Stadiums: past, present and future

This is an EXCELLENT IELTS passage to study because it contains:

  • advanced cause–effect logic

  • strong argument structures

  • high-level urban development vocabulary

  • reusable academic phrases

I’ll give you the most useful vocabulary/collocations + the author’s thinking patterns you can steal for Writing Task 2 and Speaking Part 3.

🧠 1. HIGH-VALUE IELTS VOCABULARY

🏟 Urban Development / Architecture

  • urban architecture

  • urban development

  • urban skylines

  • mixed-use developments

  • public spaces

  • regenerate urban spaces

  • compactness and multi-functionality

  • sustainable future

👉 VERY reusable in:

  • city essays

  • environment

  • infrastructure

  • public transport

  • housing

⚡ Energy & Environment

  • renewable energy

  • photovoltaic panels

  • smart grid

  • energy losses

  • carbon dioxide emissions

  • reduce CO2 emissions

👉 Reusable in:

  • climate change

  • technology

  • environment essays

🏛 Society & Public Use

  • serve a function beyond

  • open the space up to

  • a wider cross-section of society

  • public spectacles

  • community facilities

👉 AMAZING for:

  • public investment essays

  • parks/public buildings

  • arts & culture

🔥 2. TOP COLLOCATIONS TO MEMORIZE

These are BAND 7+ collocations.

⭐ Problem / Challenge

  • fall into disuse and disrepair

  • construction costs can soar

  • require more energy to run

  • contribute to urban heat

⭐ Solutions / Improvements

  • drive urban development

  • adapt to changing needs

  • make efficient use of land

  • help regenerate urban spaces

  • reduce energy consumption

  • serve the wider community

⭐ Positive Impact

  • have a positive impact on

  • reinforce compactness

  • promote sustainability

  • improve accessibility

  • enhance public life

🧠 3. AUTHOR’S LOGIC STRUCTURE (VERY IMPORTANT)

This passage follows a classic IELTS argument pattern:

🔹 Step 1 — Introduce the issue

“Today, however, stadiums are regarded with growing scepticism.”

👉 Pattern:

  • introduce modern problem/opinion

Use:

  • “Nowadays, many people argue that…”

  • “In recent years, there has been growing concern about…”

🔹 Step 2 — Explain the problem

“Construction costs can soar…”

👉 Pattern:

  • explain WHY it’s problematic

Use:

  • “One major issue is that…”

  • “This is mainly because…”

🔹 Step 3 — Counterargument

“But this need not be the case.”

👉 VERY powerful Band 8 phrase.

Use:

  • “However, this does not necessarily mean that…”

  • “Nevertheless, this issue can be addressed by…”

🔹 Step 4 — Give evidence/examples

Arles, Verona, Lucca…

👉 Pattern:

  • abstract idea → real example

Use:

  • “For example…”

  • “A clear illustration of this is…”

🔹 Step 5 — Present solutions

“Among the current strategies…”

👉 Pattern:

  • organised solutions

Use:

  • “One effective approach is…”

  • “Another viable solution is…”

🔹 Step 6 — Explain benefits

“making more efficient use of land…”

👉 Pattern:

  • solution → benefit

Use:

  • “This helps to…”

  • “As a result…”

🔹 Step 7 — Strong conclusion

“The stadium of today now brings together multiple functions…”

👉 Pattern:

  • final positive synthesis

Use:

  • “Overall, … can play a crucial role in…”

✍ 4. THE BEST PHRASES YOU CAN REUSE IN ANY ESSAY

📌 Cause

  • is driven by

  • results from

  • stems from

  • is largely caused by

📌 Effect

  • leads to

  • results in

  • contributes to

  • has a positive/negative impact on

  • gives rise to

📌 Solutions

  • One effective solution is to…

  • Another approach is to…

  • Measures should be taken to…

  • This can be addressed by…

📌 Advantages

  • make more efficient use of

  • promote sustainability

  • enhance quality of life

  • benefit the wider community

📌 Contrast

  • however

  • nevertheless

  • despite this

  • on the other hand

🚀 5. MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCE PATTERNS

These are GOLD.

⭐ Pattern 1 — Balanced opinion

“While X…, Y…”

Example:

  • “While large stadiums are expensive, they can also benefit local economies.”

⭐ Pattern 2 — Problem → effect

“This leads to…”

Example:

  • “Poor urban planning leads to traffic congestion.”

⭐ Pattern 3 — Solution → benefit

“This helps to…”

Example:

  • “This helps to reduce pollution levels.”

⭐ Pattern 4 — Example support

“A clear example of this is…”

Example:

  • “A clear example of this is Singapore’s public transport system.”

🧠 6. HOW TO THINK LIKE THE AUTHOR

The author ALWAYS thinks in this order:

🔥 Universal IELTS logic:

  1. Situation/problem

  2. Cause

  3. Effect

  4. Solution

  5. Benefit/result

🎯 7. Final Advice for YOU

At your level, the fastest improvement is:

❌ memorizing isolated difficult words
✅ memorizing:

  • collocations

  • sentence patterns

  • logic flow

🎁 Your BEST reusable phrases from this passage

Memorize these first:

  • play a crucial role in

  • make efficient use of

  • help regenerate urban spaces

  • have a positive impact on

  • serve a function beyond

  • contribute to

  • adapt to changing needs

  • promote sustainability

  • fall into disrepair

  • open the space up to

  • a wider cross-section of society

These alone can improve BOTH Writing and Speaking noticeably.