what extent do you agree or disagree essay

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How to Write “Agree or Disagree” Essays for IELTS

Posted by David S. Wills | Jan 15, 2021 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 1

There are various types of essay that you may be asked to write in task 2 of the IELTS writing test, but one of the most common ones is the “agree or disagree” question. This will provide some kind of statement and then ask you whether (or to what extent) you agree or disagree.

In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about writing an agree or disagree essay .

What is an “Agree or Disagree” IELTS Question?

There are various kinds of questions in IELTS writing task 2, and one of them is called “agree or disagree” because that is precisely what you are asked to do. The question will normally contain those words although there are slight variations:

• Do you agree or disagree?
• To what extent do you agree or disagree?

This question will follow a statement and your task is to give your reaction to that statement. As long as you can understand the precise nature of the statement, this question is quite to understand.

Note that some people would call this an “opinion essay” but I would disagree with that label. Whilst it is certainly a type of opinion essay, there are other question types that require your opinion, so this is a problematic label. Here’s my guide to opinion essays.

How Should I Answer an “Agree or Disagree” Question?

The important thing about this sort of IELTS question is that you answer the question directly . In other words, you should state whether you agree , disagree , or neither agree nor disagree .

Some people wonder whether it is possible to give a balanced answer and others seem to think that you must always give a balanced answer, but the truth is simple:

You can agree, disagree, or neither agree nor disagree. Any of these is acceptable.

Just pay attention to the exact wording of the question. If it asks “to what extent…?” then you should clearly state the extent to which you agree/disagree:

• Completely agree
• Partially agree
• Neither agree nor disagree
• Partially disagree
• Completely disagree

If it just says “Do you agree or disagree?” then you don’t necessarily need to give the degree and you could just say “I agree” or “I disagree.” However, it is better to provide more explanation and detail.

If you want a more in-depth discussion of the issue of balanced answers, you can read this article .

Structuring “Agree or Disagree” Essays

Some kinds of IELTS essay are easy to structure. For example, “ Discuss both views ” and “ Advantages and disadvantages ” questions can easily be answered with a predictable four-paragraph structure. However, “agree or disagree” questions require a little more thought. Sometimes it can be a little difficult to find the right structure.

Generally, I recommend writing four or five paragraphs and preferably just four. As such, here are two possibilities for structuring your “agree or disagree” essay:

As you can tell, the second structure is more complicated and thus there is more scope for mistakes in terms of Task Response or Coherence and Cohesion . However, if you do this right it can provide a more interesting and developed answer.

In any case, the important thing to know is that your structure should be coherent and logical. Your reader should never feel confused. If you make a plan before writing, this will really help you to stay on topic and deliver your views effectively.

Let’s look at an example:

Some people argue that the government should give every unemployed person a mobile phone and should make sure they have access to the Internet. They believe this is the best way of using public money to reduce the problem of unemployment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

To answer this question, I would firstly decide the extent to which I agree or disagree. I disagree that it is the best use of public money, so I would structure my essay thusly:

Now let’s look at how I would write that essay:

Sample Band 9 Answer

It has been suggested that governments should give jobless people phones and internet access to alleviate the unemployment problem. This essay will argue that, whilst this may be a good idea, it is certainly not the best way of using public money to solve the problem.

To begin with, it could be seen as a positive step to give unemployed people phones and internet access. This would certainly help improve their lives in a small way and may give them the ability to hunt down job leads. However, it is not a guaranteed method of finding employment. For one thing, phones are severely limited in comparison with computers, which would be far more useful for jobseekers. A computer is more appropriate for writing CVs and scrolling through lists of adverts. As such, perhaps public funds would be better spent on computers rather than phones.

In addition, the idea of just giving unemployed people technology in order to solve their problems seems a little wishful. The fact is that most people have phones and internet access in 2021, suggesting that this is not what prevents them from finding work. Perhaps the money would be better spent on job fairs, counselling, benefits, or even investment in local businesses to spur the hiring process. Indeed, whilst none of these is a perfect solution, they all seem rather more realistic and preferential than buying thousands of phones and internet contracts.

In conclusion, while it may be a good idea to give all jobless people a phone and internet access, it is almost certainly not the best use of public funds in terms of tackling unemployment.

Language for Agreeing and Disagreeing

Once you have figured out the structure for your essay, you need to have the right language to accurately and effectively express your ideas. Most of the grammar and vocabulary you need will be dependent upon the topic , but there are some useful words and phrases to know for all “agree or disagree” essays.

Giving Purpose and Position

In your introduction, you need to clearly state your position vis-à-vis the question. You can also state what you will do in this essay.

Here are some great phrases:

This essay will…

To avoid being overly personal or informal, you can speak as though your essay is writing itself. This might seem a little strange, but it is perfectly normal. It is a great idea to use this for the overview section of your introduction to say “This essay will argue that…” or “This essay will agree with the idea that…”

Alternatively, you can include yourself:

In this essay, I will…

The use of the personal pronoun is a little informal but these questions are directly asking for your opinion and so there is nothing really wrong with it. This is a good way of stating your intentions clearly from the offset.

Just be careful to avoid redundant phrasing here, like “In my opinion, I think that…” It is not necessary to say both “In my opinion” and “I think” because they both express the same basic meaning.

It is also worth making sure that you completely understand how to use the words “agree” and “disagree.” This probably sounds very easy, but many people make mistakes. I have a full article on it here .

One of the biggest mistakes is saying, “I agree to the idea.” Instead, you need to say “I agree with the idea.” The preposition here is a huge difference and completely changes the meaning of “agree.”

Language for Structuring your Ideas

You can use some cohesive devices when explaining your ideas but be careful not to over-use them and make sure that each one is used accurately. For example, the phrases “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” are really useful here but many people make mistakes by saying “On one hand” or “One the other hand.”

You can also use words like “Firstly” and “Finally” to order your ideas but remember that having every sentence start with the same sort of word sounds repetitive, so don’t use these too much.

Some other useful phrases are:

The first reason why I think/believe that [summarise view] is…”

In this case, we are directly communicating to the reader that this is the first (and therefore most important) reason to support our opinion. To remove the personal pronoun, simply change to:

The first reason why [summarise view] is…

Here are two examples:

• The first reason why I think that families should take care of their elderly relatives is that it allows more freedom for the individual.
• The first reason why families should take care of their elderly relatives is that it allows more freedom for the individual.

Should You Totally Avoid Personal Pronouns?

For IELTS, some people say that you should always avoid personal pronouns but other people suggest that they are acceptable. It is true that they are acceptable because some questions directly ask for your opinion and experiences. However, it is also true that an advanced writer can answer these questions without personal pronouns, thereby increasing the level of formality .

Take a look at this question:

Rich countries often give money to poorer countries, but it does not solve poverty. Therefore, developed countries should give other types of help to the poor countries rather than financial aid. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is clearly asking for your personal opinion, so it would be fine to say “I think…” or “I believe…” However, we could definitely answer it in a more detached, formal sense.

To give my opinion, I will say:

this essay will argue that giving money is not simply enough and that more nuanced, long-term solutions are necessary

Later, in the conclusion, I will use similar language to affirm my view:

whilst it may seem reasonable to donate money to poor countries, it would be far better to help them through education

Here is the full essay:

The topic of international aid is incredibly controversial and there are no simple solutions. However, this essay will argue that giving money is not simply enough and that more nuanced, long-term solutions are necessary.

To begin with, it is important to acknowledge that poor countries need some form of aid and that money is better than nothing. Wealthy countries give vast sums of money, but there are numerous problems that emerge. Firstly, this money usually has strings attached, meaning that the poor countries often end up owing favours or debts, which exacerbates their problems. Secondly, poor countries are typically poor because of endemic corruption, and money donated is usually embezzled immediately after receipt. As such, giving money is understandable but problematic, and other forms of aid are thus preferable.

Nowadays, many people realise that it is better to provide poor countries with the means to help themselves. This can be done in various ways, including education. As such, perhaps the best way to help these nations is to provide them with teachers and educational facilities. This can allow them to raise a generation of intelligent, motivated people who will shape the future. It can clearly be seen that the education of women is of particular importance, as this lowers the fertility rate, further stopping other problems that contribute to poverty. Therefore, the education of young women should be made a top priority.

In conclusion, whilst it may seem reasonable to donate money to poor countries, it would be far better to help them through education.

Writing an essay for an IELTS “agree or disagree” question is probably a little more difficult than writing one for other question types. However, it is not much more difficult and if you follow the advice above, you can definitely create a wonderful essay that will get a high score. Just remember to answer the question directly and also to use appropriate language throughout.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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IELTS Writing Task 2: To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In this type of question, you are presented with an opinion and then asked to agree or disagree. Also, the phrase “to what extent” makes this type of question flexible, meaning that you can also have a balanced opinion.

In this article, I’m going to go through an example and write a high-scoring sample. I will walk you through all the steps so that you can develop a well-written essay too. The question is from IELTS past papers.

Here’s the essay question we’re going to work on:

Prevention is better than cure. Researching and treating diseases is too costly, so it would be better to invest in preventive measures. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

You can develop your essay in three ways. Depending on the question, choose the one that you’re most comfortable with. Keep in mind that your argument should be reasonable and examples specific.

Option 1: You completely agree with the opinion.

Medical research and treatment can be very expensive. Therefore, I completely agree that governments and medical organizations should focus on preventive healthcare instead.

Body Paragraph 1:

Explain why you think investing in research and treatment is not a good idea. 

Body paragraph 2: 

Explain why focusing on preventive measures is better. What are the benefits?

Conclusion:

Summarize your points in one complex sentence or two sentences.

Option 2: You completely disagree with the opinion.

It is argued that medical research and treatment are too expensive; therefore, preventive measures should be the focus of governments and medical organizations instead. I completely disagree with this idea and believe that allocating enough funds to the former is vital to save lives.

Explain why you disagree with the idea. What adverse effects might that bring about?

Body paragraph 2:

Explain why you believe enough funds should be allocated to research and treatment. What are the benefits?

Option 3: You take a balanced approach.

It is argued that preventive healthcare should be the main focus of the healthcare system instead of medical research and treatment due to the latter being too expensive. While I agree that preventive measures are necessary to stop diseases from spreading and lower healthcare expenditure, I also believe that allocating financial resources to research and treatment should continue despite their high costs. 

For this question, I’ve chosen option 3 because it makes the most sense to me. However, you can go with the other options. No problem!

Step 1: As always, you should start with spending 2 minutes reading and understanding the question . Once you have fully understood what the question asks of you, you can move on to the next step.

Step 2: Now, it’s time for you to plan your whole essay. If you do this part properly, you will save time and produce a better and cohesive essay. This step should take about 8 minutes .

Here’s my plan:

Note: You may not understand some parts of my plan until you’ve read my full essay. That’s because my planning is my thinking process written fast using signs. It’s just to remind me what to write in my essay. I have included it just to show you how you can plan. You can also make yours even shorter by using more signs of your own.

Introduction: Paraphrase the question + your thesis statement

Paraphrase: It is argued that……main focus…. due to…. too expensive

Thesis statement: While I agree that….necessary, I also believe that ….. continue despite…

Body paragraph 1: Why I believe preventive measures are necessary.

Main idea: Taking precautions reduces the spending on healthcare by keeping people’s wellness under control and preventing diseases before they occur.

Support 1: 

Example: vaccines create antibodies in healthy people→ no severe cases→hospital admissions decrease→costs go down

Support 2: 

Other measures: exercising and keeping weight in check→ lower the chance of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, which… lifetime + expensive medications

… is definitely effective in lowering costs…

Body paragraph 2: Why I believe the funding for research and treatment should continue despite the high costs.

Main idea: Effective preventive measures wouldn’t exist without proper research. + treatment addresses a specific disease or problem that prevention can’t completely eliminate.

Support 1 : Highly effective vaccines are developed after intense research on the virus or the bacteria.

Example: Pfizer, a private biopharmaceutical company, spend millions of dollars and several months on developing the most effective Covid-19 vaccines→no research funds, no vaccines.

Support 2 : Preventive measures cannot address hereditary diseases like type 1 diabetes. No amount of exercise can keep people ….. The only way … right medicines, which can be expensive. → Treatment … expensive but vital.

Conclusion : Prevention is an effective way to keep people healthy and the costs down; however, research and treatment not only… necessary… but also irreplaceable.

Step 3: Write your full essay. This step should take about 25 minutes .

Here’s my full essay:

On the one hand, taking precautions will reduce the spending on healthcare by keeping people’s wellness under control and preventing diseases before they occur. For instance, vaccines, one of the most used such measures, trigger the production of disease-fighting antibodies by the immune system and result in lower severe cases of illnesses and hospitalization, thus reducing the spending on healthcare. Other preventive methods also effectively lower the chance of chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes, which are usually caused by a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. Simply put, if people exercise regularly and keep their weight in check, they will have much fewer health issues and consequently lower the expenditure on healthcare. Therefore, I believe that prevention brings nothing but benefits to people and the healthcare system.

On the other hand, some effective preventive measures wouldn’t exist without proper research. In addition, treatment sometimes addresses specific diseases or problems that prevention can’t eliminate. For example, a highly effective vaccine such as that of Pfizer, which was developed for Covid-19, takes a lot of research and millions of dollars worth of production equipment to be developed and finally available for public use. Furthermore, preventive healthcare cannot address hereditary diseases like type-1 diabetes. Such illnesses can only be treated with expensive medications. Therefore, I firmly believe that it is worth funding research and treatment projects.

In conclusion, prevention is an effective way of keeping people healthy and the costs down; however, research and treatment are not only needed to develop effective preventive measures but also vital for some people.

(314 words)

Step 4: Spend about 5 minutes to read your work and correct your mistakes.

Here’s the summary:

• Spend 2 minutes to understand the task completely.
• Spend 8 minutes planning your essay.
• Spend 25 minutes writing your essay.
• Spend 5 minutes to read your work and correct your mistakes.

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• Academic practice
• General practice
• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

IELTS agree or disagree essay - band 9 guide

This is a band 9 guide to writing agree/disagree essays in IELTS Writing. Agree or disagree essay questions are very common for IELTS Writing task 2 . This type of questions asks you to say whether you agree or disagree with a given statement and justify your opinion .

In this lesson you will see IELTS writing task 2 sample question + model answer and learn

• how to choose an opinion for agree/disagree question
• how to generate ideas
• how to give a band 9 answer for agree/disagree question

IELTS agree/disagree question sample

Let’s look at an example of IELTS writing task 2:

Big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

Do you agree or disagree?

Provide relevant examples if necessary.

This is a classic example of agree or disagree question that you may get on IELTS Writing task 2.

You can watch our video tutorial on how to tackle agree/disagree questions in IELTS Writing:

Choose your opinion & generate ideas

Agree or disagree question asks you to clearly determine whether you agree or disagree with the statement. Unlike questions that ask you to what extent do you agree or disagree , this question asks you to have a super-clear opinion. After you’ve decided your opinion, generate 2-3 supporting points for it .

For the task above you have two possible options:

• You fully agree that big salary is more important than job satisfaction
• You completely disagree that big salary is more important than job satisfaction

 Now let’s generate supporting points for each of the opinions:

• Big salary is more important
• Having a job with a high salary makes people feel satisfied no matter what kind of job they do
• Money is essential for survival and good living
• Job satisfaction is more important
• Job satisfaction gives you a sense of fulfillment
• Doing what you like keeps you motivated and therefore leads to a career growth
• Money can’t buy happiness and it’s more pleasant to pursue what you’re interested in

For our essay, we’ll choose the second opinion.

Band 9 answer structure

After you’ve decided whether you agree or disagree and generated your supporting points, it’s time to start writing your essay.

There are a lot of ways to structure your essay, but we’ll use a structure that has been approved by many IELTS examiners to be high-scoring and coherent.

Band-9 essay structure :

Introduction

Body paragraph 1 - the 1st reason you agree/disagree

Body paragraph 2 - the 2nd reason you agree/disagree

Let’s take a look at each of these sections in detail.

Write your introduction in two sentences:

It is often argued that it is more advantageous to choose a job with high wage, even if it doesn't appeal to you at all.

I completely disagree with this opinion and think that job satisfaction is much more important than salary.

• Sentence 1 - state the first reason you agree/disagree .

First of all, I believe that job satisfaction gives people a sense of fulfillment that no money can guarantee.

To explain the reason effectively, you can imagine that your examiner has no knowledge of this subject at all and you have to explain every detail:

Even if someone is earning a high salary, but feels tensed and compromises with his conscience, this person won’t enjoy his life. While pursuing one’s interests will always bring pleasure and feeling of satisfaction.

For example, a lot of famous researchers made their career choices not because of appealing wages, but because they were passionate about science.

That’s why it’s more important to choose the kind of work that makes you happy than to look only at a high salary.

Secondly, doing what you like keeps you motivated and therefore leads to a career growth.

In other words, there is a strong relation between job satisfaction and productivity. People who love their jobs can easily excel in their fields of work and achieve better results than those, who put salary on the first place.

• Sentence 4 - support your idea with an example :

For instance, Henry Miller decided to leave his everyday job despite a good wage and ventured to become a writer. And after enduring years of ups and downs he became one of the most famous and well-paid authors of the twentieth century.

Thus, advantages of jobs that keep you satisfied outweigh the drawback of a low salary in a long-term perspective.

You can write the conclusion in one sentence that summarizes your opinion + 2 reasons for it :

To conclude, I strongly believe that job satisfaction is more beneficial than high salary because it makes people happy and motivated.

DO NOT write new ideas in the conclusion!

IELTS agree/disagree model answer

This is a full band-9 answer for IELTS agree or disagree question above:

It is often argued that it is more advantageous to choose a job with high wage, even if it doesn't appeal to you at all. I completely disagree with this opinion and think that job satisfaction is much more important than salary.

First of all, I believe that job satisfaction gives people a sense of fulfillment that no money can guarantee. Even if someone is earning a high salary, but feels tensed and compromises with his conscience, this person won’t enjoy his life. While pursuing one’s interests will always bring pleasure and feeling of satisfaction. For example, a lot of famous researchers made their career choices not because of appealing wages, but because they were passionate about science. That’s why it’s more important to choose the kind of work that makes you happy than to look only at a high salary.

Secondly, doing what you like keeps you motivated and therefore leads to a career growth. In other words, there is a strong relation between job satisfaction and productivity. People who love their jobs can easily excel in their fields of work and achieve better results than those, who put salary on the first place. For instance, Henry Miller decided to leave his everyday job despite a good wage and ventured to become a writer. And after enduring years of ups and downs he became one of the most famous and well-paid authors of the twentieth century. Thus, advantages of jobs that keep you satisfied outweigh the drawback of a low salary in a long-term perspective.

(277 words)

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How to write an agree/disagree essay for IELTS Writing Task 2

Date Published

01 February 2023

• This article was first published on WeLoveIELTS.org (this website is now closed)

Knowing how to write an agree or disagree essay is very important because if you get this type of task question in the test and you don't know how to approach it, you might not get a very high score. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

An agree/disagree question is very similar to the one above. Let’s look at two typical agree/disagree essay questions:

• Some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
• Living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social problems as well as practical problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Can you see how these are similar to my question at the beginning? Both include a statement (= a sentence expressing an opinion) and ask you to what extent (= how much) you agree or disagree with it.

OK, so what are you going to do first? Start writing? Absolutely not .

After you’ve carefully read the task question and understood the topic, the first thing to do is to ask yourself to what extent you agree or disagree with the statement. There are three possible cases:

• You agree completely
• You disagree completely
• You partially agree (which means you also partially disagree)

Next, ask yourself: ‘ Why do I think that?’ This is a very useful question because by answering it you will start generating ideas that you will then include in your essay.

How many ideas should you come up with? In all three cases the secret is that less is more, so I recommend having no more than four in total.

Let’s have a look at an example from Cambridge IELTS 11:

• Governments should spend money on railways rather than roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

I’ve read the question and now I’m going to make some notes before I start writing. Here are my notes:

Partially agree - Both needs funding Why?

• Safety reasons
• Taxpayers expect government investment in both

Two main ideas. Now we have some direction and know where we are going with our essay. Should you now start writing? Not yet. You’ll need to develop these ideas, and the best way to do this is to give explanations, details, reasons and examples. Let’s add these to the notes.

• Safety reasons - Both roads and trains are widely used / all ages / need to be kept in good condition / if not, risk of crashes / example: Ponte Morandi collapse 2018 – Italy / lots of casualties / could have been avoided with more funding - maintenance / Trains are crowded at rush hour -> a railroad accident might be a terrible tragedy
• Taxpayers expect government investment in both - governments need to provide good services / citizens pay tax for this / example: train commuters pay to have efficient trains / if not – disruptions - late for work / same is true for road users / example: opening a new highway -> less traffic

Notice that I didn’t write full sentences but notes. Keep your full sentences for the essay! If you don’t do this brainstorming exercise before you start writing, the risk is that you’ll write whatever comes to your mind, and your essay will probably be confusing to read.

Top Tip: Think of how you’re going to structure your text. Keep life simple and always aim at four paragraphs: introduction, two body paragraphs and conclusion.

Introduction

Two sentences are enough here. In the first sentence you should paraphrase the task question. In the second sentence say if you (partially) agree/disagree so you immediately let the reader know what you think.

Two main paragraphs

Why these paragraphs? A paragraph contains ideas about a single subject and using them will make your essay organised, structured and easy to read. When writing an agree/disagree essay there are, again, three possible options:

• You completely agree - First paragraph: reasons why you agree. 2nd paragraph: other reasons why you agree.
• You completely disagree - First paragraph: reasons why you disagree. 2nd paragraph: other reasons why you disagree.
• You partially agree - First paragraph: reasons why you agree. 2nd paragraph: reasons why you disagree.

Remember: it’s much better to have few well-developed ideas than a lot of poorly developed ones , so when you write the paragraphs make sure to give reasons, examples and details. All these must be relevant to the reason you agree/disagree.

Again, keep life simple and write one or two sentences only. You should briefly repeat and summarise your answer to the question. Don’t introduce information that you didn’t mention in your paragraphs before. We need a conclusion to conclude right? So, don’t introduce other reasons or topics at the end of your text.

• Read the topic of the question and make sure you understand it
• Ask yourself if you agree or not with the statement in the question
• Brainstorm ideas before you start righting
• State your opinion in the introduction
• Use four paragraphs
• Logically organise the main paragraphs (for example, one for reasons why you agree and the other for reasons why you disagree)
• Extend and develop your ideas with reasons, examples and explanations
• Write a short conclusion.
• Start writing immediately
• Include too many different ideas. Less is more!
• Introduce more information in the conclusion.

Hope this helps you with your writing. Good luck!

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IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Structure an ‘Agree or Disagree’ Essay

by Dave | Structuring your essay | 40 Comments

A lot of my IELTS students struggle with how many ideas they need and how to structure their essay.

This article with explain clearly what you need to do and why. if you want to read some examples of different essays you can click here ., let’s look at an example:.

Governments should spend money on railways rather than roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Don’t miss out on my new Patreon exclusive essays here if you want to really improve on IELTS!

Clear position, the first thing to remember is for the question above you don’t need to discuss both sides but you can if you want., therefore you have a choice about whether to discuss the ‘agree’ side, the ‘disagree’ side or discuss both sides. we’ll examine these options later., even if you choose to discuss both sides you must clearly state whether your opinion is agree or disagree. this is very important for your task achievement score., you can see from the table below that if you don’t clearly choose a side, you will not score above a 5 for task achievement – no matter how good the rest of your writing is..

So to summarise, for the question above you must have a clear position and you have three possible options:

1. strongly agree. you think it’s better for governments to spend money on rail rather than roads. you discuss only this side., 2. strongly disagree. you think it’s better for governments to spend money on roads rather than rail. you discuss only this side., 3. discuss both sides. you discuss both sides but you have a clear opinion about rail or road., clear essay structure, as you can see from the table above a clear position throughout your essay is very important for your task achievement., so i always recommend to my ielts students that they give their opinion in the introduction as well as the conclusion (for all task 2 questions)., technically, it’s ok to write a very general introduction and leave your opinion to the end., but i strongly suggest that you don’t do this because it’s not as clear., also, you might run out of time before you’ve got to your conclusion, so overall it’s a risky strategy.  , therefore my suggested ielts task 2 essay structure is four paragraphs – an introduction, two main (or body) paragraphs and a conclusion., the opinion is presented in the introduction and re-stated in the conclusion, and each body paragraph should only discuss one main idea., now let’s look at the options in more detail., possible essay structures, 1. strongly agree – you feel rail is much more important than roads., you need two good reasons why rail is more important..

2. Strongly disagree – you feel roads are much more important than rail.

You need two good reasons why roads are more important., 3. discuss both sides – you think one side is good but overall the other side is more important., you need one good reason for each side ., in the example below you feel the reason for supporting rail is more important than the reason supporting roads., so in summary, one thing that all three options have in common is that each essay clearly chooses a side and that is clear throughout the essay., none of these options ‘sit on the fence’ (stay in the middle), because you should never write a 50/50 essay., you should never say “both roads and rail have benefits and drawbacks.”, that is not a clear conclusion, so you will definitely lose marks for your task achievement., also, you shouldn’t say “overall i think roads are important and rail is also important so governments should spend money on both.”, technically this is ok as your opinion is clear, but some examiners might not agree so this is risky., so the safest strategy is to choose a side, even if that isn’t your real opinion., now it’s your turn put your answers in the comments., look at the question below then compare your ideas with this  sample answer (written by an ex-examiner)..

Check out our expert sample answer with line by line analysis and key vocabulary.

Plastic shopping bags are used widely and cause many environmental problems. Some people say they should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Brainstorm some main ideas – what are the main benefits and drawbacks of banning plastic bags.

What’s your overall position – do you agree or disagree, which essay structure are you going to choose – will you discuss one side or both, recommended for you.

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Nowadays, the topic of plastic bags and their adverse effect on environment, has become hot news, which has led many activists and social groups to promote tackling of such item in our everyday life. As far as I am concerned, I strongly concur with taking serious measures to ban plastic bag usage because if we proceed with such pace our global home will be set into serious risk which will in turn be reflected in global population’s health and wellbeing. Truth be told, plastic shopping bags have always been widely used by everyone but in the recent decades due to rapid increase of world’s population their usage and disposal have reached concerning levels which is seriously causing devastating and unreversed damage to our planet. Given the fact that plastic needs years and even decades to degrade, substantial upraise of this product in our environment has released considerable amount of pollutants in the air, water and land putting into risk marine creatures’ lives and human’s wellbeing as well. Everyone must have come across to the widespread video of a diver filming the detrimental truth of marine creatures in the Indonesian waters suffocated by the vast amount of plastic underneath the surface of the sea. As a matter of fact, not only does plastic endanger water habitat but it also has damaging effect on soil fertility putting into risk the quality of our food products which will obviously impact human’s physical and mental health in the future. On grounds of such concern, scientist have long repeatedly pointing out the urgent necessity of plastic replacement with eco-friendly products such as paper or canvas containers, which remain way more effective and environmentally healthy. On the other hand numerous people around the planet are joining environmental activists who are taking substantial steps to tackle such phenomenon as soon as possible. To conclude, I strongly concur with fact that plastic bag should be banned in every country around the world as increasing amounts of non-biodegradable material will soon affect our health and the wellbeing of future generations. Serious steps should be taken by governmental and social actors to prevent such process from becoming irreversible.

Well written Flor!

You don’t need so many introductory sentences. Try to follow my structure more closely – 2 sentences for the introduction, 4-5 for the next two paragraphs and then 2 for the conclusion.

Otherwise really strong vocabulary throughout!

Some of your ideas seem to jump around and it would be better to have clear topic sentences and then develop your answers with specific examples.

Is that clear?

If question ask Do you agree or disagree? Not to what extent.

Can we still discuss both the sides?

When is it important to state an advantage and reject it?

Yes, you can. You can talk about each side and then choose one overall.

I would highly recommend that approach because then you will be able to talk about two different main ideas.

But you can also choose one side and simply defend that one. It is a matter of choice.

Some people consider acknowledging the other side to be a stronger structure but for IELTS both are fine and equal.

Yes, It is clear.

I have one more question related conclusion. In discuss both views and give your opinion and agree or disagree questions.

These questions are type of questions. How we have to state our main points?

Do we have reject which the proponents support? And say other idea is more important?

Or we only have to state the main reason why we support this idea?

I am asking this because there is no consistent pattern in the sample essays.

Hi Mani – great questions!

You do not have to repeat your main ideas – stating your overall opinion is the important part.

Just say your opinion and the main reason why – keep it simple!

There is no consistent pattern because it is only important to follow the rules of the ban descriptors.

They ask that candidates have a clear position – there is more than one way to do that do the structure will not always be identical depending on the question and writer.

Just make sure you have a clear position/opinion!

With the changing times, plastics have become an important accessory of human life, which is produced at large scale, all over the world. The characteristics of plastic has made it one of the widely used item. Few people believe that it should be banned while others think that it should be not be banned. In my opinion, I feel that a plastic has an adverse effect on the environment and on the animals as well as the marine life.

Plastics are so widely used that they are often thrown into the garbage, drains etc. Though gazillions of plastics are sent for recycling but few are still left behind, not properly disposed. The same approach is adopted by the industries or large/ small scale companies resulting in throwing of plastics into sea, in large chunks. This further ends up in a mammals body or at times wrapped around its body, leading to physical injuries and finally results in death. This pattern is observed in the developing countries, also the under developed countries, where lack of awareness is one of the major reason for damage to the other living beings. Educating the people would benefit these countries enormously.

Banning plastic would mean that we have increased the rate of survival of the other living beings along with the humans. This would not only improve the food chain, which has been disturbed lately but will also result in ecological balance. Burning it in excess, often releases harmful gases, changing the composition of atmosphere, resulting in damage the ozone layer. Air pollution would be another consequence of burning it and may result in health issues.

At last, it would be beneficial for the mankind to ban the plastic and come up with other items that are biodegradable and also not a threat to the other living beings.

Well written, PK!

A couple of notes:

Your intro should only be two or three sentences, then you can write longer body paragraphs.

Great second paragraph!

There could be better linking between your sentences and ideas. Your ideas are great but sometimes don’t flow together naturally.

At the end, you can simple include ‘In conclusion’ not ‘at last’

Over the last few years, people have become increasingly concerned about the overuse of plastic bags, which leads to environmental pollution and other issues. Personally, I am of the conviction that plastic bags should be eliminated because they are not only bad for the environment but also harmful to human bodies. To start, using plastic bags has many negative effects on the environment. Since plastic bags are nonrecyclable, used bags accumulate in landfill as garbage, where they will take a prolonged period of time, sometimes over a hundred years, to degrade. During this process, an extended area of land is wasted and polluted. Worse still, some used bags were dumped in the ocean and consumed by ocean animals, which significantly threatens their well-beings and even their lives. Statistics show that the extinction of several species of tortures is related to the increasing volume of ocean garbage, plastic bags in particular. In addition, using plastic bags can also harm our health. It is generally acknowledged that these bags contain toxic chemicals, which can enter people’s systems via oral consumption and skin contact, and make them sick. In some underdeveloped countries, people carry food in plastic bags, which allow those harmful substances to enter through their month. Besides, our skin also absorbs those unwanted chemicals during handling and manipulating. As a result, an increasing number of people are suffering from illnesses due to the excessive use of plastic bags. This is why they need to be banned immediately. In conclusion, no more plastic bags should be produced, considering how much damage they cause to our home planet as well as our health. If we continue using them for convenience, our children and grandchildren will have to pay the price of this fault. (290 words)

Great paragraphing and well-supported main ideas – keep it up!

Thanks for your helpful writings.

Nowadays government are struggling with a lot of environmental side effects of plastic bags overuse so some people believe that usage of these should be limited.In the following essay, I will discuss my opinion and reasons why I completely agree with this group. The main reason is plastic bags,which are usually thrown out to the environment,are not degradable.It’s takes more than 1.000 years or more for a plastic to be break down and get back to the nature and till then, they will make the environment un pretty therefore,I think e should use other reusable types of shoppig bags rather than thses plastic ones. secondly,as we know,plastic bags are made from oil, which is non-renewable source of energy. I believe that by using more and more plastic bags, we will end up lacking of this kind of energies so we should use plastic bags more considerably. in conclusion,in my opinion,usage of plastic bags should be limited as much as possible because the have number of negative effects on environment like polluting lands and also consumption of oil for producing these.

Good work – keep it up!

Corrections: the environmental, with this viewpoint, thrown out are not biodegradable, to break down, and return to a natural form, litter the land and ocean, lots of spelling mistakes too!

Remember an essay has to be 250+ words!

I wrote this after the railways and roads topic. Can anyone let me know if i can get a band 6 with this. Thank you!!!

People believe that governments should invest in railways transportation rather than the expense on roads. From my perspective, I agree with the statement above. In this essay, I will demonstrate my reasons.

First of all, trains are more eco friendly than automobiles. Since the train is a public mean of transport, it could carry lots more passengers than any car or motorbike, which means the consumption of energy will be cut down. To be more specific, for example, a train transports 100 people would use fewer fossil fuels than the same amount of people use fuel for personal vehicles. On the other hand, according to a forecast of a university, the population on Earth in 2050 will be 10 billion leading to a gradual rise in personal transportations. So that, in order to keep the environment sustainable, politicians should increase the expenditure on constructing and maintaining railways.

The second reason for my agreement with the belief above is railways are safer than roads. Because trains run on certain pathways and separated with other trains and other vehicles then there would be a remarkable reduce on crashing issues. Moreover, the railways net is controlled by a special centre so different trains would schedules and different ways to obey. Besides, not only safer the train is but it is also much faster than private automobiles.

In conclusion, I strongly agree with the statement of spending money on railways rather than roads. The governments should increase the investment in trains because they are safer and more eco than roads

You have a clear opinion in the introduction and conclusion and your second paragraph is great.

I think this essay would be in the band 6 range but you need to clean up the 3rd paragraph – try to focus on a single main idea fully developed and make it more like your 2nd paragraph.

You are capable – just be disciplined too!

over the current century, it have been common to use plastic material for shopping bags because of their excellent quality and their lower price. on the other hands,they surely cause cause variety of environmental as well as human health issues which need immediate concern, one of the possible solution which i firmly believe would work is to prohibit production of them for not only shopping bags but also for other unnecessary items.

there are plenty of serious current problems and upcoming devastating results which could come from using plastic materials. The first and foremost one is the nature of plastic material which is not degradable. it means that it takes up long period of time to being dissolved in the soil or decompose to their original composition. for example, plastic bottle which is unfortunately becoming ubiquitous might maintain their shapes and body for a hundred of years which is real threat for the next generation. they would be detrimental for the soil productivity and reduce its fertility due to their long-term effect on the soil ingredient quality and minerals. therefore, these pernicious effect should incline people to avoid using this type of material and save the natural resources for the future generations,

secondly, although production of plastic materials could be economical for the manufacturer, their recycle would be extremely expensive and bring social problems.there are plenty of measurement Which should be taken in when it come to collect the used synthesized plastic materials and their process of recycling. firstly it notoriously causes creation of labor children searching for plastics and try to divide them form other type of rubbish, including those which may cause illness and serious infectious disease, which is a global problem. besides that, factories which have the industrial equipment to recycle them, need pricey procedure to turn them into raw material. whats more, harmful gasses which is a byproduct of the whole process, surely pollute the atmosphere and make it unhealthy for the children and the elderly. all in all, considering these deleterious impact of plastic materials on society should convince us to prohibit them to preserve the well-being of each member of it.

in conclusion, although addiction to usage of plastic bags would be hard to leave, it is time that we educated us to replace them with more environmentally-friendly materials. i personally agree to ban using of them in the foreseeable future in order to maintain our environment more sustainable.

Good but be more careful with your punctuation and paragraphing, Mehdi!

Majority of people in the world are using plastic every time they go shopping even though they have bad effect to nature. That’s why many people agree that they must be prohibit. I totally agree because many seas lives died by taking plastic and they take long time to be destroyed.

The reason why I support people avoid using plastic bags because there are numerous animals in the sea all around the world were killed by eating it. Moreover, some of them were endangered species. The poor animals took the plastic because they thought the plastics were food. People can see that on the news, and it shows that people are careless about the fact that they are killing many lives by leaving garbage which contain a lot of plastics on the beaches. To illustrate, when I when to the beach with my family on holiday, I saw many tourists were having fun and didn’t realize that they left plastics on the beach.

In addition, in order to get rid of the plastic, it takes more than thousand years because of the substances. It is said that a huge amount of plastics is burned in fire, the substances within plastics can destroy the atmosphere. They are not environmentally friendly for both animal and human being.

In conclusion, I completely agree that plastic bags should be avoided because they can cause animal’s deaths. Furthermore, they are difficult to be destroyed and it takes a lot of time to do. Personally, People must realize how dangerous of using the plastic not only to human but to animal as well. We live in the same world so we should take care of each other.

Try to keep your claims weaker, don’t use contractions in formal writing and reduce the size of your conclusion – the paragraph before should be longer so that you can more fully develop your main ideas.

Keep working hard!

Is the format for “Do you Agree / Disagree” & “What extent do you Agree / Disagree?” the same if I only plan on supporting one side? Is it a necessity to acknowledge the other side?.

For example, if I only support one side, can I support it in both my body paragraphs?

Yes, they are exactly the same.

You can but I would strongly recommend writing about both sides so that you don’t repeat your main ideas.

good morning, I’m very happy that I have read this site, and also everyday I use

Happy to help!

Hello, Dave thank you for your explanation! I’ve written my essay based on yours Dunno whether it is a good tip for acquiring academic writing technique or not ) Thank you in advance

A lot of environmental problems are caused by the wide usage of plastic bags, hence, some people consider that those bags ought to be prohibited. In my opinion, they have a negative effect on landfills and the seas, however, the replacements for plastic bags also carry significant environmental risks, that is why I think that plastic bags should not be bunned.

To begin, the main environmental side effect caused by plastic bags is the earth and water contamination. An insignificant percentage of people may reuse them, but most would simply litter or throw them in the trash. If individuals continue to throw plastic bags in the trash, they will turn to an ever-increasing number of landfills and contribute to soil pollution. For example, the ones that are simply thrown on the street tossed into clog drains after that find their way to the sea and entangle marine life. 

Another view is that if plastic bags would be prohibited a harmful effect from biodegradable products. Most people suggest that paper bags and reusable bags made from cotton are the best solutions, however, these remedies are even worse. Paper bags require us to continue clearing forests, besides, reusable bags are plagued by similar problems. Independent studies have shown that the production of cotton and reusable plastic causes more harm to the environment than disposable bags due to factories’ exhausts. 

In conclusion, owing to broadly usable plastic bags nature snowed under many problems; some people support the idea to restrict those bags. Plastic bags are the main reason for landscape and water contamination, however, I think that if plastic bags would be bunned the side effects for nature will be even worse, hence, they should not be prohibited.  

Nowadays, the massive use of plastic bags has resulted in a lot of environmental issues. It is because plastic is a material that is harmful to the sea and land. To cherish and save our earth, I strongly agreed with the idea that plastic shopping bags should be prohibited.

First of all, marine pollution can be attributed to plastic bags. A pile of plastic bags are discarded into the oceans every year. Most of them are non-biodegradable. Animals like fish, whales, crabs, seabirds might not be able to distinguish between food and rubbish. Marine creatures may mistake plastic for food. Since the plastic is difficult to be digested, it will stay in their stomachs for a long time. If they swallow the plastic bags, it may become a deadly threat to their life. For this reason, plastic waste has brought about a detrimental effect on the world’s ecosystem.

Next, the excessive use of plastic bags are closely bound up with land pollution and agricultural development. Landfill sites of used plastics seem to occupy a large piece of land which will not / is possibly not able to be restored for a long period of time and affect the fertility of the soil. Besides, It will deteriorate the crops’ absorption of nutrients and water, thus reducing productivity. Therefore, plastic products has brought an adverse effect on soil environment and crop yields.

In conclusion, the impact of the use of plastic shopping bags on the environment must be minimised. For the sake of the earth’s health / the planet’s sustainability, It is advisable that plastic bags should be banned while encouraging people to think invent alternative ways on shopping bags. 

Plastic bags are in high demand for shopping purposes. Some people believe that there should be a ban on the usage of these bags, and I completely agree with this opinion because of their adverse impact on the environment.

Plastic bags are in high demand due to their cheap cost, however, these materials pollute the environment. One of the biggest causes is, it acts as a pollutant when we burn it after its usage. It produces toxic gases which are not suitable for human lungs and may cause severe lung diseases same as smoking does. For example, In India, items such as vegetables, groceries, and dairy products come in plastic bags. After the single-use, people burn empty bags with other garbage which unknowingly impact their health. If it is not replaced with other alternatives, people will need to compromise with their health.

Furthermore, It does not only make humans unhealthy but also does the same with other species. Animals when in extreme hunger, mostly street dogs or cows, eat things from garbage boxes that contain plastic bags massively because people throw leftover food after wrapping it in these bags. Animals eat these small bags very often, and it sticks to their organs, which is not digestible and creates stomach issues. Apart from animals, Marine life is also in danger because of plastic when thrown on beaches. Plastic does not dissolve in water and many marine species stuck in these bags and can not move freely. 

Considering the negative impacts mentioned in the above paragraphs, I personally recommend the government to ban plastic shopping bag’s usage. It will be beneficial for all of the living beings on the planet to live a healthy life.

Great work! Very accurate writing.

Love how specific your answers are though it could be more academic at times.

Keep it up!

It is often argued that it is more advantageous to ban plastic shopping bags because of widely used and environmental problems. I completely agree with this opinion and think that plastic must be banned. Plastics are made from raw materials like natural gas, oil or plants, which are refined into ethane and propane. Plastic is durable and provides protection from contaminants and the elements. It reduces food waste by preserving food and increasing its shelf life. It protects food against pests, microbes and humidity. Without this protection, food is more likely to get damaged and become unusable. 

First of all, I believe that plastic pollution is really bad for the environment. Because of, plastic pollution causes harm to humans, animals and plants through toxic pollutants. Plastic pollution is caused by the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. For instance, if plastic are burned, it releases a toxic substance into the air causing air pollution. That is why it is more important for people to use organic plastic or bring their own shopping bag instead of using new plastic bag

Secondly, in my opinion, It can take hundreds or even thousands of years for plastic to decompose so the environmental damage is long-lasting. Plastic sticks around in the environment for ages, threatening wildlife and spreading toxins. Plastic also contributes to global warming. For example, filter feeding animals, like whale sharks, can ingest plastic by accident and jellyfish-eating species mistake plastic bags and balloon ribbons for jellyfish. 

In conclusion, I strongly believe it is better to banned plastic shopping bag because it can encourage people to use less plastic to reduce plastic pollution and environmental issues.

Great work!

Your introduction is a little long though – try to achieve a better balance and develop your ideas more.

Assume that I was given a both side question. Then, my approach was to discuss both side, but I prefered view 1 to view 2.

I want to ask: “if I choose a 60-40 structure, will I have to write view 2 paragraphs less than view 1 paragraph???”

Have a beatiful day, sir!

I don’t think the length of the paragraph matters in the so-calle 60-40 structure.

You just need to choose one of those sides – ideally, it should be a little bit of a longer/stronger argument for that side but as long as you have an overall opinion then that isn’t so important.

Hi, Dave! May I ask for the strongly agree opinion, I have two paragraphs which support rails are more important, should I compare with the roads?

If you are just going to write about one side, then you can just write about that one side.

I wouldn’t recommend it for two reasons:

1. Students tend to repeat their ideas when they just choose one side. 2. I’ve heard some examiners are a little picky/idiosyncratic when it comes to just have one side. Safer and easier for you to discuss both sides!

Respected Sir, In this essay, should we write the reasons for banning plastic bags or results of banning plastic bags ?

means Agree as animals suffers a lot and air pollution increases

Agree because it saves animals life and people become healthy

You should write about whether or not they should be banned.

Both those options would work.

It is believed that the production of plastic bags ought to be abandoned as it causes environmental issues. I find the above arguments to be logical as it saves not only marine lives but also human lives as well.

This development would definitely protects the lives in the oceans. This is because in many developing countries such as China and India, large amount of plastics are being trashed into garbage, and the garbage is directly thrown into the oceans without proper degradation process that consequently damages organ of marine species by feeding them and turn them into death; therefore, if plastics bags are banned to use, no plastics would be thrown into the oceans. Resultantly, it would save millions of marine animals which are responsible for maintaining the ecological balance.

Addition to saving marine lives, it could be also beneficial for the human body. Since large amount of deadly chemical gas omits in air from the plastic manufacturing firms by making plastic bags, masses suffer from respiratory issues, such as asthma and pneumonia, by inhaling the polluted air. For example, a recent study conducted in the USA indicated that owing to the emission of chemical gas from the production of plastic bags in air, the rate of patients suffering from Asthma, the respiratory disease, has increased doubled in recent decade. As a result, health of human would protect, if use of plastic bags is banned.

In conclusion, I completely convinced that production of plastic bags should be banned as it brings benefits to save marine species besides protecting people from respiratory diseases.

In the technologically modern world , where everything has been upgraded to its maximum capacity, material storing and transporting components are also been upgraded into something which is compressible, easy to carry , and has a very complex and unbreakable structure “Plastic”. Due to its compositions, and non degrading structure , it is very harmful to the environment and should be definitely be banned for usage.

Plastics as stated are complex carbon structures with have whatsoever no impact on its structure due to environment. it stays for million of years in the face of earth. the only way to get it out of the ecosystem is to burn it, which in turn releases multiple green house gases , causing global warming.

Plastics were initially manufactured for ease of humans itself. A medium which is waterproof, does not tear easily, Manufactured in bulk and can be recycles as well. but over the years with increased population , and increased use of plastics , it is seen that the waste rate is way up than the manufacturing rate. even thiugh recycling is done, million of bags doesnt even get back to the factories are lost in the envioronment in between , harming soil, aquatic animals, Land animals and also our us in return.

in conclusion , i would like to state that plastics were a tremendous inventions in the early times, But now its abundance in the earth have much more harming effects than positive effects. and thus they should be banned in every country , so as to protect the earth from further degradation.

A little long but good work Sohini!

You should try to balance your paragraphs a bit better and have clear sentences with periods and good punctuation.

Plastic shopping bags are used widely and cause many environmental problems. Some people say they should be banned.To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is important to understand the role of plastic in the degradation of the environment. While, Some believe that usage of plastic carry bags should be banned, I tend to disagree with a complete ban because of its economic and technological benefits, and instead plastic use should be regulated by filtering out the ones which do noticeably less harm to the nature.

On the one hand, plastic as a material to make bags is choosen by industry because of its low cost of production and operation. There is continous research in the manufacturing and logistics to meet the evergrowing demand. Furthermore, it is cheap and easy to recycle a plastic bag. As a result, it becomes economically viable to setup recycling units across the landscape close to towns, where the usage is very high. If the same bag was to be made by cloth or paper, then the overall operation would have been costly. 

On the other hand, there is a need to place restrictions on the usage of such variant of plastic which has and will cause harm to the environment. Studies have shown that plastic material made using high degree polymer is the main pollutant of the oceans and wetlands. This doesn’t stop with oceans ,as the carry bags which were thrown in the open could seep down the ground and pollute pure underground water. Moreover, such variant of plastic bags are hard to recycle. However, it is worth noting the noticeable decrease in the use of these plastic bags.  To sum up, given the pros of using shopping bag made of plastic such as its cost and ease of production, it should not be banned entirely. However, the version of plastic which is proven to be detrimental need to be banned from being used as a shopping bag.

It is often noted that many governments are adopting policies that allow a few offenders to perform charitable services instead of staying in prison. I completely agree with this because it reduces reoffending and develops the personal and practical skills of the prisoners.

 Sometimes the criminals are not in their senses while doing the violations such as juveniles. These lawbreakers should allow a chance to reform rather than put with serious criminals which can result them to become dangerous offenders. I believe if these young people are allowed to do some volunteer social services, their minds will get distracted to a positive aspect of life which can be a major step towards stopping them from committing further crimes. For example, this has been confirmed by a recent study in the USA, that most of these ages of criminals have adopted a positive outlook on life after spending some time performing community services.

Some crimes such as drug addiction or burglary may be the outcomes of bad company or poverty. In my opinion, these offenders should be dealt with empathy and a bit of leniency. While serving community, individuals learn a new skill or meet new people. As a result, they develop some personal and professional skills such as adaptability, problem-solving, diplomacy and empathy towards others, that can help them to find suitable employment and live a respectful life in future. For instance, many of these minor criminals have found better employment after coming out of prison due to valuable skills they learned in community services.

In conclusion, crimes should indeed be punished, but the ways of punishment should not be the same for all. Rather, people with less serious crimes should be given the chance to improve by permitting them to do community service where they learn new skills and it will stop them from repeating those criminalities.

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IELTS Writing: Agree or Disagree Lesson with Sample Answer

Agree or disagree essays: ielts writing task 2 lesson.

This lesson will teach you how to write ‘agree or disagree’ or ‘opinion’ IELTS task 2 essays that could score a Band 7, 8 or 9.

Agree or disagree question types are among the most common on the IELTS writing paper, so you must learn how to write them properly.

In this post, we will look at:

Deciding Opinion

Idea generation.

• Writing an Effective Introduction
• Writing Supporting Paragraphs
• Writing a Conclusion

We will use a question from an IELTS past paper to help us understand the task.

Many students fail to do well in this type of question because they do not have a clear opinion and they do not use an appropriate structure .

The best structure you can use for this type of essay is:

Paragraph 1- Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question

Sentence 2- Thesis Statement

Sentence 3- Outline Statement

Paragraph 2- Supporting Paragraph 1

Sentence 1- Topic Sentence

Sentence 2/3- Explain Topic Sentence

Sentence 3/4- Example

Paragraph 3- Supporting Paragraph 2

Paragraph 4- Conclusion

Sentence 1- Summary and reiteration of your opinion.

That’s it! Four paragraphs.

Note : You don’t have to use this structure; other structures can get you a high score. However, this structure has been approved by IELTS examiners to allow you to write a clear and cohesive essay. This structure will allow you to focus on generating your ideas and then writing an effective essay.

In this essay, IELTS examiners want you to give a clear opinion, so you must decide when you read the question. You will also need to do this to write an effective thesis statement.

Let’s look at an example:

In some countries, many people suffer from health problems due to eating too much fast food. It is, therefore, necessary for governments to impose a higher tax on this kind of food.

Do you agree or disagree?

  With this type of essay, we have two choices:

• We agree with the statement or;
• We disagree with the statement

Some teachers advise you to partly agree and disagree. However, I would NOT recommend this because it often leads to an essay with NO clear focus and a CONFUSING structure.

Therefore, for this agree or disagree essay, you can say either:

• This essay agrees that governments should tax fast food or;
• This essay disagrees that governments should tax fast food

I think I will have more ideas for A, so I’m choosing that one. Always choose the one you feel comfortable writing about – even if you don’t feel that way. You don’t get extra marks for writing about how you feel; you want to give the examiner what they need to score your essay a Band 7+.

Now we have to think of ideas for why governments should tax fast food.

Here are some:

• Cigarettes and alcohol are taxed in the same way
• The money raised could be used to treat people with health problems
• Fast food companies should be punished for selling unhealthy food to people
• Making the food more expensive would stop people from eating it
• The money raised could be used to educate people about healthy eating

We don’t need to use all of these, just two for our supporting paragraphs. I will pick the first and the fourth ones because I know a little about these two and feel confident I can expand on them with explanations and examples. Remember, the examiner wants you to fully support your arguments, not just list many ideas.

Now we have two supporting ideas; we can move on to our introduction.

Introduction

As previously stated, we will use the following structure:

For a more detailed explanation, please see our post on writing an effective introduction.

To paraphrase  the question, we restate it with a different meaning using synonyms. I will also reorder the question. Here is the question again:

In some countries, an increasing number of people are suffering from health problems due to eating too much fast food. It is, therefore, necessary for governments to impose a higher tax on this kind of food.

Paraphrased: It is argued that governments should levy a tariff on junk food because the health risks associated with consuming this kind of food are rising. 

This is our first sentence.

We now need to write our thesis statement. This is our opinion in one sentence. This essay will agree with the above statement and will, therefore, look like this:

This essay agrees that a higher rate of tax should be paid by fast-food companies.

This is our second sentence.

We now need to write our third and final sentence, which is the outline sentence . This sentence outlines what you will write about in the main body paragraphs.

Firstly, alcohol and tobacco companies already pay higher taxes; secondly, higher taxes could raise prices and lower consumption. 

So our full introduction will look like this:

It is argued that governments should levy a tariff on junk food because the number of health risks associated with consuming this kind of food is on the rise. This essay agrees that a higher rate of tax should be paid by fast-food companies. Firstly, alcohol and tobacco companies already pay higher taxes; secondly, higher taxes could raise prices and lower consumption.

We now need to write our supporting paragraphs for our agree or disagree essay:

Supporting Paragraph 1

This paragraph should include:

• Topic Sentence
• Explanation

A topic sentence tells the examiner about the rest of the paragraph. In other words, it is a summary of your first idea. It should look something like this:

Higher excise on liqueur and cigarettes has proven to curb the harm caused by these substances.

We now need to expand on this point a little. A good way of doing this is to assume that the examiner does not know this subject, and you must explain clearly what you mean. Here is what this could look like:

This revenue has been used to treat health problems associated with these products and has proven useful in advertising campaigns warning people about the dangers of alcohol and tobacco abuse. Tax from fast food could be used in the same way.

We should now think of an example to support our point. Think about any recent news stories, studies or adverts. If you can’t think of one, make one up. The examiner won’t check if it is real or not.

The United Kingdom is a prime example, where money from smokers is used to treat lung cancer and heart disease while at the same time, pumped into health campaigns in schools to warn children about the dangers of smoking.     

That’s it. Four sentences. The full paragraph should look like this:

Higher excise on liqueur and cigarettes has proven to curb the harm caused by these substances. This revenue has been used to treat health problems associated with these products and has proven useful in advertising campaigns warning people about the dangers of alcohol and tobacco abuse. Tax from fast food could be used in the same way. The United Kingdom is a prime example, where money from smokers is used to treat lung cancer and heart disease.

Supporting Paragraph 2

We now repeat the same formula with our second supporting point- higher taxes will increase prices and reduce consumption.

Our topic sentence:

Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower consumption.

Explaining this further:

Fast food companies would pass on these taxes to consumers in the form of higher prices, leading to people not being able to afford junk food because it is too expensive. Junk food would soon become a luxury item, and it would only be consumed occasionally, which would be less harmful to the general public’s health.

We now support our point with an example:

For instance, the cost of organic food has proven prohibitively expensive for most people, and that is why only a small percentage of the population buys it regularly.

The full paragraph would look like this:

Increasing taxes would raise prices and lower consumption. Fast food companies would pass on these taxes to consumers in the form of higher prices, leading to people not being able to afford junk food because it is too expensive. Junk food would soon become a luxury item, and it would only be consumed occasionally, which would be less harmful to the general public’s health. For instance, the cost of organic food has proven prohibitively expensive for most people, and that is why only a small percentage of the population buys it regularly.

Four sentences.

Conclusion  

As stated before, a good conclusion for agree or disagree essays should include:

Sentence 1- Summary of main points

Sentence 2- Your opinion

Don’t write any new ideas in this paragraph.

A good conclusion should restate your thesis statement and your main supporting points.

In conclusion, junk food should be taxed at a higher rate because of the good precedent set by alcohol and tobacco and the fact that the increased cost should reduce the number of fast-food people buy.

Agree or Disagree IELTS Sample Essay 

 In conclusion, junk food should be taxed at a higher rate because of the good precedent set by alcohol and tobacco and the fact that the increased cost should reduce the amount of fast-food people buy.

I hope you found this ‘agree or disagree’ essay IELTS lesson useful.

About Christopher Pell

My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.

I started IELTS Advantage as a simple blog to help 16 students in my class. Several years later, I am very humbled that my VIP Course has been able to help thousands of people around the world to score a Band 7+ in their IELTS tests.

If you need my help with your IELTS preparation, you can send me an email using the contact us page.

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Opinion Essays

IELTS opinion essays, also known as ‘agree or disagree’ essays, come up frequently in the writing exam. In this lesson, I’m going to show you how to plan and write them step-by-step.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

• 3 Common mistakes
• Essay structure
• How to plan
• How to write an introduction
• How to write main body paragraphs
• How to write a conclusion

Click the links to see lessons on each of these Task 2 essay writing topics. 

Once you understand the process, practice on past questions. Take your time at first and gradually speed up until you can plan and write an essay of at least 250 words in the 40 minutes allowed in the exam.

The Question

The first part of the question for an IELTS opinion essay will be a statement. You will then be asked to give your own opinion about the statement. Here is some typical wording that might be used:

• What is your opinion?
• Do you agree or disagree?
• To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Want  to watch and listen to this lesson?

Click on this video.

Here's a question from a past test paper.

A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.  

Do you agree or disagree?  

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

I’ll be using this question to guide you through the process of planning and writing an IELTS opinion essay.

3 Common Mistakes

These three errors are common in IELTS opinion essays.

• Not stating an opinion.
• Giving arguments for both views.
• Not supporting your opinion with clear reasons.

The most common mistake that students make is not giving an opinion. The question will clearly state that you must choose one side of the argument. If you fail to do this, you will get a low score for task achievement.

It doesn’t matter which side of the argument you take or even, that you agree with it. Choose the one you can develop the best argument for.

Make sure that you don’t change your opinion part way through the essay, and don’t give reasons for the opposing view.

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write opinion essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

1)  Introduction

• Paraphrase the question
• Give your opinion
• State two supporting reasons

2)  Main body paragraph 1

• Topic sentence – outline 1st reason for supporting this view
• Explanation – explain this idea
• Example – give an example  or expand the idea

3)  Main body paragraph 2

• Topic sentence – outline 2nd reason for supporting this view
• Example – give an example or expand the idea

4)  Conclusion

• Summarise opinion and key reasons

This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

We now need some ideas to add into the structure and we’ll have everything we need for our essay.

How To Plan IELTS Opinion Essays

# 1  decide on your opinion.

The question I've chosen to work on is quite straightforward and easy to understand so we don’t need to spend time analysing it. The first task, then, is to decide on our opinion.

Here’s the question again:

A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

Do you agree or disagree?  

For this essay, I’m going to disagree with the statement and argue that job satisfaction is more important than a big salary.

# 2  Generate ideas

The second task is to generate some ideas to write about.

Since I‘m going to argue that job satisfaction is more important than a large salary, I need ideas to support this view.

There are several different ways to think up ideas. I cover them fully on the  IELTS Essay Planning  page.

With this particular question, I immediately thought of a couple of examples of situations where job satisfaction did prove to be more important than a high salary, so I’m going to use the ‘example method’ of generating ideas.

Once you’ve thought of an example or two, ideas to include in your essay should come to you easily.

You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.

Here are my examples and some ideas they generated.

Both the examples are partly true but I've adapted them to better fit the essay. It's fine to do this as the examiner won't check your facts.

• Uncle Barry – boasted about high salary but hated his job. Nervous breakdown – lost job & can’t work.
• Me – gave up teaching. Now enjoy my work and am much more relaxed and happy even though I earn much less money.
• High-salary jobs are generally more stressful
• Stress leads to ill health, both mental and physical
• 40 hours a week at work – a third of the day
• Money doesn’t bring happiness
• Better quality of life
• Sense of fulfilment
• Less stressed – healthier and happier

I’ve got more ideas here than I need so I’m going to pick two to develop in the essay – one for each of the main body paragraphs.

Idea 1 – High-salary jobs are generally more stressful and can lead to ill health.

Idea 2 – Job satisfaction gives a sense of fulfilment.

We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS opinion essay but first, we have one other small task to do.

# 3  Vocabulary

In an IELTS essay, it’s important to be able to say the same things in different ways, either by paraphrasing and/or using synonyms. During the planning stage, quickly jot down a few synonyms of key words you could use to save you having to stop and think of the right language while you’re writing.

For example:

satisfaction – fulfilment, achievement, sense of accomplishment, content, sense of well-being

salary – income, wages, pay, earnings

important – significant, valued, has more meaning

job – work, employment, position

With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

A good introduction has a simple 3 part structure:

1)  Paraphrased question

2)  Thesis statement

3)  outline statement.

An introduction should:

• Have 2-3 sentences
• Be 40-60 words long
• Take 5 minutes to write

1)  Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

     Question:  A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

                       Do you agree or disagree?  

Paraphrased question:  

It is argued that earning lots of money has more significance to people than being content in their work.

Note that I’ve used some of the synonyms I listed, although it’s fine to repeat one or two words if you need to. Above all, your language must sound natural.

In IELTS opinion essays, the thesis statement is where you state your opinion. For example,

    Thesis statement:  

    This essay totally disagrees with that statement.

That’s all you need to say.

If you decided to agree with the statement, you would write:

'This essay completely agrees with that statement.'

Finally in the introduction, you must outline the two main points (ideas 1 and 2 above) that you’ll cover in the rest of the essay. Do it in one sentence, or you can add them onto the end of the thesis statement if appropriate.

Outl ine statement:  

I believe that people are increasingly concerned about the risk of stress-related ill-health frequently experienced by people in highly paid positions and they care more about feeling fulfilled at work.

So, let’s bring the three elements of our introduction together.

     Introduction

This introduction achieves three important functions:

• It shows the examiner that you understand the question.
• It acts as a guide to the examiner as to what your essay is about.
• It also helps to keep you focused and on track as you write.

The two ideas in your introduction will become your two main body paragraphs.

Main body paragraph 1  – concerns about the risk of stress-related ill-health

Main body paragraph 2  – a sense of fulfilment at work

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

The structure of a good main body paragraph has 3 parts:

• Topic sentence
• Explanation

If you can’t think of an example, you can add further supporting ideas but we already have our two examples so that’s not an issue here.

A common problem when writing main body paragraphs for IELTS opinion essays is having too many ideas. Again, we have already chosen the two ideas we are going to develop, so we are all set to start writing.

You can see how important the planning stage is and how it makes the actual writing of the essay far quicker and easier.

Main Body Paragraph 1

The  topic sentence  summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

It plays an important role in ensuring that your ideas flow logically from one to another. It does this by acting as a signpost for what is to come next, that is, what the paragraph will be about.

If you maintain a clear development of ideas throughout your essay, you will get high marks for task achievement and cohesion and coherence.

We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.

Main idea 1  – concerns about the risk of stress-related ill-health

Topic sentence:  

Employees earning a large income are generally under significant mental and emotional pressure to perform well and achieve targets.

Next, we must write an  explanation sentence . This explains to the examiner what we mean. It expands on our first idea.

Explanation sentence: 

This causes many individuals to suffer high levels of stress which can result in both mental and physical health problems.

Finally, we add an  example  to support our main point. I thought of this in the planning stage so I have it ready to use.

If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts.

Example sentence:

This happened to my uncle. He used to boast about his huge salary but the boss kept increasing his sales targets and in the end, the stress became too great and he had a nervous breakdown. Now he regrets being driven by the money.

That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

We now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea 2  – Job satisfaction gives a sense of fulfilment.

First, we write the  topic sentence  to summarise the main idea.

Topic sentence:

Having a job that they enjoy doing, and in which they feel valued, is a major concern for most of the modern workforce.

Now for the  explanation sentence  to explain this idea.

Explanation sentence:

A significant number of people are giving up well-paid positions to do jobs which pay less but that they find more enjoyable and less stressful.

Finally, an  example  to support our main point. As before, I thought of this in the planning stage so just need to form it into a couple of sentences.

I am an example of this myself. A year ago I left the teaching profession because the workload had become too great and I am now a gardener. I feel really fulfilled in this work and I am much more relaxed and happy even though I earn far less money.

That’s the 3 parts of our second main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

Now we need a conclusion and our IELTS opinion essay is done.

How To Write a Conclusion

Conclusions to IELTS opinion essays should do two things:

• Summarise the main points
• State your opinion

This can generally be done in a single sentence.

If you are below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add an additional prediction or recommendation statement.

Our essay currently has 233 words so we’re on target and don’t need this extra sentence but you can learn more about how to write a prediction or recommendation statement for IELTS opinion essays on the Task 2 Conclusions page.

The conclusion is the easiest sentence in the essay to write but one of the most important.

A good conclusion will:

• Neatly end the essay
• Link all your ideas together
• Sum up your argument or opinion
• Answer the question

If you achieve this, you’ll improve your score for both task achievement and cohesion and coherence which together make up 50% of the overall marks. Without a conclusion, you’ll score below band 6 for task achievement.

You can start almost any final paragraph of an IELTS opinion essay with the words:

• In conclusion

        or

• To conclude

Now all you need to do is briefly summarise the main ideas into one sentence.

Here’s a top tip . Go back and read the introduction to the essay because this is also a summary of the essay. It outlines what you are going to write about.

To create a great conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. Let’s give it a go.

Introduction:

Here is the same information formed into a conclusion:

That’s it. We’ve completed our essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.

    Question:

   A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

   Do you agree or disagree?

Finished IELTS opinion essay.

Go through this lesson as many times as you need to in order to fully understand it and put in lots of practice writing IELTS opinion essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

5 More Model IELTS Opinion Essays

This pack contains another step-by-step lesson and  model essay. P lus 4 additional opinion essay questions with model answers.

Carefully created to help you achieve 7+ in your Writing test.

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More help with ielts opinion essays & other task 2 essays.

IELTS Writing Task 2  – T he format, the 5 question types, the 5 step essay writing strategy & sample questions. All the key information you need to know.

The 5 Types of Task 2 Essay   – How to recognise the 5 different types of Task 2 essays. 15 sample questions to study and a simple planning structure for each essay type.

Understanding Task 2 Questions  – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 2 Essay  – Discover why essay planning is essential & learn a simple 4 step strategy, the 4 part essay structure & 4 methods of generating ideas.

How To Write a Task 2 Introduction  – Find out why a good introduction is essential. Learn how to write one using a simple 3 part strategy & discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Main Body Paragraphs  – Learn the simple 3 part structure for writing great main body paragraphs and also, 3 common mistakes to avoid. 

How To Write Task 2 Conclusions  – Learn the easy way to write the perfect conclusion for a Task 2 essay. Also discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

Task 2 Marking Criteria  – Find out how to meet the marking criteria in Task 2. See examples of good and poor answers & learn some common mistakes to avoid.

The 5 Task 2 Essay Types:

Step-by-step instructions on how to plan & write high-level essays. Model answers & common mistakes to avoid.

   Opinion Essays

   Discussion Essays

  Problem Solution Essays

  Advantages & Disadvantages Essays

  Double Question Essays

Other Related Pages

IELTS Writing Test  – Understand the format & marking criteria, know what skills are assessed & learn the difference between the Academic & General writing tests.

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How to answer “To what extent do you agree or disagree?” task 2 questions

Determine your position.

Support:  Doctors save lives and carry enormous responsibility for their patients’ wellbeing

Planning your essay writing

State your position. If you partially agree you can use a “while” statement: While it is true that doctors and teachers perform priceless services, on the whole I believe that it is impossible for them to be paid what top entertainers are paid. 

There are numerous jobs where it could be argued that people are not paid nearly enough for what they do, as in the case of doctors and teachers. Some, in fact, say they should be paid more than sports or entertainment stars.   While I understand the logic behind this, the world works differently and such a shift is impossible.

Essay structure

Task response, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, audio tutorial.

How to write an IELTS thesis statement.

Ielts essay introductions and thesis statements..

updated: July 27th 2022. When writing the introduction of an IELTS essay there are two steps that need to be taken. Paraphrase the task question and write a Thesis Statement . If the question asks for an opinion then it must be in the thesis statement. It depends on the type of essay you are writing as they are not all the same. It is advisable to write a thesis in the introduction for every type of essay. A good thesis statement can help you get a good band score in task response in the writing section.

The thesis statement tells the examiner what the essay is going to be about and the conclusion of the essay paraphrases the thesis statement. Some teachers have other views and say that a thesis statement is not needed. There are different approaches to writing an IELTS essay. If you have 10 IELTS teachers in a room there will most likely be 10 different opinions on the matter.

In my opinion, a thesis statement is logical and shows the reader what to expect in the rest of the essay. However, do not confuse Thesis statements with memorised outline sentences. See this link here about that.

What exactly is a thesis statement?

‘A thesis statement tells the reader what your essay is going to be about in one or two sentences. It usually includes your opinion or states your position’

• Don’t use rhetorical questions in the thesis. The thesis statement is not a question.
• Make it clear what you are going to write about briefly (1 or 2 sentences)
• If it’s an opinion essay, give 2 reasons for your opinion in the thesis statement.
• The thesis statement comes after paraphrasing the question.
• Do not write an outline sentence, these look like a cliche and memorised. Examiners are trained to spot memorised phrases, for instance: ‘ This essay would like to explore reasons for this in more detail’
• Don’t confuse thesis statements with the above outline sentence. Outline sentences are for very long academic essays. See this lesson here on phrases to avoid.

For each essay type this is what should be in the Thesis statement:

1. Opinion essays: write 2 reasons for your opinion. 2. Advantage disadvantage essays:  state the advantage and the disadvantage, 3. Problem solution essays:   briefly state 1 or 2 problems and possible solutions. 4 . Discussion essays: after paraphrasing both sides of the argument, give your opinion with a reason why you hold that view. 5. Two part question essays: answer the 1st question then answer the 2nd question briefly.

First you have to identify what kind of essay it is.

The first step before you begin to write is to make sure you understand the question, then identify what kind of essay this will be. There are 5 variations on an IELTS discursive essay click here to see a lesson on this .

Before you write the thesis statement you will need to paraphrase the question , click here for a lesson on this. Click here to see how to write a good introduction to a Problem Solution essay.

1. Discussion essay.

This is the Paraphrased introduction with a Thesis statement.

A number of people believe serious crimes need to have a set punishment, whereas others argue that the situation of the crime must be considered. I agree that the circumstances of the crime itself should be taken into account because every case is different.

Thesis Statement: ‘ I agree that the circumstances of the crime itself should be taken into account because every case is different’

It is important to give a brief reason for your view, the body paragraphs should expand on this. The examiner can clearly see your position in the introduction. In this essay, my position is that every case is different and a prison sentence would not be appropriate.

Note: For a more academic feel, rather than using a personal pronoun to state your opinion, you could state your position like this below:

This essay agrees that the circumstances of the crime itself should be taken into account because every case is different.

2. Opinon essay.

Again you need to paraphrase the question and then clearly agree or disagree , remember to choose just one side.. the words: ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree’ means how much do you agree/disagree, or how far do you agree/disagree. You should mention the other side of the argument but stick to your own opinion. Balanced essays do not necessarily get a higher band score.

Give 2 reasons for your view in the thesis statement here. This is the Paraphrased introduction with a Thesis statement:

It is argued that society would be better off if every type of advertising was prohibited. I disagree that all advertising should be disallowed as this policy would not benefit society and would negatively impact the economy.

Thesis statement: ‘ I disagree that all advertising should be disallowed as this policy would not benefit societ y and would negatively impact the economy.’

In this thesis statement I have clearly stated why I hold the opinion that advertising should not be banned with 2 reasons (no benefit to society and bad for the economy)  Remember to keep the introduction to under 55 words or it will be too long.

As mentioned before, you can use a more academic way to state your view, such as:

This essay disagrees that all advertising should be disallowed because this policy would not benefit society and would have a negative impact on the economy.

3. Advantages disadvantages essay.

This is the Paraphrased introduction with a Thesis statement:

In recent times, people can reside wherever they want in the world because of the progress that has made in technology and transport. The main advantage is the career opportunities that a person can get outside their own country, while a possible downside would be the stress of adjusting to living in a different culture.

Thesis statement: ‘ The main advantage is the career opportunities that a person can get outside their own country, while a possible downside would be the stress of adjusting to living in a different culture.’

Try keeping the whole introduction under 55 words as you don’t want it to look like a body paragraph. You can write about 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages, but you need to keep the introduction concise.

Another method is to just refer to the advantage and state the disadvantage, such as:

In recent times, people can reside wherever they want in the world because of the progress that has made in technology and transport. Although there are advantages, the downside would be the stress of adjusting to living in a different culture.’

This allows you to keep the thesis statement concise especially if you want to cover two advantages (or disadvantages)

4. Advantages disadvantages outweigh essay (this needs your opinion).

This type of advantage disadvantage essay is special because it asks ‘ Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?’. This means you have to write about what side you think is stronger and reflect that in the essay and also in the thesis statement. You need to state an opinion here.

Some experts argue that children should study a new language at primary school as opposed to secondary school. This essay agrees that the advantages are stronger than the disadvantages because youngsters pick up and master new languages much easier than at a high school age.

Thesis statement: ‘This essay agrees that the advantages are stronger than the disadvantages because youngsters pick up and master new languages much easier than at a high school age .’

I have underlined the reason for my opinion here. Giving a reason for your opinion is important in a thesis statement. The introduction is 44 words long so that will be fine. Remember to also address the other side of the issue in the main body paragraphs, the side you think is weaker.

Another method here is to use this style which is very concise at 32 words but it does not contain a reason for my view.

Some experts argue that youngsters should study a new language at primary school as opposed to secondary school. In my view, the advantages of younger children learning new languages outweigh the disadvantages.

5. Problem solution / causes solution essay.

People living in large cities have to deal with many issues in their day to day lives. The main problems people face are high rental costs and overcrowding. Some possible solutions would be to build more affordable housing and more green spaces.

Thesis statement: ‘ The main problems people face are high rental costs and overcrowding. Some possible solutions would be to build more affordable housing and more green spaces.’

I have listed 2 problems high rents, overcrowding and 2 solutions affordable housing, green spaces . You can choose just one problem and one solution and that would be fine.

6. Two part question (direct question essay).

The world wide web is a huge source of knowledge which has created opportunities for people worldwide to study. However, not all information on the internet can be trusted, so the government needs to put measures in place to protect people from false information.

Thesis statement: ‘ However, not all information on the internet can be trusted, so the government needs to put measures in place to protect people from false information.’

Two part question essays are sometimes called ‘Direct question’ essays. They consist of 2 direct questions in the task question. Sometimes they will ask for your opinion such as: Do you think….?  or   What do you think…?

If the question asks for the opinion then you must state it. You should briefly answer the 2 questions in the thesis statement then give more detail in the body paragraphs.

Check out the blog posts about how to identify the 5 essay types and also how to paraphrase the question . These are key stages before writing your thesis statement. Make sure your whole introduction is under 55 words or it will be too long.

Take a look here at how to write a good introduction in writing task 2. Now you can try.

Here is a Discussion essay question where you have to give your opinion. Can you write a Thesis statement for it?

Some people believe that the best way to deal with heavy traffic in city centres is for privately owned vehicles to be banned, others however think this is not a realistic solution.  Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Task question again:

Some people believe that the best way to deal with heavy traffic in city centres is for privately owned vehicles to be banned, others however think this is not a realistic solution. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Paraphrased introduction: Some people argue that prohibiting private cars from city centres is the best way to tackle traffic congestion, whereas others say that this is unrealistic.

Thesis statement: I agree that private vehicles should be banned from city centres and more investment needs to be put into public transportation to alleviate traffic jams.

Full introduction with thesis statement:

Some people argue that prohibiting private cars from city centres is the best way to tackle traffic congestion, whereas others say that this is unrealistic. I agree that private vehicles should be banned from city centres and more investment needs to be put into public transportation to alleviate traffic jams.

Leave a comment below if you have any questions..

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• Essay Task 2

IELTS Writing Task 2: Opinion Essays- Benchmark IELTS

• Essay Types
• Double Question
• Advantage Disadvantage
• Problem Solution
• Essay Length

Opinion essays are a very common writing task 2 essay type. As you would expect from the name, you need to write a well-structured IELTS writing essay topics that give your opinion. We’ve put together a guide with everything you need to know to write a great IELTS writing task 2 opinion essay. Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

1.1 understanding the question, 1.2 example opinion questions.

• Essay Structure for Opinion Essays
• 3.1 Identify key words and phrases

3.2 Organise your ideas

3.3 identify vocabulary, 4.1 introduction, 4.2 main body paragraphs, 4.3 conclusion.

• 5.1 Complete the sample opinion essay

5.2 Opinion Sample Essay

1. opinion essay overview.

An opinion essay is also known as an agree or disagree essay . As with all writing task 2 essays, you will have 40 minutes to write at least 250 words .

Read on to find out how to produce a great opinion essay.

It is important that you first understand what writing task 2 essay question you have been given before you start writing. The type of essay question you get will slightly change the structure of your essay.

Remember, there are five main types of writing task 2 questions:

• Advantage/disadvantage
• Double question
• Problem/solution

You will be given an IELTS statement and a question . Here are some common questions/sentence starters that tell you that you have been given an opinion essay:

• What is your opinion
• Do you think…

To what extent do you agree?

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

• Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

The main aims of this type of essay are:

• Choose one side of the argument
• To state your opinion about a given topic
• Support your opinion with clear reasons and examples

A common mistake test takers make when writing an opinion essay is that they treat it like an advantage/disadvantage essay and try to write about both sides of the argument in detail (see our guide on advantage/disadvantage essays and compare the difference).

For an opinion essay, you need to pick a side : it does not matter which side of the argument you choose, just pick the one that you can develop the best argument for.

However, you should briefly acknowledge the other side of the argument, and will show you how to do this in your introduction , main body paragraphs, and conclusion .

You should not give reasons to support the opposing argument , only support one side with reasons and examples.

Make it clear to the examiner what your opinion is from the beginning to the end of your essay (this is called a thesis-led approach: leading with your opinion).

Here are some example opinion writing task 2 questions to help you recognize them in the IELTS exam:

Some people think that more money should be spent on protecting endangered species while others think it is a waste of valuable money.

What is your opinion?

Also, read the following IELTS Essay Writing Guides

• IELTS Discussion Type Questions
• Double Question IELTS Essay Topics
• IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Type
• Problem Solution IELTS Writing Task Statement

Systems of funding university education are different from country to country. While some countries charge students for studying at university, others offer university education for free.

Do you think students should pay for higher education?

Every school system in the world includes regular tests and exams, and many people think that it is important for students to take lots of exams.

Children should not start school until the age of six or seven because they need to have more time to play and develop before they go to school.

Scientists and technology experts seem to be more valued by modern society than musicians and artists.

2. Essay Structure for Opinion Essays

Although there is more than one way you could choose to structure your essay, we have provided you with a foolproof structure you can always use for opinion essays to score highly in Coherence and cohesion , as well as address all parts of the task to do well in Task achievement :

3. Planning your Opinion Essay

Don’t skip this step! Taking 5 minutes to plan your essay could be the difference between your desired score and a missed opportunity.

3.1 Identify keywords and phrases

By identifying the topic of your essay, you are making sure that you are going to write about the correct topic and not go off-course. Test takers that rush and panic can make the mistake of writing about a completely different topic to the one they have been asked to write about. Don’t be one of those test taskers and make a plan !

Let’s take a look at the question for our sample answer where we have underlined the topic words:

The topic words are underlined and show the general topic of this essay question is protecting endangered species .

Now that we have identified the topic sentence, we should also look for any other keywords or phrases that give more information about the topic. Look at the words in bold below:

Some people think that more money should be spent on protecting endangered species while others think it is a waste of valuable money .

So this question is not only asking you to give your opinion on protecting endangered species, but also the amount of money that is spent on this cause.

A test taker that had only addressed the first point would likely have scored poorly in Task achievement.

There are so many ways you could choose to organize your ideas. We have chosen to note down our ideas by paragraph:

We give more note taking and idea generation tips in  Master Guide for IELTS writing task 2 .

If any useful IELTS vocabulary for writing comes to mind during the planning process, it is useful to write it down so you don’t forget (remember to cross out any notes or planning before the end of the 40 minutes so the examiner does not mark this as your essay).

4. Writing your Opinion Essay

Paraphrasing means being able to write something in your own words without changing the meaning . This is an essential skill needed for the IELTS exam, especially writing task 2.

There is no one right way to paraphrase an IELTS statement. You could choose to use synonyms or parallel expressions (phrases with more than one word but have the same meaning). You could also change the sentence structure, but make sure it is still grammatically correct. Another paraphrase technique is to change a word class, for example, a noun to a verb form.

Take a look at our example, can you see the main changes we have made?

Although this is a formal essay, you are still allowed the use of the first person ‘I’ and ‘my’, you will need to use this when giving your opinion (just don’t over-do it).

Notice that in this example, the opinion has been clearly stated whilst presenting both sides of the argument :

Opinion: However, my view is that more government funding should be used for wildlife conservation.

Other side of the argument:  It is argued by some that the protection of endangered animals is wasteful.

Not all sample essays will show this, but you can choose to briefly state what your essay will do, for example:

This essay will explain my opinion in more detail.

Now let’s move on to the main body paragraphs.

A topic sentence is usually found at the beginning of your paragraph. This should give the reader the main idea of your paragraph in one sentence.

Here are two examples taken from the sample answer:

• One reason that I believe more money should be spent on the conservation of wildlife is that animals are an essential part of maintaining the health of an ecosystem.
• Another reason to support spending on wildlife protection is that it also benefits humanity.

The start of your sentence indicates to the reader that you are clearly stating a reason for your opinion and that you are going to develop this idea throughout the paragraph.

You could also choose to start your topic sentence with the following structures:

• One reason that I believe…
• One argument in favor of… is that…
• The main reason that I think…
• Another reason to second…. (note that second here means ‘ to agree with an idea ’ )

You could also use the grammatical structure ‘ Not only… but also…’ to avoid repetition and put emphasis on the second reason, for example:

Not only does spending money on conservation help the animal kingdom, but it also benefits society as a whole.

Not only will preventing the extinction of species help the animals themselves, but it will also have a positive effect on the quality of air, water, and agricultural land.

As this is an opinion essay, it is essential that you use a range of phrases to give your opinion. Far too often, candidates just repeat the phrase ‘In my opinion…’ Here are some other sentence starters you can use to impress the examiner

• My point is that…
• I am of the opinion that…
• My argument is that…
• As far as I am concerned,…
• In my view…

Your conclusion is a very important part of your essay. You need to restate your opinion (in different words than your introduction) as well as choose the most convincing argument from your essay.

Remember to also briefly mention the other side of the argument to show the examiner that you understand there are two sides and you have clearly chosen one.

Here is a useful structure to do this:

Although it is true that… on balance I believe that/ I am of the view that/ another opinion phrase)…

And here is the full example from our sample essay :

… although it is true that there are valuable uses for funding that could aid environmental protection, on balance I am of the opinion that governments should invest in the protection of endangered species.

5. Example Opinion Essay and Exercise

Now it’s time to test your knowledge about IELTS writing task 2 opinion essays. We’ve created a model answer, but removed some of the keywords and phrases.

You need to select the correct missing words and complete the model answer. Good luck!

5.1 Complete the Sample Opinion Essay

These days, the number of species facing extinction is growing, and as a result,  a larger number of people are becoming involved in environmental issues.  It is argued by some that the protection of endangered animals is wasteful. However, my view is that more government funding should be used for wildlife conservation. This essay will explain my opinion in more detail.

One reason that I believe more money should be spent on the conservation of wildlife is that animals are an essential part of maintaining the health of an ecosystem. If a species becomes endangered, it signals that an ecosystem is out of balance. As a result, the loss of one species may trigger the loss of others and may lead to irreversible consequences for the animal kingdom.

Another reason to support spending on wildlife protection is that it also benefits humanity. For example, if the ecosystem is out of balance then the health of the environment is also negatively affected, for example, the loss of wildlife can affect the quality of clean water and air for a population. In addition, the fertility of agricultural land may also be reduced with the loss of certain species. Having said that, there are those that argue that this is a costly and inefficient use of public funds. They think that money would be better spent on other schemes such as renewable energy projects.

In conclusion, having looked at the topic in detail, although it is true that there are valuable uses for funding that could aid environmental protection, on balance I am of the opinion that governments should invest in the protection of endangered species. The main reason is that the protection of wildlife will not only benefit the animal kingdom, but also the human race and the environment we inhabit.

2 thoughts on “IELTS Writing Task 2: Opinion Essays- Benchmark IELTS”

Hey. Thanks for a great material. I have one concern though. In the ” common questions in opinion essay” part, you mentioned this question ” Discuss both view and give your opinion.” But isn’t it included to the “Discussion essays”??

Hi, I just wanted to ask this question cuz it made to think about it thoroughly.

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• IELTS Academic Writing Task 2: Agree or Disagree Essay – Structure and template

One of the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS of an IELTS essay. “To what extent do you agree or disagree? You can FULLY agree, agree BY HALF, or disagree.

To what extent do you agree or disagree? OR Do you agree or disagree?

For instance: After leaving school or university, young people should choose a job or career that they love, rather than one that pays the best salary. To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Below is an excellent Agreement / Disagree Essay structure.

There are 5 options – choose the one which  suits your ideas:

1) IF YOU AGREE (STRONG POSITION)

1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task + My Opinion: I agree that … (2 SENTENCES!)

2§ The first reason why I agree + Explanation + Example

3§ The second reason why I agree+ Explanation + Example OR result

4§ Conclusion: sum up the reasons + My Opinion: I agree ... (PARAPHRASE THE INTRO) (2 SENTENCES!)

2) IF YOU AGREE (BALANCED POSITION)

3§ The second reason why I agree + Explanation + Example OR result

4§ On the other hand, + why people disagree? + Explanation + Example

5§ Conclusion: sum up the reasons + My Opinion: I agree … (PARAPHRASE THE INTRO) (2 SENTENCES!)

3) IF YOU DISAGREE (STRONG POSITION)

1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task + My Opinion: I disagree that … (2 SENTENCES!!)

2§ The first reason why I disagree + Explanation + Example

3§ The second reason why I disagree + Explanation + Example OR result

5§ Conclusion: sum up the reasons + My Opinion: I disagree (PARAPHRASE THE INTRO) (2 SENTENCES!)

4) IF YOU DISAGREE (BALANCED POSITION)

1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task + My Opinion: I disagree that …(2 SENTENCES!!)

4§ On the other hand, + why people agree? + Explanation + Example

5) IF YOU AGREE AND DISAGREE AT THE SAME TIME

1§ Introduction: Paraphrase the Task + My Balanced Opinion: I accept that … , but I disagree that…(2 SENTENCES!)

2§: What I agree with +The reason(s) why I agree + Explanation + Example

3§ What I disagree with +The reason(s) why I disagree + Explanation + Example OR result

4§ Conclusion: Sum up + My Opinion: why I agree and disagree (2 -3 SENTENCES!)

Some IELTS examiners may prefer, when after your point of view, you also give the opposite - option 2) and 4). Here you will definitely write 250 words and will satisfy the examiner by stating different positions. Your point in the first and last paragraph should be as clear as a daylight. Choose a structure to suit your ideas and topic + what is easier to write personally for you. All 5 options are good. The best are 2 and 4.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Argumentative Essay Topic: People should follow the customs and traditions

Updated On Sep 18, 2023

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The Essay Writing section of the IELTS Writing Module can be a difficult task for many IELTS Aspirants. Thus, it is vital that you polish your essay writing skills before attempting the IELTS.

Below is a sample IELTS Essay for the IELTS Essay topic:

People should follow the customs and traditions when people start to live in a new country. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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Do you have an essay on this topic? Please post it in the comments section. One of our IELTS trainers will evaluate your essay from an examiner’s point of view and reply to the comment. This service is completely FREE of cost.

Opinion Essay

Introduction

• Paraphrase the topic of the essay.
• Mention the view on the topic.
• Paragraph 1 – Newcomers will certainly face difficulties if they do not conform to the norms of social behaviour in the host country. Firstly, it will become almost impossible for them to blend into their new environment.
• Paragraph 2 – There are also many benefits for foreigners when they do adopt the customs and traditions of their new country of residence. One advantage is that local people will be more welcoming when they feel that the newcomers are showing respect for the local way of life.
• Conclude the essay by stating the final view in brief.

Sample Essay

Many people argue that foreigners should adapt to the local customs and traditions when they come to reside in a new country. I completely agree with this view.

Newcomers will certainly face difficulties if they do not conform to the norms of social behaviour in the host country. Firstly, it will become almost impossible for them to blend into their new environment. For example, an entrepreneur who comes to live in a new country and starts up a business must be aware of the business practices of that country. There are bound to be many pitfalls, not only legal ones but also simply in terms of winning and keeping customers. Secondly, recent immigrants might fall foul of the law if they do not respect the behaviour and customs of locals. In Singapore, for instance, residents will consider newcomers dirty and ill-mannered if they litter the street or spit gum in public places.

There are also many benefits for foreigners when they do adopt the customs and traditions of their new country of residence. One advantage is that local people will be more welcoming when they feel that the newcomers are showing respect for the local way of life. The establishment of closer links with the host community might lead to greater integration and mutual understanding. Another benefit is the richness of the experience which newcomers will gain from enjoying aspects of local customs and traditions, enabling them to participate in community life and avoid social isolation. During festivals and national holidays, especially, they will feel like they ‘belong’ in their new country.

In conclusion, I would argue that it is essential for new residents to follow the traditions and habits of locals in the host community in order to integrate fully into society.

Band 9 Sample Essay

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The process of immigration, although an exciting journey, can give rise to a multitude of complications. The ambience of a foreign environment can be daunting and sometimes even unwelcoming. It is considered by many that an individual should completely transform themselves to the standards of their locale to make the exercise of settling in easier. I disagree with this perspective and will elaborate on my views in the following paragraphs.

It is a well-known fact that the world is comprised of innumerable cultures that are unique in their own right. That being said, it is also vital to recognize the differences between these communities and accept these nuances. Therefore, when a foreigner is expected to shed the traditions of their birthplace and adopt the conventions of a completely new place, it poses a threat to their individuality. Thus, the expectation of an absolute change in the lifestyle of a person can be considered biased and even intolerant.

Moreover, the practices of a particular culture might vary from another and sometimes the principles of one might contradict the other. For instance, several cultures around the globe follow vegetarianism as a cardinal rule whereas the daily diet of many societies is predominantly comprised of non-vegetarian food items. Thereby, in such circumstances, altering such intrinsic practices just for the sake of merging with a different community is unjustified.

However, in the process of amalgamating with new people, one must respect the pre-established norms of the region. The regard for the standards of a different locality is not dependent on the nature of a person and such actions can be undertaken without reshaping one’s identity.

Finally, I would like to mention that the world has become a smaller place and our societies have become more diverse lately. On that account, practising tolerance and acceptance is key to a harmonious way of life.

More Writing Task 2 Essay Topics

• Some People Believe That Excessive Use Of Modern Technologies
• Technology Can Bring Many Benefits But It Can Also Cause Social And Environmental Problems
• Advertising Discourages People From Being Different Individuals
• Some People Say Government Should Give Health Care The First Priorities
• Some Believe That More Action Should Be Taken To Prevent Crime
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Janet had been an IELTS Trainer before she dived into the field of Content Writing. During her days of being a Trainer, Janet had written essays and sample answers which got her students an 8+ band in the IELTS Test. Her contributions to our articles have been engaging and simple to help the students understand and grasp the information with ease. Janet, born and brought up in California, had no idea about the IELTS until she moved to study in Canada. Her peers leaned to her for help as her first language was English.

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Agree/Disagree Sample Essay

IELTS Writing Task 2 asks you to give your opinion on an important social issue. In this particular opinion essay IELTS sample, the question type is called “agree/disagree.” Agree/disagree essays want you to take a position on an issue that is stated. From there, it’s your job to say if you agree or disagree with the initial statement, supporting your own opinion with examples and details. For more details on this and other question types for the second part of the IELTS Writing section, check out our complete guide to the most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions .

Below, we’ll look at a model essay, based on an example question. The question is original to Magoosh, but is patterned closely off of real IELTS questions. The model essay is based on an excellent IELTS Writing template for Task 2 created by Rachel, one of Magoosh’s top IELTS experts. Note that this essay is at band 9, the highest IELTS Writing score you can receive. More information on why this is a band 9 response can be seen below the essay.

Agree/Disagree Sample Essay

First things first! Let’s look at the sample prompt.

Example Agree/Disagree IELTS Writing Task 2 Prompt

It is now possible to order almost any item over the Internet and have it delivered to one’s home. As a result, people are no longer patient or careful in their shopping habits. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Example Response

Online shopping and home delivery causes concerns that consumers may become more hasty and less cautious. However, I do not believe that online shopping has this effect. In fact, I would say that the opposite is true. In this essay, I will discuss the reasons that online shopping actually helps shoppers make smarter choices.

Internet shopping actually makes people more patient while they shop, not less patient. This is because, even with home delivery, online shopping is actually less “instant” than traditional shopping in stores. After all, if someone goes into a store, they can leave minutes later with the items they purchased. However, even the fastest delivery methods for online goods take at least a day. As a result, people are actually more accustomed to longer waits before they receive something they’ve bought.

Not only does online shopping make buyers more patient, it also facilitates careful, informed choices for buyers. This is because there is more competition between different sellers online than there is in a single store. If someone goes to a store in person, they will see a relatively small range of brand names, and they certainly won’t see the offerings of other stores. In contrast, online customers can compare just about every brand of any given product and browse the websites of multiple stores. This gives customers all the information they need to make the best possible purchases.

When shopping on the Web, customers can learn patience because they must wait for their items to be delivered to them, and even more importantly, customers can access all of the information they need to choose the right items. Ultimately, online shopping is truly a positive development, not a negative one.

Word count: 283

Why This Essay is Band 9

This is a very strong essay because it satisfies the level descriptors in the official IELTS Writing Task 2 rubric . Read that official score guide carefully and compare it to this essay, and you’ll see why the example above scored so well. Also, for a more detailed band 9 level score report from Magoosh, see the scorer commentary immediately below.

Scorer Commentary (agree/Disagree IELTS Essay, Band 9)

This score report is patterned after the official level descriptors for IELTS Writing Task 2 . This report also looks a lot like the Magoosh IELTS essay scoring service .

Overall Band Score: 9

What was done well in the essay:

• This essay is above the 250 word minimum. (This is very important for getting full points!)
• The writer does a good job of meeting the task requirements. They take a clear position where they favor online shopping and disagree with the claim that it makes people less careful or patient.
• The paragraphs are well organized. The introduction and conclusion clearly preview the essay and give good final thoughts, respectively. The body paragraphs each have their own well-organized topics. The first body paragraph provides good explanations and examples to show that online shopping doesn’t make people less patient; the second paragraph provides comparable support to the idea that online shopping allows people to be more careful.
• There are some nice key phrases to tie ideas together. Examples include “however,” “in fact,” “actually,” and “not only.”
• Vocabulary and grammar show no serious errors, and a good variety of word choice and structure.

Magoosh’s Other Sample IELTS Writing Task 2 Essays

We have model essays for each of the question types for the second IELTS Writing task. Click the links below to access our other sample essays:

• Advantage/Disadvantage Essay
• Two-Part Question Essay
• Causes/Solutions Essay
• Discussion Essay

Want more sample essays? Magoosh has you covered!

To read out model essays for the other Task 2 IELTS Writing question types, click the links below:

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

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4 responses to “IELTS Writing Task 2: Agree/Disagree Sample Essay”

How many paragraphs are there in to what extent agree or disagree essay as some says that there are 5 para 2 on which we are agree and one Disagree. What is the best structure to get 7 or above for this essay type. Please let me know as my exam in next month.

Hi Sheetal!

Some people might write 3, 4 or even 5 paragraphs–there is no strict requirement. It is important to organize your essay well, however, and ensure that your use of paragraphs makes sense for the content of the essay. Additionally, remember that you need to write at least 250 words for a Task 2 essay, and most students who score the highest are closer to the 300-400 mark. So you should aim for that amount of words if you want a 7+ score. I’d recommend taking a look at more sample Task 2 essays to see how they are structured, and that should help! Best of luck on your test. 😀

in the introduction part, writer mentions his/her own opinion, is it correct we write our own idea in the introduction part?

Yes, that is correct because the IELTS Writing Task 2 asks you to give your opinion on an important social issue. Additionally, note that this question directly asks “To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.”

I recommend reading over several sample Task 2 essays so that you can get a better idea of what they should include/how they should be written. Additionally, be sure to check out our Complete Guide to IELTS Task 2 .

Happy studying! 😀

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IELTS Essay Instructions Agree Disagree To what extent

Below are the answers to your concerns about IELTS essay instructions.

In writing task 2, it is essential that you understand the instructions given to you. It will affect your score for Task Response, which is 25% of your marks.

Are the following instructions different?

• Do you agree or disagree?
• Do you agree?
• To what extent do you agree?
• What is your opinion?

Are they the same or are they different?

Click below to reveal the answers.

All instructions above are the same.  There is no difference between them. You will write the same essay.

IELTS like to paraphrase instructions. All the above instructions are asking for your opinion. For all the above instructions, you can choose a one sided approach or a partial agreement (known as a balanced view or specific view).

Hey mam , i hope you are fine . I want to ask how to write your opinion in ” to what extent you agree or disagree” essay Rply me asap i have test on 2nd Dec . Thanks 🙂

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ and think of getting my advanced writing task 2 lessons : https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz, thanks for doing what you do. Pls, I’ll like to ask, is there penalisation for writing too much words for word count. Like writing over 200 words for letter writing task 1 and over 300 words for task 2 Thanks

There is no upper word limit. But writing more will not help your score. In fact, it allows for more mistakes and a less focused piece of writing – that will lower your score.

Hmm, I see. Many thanks to you Liz. I deeply appreciate your help 👍.

Hello mam, thanks for ur help all the way.pls, I v a concern.how do u address and sign off a letter to a neighbour in ielts general task one? Thanks for ur prompt response.

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-letter-writing-essential-tips/

I’m an IELTS trainer in Vladivostok, Russia, and your brilliant site is a great help to me as well as to my students. Many thanks and very best wishes!

Thanks, Richard. I’m glad you and your students can benefit from my site. I’m hoping at some stage to have a teacher’s page of resource materials but I just haven’t had the time so far. Hopefully next year 🙂

Hiii Liz, Not only your knowledge but also your pronounciaton is wonderfull. While speaking , stressing on the words is just like that you sing a song. So l like to attend your video lessons… Thank you so much

That’s a very kind comment – thank you 🙂

Liz I am giving my exam this weekend….any final tips…please

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-exam-tips-on-the-day/ . Good luck!

Got it. Thank you Liz.

Dear Liz, In this kind of questions I have to write in the introduction and the conclusion my opinion if I agree or not with the statement. Also in the body I should write opinion of people who agree with the statement, and in the another paragraph I should write the view of people which disagreement with the statement. Right? I need to explain to me that, please.

It sounds like you have a lot of questions that need answering. I suggest you get my advanced lessons as they will answer all your questions and provide in depth details on techniques: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Thank you Ma’m .

Thank u Liz I have already parachased your advance lesson…. Its amazing thank u so much ….. Tc

I’m really pleased 🙂

I tried to buy but it said your card is not allowed. What to do mam?

This is a problem with Paypal. Check how Paypal works in your country. Or ask a friend to buy the lessons for you.

At first, I faced the similar issue as you while trying to pay directly with credit card. After the third failure, I registered a Paypal account, added my credit card to it. And voila, I could purchase all 3 lessons without any hassles.

@Liz: Thank you so much, you are a great teacher!

I’m so glad you enjoyed the lessons 🙂

Thanks Liz.😃

Do you agree or disagree? For this question can we give partial agreement? I thought this was asking specifically for either agree or disagree.

As I explained above, they are all the same essay. All of the above instructions are the same – yes you can have a partial agreement on an agree/disagree essay.

Yesssss! Got it!

Hi Liz, thanks.

You’re welcome, Tien 🙂

Thank you so much for clearing this

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How to organize agree/disagree essays on your IELTS exam

We're going to show you a simple structure for an IELTS agree/disagree essay that will enable examiners to make their way through your writing with ease.

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When you get to the essay writing component of the IELTS exam, the clock is ticking, and the pressure is on. You have about 40 minutes to determine the key question to address, think of your response, come up with relevant examples and then write the essay.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you knew how you were going to organize your ideas before you went into the exam? In this blog, I’m going to show you a formula that can be modified to fit most IELTS tasks and will save you valuable time. Most importantly, it will ensure that the message in your essay is easy to follow (one of the key criteria for higher-level scores).

There really isn’t any mystery about it. Here, I’m going to show you a simple structure for an IELTS agree/disagree essay that will enable examiners to make their way through your writing with ease – as if they have a roadmap to follow.

Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programs (for example, working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Today it is a popular belief that students attending high school should volunteer in the community as part of their schooling. I strongly agree with this notion. Volunteer work can provide young people with the experiences they need for paying jobs, and it can also help them see themselves as valuable contributors to society.

When completing compulsory work activities with charitable organizations or community organizations, students gain skills that they can add to their resumes and use in future jobs. Working out in the real world quickly teaches young people the importance of time management, clear communication and teamwork. Employers like McDonald’s restaurants, which provide many young people with their first paying jobs, look for volunteer work on resumes as evidence of having developed some relevant work skills. So, although students are not paid for their time, they are building valuable abilities for future employment.

Perhaps even more importantly, when students volunteer, they are more likely to realize that their actions have a positive impact on the world around them. Often the problems of our world can seem overwhelming, but if students are given the opportunity to help others, even in a small way, they will see that they can make a difference. In schools that have been running these programs, there has been an incredible boost in student morale, and the community has benefitted from the talent and time that young people have contributed to the many programs that need support. It’s true that studying for academics is time-consuming, and students already have a lot to do in a day, but if we teach them how to step up and help others, we create a better future for us all.

In conclusion, it is a great idea to have unpaid community service as part of a high school program because it will help the next generation prepare for employment, and it will build a caring community that is willing and able to make our world a better place. It’s my hope to see this in every school.

Paragraph One - Introduction

Now, let’s look at the underlying structure sentence by sentence.

AGREE/DISAGREE ESSAY - 4-PARAGRAPH FORMULA Paragraph One - Introduction

Sentence 1 :  States the premise that the essay will address (you can simply rephrase the words in the task).

Today it is a popular belief that students attending high school should volunteer in the community as part of their schooling.

Sentence 2 :  States your opinion on the matter.

I strongly agree with this notion.

Sentence 3 :  Briefly outlines what you are going to write in the next two paragraphs to support your opinion.

Volunteer work can provide young people with the experiences they need for paying jobs, and it can also help them see themselves as valuable contributors to society.

Paragraph Two - Body

Sentence 1  (topic sentence):  Tells the reader what this paragraph is about by introducing your first point .

When completing compulsory work activities with charitable organizations or community organizations, students gain skills that they can add to their resumes and use in future jobs.

Sentence 2 :  Assumes that the reader doesn’t know anything about this topic, and explains your point clearly.

Working out in the real world quickly teaches young people the importance of time management, clear communication and teamwork.

Sentence 3 :  Gives a real-life or made-up example that illustrates and supports this point.

Employers like McDonald’s restaurants, which provide many young people with their first paying jobs, look for volunteer work on resumes as evidence of having developed some relevant work skills.

Sentence 4 :  Concedes to a relevant opposing position but redirects to yours.

So, although students are not paid for their time, they are building valuable abilities for future employment.

Paragraph Three - Body – Repeat the above

Sentence 1  (topic sentence):  Tells the reader what this paragraph is about by introducing the second point .

Perhaps even more importantly, when students volunteer, they are more likely to realize that their actions have a positive impact on the world around them.

Often the problems of our world can seem overwhelming, but if students are given the opportunity to help others, even in a small way, they will see that they can make a difference.

Sentence 3 :  Gives a real-life or made-up example that illustrates and supports this point .

In schools that have been running these programs, there has been an incredible boost in student morale, and the community has benefitted from the talent and time that young people have contributed to the many programs that need support.

It’s true that studying for academics is time-consuming, and students already have a lot to do in a day, but if we teach them how to step up and help others, we create a better future for us all.

Paragraph Four – Conclusion

Sentence 1 :  Rephrase your opinion and sum up your two supporting points.

In conclusion, it is a great idea to have unpaid community service as part of a high school program because it will help the next generation prepare for employment, and it will build a caring community that is willing and able to make our world a better place.

Sentence 2 :  Make a prediction or a recommendation based on what you have said.

It’s my hope to see this in every school.

What I hope you see from this example is that when you pay attention to how you organize your essay, it’s easier to read. I also want you to realize that it isn’t difficult to accomplish this clarity when you have a reliable structure in mind.

Check back for future blogs that will show you how to modify this formula for other kinds of IELTS essay tasks.

Blank template for you

In the meantime, here is a blank template for you to use when you write your next agree/disagree essay.

AGREE/DISAGREE 4-PARAGRAPH FORMULA

Paragraph One -Introduction

Sentence 1:

___________________________________________________________________________

State the premise that the essay will address (you can simply rephrase the words in the task).

Sentence 2:

State your opinion on the matter.

Sentence 3:

Briefly outline what you are going to write in the next two paragraphs to support your opinion.

Paragraphs Two and Three – the Body of Support

Sentence 1 (topic sentence):

Tell the reader what this paragraph is about by introducing your first point .

Assume that the reader doesn’t know anything about this topic and explain your point clearly.

Give a real-life or made-up example that illustrates and supports this point.

Sentence 4:

Concede to a relevant opposing position but redirect to yours.

Paragraph Three – Repeat the above

Sentence 1 (topic sentence)

Tell the reader what this paragraph is about by introducing second point .

Give a real-life or made-up example that illustrates and supports this point .

Rephrase your opinion and sum up your two supporting points.

Make a prediction or a recommendation based on what you have said.

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Band 8+: Some people think living in big cities is bad for people's health. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

While some argue that living in metropolitan areas poses risks to people’s health, I agree with this sentiment to a certain extent. Despite the advantages big cities offer regarding healthcare access, the detrimental effects of their polluted environment can impede individuals from maintaining good health.

Proponents of city living highlight the convenience of having access to top-notch medical services in urban areas. These regions boast renowned national hospitals staffed with highly skilled healthcare professionals and a wide variety of effective medications. Cutting-edge medical technologies, used to address serious health conditions like cancer and heart disease, are often first introduced in these cities. As a result, many individuals opt to reside in urban centers to avail themselves of immediate access to high-quality healthcare services.

However, it is crucial to recognize that prevention is often more effective than treatment. The living conditions in densely populated urban areas are typically not as ideal as perceived. With vast swathes of land cleared to make way for towering skyscrapers, green spaces are significantly diminished, leading to heightened emissions of greenhouse gases. Consequently, severe air pollution prevails, adversely impacting respiratory health. Moreover, the hustle and bustle of city life, characterized by constant neon lights and noise pollution at all hours, contributes to mental health issues such as depression and insomnia. Ultimately, various forms of pollution in urban settings pose significant risks to both physical and psychological well-being.

In conclusion, I believe that while individuals may benefit from the advanced medical infrastructure in metropolitan areas, their overall health may suffer due to the polluted environments and increased susceptibility to serious physical and mental health challenges.

Check Your Own Essay On This Topic?

Generate a band-9 sample with your idea, overall band score, task response, coherence & cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range & accuracy, essays on the same topic:, some people think living in big cities is bad for people’s health. to what extent do you agree or disagree.

While some argue that living in metropolitan areas poses risks to people’s health, I tend to agree with this sentiment to a certain extent. Despite the advantages big cities offer in terms of healthcare access, the detrimental effects of their polluted environment can impede individuals from maintaining good health. Proponents of city living highlight the […]

In today’s society, the notion is that citizens’ well-being would be negatively affected when living in urban areas. Although there is environmental degradation in large cities, I believe that modern healthcare systems are provided to surpass the drawbacks of pollution. The reason why I agree that residing in big cities is harmful to people’s well-being […]

Some argue that living in modern cities harms people’s health. I partly agree with this idea that although big cities offer certain benefits of medical system, their polluted environment can discourage people to be healthy. Admittedly, opponents argue that residing in megalopolises is convenient for medical access. Such areas, where national hospitals land on, are […]

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Human activity has had a negative impact on plants and animals around the world. some people think that this cannot be changed, while others believe actions can be taken to bring about a change. discuss both views and give your opinion..

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School children are becoming far too dependent on computers and this is having an alarming effect on reading and writing skills. Teachers need to avoid using computers in the classroom at all costs and go back to teaching basic study skills. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

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Governments should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports. Do you agree or disagree?

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Success in formal ''pen and paper'' examinations is often seen to be a sign intelligent. To what extent do you agree with the view that formal examinations measure intelligence?

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Some people believe that the biggest problem facing cities is the increasing number of cars. Others say there more serious problems. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

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