Traffic Congestion in Abu Dhabi

Although Abu Dhabi is one of the most modern cities in the world, it is facing a
problem of traffic congestion. Many residents spend hours stuck in traffic every day.
This is a complex problem with many serious causes and effects.
There are many reasons why we suffer traffic jams every day. One of these is
the rapid growth of the population. As a result of this, the number of cars is
increasing annually. A further point is that there are more female drivers and younger
drivers today than in the past. The increase in the number of trucks and commercial
vehicles also causes traffic congestion. These vehicles move very slowly, sometimes
stopping to unload goods, and blocking traffic. Road works are a final major problem
that can lead to streets being very crowded.
Traffic congestion also has many effects. One of the most important is parking
problems. People find it difficult to park their cars, especially in the city center. Long
delays in getting to and from work are another result, leading to less productivity
from employees. There are also more accidents, because people become frustrated
or angry due to the traffic jams. Finally, pollution in the city center worsens as a
result of car emissions, and the city becomes a less attractive place to live. Shops
are forced to close in the city center and have to relocate to malls or to the outskirts
of the city, where parking is available.
In conclusion, although Abu Dhabi has good roads and modern infrastructure,
it is suffering from traffic problems. There is no simple solution to this problem
because it has many causes, but the effects are damaging both the city and the
people who live there. The government should try to remedy this problem.
Exercises
1.
2.

Underline the thesis statement in the introduction.

Underline the topic sentence for the causes.

3.

Write a number (1, 2, 3) next to each cause (main point).

4.

Underline the topic sentence for the effects.

5.

Write a number (1, 2, 3, etc.) next to each effect (main point).

6.

Underline the future statement in the conclusion.

Adapted from http://www.writefix.com/writing/cause

Traffic Congestion in Abu Dhabi (key)

Although Abu Dhabi is one of the most modern cities in the world, it is facing a
problem of traffic congestion. Many residents spend hours stuck in traffic every day.
This is a complex problem with many serious causes and effects.
There are many reasons why we suffer traffic jams every day. 1. One of
these is the rapid growth of the population. As a result of this, the number of cars is
increasing annually. 2. A further point is that there are more female drivers and
younger drivers today than in the past. 3. The increase in the number of trucks and
commercial vehicles also causes traffic congestion. These vehicles move very
slowly, sometimes stopping to unload goods, and blocking traffic. 4. Road works are
a final major problem that can lead to streets being very crowded.
Traffic congestion also has many effects. 1. One of the most important is
parking problems. People find it difficult to park their cars, especially in the city
center. 2. Long delays in getting to and from work are another result, leading to less
productivity from employees. 3. There are also more accidents, because people
become frustrated or angry due to the traffic jams. 4. Finally, pollution in the city
center worsens as a result of car emissions, and the city becomes a less attractive
place to live. Shops are forced to close in the city center and have to relocate to
malls or to the outskirts of the city, where parking is available.
In conclusion, although Abu Dhabi has good roads and modern infrastructure,
it is suffering from traffic problems. There is no simple solution to this problem
because it has many causes, but the effects are damaging both the city and the
people who live there. The government should try to remedy this problem.
Exercises
1. Underline the thesis statement in the introduction.
2. Underline the topic sentence for the causes.
3. Write a number (1, 2, 3) next to each cause (main point).
4. Underline the topic sentence for the effects.
5. Write a number (1, 2, 3, etc.) next to each effect (main point).
6. Underline the future statement in the conclusion.

Adapted from http://www.writefix.com/writing/cause

Obesity in the UAE

Emiratis used to have a more nomadic lifestyle, did a lot of walking, and were
very fit. However, these days obesity has become a major problem in the UAE, and
over 60% of nationals are overweight. This is a difficult problem with many serious
effects on the individual and country.
Obesity can be divided into three main causes: diet, lifestyle and education.
One of the chief causes is diet. Young Emiratis eat more and more highcarbohydrate, high-fat burgers and pizza in fast-food restaurants. However, some
traditional foods are also very oily, and because of increasing affluence are eaten
more often than in the past. Lifestyle is a second main cause of obesity. As a result
of cheap foreign labour, many Emiratis now have sedentary jobs, and do not
exercise regularly. However, one of the main causes is lack of education and
awareness. The society's attitude to food often leads to over-consumption. Parents
do not teach good eating habits to children, and many people lack knowledge about
good nutrition or a balanced diet.
Obesity affects the individual and the country. The biggest effect is on the
individual. First of all, being overweight has health risks. Obesity can lead to heart
disease, diabetes, and other conditions. The quality of life suffers, as it is difficult to
enjoy exercise or move. Another result is lack of self-esteem. This can lead to
depression, eating disorders and crash diets. The country is also affected. It
becomes very expensive for the government to provide advanced medical care such
as heart transplants. Unhealthy citizens are also less productive and their children
learn poor eating habits.
In summary, there may be good reasons for obesity but it has serious effects
on the individual and the society. Both need to take action to examine the causes of
this problem and find solutions.
Exercises
1. Underline the sentence about the past in the introduction.
2. Underline the supporting details for the three main causes.
3. Underline the supporting details for the three main effects.

Adapted from http://www.writefix.com/writing/cause

4. Underline the sentence in the conclusion that points back to the body.

Obesity in the UAE (key)

Emiratis used to have a more nomadic lifestyle, did a lot of walking, and
were very fit. However, these days obesity has become a major problem in the
UAE, and over 60% of nationals are overweight. This is a difficult problem with many
serious effects on the individual and country.
Obesity can be divided into three main causes: diet, lifestyle and education.
One of the chief causes is diet. Young Emiratis eat more and more highcarbohydrate, high-fat burgers and pizza in fast-food restaurants. However,
some traditional foods are also very oily, and because of increasing affluence
are eaten more often than in the past. Lifestyle is a second main cause of obesity.
As a result of cheap foreign labour, many Emiratis now have sedentary jobs,
and do not exercise regularly. However, one of the main causes is lack of
education and awareness. The society's attitude to food often leads to overconsumption. Parents do not teach good eating habits to children, and many
people lack knowledge about good nutrition or a balanced diet.
Obesity affects the individual and the country. The biggest effect is on the
individual. First of all, being overweight has health risks. Obesity can lead to
heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions. The quality of life suffers, as it
is difficult to enjoy exercise or move. Another result is lack of self-esteem. This
can lead to depression, eating disorders and crash diets. The country is also
affected. It becomes very expensive for the government to provide advanced
medical care such as heart transplants. Unhealthy citizens are also less
productive and their children learn poor eating habits.
In summary, there may be good reasons for obesity but it has serious
effects on the individual and the society. Both need to take action to examine the
causes of this problem and find solutions.
Exercises
1. Underline the sentence about the past in the introduction.
2. Underline the supporting details for the three main causes.

Adapted from http://www.writefix.com/writing/cause

3. Underline the supporting details for the three main effects.

4. Underline the sentence in the conclusion that points back to the body.

Homework
Homework is a positive word in some households, a negative one in others.
These days, many children have to spend hours every evening doing it. Some
people seem to believe that this will help the children in their academic career, while
others feel that homework is mostly useless. This essay will examine the reasons for
homework and discuss accompanying effects.
There are a number of reasons why homework exists. First of all, many
teachers believe that students need to practice the new material learned in school.
Homework can help students to find out how well they understand the new
information and ideas. Secondly, homework may help the teacher to discover what
the students have or have not learned. This will allow the teacher to develop new
lessons or to help weaker students. A final justification for homework is that it
involves parents in the education of the child. Family members can encourage the
child and see his or her progress.
Too often, however, homework has negative outcomes. Many teachers give
too much homework, and often teachers do not coordinate the quantity given. The
children do not have free time to relax or play sports. A further consequence is that
unnecessary assignments can raise the stress level of the student. This can lead to
lower productivity and performance instead of higher grades. However, the most
common effect of homework is boredom! The students learn nothing new or
believe they are learning nothing new - and the teachers just give it because they
are expected to.
In conclusion, the need to give homework must be considered carefully.
Although there are some good reasons for it, students and teachers need to
approach it sensibly. In my opinion, finding a balance between free time and
homework will lead to a happy and successful school experience for our children.
Exercises
1. Underline linking words in the essay above.

Adapted from http://www.writefix.com/writing/cause

2. Write one more reason why homework exists: _________________________

3. Write one more result (effect) of homework: __________________________

Homework (key)
Homework is a positive word in some households, a negative one in others.
These days, many children have to spend hours every evening doing it. Some
people seem to believe that this will help the children in their academic career, while
others feel that homework is mostly useless. This essay will examine the reasons for
homework and discuss accompanying effects.
There are a number of reasons why homework exists. First of all, many
teachers believe that students need to practice the new material learned in school.
Homework can help students to find out how well they understand the new
information and ideas. Secondly, homework may help the teacher to discover what
the students have or have not learned. This will allow the teacher to develop new
lessons or to help weaker students. A final justification for homework is that it
involves parents in the education of the child. Family members can encourage the
child and see his or her progress.
Too often, however, homework has negative outcomes. Many teachers give
too much homework, and often teachers do not coordinate the quantity given. The
children do not have free time to relax or play sports. A further consequence is that
unnecessary assignments can raise the stress level of the student. This can lead to
lower productivity and performance instead of higher grades. However, the most
common effect of homework is boredom! The students learn nothing new or
believe they are learning nothing new - and the teachers just give it because they
are expected to.
In conclusion, the need to give homework must be considered carefully.
Although there are some good reasons for it, students and teachers need to
approach it sensibly. In my opinion, finding a balance between free time and
homework will lead to a happy and successful school experience for our children.
Exercises

Adapted from http://www.writefix.com/writing/cause

1. Underline linking words in the essay above (note: you may also have

underlined words such as but and and).

2. Write one more reason why homework exists: it helps students develop self-

discipline and good work ethics; it helps students remember material.

3. Write one more result (effect) of homework: students develop good work
habits and become more responsible. They also learn to take initiative and
work independently.
The UAE Marriage Fund
Getting married used to be an easy arrangement in the UAE. Nowadays,
however, it can be very expensive. To help solve this problem, the Marriage Fund
organization was set up by the UAE government to help Emiratis get married and to
try to reduce the number of marriages to non-nationals. This essay will describe why
it was set up and how effective it has been.
There are two main reasons why the government decided to spend money on
weddings in the UAE. The first reason is expense. A typical wedding can cost
hundreds of thousands of dirhams for receptions, jewellery, wardrobe, and money
paid to the bride's family. As a result, many young couples are in debt, or have huge
bank loans, and this in turn can lead to stress and strain in the marriage. At one
time, almost 80% of loans in the UAE were for marriage expenses. More worrying
for the government than the expense was the fact that Emirati men were marrying
non-nationals. This was because of lower costs, but it sometimes led to cultural
problems within the marriage. Many Emiratis felt such marriages weakened their
society.
The Marriage Fund has been quite effective. Over 44,000 weddings have
taken place since 1992. The percentage of marriage to non-nationals dropped from
64% to 26%, which has also decreased the number of unmarried Emirati women.
More importantly, marriages have started more securely, without the pressure of
huge borrowings. Couples start their marriages without huge debts.
Overall, although weddings are still expensive affairs in the UAE, the
Marriage Fund has been very successful in reducing costs and in strengthening
traditional family bonds. The UAE government has done well and should continue its
efforts.
Exercises

Adapted from http://www.writefix.com/writing/cause

1. What is the topic? Be specific.

2. How many reasons are given? What are they?

3. How many effects are there? What are they?

4. How would you improve this essay?

The UAE Marriage Fund (key)
Getting married used to be an easy arrangement in the UAE. Nowadays,
however, it can be very expensive. To help solve this problem, the Marriage Fund
organization was set up by the UAE government to help Emiratis get married and to
try to reduce the number of marriages to non-nationals. This essay will describe why
it was set up and how effective it has been.
There are two main reasons why the government decided to spend money on
weddings in the UAE. The first reason is expense. A typical wedding can cost
hundreds of thousands of dirhams for receptions, jewellery, wardrobe, and money
paid to the bride's family. As a result, many young couples are in debt, or have huge
bank loans, and this in turn can lead to stress and strain in the marriage. At one
time, almost 80% of loans in the UAE were for marriage expenses. More worrying
for the government than the expense was the fact that Emirati men were marrying
non-nationals. This was because of lower costs, but it sometimes led to cultural
problems within the marriage. Many Emiratis felt such marriages weakened their
society.
The Marriage Fund has been quite effective. Over 44,000 weddings have
taken place since 1992. The percentage of marriage to non-nationals dropped from
64% to 26%, which has also decreased the number of unmarried Emirati women.
More importantly, marriages have started more securely, without the pressure of
huge borrowings. Couples start their marriages without huge debts.
Overall, although weddings are still expensive affairs in the UAE, the
Marriage Fund has been very successful in reducing costs and in strengthening
traditional family bonds. The UAE government has done well and should continue its
efforts.
Exercises

Adapted from http://www.writefix.com/writing/cause

1. What is the topic? Be specific. Causes and effects of the UAE marriage fund.
2. How many reasons are given? What are they? 1. expense 2. UAE men were
marrying non-Emirati women.
3. How many effects are there? What are they? 1. weddings 2. percentage to
non-nationals dropped 3) marriages started more securely.
4. How would you improve this essay?

Add more linking words in the effects paragraph

Balance the # of causes and effects (add another cause, reduce

details in causes paragraph or combine effects): the causes paragraph
is longer than the effects paragraph.

Adapted from http://www.writefix.com/writing/cause