifts suit ageing parents and strollers alike. While a private garden is sacrificed, curated courtyards, roof decks, and nearby urban parks offer greener, safer play areas without weekend lawn care. During storms or outages, backup generators and micro-grids can keep essential services running for the whole block.

In sum, modern apartments convert distance, chores, and energy waste into time, comfort, and stability. For a life that prizes efficiency, security, and environmental responsibility, the vertically integrated apartment building is the wiser home.

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Sample Essay 2

Choosing between a traditional house and a modern apartment building often reflects contrasting ideas of identity, convenience, and lifestyle. Personally, I would prefer to live in a modern apartment. Unlike a traditional house that emphasises heritage and privacy, apartments align with the realities of urban living. Two aspects, in particular, make them far more compelling: the economic efficiency of shared infrastructure and the adaptability of apartment living to modern professional and social demands.

The first decisive advantage of modern apartments lies in their cost-efficiency through shared infrastructure. Traditional houses, though culturally rich, demand high individual expenditure on utilities, maintenance, and even basic security. In contrast, an apartment distributes such burdens across dozens or even hundreds of residents, lowering costs without sacrificing quality. For example, instead of every household paying separately for advanced fire systems or water treatment, these are installed centrally and financed collectively, providing better facilities at a fraction of the price. This pooled investment model also applies to amenities like gyms, libraries, or even cinemas within larger complexes—luxuries unaffordable to most in stand-alone homes. Additionally, the resale and rental values of apartments in major cities often appreciate faster because the reduced overheads make them more attractive to young professionals and international buyers. While critics might argue that ownership of a house represents stability, financial logic suggests that an apartment protects resources and allows for more strategic allocation of savings and investments.

Equally important is the adaptability of apartment living to modern professional and social expectations. Today’s world prioritises mobility, flexibility, and connection, and apartments embody these values more effectively than traditional houses. For instance, the rise of remote work requires strong internet infrastructure, communal co-working zones, and uninterrupted power—all increasingly standard in high-rise complexes. Apartments also respond better to shifting demographic needs: single professionals can downsize easily, while families may move within the same building to larger units as their circumstances evolve. Socially, shared spaces such as rooftop gardens, lounges, and children’s playrooms encourage interaction across diverse communities, reflecting the cosmopolitan ethos of modern cities. By contrast, the isolation of suburban houses can foster social fragmentation and commuting fatigue. In this sense, apartments serve as dynamic ecosystems, designed to adapt to changing professional routines, urban rhythms, and cultural diversity.

In conclusion, while traditional houses carry aesthetic charm and historical continuity, modern apartments are unquestionably superior for those prioritising efficiency and adaptability. Their ability to reduce costs through shared infrastructure and to respond flexibly to professional and social shifts makes them not just convenient but also strategically future-oriented homes.

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