ielts liz essay structure

How to write an IELTS opinion essay

Ielts opinion essay: structure, model answer, and analysis..

Updated: February 2023

There are 5 types of essays in IELTS writing task 2 and a common one is an opinion essay.

So how do you know if it is an opinion essay?. You will first need to study the instruction words. These words tell you what you should write about and this should be the first step to take before you even begin to plan. Analyse the task and especially the instruction words so you do not go off-topic or write a different essay altogether.

Here are 2 essay tasks below, which one do you think is the opinion essay?

1. Most people agree that money cannot buy happiness. Why is happiness difficult to define? How can people achieve happiness? 2. Some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Looking at the instruction words we can see that the second one is an opinion essay as it asks ‘ To what extent do you agree or disagree? ‘

The first task is called a ‘Two-part question essay’ or sometimes called a ‘Direct question essay’.

Instruction words

Opinion essays will have various instruction words such as:

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Do you agree or disagree?

What is your opinion?

Do you think…?

What do you think….?

In your opinion what is ….?

In some cases the instruction words ask your opinion it may be a discussion essay such as:

‘Discuss both views and give your own opinion’

The structure of a discussion essay is different from an opinion essay as you will need to explain peoples views before you go into your own opinion.

This task below is a 2 part question essay and the second question asks your opinion.

Most people agree that money cannot buy happiness. Why is happiness difficult to define? How can people achieve happiness?

The opinion essay that I am referring to asks ‘ To what extent do you agree or disagree?’ means how much do you agree/disagree? , do you completely agree/disagree? or somewhat agree/disagree? or do you neither agree nor disagree?

You can write in your thesis statement something like: ‘ I completely agree because…..’ or if you don’t agree, something like: ‘ I absolutely disagree because…..’

What is an effective opinion essay structure?

There is no magic Band 9 structure but my students have found that the structure below works well in an opinion essay.

Tips on structure:

The main body paragraphs will cover the reasons for your opinion; however, do not list ideas just use one central idea and explain and support it.
Don’t wait until the conclusion to give your opinion. It must be throughout the whole essay .
Don’t give 2 different opinions. Do not agree then disagree as it will confuse the examiner. You can balance it with why someone would hold an opposing view but it is not a discussion essay.
I advise keeping the introduction under 60 words , each body paragraph should be approximately 90 to 105 words , the conclusion needs to be shorter than the introduction and no new ideas should be added to the conclusion
Aim for between 270 to 295 words , over 300 words is not realistic as you only have 40 minutes to write the essay .

Which body paragraph is better?

Take a look at these 2 main body one paragraphs to the task below, what do you think will score higher?

Task question:

Some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices . To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

A long time ago people used to go to market places and they bought basic daily necessities, now people can buy online and go to many high street shops. In addition, we can choose any hotel we like at cheap prices. Also, businesses compete with each other which means customers can buy items at low cost as well as a bigger selection of goods. Furthermore, the economy benefits because people can select from so many different products. For example, Amazon.com has millions of products that are much cheaper than buying at a shopping mall.

Admittedly, these days there are far too many choices which can be overwhelming; however, I think that for consumers this is an advantage because it forces businesses to compete with each other. This means that shoppers can benefit greatly from lower prices. For example, over the past two decades, Ryanair and EasyJet budget airlines have considerably reduced the cost of airfares for flights all over Europe. Before this, there was only one airline to choose from at exorbitant costs. Presently, many more budget airline options are serving destinations worldwide with incredible bargains for customers.

Click below for the answer.

The 2nd example is better because I wrote one central idea (lower prices for consumers) and expanded on that. The example given is not entirely true but it looks very feasible. You can just make up examples but they have to be specific and realistic looking. The point of an example is to support your main idea.

At the start of the paragraph I mentioned that too much choice is overwhelming but then contrast that with my opinion (Admittedly, these days there are far too many choices which can be overwhelming; however, I think that…) .

To see how to balance the essay click here for a lesson on balancing your opinion .

In example 1 above this has too many ideas and too many points. It jumps around and is not focusing on one central idea. The points are relevant but there is too much going on.

You will also notice an opinion is not given directly in the first example (I think / I believe etc) the whole paragraph affects coherence and cohesion as well as task response. The example given about amazon.com is also quite weak and not well explained.

Analysing the question.

As with all IELTS essays, it is crucial to spend a couple of minutes analysing the task and underling the keywords so that you are writing relevant points in the essay. If you go off-topic or write irrelevant points it will affect your score.

This is the task question for my model answer below and it is clear that the essay is about having too many choices these days . This means that there is something negative about having many choices, as the word ‘too’ implies something negative. In my model answer, I disagree with this being a negative and in fact, many choices are beneficial.

Click here for the 5 steps you need to take before writing.

I advise 10 minutes of planning time, this includes time analysing the question and getting relevant ideas.

Click here for a lesson about examples in main body paragraphs.

Model Answer

Some people believe that n owadays we have too many choices . To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

It is argued that in recent times people are overwhelmed by so many choices. Although I agree with this to some extent, for consumers I believe that having so many options enables them to purchase more competitively priced and higher quality products.

Another reason why I believe that more choice is beneficial is that the quality of products has improved in recent years. This is because many businesses are vying for customers’ attention, so their main selling points are not only low prices but also much higher quality. For instance, smartphone costs have decreased in the past 5 years and these devices are more powerful and more durable than ever before. This is primarily because manufacturers have focused on quality control to compete with rival products. I would argue that this has been a benefit to consumers which would not have been possible with one or two companies monopolising the smartphone market.

To conclude, despite the argument that there is too much freedom of choice nowadays, I hold the view that this is a positive trend as so many options allows customers to buy inexpensive items without compromising on quality.

Click below to see more detail and an analysis

1. My thesis statement says: Although I agree with this to some extent, for consumers I believe that having so many options enables them to purchase more competitively priced and higher quality products.

I am giving a balanced opinion here and focusing specifically on choice for consumers.

2. I have covered the points about how more choices have resulted in lower prices in main body one, while in main body two I cover the point about higher quality products because of the fact there are more choices. Notice how I have balanced my view: Admittedly, these days there are far too many choices which can be overwhelming; however, I think that for consumers this is an advantage because it forces businesses to compete with each other. .

3. The examples I gave are made up and not entirely true but they look realistic, the examiner does not check your examples for validity. Examples are there to support your main ideas. Do not put statistics in the examples either.

4. The points I have made in the essay connect with consumerism and shopping, but I have linked them to the points about how having many choices are of benefit to customers or consumers , because my opinion is that having many choices is a good aspect

5. In this type of essay, you could write about other areas where having many choices are relevant such as the choices of universities we can attend, the choices of work we might engage in, The choice of health care options available….and so on.

Here is a good news article from ‘ Business Insider’ that connects with this task question. Reading is a very good way to get ideas for IELTS essays.

2 thoughts on “How to write an IELTS opinion essay”

IELTS Writing Task 2 Tips, Topics and Sample Answers

You can ace IELTS Writing Task 2 on IELTS test day by being prepared and confident! To help you with both, in this article, we give you:

An easy three-step strategy that will boost your confidence by helping you plan and write a good IELTS Writing Task 2 essay;
IELTS Writing Task 2 sample topics for all IELTS Writing Task 2 question types;
An IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer; and
A video that brings all this help together in an IELTS Writing Task 2 lesson.

To use all this help best, you need to practise with real IELTS Writing Task 2 sample questions. Sign up for our IELTS course on E2 Test Prep for a free trial to practice for your exam.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Overview

Writing task 2 tips & strategy, i. writing task 2 agree or disagree questions, ii. writing task 2 advantages and disadvantages, iii. writing task 2 discuss both views, iv. writing task 2 discuss both views and give your opinion, v. writing task 2 problem / solution question, vi. writing task 2 double question, identify the subject – focus your answer.

For both the IELTS General and IELTS Academic exams, Writing Task 2 is an essay. You are given 40 minutes to write an essay of over 250 words about a Writing Task 2 topic. This is what the Writing Task 2 essay topic will look like on your test paper.

Sample question for IELTS Writing Task 2 showing an agree / disagree essay question.

Before we look at each part of the three-step strategy in more detail, a summary of this confidence building formula is:

Step 1 – Learn and identify all the question types. There are several different IELTS Writing Task 2 question types. If you learn all these to quickly identify the type of question you were given, you will save time on test day and can move to steps 2 and 3 below more quickly. In addition, if you are familiar with all the Writing Task 2 question types, there will be no surprises on test day, reducing the likelihood that you will panic during the test. We will set out all the different IELTS Writing Task 2 question types along with IELTS Writing Task 2 sample topics below.

Step 2 – Analyse the question to identify the subject of the Writing Task 2 topic. Identifying the subject of the question will help you focus your thoughts, making it easier to formulate your ideas more clearly and stay on point.

Step 3 – Plan and fit the content of your answer to a simple structure that has a clear beginning, middle and ending that align with the question type you are given. We will give you a Writing Task 2 sample answer by starting with an introductory paragraph, followed by two body paragraphs and a concluding paragraph.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Question Types

Step 1 of our strategy is to identify which IELTS Writing Task 2 question type you are given on your test. The question type will influence how you will structure your answer. The different IELTS Writing Task 2 question types you can expect to see on IELTS test day are:

The agree/disagree essay or opinion essay question gives you a topic and asks you to what extent do you agree or disagree with an idea related to that topic. An IELTS Task 2 agree or disagree sample topic is:

In the age of digital communication and social media, face-to-face interactions are becoming less common. Some people think that this is decreasing people’s ability to communicate well in person. Do you agree or disagree with this view?

Knowing right from the start that you are dealing with an agree/disagree topic gives you a big clue as to how you will structure your essay answer. This question type requires that you give your opinion supporting one side or the other – not both. It means that you must take a side. The body of your essay will focus on writing supporting ideas and examples.

The advantages/disadvantages essay question gives you a topic and then asks you to discuss its advantages and disadvantages. A sample advantages and disadvantages essay topic looks like this:

The rise of online shopping has transformed the way many people purchase goods. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this.

Here you will need to present both sides of the argument, one side per paragraph (discussed in more detail below) with supporting ideas and examples for each.

The discuss both views question type gives you two positions or opinions related to a topic and asks you to discuss both. A Writing Task 2 discuss both views sample topic is:

Some people think it is the government’s responsibility to tackle environmental issues. Others believe it is up to each individual to be environmentally responsible. Discuss both sides.

We will explain in more detail below that for this topic type, you should write one body paragraph on each opinion, giving explanations and examples in support of each view.

The discuss both views and give your opinion question is very similar to the question type above. However, instead of asking you to discuss two views, it also asks you to state which one you agree with. A Writing Task 2 discuss both views and give your opinion sample topic is:

Some people believe that artificial intelligence (AI) has the power to improve our lives. However, others are worried that it could have a negative impact. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

To write a good essay, you need to discuss both opinions (one in each body paragraph) giving arguments and examples to support each view. You also need to say which view you agree with most.

The problem/solution essay question presents you with an issue that you need to discuss and then provide possible solutions for. A Writing Task 2 problem / solution sample topic is:

The overuse of plastic packaging has led to numerous problems. Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments can tackle these problems.

In a good Writing Task 2 problem / solution answer for this sample topic, you will write about the problems caused by the overuse of plastic packaging in the first body paragraph and suggest some government-led solutions in the second body paragraph.

In the double question essay, you are asked two questions, and you need to make sure you answer both. For example:

Nowadays, more and more people are shifting to a plant-based diet. Why is this the case? What are some drawbacks of plant-based diets?

Here you have two questions to answer. 1. Why are people shifting to a plant-based diet? 2. What are the drawbacks of this diet? You should spend one paragraph answering each question, it is essential that you don’t forget to answer both!

Step 2 of our three-step strategy is to identify and focus on the subject of the question. Although this seems obvious, pausing for a second and forcing yourself to identify the subject of the question helps avoid misreading the question and has planning benefits. The mental process of ‘identifying and focusing’ will help you plan your ideas and, importantly, keep your essay on point. Staying on point is key because the clearer your answer, the easier for an IELTS examiner to grade it and give you a better mark.

For example, let’s looks at the ‘Discuss Both Views’ topic presented above:

For step 2, we need to ask ourselves: what is the core idea, or subject, of this question? On first read, ‘the government’s responsibility’ seems important. Then we see ‘environmental issues’, followed by ‘individual … environmentally responsible’. Which of these is the core subject? In this topic, the core subject is ‘responsibility for environmental issues’. This is the centrepiece of the topic and will be the anchor for your answer.

Given that we know that it is a both views question type, we can also see the question has given us the two sides of the argument, being: i. government responsibility for environmental issues; and ii. individual responsibility for environmental issues. These clues are important because they are the two sides of the argument impacting on how we fit our written arguments within a good IELTS Writing Task 2 essay structure. You will need to practice identifying and focusing several times by looking at the IELTS Writing Task 2 sample topics given above, as well as in the IELTS Writing Task 2 practice questions you will find when you sign up to E2 Test Prep . The better you get at this, the more confident tackling any essay topic you will become.

Writing Task 2 Essay Structure and Sample Answer

Step three of the strategy is to plan the structure of your essay depending on the question type and the core subject of the question. Once you know this, you can fit the content of your answer to this structure. Don’t try to be fancy; a simple structure is best. Your essay should include four paragraphs:

An introduction
Body paragraph 1
Body paragraph 2
A conclusion

Let’s go back to the IELTS Writing Task 2 sample topic we looked at above. Here it is again:

At this point, we know that:

it is a Writing Task 2 discuss both views question type
the subject of the sample essay topic is ‘responsibility for environmental issues’
an introduction that clearly identifies and states the subject (responsibility for environmental issues) of your essay as well as introduces the two points of view (government responsibility and individual responsibility) to be discussed in your essay
body paragraph 1 which gives reasons why governments should be responsible
body paragraph 2 which gives reasons why individuals should be responsible
a conclusion that summarises and concludes the essay.

Note: for discuss both views , even if the question doesn’t say ‘discuss both views and give your opinion’, you should still give your opinion The IELTS Task Two Writing Descriptors for Task Response state that in order to get the highest marks, you need to present a ‘clear and fully developed position’.

Pulling it all together, here is a brief Writing Task 2 sample answer:

Who should take responsibility for environmental issues? Should governments take the lead and act to solve environmental problems? Or should individuals take responsibility for their choices and actions to avoid harming the environment as much as possible? By looking at both sides of this issue, this essay will aim to show that it is, in fact, individuals that can make the biggest impact on the environment and therefore should take the most responsibility.

Some people argue that governments are in the best position to deal with environmental issues. Governments have the power to make laws that prohibit businesses and individuals from taking actions that harm the environment. For example, they set legal limits for the amount of carbon emissions a company is allowed to produce. Governments also have access to funding, experts and resources that are needed to launch environmental initiatives, such as using greener fuel, and to promote environmentally friendly lifestyles among the general public.

On the other hand, avoiding environmental issues and damage before any harm occurs is something that all individual citizens and individuals in businesses have within their power to achieve. We, as individuals, can reduce our power consumption and waste production. We can choose to install solar energy for our homes and businesses, or buy electric or hybrid cars and trucks. Also, we can also avoid spraying pesticides on our gardens or fields, and disposing of dangerous chemicals into public drains and sewerage systems. Through all of these small acts, collectively, we can have a wide-reaching impact. What is more, individuals can take this action today, without having to wait for long-winded government projects to eventually get the funding and backing to actually get off the ground.

In summary, it can be argued that governments have a large responsibility for environmental issues because they hold the power and resources needed to deal with them at a leadership level. However, it is clear that individuals can have the greatest impact on the environment, so the duty must fall on them to be more environmentally responsible.

Summary and Next Steps

Firstly, if you feel you need more help with IELTS Writing Task 2, you should watch this E2 IELTS Youtube video and subscribe to our channel.

Secondly, you need to go to our IELTS info page and sign up for a FREE trial to access the best quality IELTS practice questions and activities.

Preparing online for your IELTS with E2 Test Prep gives you effective methods, practice essays and expert feedback to feel confident and prepared for writing and every other exam task.

Looking for more general English? Try E2 English .

Author Bio: E2 is the world’s leading test preparation provider. Our expert teachers are fully accredited English teachers with TESOL, British Council or IELTS certification, and years of IELTS examiner or IELTS teaching experience.

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Rohit Kanwalu says:

very helpful information keep sharing

Nice information please keep sharing

Advice taken! Thank you :)

Shomoy says:

I have already become a thirsty watcher & learner. i think it could be very helpful for me.

Hi, how we can write a opinion essay such as balanced approach type? for example , to what extent do you agree?

olivia says:

CHECK THIS OUT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFlx4ZS7YSk

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How do I access my writing add on package

Go ahead and message us via this STUDENT HELP LINK: https://help.e2language.com/support/tickets/new

This way we can directly correspond with you & answer any further questions you may have.

The E2 Team

Prasad says:

Very interesting! I got many ideas …..

Anna H. Smith says:

Thank you so much for the useful material you produce and generously sharing with us. It has improved my understanding of IELTS writng and the topics will help practice ,thanks for this article.

Rajib Barua says:

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E2Language Team says:

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Sneha Rateria says:

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Htar Inzale says:

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Winifred Kashim E says:

IELTS Opinion Essays: Structure, Topics and Sample Answers

10 min read

Updated On Aug 01, 2024

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The article provides guidance on writing IELTS opinion essays, emphasizing structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs supporting one view, and a conclusion. It includes examples, common mistakes to avoid, and tips for clear, concise essays.

What is the ielts opinion essay format, ielts opinion essay sample answers, latest ielts opinion essay topics of 2024, top 3 common mistakes of ielts opinion essays, tips to answer ielts opinion essay questions.

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IELTS opinion essays mainly focus on agreeing or disagreeing with a particular fact or information. It presents two opposite views and you have to develop your argument supporting one view (strictly one!) You get 40 minutes to complete this task. You have to write at least 250 words on the topic given.

Given below are some examples of IELTS Writing Task 2 opinion essays along with their structure. So, let’s understand how to frame the IELTS opinion essay from the sample answers given in the blog!

If you’re gearing up to tackle the Opinion Essay in IELTS Writing Task 2, know that it’s all about writing your opinion on a specific topic with supporting examples. To make sure your essay ticks off all the criteria of a band 8+ essay, organizing it in the right way is key! You can also check tips to write an effective introduction in IELTS Writing Task 2 to present a great IELTS opinion essay!

Let’s now look at a proper format to learn the structuring of an IELTS opinion essay.

Introduction:

Keep it short, usually around 2-3 sentences.
Introduce the topic and clearly state your opinion.
Provide a brief overview of the main points you will discuss in the body paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs (Usually 2 paragraphs):

Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea that supports your opinion.
Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea.
Provide evidence, examples, and reasoning to support your main idea.
Aim for coherence and cohesion within each paragraph by using appropriate transition words.
Make sure to use appropriate IELTS Vocabulary and IELTS Grammar while explaining an idea in the body paragraphs.

Conclusion:

Summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
Restate your opinion, emphasizing its importance or relevance.
Avoid introducing new ideas in the conclusion.

Given below is an example of an IELTS Writing task 2 o pinion essay. Let’s understand how to frame the essay from the ideas we have. Additionally, you can review the IELTS Writing Task 2 practice tests on a regular basis to achieve your desired band score.

Sample Question 1

In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Given below is a brief outline of what to write in the essay after identifying the essay type.

Opinion Essay

Introduction

Paraphrase the topic of the essay using synonyms for the words used in the topic statement. Clearly state the view on the topic.

Body Paragraph 1

Technological improvements have increased the level of ease and convenience to a point where people can access news and information at the click of a button. This has led to print media becoming outdated.

Body Paragraph 2

The development of news websites and sites that freely distribute information and print media in a digital form has led to a trend of availing such services and content without paying.

Summarize the essay and re-state the opinion on the topic.

Struggling to Crack the IELTS opinion essays? Our 8+ band trainers have got you! Sign up for a FREE demo now!

Sample Answer

Presently, newspapers, books, journals, magazines, etc. are still actively used by a section of the global population. However, with the arrival of news sites and the availability of books, magazines and other forms of media online, totally free of cost, many believe that such forms of media are on their way to becoming outdated. I agree with this statement, and will explain it further with relevant examples in the essay.

It is a well-known fact that in this day and age if an individual wants to read a book or just go over the news of the day, the first step that they take is to search the internet. Devices such as smartphones and tablets have improved the time efficiency of searching for information online to such an extent that a person can access their preferred form of media in the comfort of their homes in a matter of minutes. Consequently, people have started to abandon their preference for print media due to the presence of much more convenient alternatives.

Additionally, the various forms of print media enjoyed by people can often be availed free of charge on several websites. For instance, most news organizations publish their daily news on their official website, which can be accessed by anyone. Also, some numerous sites and databases provide popular books, journals and magazines in a digital form to the public for a nominal subscription fee or sometimes even for free, leading to a majority of readers of such forms of media shifting away from buying hard copies.

Nevertheless, there is still a sizable chunk of the population that enjoys the conventional forms of print media. That being said, with the cost-effective nature of making such information and content available online, organizations will soon completely shift to internet-based services.

In conclusion, I would like to say that people always prefer the more comfortable alternative that is available. Therefore, it can be safely said that in the coming years, there will be a complete shift from traditional print media to online media services and products.

Sample Question 2

Some people say that international sporting events contribute greatly to peace and stability in the world. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Paraphrase the topic sentence using synonyms.

Mention the view on the topic.

Body Paragraphs

International sports tournaments are events where teams and the general public of various countries come together and collectively participate in the event.

Sports events, especially cricket and football help distract the minds of the citizens from the ongoing difficulties in their country and enjoy these events.

Summarize the essay and state the final view.

Sports has always been a magnificent platform for the finest talents of a country to showcase their skills and represent their nation. At the same time, sports is also one of the few occasions where every citizen of the country unites in support of their favourite teams. It is considered by many that sports are a great approach to maintain stability among countries. This essay will elaborate on the given topic and justify why sports can successfully bring and preserve global peace.

One of the greatest characteristics of any popular sporting event is that supporters of every team involved in the tournament almost always attend the matches that are organized in their cities. Some veteran fans even travel to different parts of the country to witness a match between their favourite teams. These events also unite the populace of a nation as every patriotic individual prays for the success of their national team. For instance, the entire nation wishes for the victory of their national team in the Olympic Games as winning an Olympic Medal is one of the most prestigious honours that can be bestowed upon a country.

It is a well-known fact that the people of a country collectively face several challenges on a day-to-day basis. These issues can be caused by numerous factors and are the typical difficulties that ordinary citizens have to overcome. Sports help people enjoy a few moments of excitement and take a break from the monotony of everyday life.

That being said, sometimes the passion of overenthusiastic sports fans ends up leading to harmful and conflicting situations among communities. Nevertheless, the overall impact of sports on our lives is undoubtedly positive.

Finally, sports are one of the aspects of human life that bind a whole community together. This is enough evidence to understand that sports help maintain peace and stability in a nation.

Ready to grab the latest IELTS writing task 2 question papers of 2024?

Sample Question 3

Our personalities are predetermined as a result of our genes before we are born and there is nothing that can be done to change our character traits. To what extent do you agree?

Paraphrase the topic and mention the view.

Genetics are only a part of the entire list of factors that affect a person’s personality.

One of the most important influences on an individual’s personality is their childhood and upbringing.

Summarize the essay and mention the final view in brief.

Even between small periods of time, there are subtle variabilities in our disposition. Such alterations are quite natural and are a part of a human being’s existence. However, it is often assumed that our personality is entirely dependent on genetics. The following paragraphs will explore the different aspects of personality and justify why genetics are not the only factor influencing our personality.

An individual has countless experiences in their life from childhood to adulthood and finally until death. Every one of these experiences has an impact on a person’s mind, no matter how giant or small. The kind of people present in a person’s immediate surroundings also has a huge influence on their nature and characteristics. Thus, it can be safely surmised that a person’s genes are not the only contributing factor when it comes to personality.

One of the most significant influences on our personality is our childhood experiences and the teachings of our parents. Children are always known to follow in the footsteps of their parents. Thus, if the parents of a child are successful in teaching their children the right values and morals, they are bound to grow into responsible and decent individuals.

It is true that the personality traits of an individual are determined by the features of their parents. Nevertheless, these traits can be altered over the course of many years and different experiences.

In conclusion, genetics affect our personalities in a trivial manner as compared to all the other aspects of our temperament. That being said, our life experiences and learnings are the consequential factors in developing our character.

A few IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essay of opinion essay topics are listed down below, which you can practice. These opinion essay questions may appear in the actual examination.

In the future, it seems more difficult to live on Earth. Some people think more money should be spent on researching another planet to live on, such as Mars. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Many people say that the only way to guarantee a good job is to complete a course in university education. Others claim that it is better to start work after school and gain experience in the world of work. How far do you agree or disagree with the above views?
Although more and more people read the news on the internet, newspapers will remain the most important source of news for the majority of people. Do you agree or disagree?
Students in schools and universities learn more from their teachers than through other means such as the Internet, libraries, and TV. To what extent you agree or disagree?
Nowadays university education is very expensive. Some people say that universities should reduce their fees, especially for the less fortunate students or for those coming from rural areas. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Some people think that governments must insist on preserving the traditional appearance of old buildings undergoing renovation or redevelopment. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement?
Some people believe that international trade and communication with other countries is a positive trend, while others think it is harmful to nations and they might lose their identities. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give your own opinion and relevant examples.
Many people believe that schools should teach children to become good citizens and workers rather than independent individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion and relevant examples.
People should follow the customs and traditions when they start to live in a new country. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
It is impossible to help all people in the world, so governments should only focus on people in their own countries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Prevention is better than cure. Do you agree or disagree that out of the country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventive measures?

In IELTS opinion essays, it’s easy to make some common mistakes that can lower your IELTS band score . Getting aware of them is the key to not committing them knowingly or unknowingly while you prepare! The top 3 common mistakes to avoid are:

Not giving a clear opinion.
Presenting arguments for both sides of the issue.
Failing to support your opinion with well-defined reasons and examples.

In the IELTS opinion essays, you need to write your opinion about a topic and back it up with proof and examples. If you use a clear structure and good writing methods, you can improve your chances of doing well!

Spend 5 minutes on a mind map before writing.
Stick to one viewpoint throughout the essay.
Use a single main idea to support the topic in each of the two body paragraphs.
Express your opinion throughout the essay, not just in the conclusion.
Keep the introduction short, a maximum of 50 words.
Ensure each body paragraph explains a main idea within 100 words.
The conclusion should be shorter than the introduction.
Write a complete essay following the given structure.
Aim for a word count of 280 words or less.

Here are the 10 Examples for the Opinion Essay Topics IELTS:

Also check:

Tips to write great writing essay
How to get band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2
IELTS Writing recent actual test
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the structure for writing the introduction for an opinion essay?

Is it mandatory to state my opinion in the introduction? Can I skip it and introduce my opinion in the body paragraphs?

What are the words that I can use to state my opinion?

Can I underline the important sentences, to attract examiner’s attention?

Is it mandatory to write the essay in first person?

Practice IELTS Writing Task 2 based on Essay types

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Nehasri Ravishenbagam, a Senior Content Marketing Specialist and a Certified IELTS Trainer of 3 years, crafts her writings in an engaging way with proper SEO practices. She specializes in creating a variety of content for IELTS, CELPIP, TOEFL, and certain immigration-related topics. As a student of literature, she enjoys freelancing for websites and magazines to balance her profession in marketing and her passion for creativity!

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Liz Ideas for IELTS Essay: Free PDF Download

Liz’s ideas for ielts essay topics pdf free download.

Preparing for your IELTS exam can be both exciting and challenging, especially when it comes to essay writing. In the quest for valuable resources, the “IELTS Essay Topics” series by Liz stands out as a beacon of guidance. Liz, a renowned IELTS expert, has curated an impressive collection of essay topics in various volumes, ensuring that aspiring candidates have a plethora of ideas to choose from. Let’s delve into the world of IELTS topics and explore the wealth of knowledge Liz has to offer.

Free and Accessible Resources One of the standout features of Liz’s work is the accessibility of her materials. The “Ideas for IELTS Essay Topics” PDFs are readily available online, and some volumes can be downloaded for free. This availability ensures that IELTS aspirants, regardless of their location or background, can access high-quality essay topics without financial constraints.

Comprehensive Essay Ideas Within these volumes, Liz covers an extensive array of topics, ranging from social issues to environmental concerns, technology, education, and more. Each volume is meticulously organized, offering a diverse selection of ideas to cater to different interests and preferences. Whether you’re passionate about climate change, healthcare, or global economics, Liz’s essay topics encompass a wide spectrum of subjects.

Enhancing Writing Skills Apart from providing essay topics, Liz’s materials are designed to enhance your writing skills significantly. The carefully crafted topics challenge your analytical and critical thinking, encouraging you to delve deep into the subject matter. Through these exercises, you can refine your arguments, structure your essays effectively, and develop a persuasive writing style – crucial elements for excelling in the IELTS Writing Task 2.

A Word of Caution While many of Liz’s resources are available for free, it’s important to ensure you’re downloading them from reputable sources. Always double-check the authenticity of the website or platform from which you access the materials to avoid potential issues related to piracy or unreliable content.

In conclusion, Liz’s “Ideas for IELTS Essay Topics” series stands as an invaluable resource for IELTS aspirants worldwide. With a vast range of topics, accessible formats, and the potential to enhance your writing skills, these materials are a valuable addition to your preparation arsenal. So, dive into the world of ideas, hone your essay-writing skills, and step confidently towards your IELTS success!

Also Check: Mental Gymnastics IELTS Reading with Answers

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IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Lesson

IELTS advantages and disadvantages questions normally give you a statement and ask you to comment on the advantages and disadvantages of that statement.

The problem is that there are 2 different types of advantages and disadvantages essays, each requiring a different approach. If you answer them differently, you risk losing many easy marks.

This lesson will look at each of the three question types and suggest a standard sentence-by-sentence structure for each of them. There will also be sample answers for each of the three questions to help you compare and understand the two approaches.

In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.

Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary schools rather than secondary schools.

Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Question 1 simply asks us to discuss the advantages and disadvantages. It does not ask for our opinion or says which side is better or worse, so we should not include this information in our answer.

This requires a simple structure in which the student will look at the advantages in one paragraph and the disadvantages in the other.

Question 2 is different because we have to say if the advantages are stronger than the disadvantages. Notice I didn’t say ‘if there are more advantages than disadvantages’. The question is not asking you to talk about numbers but comment on the overall weight of the advantages or disadvantages. For example, there are many advantages to travelling by private jet, but there is one huge disadvantage (the cost) that stops most people from flying that way, and therefore the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

In this example, we will have to decide which side (advantages or disadvantages) is stronger, affecting our structure. If you choose advantages, you will have to say why these are much stronger than the disadvantages and why the disadvantages don’t hold much weight. You would also have to make this clear in your thesis statement.

Structure for Essay 1

Introduction

Sentence 1- Paraphrase question

Sentence 2- Outline sentence

Supporting Paragraph 1 (Advantages)

Sentence 3- Topic sentence (2 Advantages)

Sentence 4- Explain first advantage

Sentence 5- Explain second advantage

Sentence 6- Example of second advantage

Supporting Paragraph 2 (Disadvantages)

Sentence 6- Topic sentence (2 Disadvantages)

Sentence 7- Explain first disadvantage

Sentence 8- Explain second disadvantage

Sentence 9- Example of second disadvantage

Sentence 9- Summary of main points

Structure for Essay 2

Sentence 2- Thesis statement (state which one outweighs the other)

Sentence 3- Outline sentence

Main Body Paragraph 1 (Stronger Side)

Sentence 4- Topic Sentence

Sentence 5- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 6- Example

Sentence 7- Topic Sentence

Sentence 8- Explain why it is strong

Sentence 9- Example

Main Body Paragraph 2 (Weaker Side)

Sentence 10- Topic Sentence

Sentence 11- Explain why it is not strong

Sentence 12- Example

Sentence 13- Summary of main points and restate position.

Question 1 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Answer

Before college, many young people are advised that a year of working or travelling may be a good option. This essay will suggest that experience gained and money saved are the biggest advantages of this, but delaying careers and reducing motivation to study are the primary disadvantages.

The main advantages of a gap year are learning more about the world and earning money. For students who have just finished secondary school, working or travelling for a year will allow them to learn what life is like outside of the education system. Also, third-level education is very expensive, and many students decide to work for 12 months and save money before they begin their studies. The average student at a UK university requires over £10,000 per annum to survive, and many drop out because they cannot afford to stay.

Despite these advantages, students lose a year that could have been used to advance their future careers, and they often get used to working or travelling and don’t want to return to a life of study. As job markets are very competitive, an extra year of experience can make a massive difference when applying for jobs, and those who took a gap year are at a disadvantage. Moreover, some decide to bypass university altogether and go straight into a job that is beneath their capabilities or may not offer the same prospects their future career might have. For instance, jobs in the service industry are easy to get without a third-level education, and many gap students fill these roles only to be stuck in them for the rest of their lives.

In conclusion, taking a break from studies can be advantageous if it allows people to accumulate savings or learn more about the world. However, they should also be careful that it does not delay the start of their careers and lead to disillusionment with education.

Question 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Answer

Some authorities think that it is more favourable for pupils to begin studying languages at primary school instead of secondary school. This essay will argue that the advantages of this outweigh the drawbacks. The essay will first demonstrate that the earlier someone learns an additional language, the more likely they are to master it and that it brings added cognitive benefits, followed by an analysis of how the primary disadvantage, namely confusion with their native tongue, is not valid.

The main reason to start kids off with foreign languages early is that this increases the likelihood they will achieve fluency in adulthood. That is to say that they will have far more years to perfect their skills, and speaking bilingually will seem perfectly normal. For example, in countries such as Holland and Norway, where English is taught from a very young age, most adults speak it at an advanced level. Learning a second language also helps to improve overall cognitive abilities. In other words, it benefits the overall development of a child’s brain. It is well known that bi-lingual children are significantly more likely to score higher in Mathematics and Science.

Those opposed to this say that it causes the child to become confused between their mother tongue and the other language. However, there is actually no evidence to support this view and children from bilingual families do just as well in both languages. My son was brought up speaking both Vietnamese and English and outperforms most of his classmates in both.

On balance, the fact that early foreign language learning leads to higher fluency and improved brain function clearly outweighs the flawed argument that it impairs the uptake of native languages.

Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Next Steps

Now that you are more confident about IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays, you can practice and reach the level you need.

Do you need me to correct your essays and give you feedback on them? Check out our VIP Course .

I hope this has been of help to you, and please let me know if you have any questions or feedback.

The British Council and IDP also have some useful resources for IELTS preparation.

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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 Discussion Essays

Students can find it difficult to identify IELTS discussion essays and often confuse them with either opinion essays or advantage and disadvantage essays.

This is one of the issues I’ll be covering in this lesson. I’m also going to show you how to plan and write discussion essays step-by-step.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

Identifying IELTS discussion essays
3 Common mistakes
Essay structure
How to plan
How to write an introduction
How to write main body paragraphs
How to write a conclusion

Want to watch and listen to this lesson?

Click on this video.

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 discussion essay will be a statement containing two opposing views.

You will then be asked to discuss both sides of the argument and give your own opinion. Here is some typical wording that might be used:

Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Discuss both these views and then give your own opinion.
Discuss both sides of this argument and give your own opinion.

Here's a question from a past test paper.

Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

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 discussion essay.

The key to identifying this type of question is the fact that you are required to discuss BOTH views. This is different to opinion questions where you must decide between two opposing views and make an argument to support your own opinion.

Opinion essays , also known as ‘agree or disagree’ essays, a generally worded in one of these ways:

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

The other essay type that students mistake for discussion essays is advantages and disadvantages essays . With these, the statement will contain just one view and the question will typically be written as shown in this sample question.

School children are using computers in school more than ever.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this and give your own opinion.

The consequence of incorrectly identifying the question type is that you will use the wrong structure for your essay. This is a major reason why people make the mistakes we’ll now look at.

3 Common Mistakes

These three errors are common in IELTS discussion essays.

Not stating your opinion.
Not giving arguments for both views.
Not developing both sides of the argument equally.

The most common mistake that students make is not giving their opinion. The question will clearly state that you must choose one side of the argument to agree with. 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 actually agree with it.

However, you must give equal attention to both sides. A common error is to provide a stronger argument for the view you favour. This leads to an unbalanced essay and a low score for task achievement.

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write IELTS discussion 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
State two supporting reasons
Give your opinion

2) Main body paragraph 1

Topic sentence – outline the view you don’t agree with
Explanation – explain why this view is held by some people
Example – give an example

3 ) Main body paragraph 2

Topic sentence – outline the view you do agree with

4) Conclusion

Summarise the key points and state your opinion

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 Discussion Essays

# 1 analyse the question.

This is an essential step in the planning process and will ensure that you answer the question fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:

1. Topic words

2. Other keywords

3. Instruction words

We’ve already considered the instruction words (the actual question) so we’ll focus on the first two.

Topics words are the ones that identify the general subject of the question.

Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.

So, this question is about ‘ zoos ’.

Many people do this first step of the process and then write about the topic in general. This is a serious mistake and leads to low marks for task achievement.

What we need to do now that we know the general topic, is to understand exactly what aspect of zoos we're being asked to write about.

The other keywords in the question tell you the specific topic you must write about. They define the opinions stated in the statement.

Some people think tha t zoos are cruel and should be closed down . Others, however, believe that zoos c an be useful in protecting wild animals .

By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the opposing views that zoos are cruel and should be closed down and that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals. Your essay must only include ideas relevant to these ideas.

# 2 Decide on your opinion

As already mentioned, it doesn’t matter if you genuinely agree with the view you take in your essay or not. IELTS discussion essays are about your ability to write a well-structured essay in the English language and you will not be assessed on any opinion you might hold.

So, choose one view and make sure that your opinion is clear throughout the essay.

For this model essay, I’m going to agree with the statement that zoos are cruel and should be closed down.

# 3 Generate ideas

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

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

We’re going to use the ‘friends technique’. This is my preferred method as it allows you to take a step back from the stress of the exam situation and think more calmly.

Here’s how it works. Imagine you are chatting with a friend and they ask you the question in a casual conversation. What answers would you give them off the top of your head? Plan your essay around these ideas.

Doing this will help you to come up with simple answers in everyday language rather than straining your brain to think of amazing ideas using high level-language, which isn’t necessary.

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

Here are my ideas:

Cruel – closed down:

Cramped cages – animals distressed
Unnatural environments
Most animals not endangered
Animals become a public spectacle for entertainment

Useful – protect wild animals:

Research work to learn more about wild animals
Breeding programmes for endangered species
Some species saved from extinction
Seeing wild animals close up inspires people to want to help protect them

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 – Cramped cages & unnatural environments, animals distressed.

Idea 2 – Breeding programmes for endangered species, some species saved from extinction.

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

# 4 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:

zoos – animals in captivity, collections of wild animals, menagerie, wildlife park

cruel – to cause suffering, inhumane

protect – safeguard, preserve

animals – creatures, species

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

How To Write an Introduction

Good introductions to IELTS discussion essays have a simple 3 part structure:

1) Paraphrase the question

2) State two supporting reasons (outline statement)

3) Give your opinion (thesis statement)

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

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

Question: Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.

There are various phrases you can use to do this. Here are three examples. They all say the same thing using different language.

Some people argue that… while others say that…
It is considered by some…. while there are others who think….
It is often argued that... whilst others disagree and think...

Choose one and add the details in the question statement in a paraphrased form. I recommend putting the view you don’t agree with first.

Paraphrased question:

Some people argue that zoos help to preserve wild creatures, while others say that they are inhumane and should be abolished.

Note my use of synonyms. You don’t have to replace every key word but do so where possible whilst ensuring that your language sounds natural. There aren’t any suitable synonyms of ‘zoo’ that I can think of, so I've repeated this word from the statement.

2) Thesis and outline statements

Now we need to add an outline statement where you outline the two main points that you’ll cover in the rest of the essay (ideas 1 and 2 above) and a thesis statement where you state your opinion.

Outline & thesis statements:

While the development of breeding programmes contributes to the preservation of endangered species, I believe that the poor conditions that many animals held in captivity are kept in make the existence of zoos unacceptable.

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 – Breeding programmes for endangered species, some species saved from extinction.

Main body paragraph 2 – Cramped cages & unnatural environments, animals distressed.

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main body paragraphs in IELTS discussion essays should contain 3 things:

It is easier to begin by discussing the opinion you don’t agree with and then present the reasons for the opposing view that you support. So, we’ll start with idea 1.

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.

Topic sentence:

On the one hand, there are many projects in existence in zoological parks around the world where species facing extinction have been successfully bred in captivity and their numbers increased substantially.

Next, we must write an explanation sentence that expands on the idea. This explains to the examiner what we mean or why this is the case.

Explanation sentence:

This is important for ensuring the survival of animals under threat from poaching and the destruction of their natural environments.

Finally, we add an example to support our main point. 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:

A good example of this is the golden lion tamarin from Brazil which nearly died out because of logging and mining activities which are destroying its habitat. Today, a third of wild golden lion tamarins were raised in captivity.

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 – Cramped cages & unnatural environments, animals distressed.

First, we write the topic sentence to summarise the main idea. I started main body paragraph 1 with the phrase ‘On the one hand...’, so main body paragraph 2 will naturally begin, ‘On the other hand... .

These are great cohesive devices to use when making a direct contrast between two opposing views and they link the ideas together well. They can be used in most IELTS discussion essays and will help to earn you a good score for cohesion and coherence.

Topic sentence:

On the other hand, a significant percentage of zoos house their animals in cramped cages with very little space to move around or behave naturally.

Now for the explanation sentence where we expand on this idea.

Explanation sentence:

This can lead to them becoming distressed and depressed as well as suffering physically through lack of exercise.

Finally, an example to support this point.

A friend of mine recently visited a wildlife park while on holiday abroad and was very upset to see the lions pacing up and down in a narrow, bare pen and eagles in enclosures so small that they were unable to fly.

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 discussion essay is done.

How To Write a Conclusion

Conclusions to IELTS discussion essays should do two things:

Summarise the main points
State your opinion

This can generally be done in a single sentence.

If you're below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add a prediction or recommendation statement.

Our essay currently has 231 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 discussion 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 discussion essay with the words:

In conclusion

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.

Finished IELTS discussion 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 discussion essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

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More help with ielts discussion 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.

IELTS Writing
Discussion Essays
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Essay Task 2

Guide to Advantage Disadvantage IELTS Essay Type

Essay Types
Double Question
Advantage Disadvantage
Problem Solution
Essay Length

IELTS advantage/disadvantage essays ask you to write about the benefits and drawbacks of a topic as well as (sometimes) asking for your opinion. This guide covers everything you need to know to complete an Academic IELTS advantage/ disadvantage essay. Let’s start preparing with Benchmark IELTS!

1.1 understanding the question, 1.2 example advantage/disadvantage questions, 2.1 essay structure 1, 2.2 essay structure 2.

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 advantage/disadvantage essay, 5.2 advantage/disadvantage sample essay, 1. advantage/ disadvantage essay overview.

This section of the guide will show you how to identify an IELTS advantage/disadvantage question.

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

Advantage/disadvantage
Double question
Problem/solution

It is very important to understand what type of question you are given in the exam so you can respond in an appropriate way: different question types will require different responses.

Advantage/disadvantage essay questions can be presented in several different ways.

Here are some examples of the way an advantage/disadvantage question may be worded:

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your opinion.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of _____ and give your opinion.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of _____?

You may also see questions using synonyms for advantage and disadvantage, for example:

What are the benefits and drawbacks of…?

Be careful, the question itself might not always use words or phrases relating to advantage/disadvantage and they could be hidden in the statement, as seen here:

Some people believe that using a bicycle as your main form of transport has a lot of advantages , whereas others believe that it has many disadvantages . Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Here is another example of a question where you are asked to give your opinion:

Do the advantages of … outweigh the disadvantages

After you have identified the essay type , you need to understand what you are being asked to do. To do well in the Task achievement marking component, you need to ‘ address all parts of the task’ .

This type of essay question will always be split into two parts:

The IELTS statement
The question

You must always write about both the advantages and disadvantages of the given topic. As we can see in example questions 1-6, sometimes you are asked to give your opinion on the question, and sometimes you are not. Let’s compare the following questions:

You are not being asked to give your opinion

Here are some example advantage/disadvantage essay questions:

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have more of an opportunity to study abroad.

Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Today children spend a lot of their free time watching TV.

Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this practice?

Also, read the following IELTS Essay Writing Guides

IELTS Discussion Type Questions
Double Question IELTS Essay Topics
Opinion-based Task 2 IELTS Guide
Problem Solution IELTS Writing Task Statement

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy.

The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have the opportunity to study abroad.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?

More and more people prefer to read news online rather than on paper.

Do you think the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

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2. Essay Structures for Advantage/Disadvantage Essays

There is more than one way to structure your advantage/disadvantage essay. You could take a thesis-led (opinion in the introduction) or an evidence-led (opinion in your conclusion).

You could also choose to focus on one or more than one advantage/disadvantage in each of your main body paragraphs.

The next two sections will give you two possible ways that you could structure your essay using four clearly organized paragraphs.

Thesis-led approach

Evidence-led approach

3. Planning your Advantage/Disadvantage Essay

Before you start writing your essay, you should give yourself 5 minutes to analyze the question and organize your ideas . Follow the tips below to create a well-planned essay!

3.1 Identify keywords and phrases

It sounds simple, but it is very important that you read the question carefully and understand what you are being asked to write about. To analyze the question, first, identify any keywords and phrases .

You should first identify the topic of the essay. If you do not write about the correct topic, you will score poorly in Task achievement . The general topic can always be found in the IELTS statement.

Let’s take a look at one of the previous examples:

The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace . Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy .

The topic words are underlined and show the general topic of this essay question in nuclear weapons/power/technology .

After you have identified the general topic, you need to locate other keywords that give you more detail about the topic. In this question, the words world peace and cheap and clean energy in bold give you more information about the general topic. Therefore, your essay should only relate to these aspects of nuclear weapons/power/technology .

Now take a look at the question for our model answer at the end of this guide. Can you identify the general topic?

This is an important step that is often skipped by test-takers. By quickly writing down your key ideas, you will avoid repeating or missing any points and improve your score in both Task achievement and Coherence and cohesion .

You could use bullet points , columns , or another preferred method of writing down ideas . Here is an example for our sample essay:

Take a look at our Master Guide for a more in-depth look at idea generation and organizing your ideas.

Taking a moment to write down more uncommon vocabulary related to the essay topic will not only make you feel more relaxed in the exam but will also help you to improve your score in Lexical resources .

This doesn’t have to be a long list, just a few ideas that come into your mind. Here are some examples of the topic of studying abroad:

Culture shock
Language barrier
Broaden one’s horizons

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4. Writing your Advantages/Disadvantages Essay

Your introduction should be the shortest paragraph in your essay (about 40-60 words is perfect).

You need to rephrase the IELTS statement in your own words. This is known as paraphrasing (a key skill to develop for the IELTS exam).

Take a look at our example:


In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have the opportunity to study abroad. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?

You can also briefly state what your essay will be about in one clear sentence. For instance:

This essay will discuss both points of view and then I will give my opinion.

If you are taking a thesis-led approach, you can use one of the following sentence starters to briefly give your opinion:

I believe that…
It is my belief that…
In my opinion,…

A note on the use of the first person ‘I’: Unlike writing task 1, it is appropriate to use the first person in your writing task 2 essay. In fact, it is unavoidable when giving your opinion. But , you should not overuse ‘I’ in your essay and we recommend you limit your use to your introduction and conclusion.

Topic sentences Usually, the first sentence of your main body paragraph will be a topic sentence . The purpose of your topic sentence is to introduce the main idea of your paragraph .

You should include one topic sentence for each advantage/disadvantage . This means that, if your main body paragraphs focus on two advantages/disadvantages , then you should have two topic sentences per paragraph.

Here’s an example: One advantage of studying abroad is that students can improve their language skills.

Here are some other sentence starters you can use for your essays (you can replace the underlined words with vocabulary linked to your topic):

One advantage of studying abroad is that ….
Another benefit of studying abroad is that…
One downside of studying abroad is that…
Another downside of studying abroad is that…

Supporting sentences You should then expand on your topic sentence with a supporting sentence/sentences . Your sentence(s) could either describe a result of the advantage/disadvantage, go into more detail , or explain the reason(s) why these benefits/drawbacks occur.

Our example supporting sentence describes a result of the advantage given in the topic sentence.

Topic sentence – One advantage of studying abroad is that students can improve their language skills.

Supporting sentence – This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities.

Here are some sentences starters you can use to begin your supporting sentences:

This is because…
The result/consequence/reason is that…
This means that…
As a result/consequence,…
In other words,…

Giving examples For all writing task 2 essay types , you must support your response with examples. Do not personalize your examples and link them to your life instead, Keep your examples more general . Also, do not refer to made-up statistics .

Here are some instances of suitable and non-suitable examples:

Suitable For example, many young people who study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home.

Not suitable My cousin spent three years in an English-speaking country and they got an excellent job with an international country when they came back to Spain. ( this example is too personal as it refers to the writer’s family ) ❌

According to statistics, international students are 30% more likely to get a job in an international company when they study overseas. ( this example contains a made-up statistic )

You must include a conclusion to achieve a good score in Task achievement . Your conclusion does not have to be very long, but it needs to be clear and do two main things:

Paraphrase yourself : summarise the key points in your body paragraphs
Give your opinion : It depends if you have taken an evidence-led or thesis-led approach, you will either be re-stating the opinion given in your introduction or giving your opinion for the first time.

Make your conclusion easy to identify for the examiner by starting with linking phrases such as:

To sum up,…
To summarise,…
In conclusion,…

When you are paraphrasing the main points of your essay, you need to state that you have examined both sides of the argument (as that is what the question has asked you to do). To do this, consider using a phrase like:

In conclusion, having looked at this topic in detail, it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad .

You would need to replace the underlined section with your essay topic.

To give your opinion, you need to use a range of cohesive devices to introduce each example such as:

From my perspective,…
In my view,…

You then need to clearly state which side of the argument you agree with (advantage or disadvantage). Remember, your actual opinion does not matter, it is how you present your opinion using English that is important.

Here are some example sentences to do this effectively:

In my opinion, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
From my perspective, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits .

5. Example Advantage/Disadvantage Essay and Exercise

Now you’ve taken a look at how to write an advantage/disadvantage essay, let’s look at a model answer.

We have removed some of the words so you can put your knowledge to the test.

Select the correct missing words and complete the model answer.

years, it has become much more common for to complete their degree overseas instead of their country. Many believe that there are significant of doing this, while others argue that there are also connected to studying abroad. This essay will discuss both points of and then I will give my opinion.

One advantage of abroad is that students can improve their skills. This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities. , many young people study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home. benefit of studying abroad is that you can develop a better understanding of other cultures, for , learning about a country's customs, traditions and cuisines. The consequence of this is that people become more open-minded.

, there are some disadvantages of studying abroad. One is that students may miss their friends and family and feel . They may also find it difficult to connect with other students and make friends due to a . Another disadvantage is that students can experience a real culture shock when moving to another country. This is because the culture and language may be different which could lead to frustration for the student and with their study experience.

To , it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. In my , the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Although it is true that the experience may be challenging at first, on , if you study abroad you will have an enriching experience that will broaden your horizons and increase your future prospects.

/ 21

In recent years, it has become much more common for students to complete their degree overseas instead of their house country. Many persons believe that there are significant benefits of doing this, while others argue that there are also drawbacks connected to studying abroad. This essay will discuss both points of mind and then I will give my opinion.

One advantage of study abroad is that students can improve their employee skills. This means that when the students return to their home countries, they will have more employment opportunities. An example, many young people who study in an English-speaking country for a few years develop strong communication skills and have the confidence to work in an international company when they return home. On the other hand benefit of studying abroad is that you can develop a better understanding of other cultures, Example , learning about a country’s customs, traditions and cuisines. The consequence of this is that people become more open-minded.

In the other hand, there are some disadvantages of studying abroad. One backdraw is that students may miss their friends and family and feel homesad. They may also find it difficult to connect with other students and make friends due to a language barrier . Another disadvantage is that students can experience a real culture shock when moving to another country. This is because the culture and language may be different which could lead to frustration for the student and dissatisfaction with their study experience.

To overall , it is clear that there are both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. In my thought, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Although it is true that the experience may be challenging at first, on balance , if you study abroad you will have an enriching experience that will broaden your horizons and increase your future prospects.

One thought on “Guide to Advantage Disadvantage IELTS Essay Type”

This was very useful to improve my writing skill

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How to Structure IELTS Writing Task 1 Essays

Posted by David S. Wills | Aug 24, 2020 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 1

I have written many times about structure on this website, but mostly I have focused on task 2 . Today, however, I am going to take some time to show you how to structure IELTS writing task 1 essays . This often seems like a mystery but in fact it is quite simple and you can usually follow a pretty basic template.

I am going to divide this lesson into two parts. First, we will deal with the IELTS Academic exam and then we will look briefly at the IELTS General exam because these require different structures. Also, keep in mind that IELTS academic writing includes line graphs, pie charts, bar charts, maps, and more, so each of these might require some changes to the essay structure.

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 Structure

When you do IELTS academic writing task 1, you may find yourself presented with one (or more) of the following:

Process diagram

These require quite different language but generally you can apply a similar essay structure to all of them. Whether you are writing about a line graph or a table, you can pretty much use this IELTS writing task 1 template :

Paragraph #1	Explain the basic facts of the image Describe the general trend
Paragraph #2	Describe the first group of information
Paragraph #3	Describe the second group of information

Let’s establish what “group of information” means

When you are doing IELTS Academic writing task 1, you need to examine the data and then describe it. To do this, you cannot just take a random approach and write about the different features of the data. Instead, you need to highlight the important parts.

This can be difficult, so let’s take an example.

In this line graph, we only have two lines to write about. Clearly, we could write one paragraph about men and one paragraph about women. Easy! Our structure would look like this:

Paragraph #1	It’s a line graph about smoking rates Men increase; women decrease
Paragraph #2	Describe the trend for men
Paragraph #3	Describe the trend for women

To be honest, that is a very, very easy graph to describe so it was not a challenge. Let’s choose something more difficult to explore:

This is not a terribly difficult line graph to describe, but it presents a challenge for our IELTS writing task 1 structure template. How should we group these three lines?

One option is to structure it like this:

Paragraph #1	It’s a line graph about tourism They have opposite trends
Paragraph #2	Describe the trend for visitors on the island
Paragraph #3	Describe the trend for visitors on ships

Another option is to break the information down according to time:

Paragraph #1	It’s a line graph about tourism They have opposite trends
Paragraph #2	Describe the data during the first few years
Paragraph #3	Describe the data during the final years

Grouping by Time vs Grouping by Type

The easiest way to group data for IELTS writing task 1 is to put them into different types. For example, in this line graph about a Caribbean island, we could potentially describe the number of people who stayed on the island in one paragraph and then the people who stayed on the ships in another paragraph.

But is this the best way?

When you write an essay with that structure, it becomes harder to compare the data. Remember that your question will always say “make comparisons where relevant.”

This suggests that grouping by time is better for one major reason: You can compare the different types of data over time. In this case, we can see the two sets of data are opposites, which gives us a great chance to make comparisons.

Sample Essay

Here is my sample essay about the Caribbean island.

The line graph displays the numbers of tourists that visited an unnamed Caribbean island between 2010 and 2017. The tourists are divided into two groups – those staying on cruise ships and those staying on the island itself – and these had a loosely inverse correlation. The total number of visitors, however, rose more or less continuously throughout the eight-year period. In the first year recorded, which was 2010, there were about twice as many tourists staying on the island as those staying on cruise ships. A year later, the number staying on cruise ships doubled to a half million, but this dropped back to around a quarter million in 2012. When the figures for tourists on cruise ships dropped, the number staying on the island rose quickly and over the coming few years, as this sudden increased levelled off, the number of people who stayed onboard their ship continued to grow again. Between 2012 and 2017, there were more and more visitors staying on cruise ships. From just a quarter million, this rose to two million, while the figures for those on the island levelled off at just one and a half million and then dropped slightly in the penultimate year, before finishing at one and a half. This meant that, for the final two years, more tourists stayed on cruise ships than on the island.

Can you write more than 3 paragraphs?

I would like to make clear that there is no such thing as the correct IELTS writing task 1 essay structure. It is possible to write a great essay with 2 paragraphs, but it is also possible to do it with 4 paragraphs. I would not recommend writing more than 4 paragraphs and I would certainly not recommend writing just 1! This would show a total lack of understanding of Coherence and Cohesion.

(P.S. – Read all about the number of paragraphs for IELTS writing task 2 here .)

Anyway, let’s look at an example of an essay that might be best described with 4 paragraphs:

For this task, we have to decide how to group the data. I personally find that the trend for burglary is more interesting than the others because it has much more of a change, which tells me that it should be described first. You could definitely write a paragraph that grouped car thefts and robberies together, but one is much more common than the other, so it might not work well.

I would take this approach:

Paragraph #1	It’s a line graph crime rates Burglary most common at start, but overtaken by car theft.
Paragraph #2	Describe the trend for burglary
Paragraph #3	Describe the trend for car theft
Paragraph #4	Describe the trend for robbery

Of course, writing this much could mean taking a long time and potentially not finishing your essay. I have written an article about how many words you should write for IELTS, which you can read here .

Sample Essay – 4 Paragraphs

Ok, let’s look at the essay I wrote about crime rates in Newport.

The line graph shows changes in crime rates over a ten-year period in the city centre of Newport. Three types of crimes are listed, two of which ended the period at roughly similar levels to where they began, and one experienced a major drop. In 2003, which was the beginning of the recorded period, burglary was the most common type of crime in Newport, with just under 3,500 cases reported. This rose slightly the following year, before entering into a long downward trend, reaching a low of about 1,200 in 2008. After this, the number of burglaries reported fluctuated until 2012. The number of car thefts was about 2,800 in 2003, and ended the period slightly lower, at 2,700. During the decade-long period, it fluctuated, reaching low points in 2006 and 2008. Car theft was the second most common type of crime in 2003, but the fall in burglaries meant that from 2008 onwards, they were the most common crime in Newport. Robberies were the least common crime and followed a somewhat similar trend to that of car thefts, starting and ending the period with around 700 incidents. It fluctuated only slightly during the ten-year period.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Pie Chart Structure

The previous examples were both line graphs because these are the most common type of IELTS academic writing task 1 question. However, in order to ensure you understand fully, I will also include a pie chart and show you how to structure your essay.

This is actually the most difficult IELTS writing task 1 question I have ever seen!

So how could we produce an IELTS writing task 1 essay structure to fit this?

The obvious choice seems to be writing 3 paragraphs, with 1 paragraph for each of the pie charts. That’s sensible, right?

Well, personally I think that would make it harder to draw comparisons between these data. Instead, I will group the data in terms of meals . I will look at the main meals in one paragraph and then snacks in a final paragraph. This allows me to compare all 3 nutrients!

My structure would then look like this:

Paragraph #1	There are 3 pie charts about nutrients 2 pie charts are the same; 1 is different
Paragraph #2	Talk about breakfast, lunch, and dinner, comparing the various nutrients
Paragraph #3	Talk about snacks

**Please note that this is a quite advanced structure and it is difficult to do. I am including it to show you how it is possible to take various approaches and produce a great essay.

Sample Answer

This is my answer to the very difficult question about nutrients:

The pie charts show information about three different kinds of nutrients and their prevalence in typical American meals. There are four kinds of meal mentioned, including snacks. The figures for sodium and saturated fat are loosely similar, but for added sugar they are quite different. Sodium and saturated fat are both extremely common in typical American dinners. According to the pie charts, 43% of sodium is consumed at dinner time as well as 37% of saturated fat, but just 23% of added sugar is found in American dinners. Almost a third of sodium eaten by Americans is consumed at lunch, alongside more than a quarter of saturated fat. Breakfasts contain the lowest amount of these potentially unhealthy ingredients, at 14% sodium and 16% for both saturated fat and added sugar. The figures for snacks look quite different. More than four tenths of the added sugar consumed by Americans came from snacks, which also contained a fifth of the saturated fats and about a sixth of sodium.

IELTS General Training Writing Task 1 Structure

When you take the IELTS General Training (GT) writing test, you will see that task 1 requires you to write a letter. As such, there is no “recommended essay structure” that you can use.

Instead, you should aim to write a letter that follows typical letter-writing conventions and to use paragraphs logically to guide your reader.

How can you structure an IELTS general writing task 1 letter?

I would strongly recommend this sort of approach:

Paragraph #1	Say why you are writing
Paragraph #2	Explain the issue
Paragraph #3	Say what you want the other person to do

Of course, I will say here that you should not take this as a 100% perfect letter template . It is merely a suggestion and you should pay close attention to the actual task you are assigned. This template can usually be adapted to make a good letter, but sometimes you need to add or combine paragraphs. Also, we might have a short paragraph at the start and/or end of the essay to give some friendly greeting or send some kind regards.

For one thing, sometimes you need to give much more weight to one part of the question, which could require using two paragraphs for that and one for the other parts. An example would be:

Paragraph #1	Say why you are writing
Paragraph #2	Explain the issue
Paragraph #3	Continue explaining the issue
Paragraph #4	Say what you want the other person to do

How to Adapt an IELTS General Writing Task 1 Format Structure

The people who score band 8 or 9 in IELTS writing are not the ones who memorize structures and vocabulary, or who attempt to predict the questions they will encounter. Instead, these are people who can learn from others but create their own essays and letters by adapting good ideas to the present situation.

Let’s look at an example question from IELTS GT writing task 1.

A large company in your area has decided to spend a certain amount of money, either to sponsor a local children’s sports team for two years, or to pay for two open-air concerts. It has asked for feedback from the general public. Write a letter to the company. In your letter, – describe the benefit of sponsoring the sports ream – summarise the benefits of paying for the concerts – say how you think the company should spend the money

How can we structure a reply to this task?

I am going to use the IELTS general writing task 1 format structure that I suggested above, with two paragraphs of explanation in the middle because there are two sides to the issue. My structure would look like this:

Paragraph #1	Say why I am writing
Paragraph #2	Explain the benefits of sponsoring a sports team
Paragraph #3	Explain the benefits of paying for a concert
Paragraph #4	Give my opinion – the sports team is a better option

Here is my sample answer to the above question:

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing in response to your request for input on the decision about either spending money on a sports team or for two open-air concerts. Firstly, if you were to sponsor the children’s sports team, it would obviously be a great investment in the community. Nothing is more important to us than our children’s health and happiness. If you decided to sponsor the football team, this would mean a tremendous amount to many families. The concerts would also be beneficial in bringing the community together in a big event. This would foster some positive experiences and allow people to have fun together doing something they don’t normally do. It might also be good for local businesses. It is my opinion that you invest the money in the sports team as I think this would have the greatest benefit. For two whole years, parents would be able to watch their children play sports, and that is much better than going along to two concerts. Sincerely, David Wills

More Resources

This is a massive topic to cover and so I suggest that you continue reading once you are finished with this article. I have countless lessons on this website about IELTS writing task 1 (both academic and general) that you can read. I also have an IELTS writing task 1 template PDF file here .

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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I liked the course very much. It extended my knowledge about IELTS task 1 essay writing. This article is very insightful, points well explained and use of tutorials and examples to give a more clear picture of how task 1 essay should be tackled. Thanks for the great post! I liked how detailed and helpful it is.

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IELTS Agree Disagree Essay Sample Answer with Tips

For an IELTS agree disagree essay you can either agree with the statement, disagree with the statement or give your opinion which contains a balanced approach to the issues in the statement. However, this does not mean you can discuss both sides impartially – you must give a clear opinion to get a good score in the criterion of Task Response which is 25% of your marks. Another name for an agree disagree essay is an opinion essay or argumentative essay.

The Agree Disagree Essay is also called the Opinion Essay. They are not different essays. On this website, I usually refer to this essay as the Opinion Essay. However, I am using a different name here just for people who are used to calling it “agree/disagree essay”.

IELTS Agree Disagree Question

Remember, this is also called an Opinion Essay.

The growing number of overweight people is putting a strain on the health care system in an effort to deal with the health issues involved. Some people think that the best way to deal with this problem is to introduce more physical education lessons in the school curriculum. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Agree Disagree Model Essay

Below is a model answer for the above Opinion Essay = Agree/Disagree Essay.

Owing to the problems which a growing population of overweight people cause for the health care system, it is thought that the key to solving this issue is to have more sport and exercise in schools. I agree that this is one way to tackle the problem, but diet must also be taken into consideration.

Increasing sport or regular exercise in schools is a useful way to tackle weight problems in the long run in the general population. This method will encourage a new generation to develop vital habits which support overall health and also help them maintain a reasonable weight. At the moment, the average child in the West does sport possibly twice a week, which is not enough to counteract their otherwise sedentary lifestyle that comes from many hours each day of sitting at a desk for their lessons. By incorporating more exercise time and possibly extracurricular physical activities, they will undoubtedly become fitter and more active, and continue living that way after leaving schools.

However, targeting physical exercise in school children to reduce the current issue of obesity in the wider population is not effective enough on its own. Firstly, children in schools need to also be educated about what constitutes healthy foods and why in order to ensure a new generation of people who understand clean eating. Secondly, for a more immediately impact, it is important to look at reducing the number of Ultra processed foods (UPF’s) on the market which too many people gravitate towards. For example, the government could impose a tax on UPF’s to increase the price, and also reduce the cost of healthy foods, such as vegetables, to encourage a better diet.

In conclusion, I believe the best approach to tackling weight issues in the population starts with diet and exercise in schools but must also include encouraging a healthier diet through price changes targeting specific foods on the market.

TIPS FOR AGREE/DISAGREE ESSAY (OPINION ESSAY)

An Agree Disagree Essay is 100% the same as an Opinion Essay – they are two names for the same essay.
Always analyse the essay question carefully and make sure you identify the key issue or issues in the essay question.
Plan your main ideas and supporting points before you start writing.
Introduction
Topic Sentence
Supporting points (usually two or three)
(please note that sometimes it is possible to have three body paragraphs, you’ll find examples for model essays here: ALL MODEL ESSAYS FOR WRITING TASK 2
Conclusion paragraph
Make sure your introduction is not too long. Just paraphrase the essay question (background statement) and present your opinion (thesis statement).
Make sure your opinion is consistent from introduction to conclusion. You can’t change your opinion during your essay.
Each body paragraph presents a main idea which explains your opinion.
Your body paragraphs should be equally developed for a high score.
Supporting points must be relevant to the topic sentence of the paragraph.
Never miss the conclusion. Keep it short, but make sure you write it! See this video about missing the conclusion: Using the last 5 mins in the writing test
It is possible to have a partial agreement for the essay above where you think sports lessons are a good solution, but there is another more effective solution that must also be taken into consideration.
Aim to write between 270 and 290 words. As you can see, my model essay above is over 300 words. However, that shouldn’t be your aim. More words open you up to more criticism.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU When to give your opinion in an IELTS essay Advantage Disadvantage Model Essay Discussion Essay Model Answer OPINION ESSAY PRACTICE QUESTIONS ALL WRITING TASK 2 MODEL ESSAYS AND TIPS

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Hi Liz, thanks for all the tips. How would you rate my answer, and how can i improve it? I would be grateful if you could answer these questions! ans One of the main problems in the health care system is the increasing number of overweight people. It is thought by some people that the best method to handle this issue is to introduce exercise and sports classes in the school timetables. I strongly agree with these statements as obesity might not be seen as a major problem in the country, but health deteriorating due to obesity is a major issue.

Being overweight can cause a lot of problems not only in one’s physical health but also in one’s mental health. While exercise and sports can help overweight people in losing excess fat, diet is a crucial aspect too. One reason that people are overweight is because they had no subjects or courses on physical education in their school curriculum. Sports and physical education not only help students maintain good fitness, but they also bring discipline to them and a sense of responsibility.

However, sports and fitness alone are not enough to deal with this problem on a large scale. Diet must also be introduced in the course curriculum as it plays just as important a part as sports in maintaining good health. Students must be taught about various aspects of diet such as healthy food, food to avoid, palm oil, processed food, trans fat, sugar, etc. Teaching them the concept of calories can be very beneficial for them.

In conclusion, I believe sports, physical education, and diet are three of the most important aspects of maintaining good health and a healthy weight.

The aim of my website is not to provide feedback. But today I do have some time to drop a comment. 1) There is only one statement that you need to give an opinion on and that is about schools providing more exercise classes to tackle the number of overweight people. Your aim is not to comment on the fact that this puts a strain on the health care system (that is just background information). The aim is also not to discuss the problems of obesity. 2) Your introduction does not provide a clear opinion – do you think physical education is schools is the best way to tackle obesity? What is your answer? Be clear and be direct. If you agree that physical education in schools is a good way to tackle this, then you must say it clearly. Your thesis statement does not contain a relevant opinion because you are not being asked if you think obesity is a problem. So, you will be marked down on this. 3) Your first body paragraph contains mixed ideas with no clear relevant opinion. a) your topic sentence is confusing – you’ve written that being overweight is a problem – this isn’t what the essay is about, the essay is about solutions to obesity. Your topic sentence must contain a clear point in favour of your opinion relating to the solutions of obesity. b) the next sentence is confusing – is this paragraph about sports or diet? You can have only one clear point per paragraph in IELTS. You will be marked down for this. c) you add that sports lessons help bring discipline – this is off topic and irrelevant to the essay which is about solutions to obesity. The examiner will note all these details about your essay (a, b & c) and your score will suffer for them. 4) Note that sports are part of physical education in schools – they aren’t separate.

All these points above relate to both Task Response and Coherence & Cohesion. That means they will impact your score for both marking criteria which together count for 50% of your writing task 2 marks. These aren’t small issues. They all relate to your technique. IELTS essays are not “normal essays”. They are essays designed specifically for IELTS to fulfil the marking criteria. So, you must learn the techniques and the right way to approach writing task 2. Your English is good enough for a high score, but your lack of understanding of IELTS essays will lower that score a lot. Here is a link to my free lessons, model essays and tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . But to learn the techniques for essays relating to the band score requirements in detail, see my advanced lessons in my store for step by step guidance: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

I hope everyone can learn from this example essay and feedback.

Hey liz, i hope you are doing well. Would you spare a time for me to give a check on my essay and give recommendations and bands. I would be thankful to you.

The figure of fatty people has been increasing , and it can cause serious health problems. This has caused the distress among health department. To confront this issue, some people suggest that many fitness pertaining subjects should be added in school. In this essay, i will provide my opinion.

Firstly, by introducing physical health subject would result in improvement in the knowledge of students regarding body. many students does not have concern regarding their shape because they do not know that maintaining it is actually a thing to do and how many benefits are for maintaining a fit body. By the time, people grow they do not realise how they have destroy their body by not maintain it.

If we discuss further, junk food has also become a problem for youth. Mainly, the reason for over weight is due to eating burgurs, pizza and all sort of fast food. Majority of people does not think of that how much fat, oil it has which causes problems. Moreover, it has become a social status for people there are certain applications inwhich people give photos and videos what they eat following that other people also do the same which creates a trend of eating and showing of fast food.

In contrast, introducing health lectures in education system can cause over thinking among children. The children who enjoys alot of eating without any thinking would be in sudden depression if he/she know about the problems it may cause and it would destroy the enjoyment of children.

All thing considered, it can be seen that launching fitness period in academic can have variety of benefits to the youth.

The aim of my website doesn’t include writing feedback, but today I have some time for a few comments.

1) Paraphrasing – you paraphrase when you are 100% sure a word is a perfect replacement or to even improve language. The word “fatty people” is not suitable and shouldn’t be used. Likewise, “among health department” “fitness pertaining subjects” “a fit body” or “fitness period”. Each time you paraphrase and get it wrong, it is a reason for the examiner to lower your score. Your first two sentences should be: “The number of people who are overweight is increasing and this causes problems for health care services.” If you are not sure about changing a word, don’t change it. It is better for your score to repeat a word than choose badly.

2) You do not need “In this essay, I will provide my opinion”. Your thesis statement should provide your opinion. Watch the video on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/how-many-paragraphs-for-an-ielts-essay/ to learn how to write an introduction.

3) This is an Opinion Essay so introduce your opinion in the introduction and explain your opinion with one clear point in each body paragraph.

4) Never have one main point less developed than the other. All body paragraphs are equal length.

5) Don’t go off topic. This essay isn’t about why people become overweight (such as taking photos of food for social media). It’s about solutions to the problem. The whole essay, every paragraph and every single sentence must address and relate to ways of tackling this problem.

What I see from your writing is that you lack an insight into IELTS writing skills. You must learn what IELTS wants from an essay. I highly recommend you get my advanced lessons which you can find in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

thankyou liz , for your feedback . I will work on it. 🙏❤️

Thank you for the good work you are doing and wish you a speedy recovery. I’m a big fan of your website actually and hoping to come out with flying colors in my up coming ielts exams.

Please in your thesis statement you agreed with the background statement but you also used the word ”BUT” and introduced diet as one way of tackling the overweight issues. Now my question is, doesn’t the word ”BUT” contradict your opinion and therefore nullify everything you’ve said?

Thank you for your response.

When you first learn English, you are often given simple explanations of how to use a word or what the word means. But as you develop your English, you become aware that words can have extended meanings and other uses. This is the case with But or However. It isn’t only used to negate the clause before, but can be used to add information as well that is conditional. For example, I love pizza, but only if there’s pineapple on it. This doesn’t mean you don’t love pizza, it just means there are conditions to the pizza you like. So, in this essay, the writer agrees it is a good solution, but adds the condition that there are other solutions that also must be considered alongside the first one. The examiner will notice how well linking words are used to reflect a higher understanding of English.

well understood. Thank you so much Liz

Due to an increasing number of obese people and their health concerns, health authorities have to make a significant effort to solve their health issues. To control this, some people believe that teaching physical workouts in schools is the best measure. However, I disagree with it because there are more effective solutions, such as educating people about balanced meals, and public awareness on quick home-workouts.

Public awareness about a balanced diet is a paramount concern in this regard. This is because that many people do not know about nutrition quantities that they should take in each meal. Hence, they eat junk food, excessive amounts of carbo-rich food, and fatty-food, which lead to obesity and related health issues. If they are educated about this, they will start to eat healthy food, and it will alleviate this situation. For instance, in Sri Lanka, many obese people have reduced their weights by following the meal plans that are published in the Face Book by Dr. Wannaku.

One another important measure to mitigate this situation is educating public about an easy exercise schedule that can be done in home. This is effective because many people avoid physical exercises due to unavailability of facilities, and due to the difficulty of traveling to such facilities. Therefore, if they are taught to do a home-workout, they can do it from their homes without any equipment. This will help people to maintain healthy weights. For example, nowadays, some people stay healthily by doing equipment-free workouts available in mobile applications.

In conclusion, I believe that rather than teaching physical education lessons in the school, there are more effective solutions, such as educating people about eating healthy meals and equipment-free home exercise schedules.

Although the aim of my website isn’t to provide feedback on writing, I do have time for a quick comment. The essay is about physical education in schools as a solution for obesity. In your introduction, you have stated you don’t agree. But where is the body paragraph that explains it? Just because you don’t agree doesn’t mean you can basically ignore the specific topic given (physical education in schools). You must address this in your essay. Then you can add your own understanding in another body paragraph. This is part of the marking criterion of Task Response.

Thanks a lot Liz for your valuable feedback. I just confused during planning on this point. I am well clear now for this type of questions. Thanks again for your valuable time.

The increasing number of overweight cases is placing a burden on the healthcare system in an attempt to resolve the problem. It is thought by some people that introducing sports and exercise lessons into school curriculum can help tackle this issue effectively. In my opinion, I think that this kind of scheme will be a good idea, however, health education should also be taken into consideration.

One good reason of introducing physical education lessons in school curriculum in order to tackle overweight problems is that it will help maintain the fitness levels of students. In other words, sporting activities will help students to be active and also give them a sense of consciousness about their health. This will help them to live and maintain a healthy lifestyle even after school as this will become part of them. The physical education lessons will stress on the importance of healthy living through exercise which will greatly benefit both individual and the nation.

Another point to consider in addressing this issue is to emphasize the importance of health education. Health education will help create awareness and also educate people about the advantages of living and maintaining healthy lifestyle as well as the complications bad habit will have on their health. Through health education people will be conscious about their diet, the need to reduce stress, and the value of regular exercise which is essential in preventing obesity. This will go a long way to benefit the society because a healthy people builds a healthy nation. It will also help reduce the workload on the healthcare system. Government will also spend less on treatments of these health related problems and can channel the money to other aspect of the economy.

In conclusion, the introduction of sporting activities into school curriculum and the education of people on their health will go a long way in tackling overweight issues in a country.

Hi Liz, Thank you for this wonderful website. I have a small doubt. In the “to what extent do you agree or disagree” questions, we have three options. (Completely agree, completely disagree, or have a balanced view)

For questions like “Do you agree or disagree?” can we have a balanced view? Or should we choose either completely agree or completely disagree and give my opinion on what I chose? Thank you.

It actually makes no difference how the instructions are written. The instructions could be: To what extent do you agree? Do you agree? Do you agree or disagree? What do you think? To what extend do you agree or disagree? All these instructions are the same and they are all Opinion Essays. IELTS likes to change the wording so that people don’t become dependant on wording. You can have a balanced view (partial agreement), full agreement or disagreement – the choice it yours, no matter the wording of the instructions. But never forget that a balanced view does NOT mean you agree with both sides – it is about having a specific view point and must be written carefully or you’ll get a low score in Task Response.

The increasing number of overweight issues is placing a burden on the healthcare system in an attempt to resolve this problem. It is thought by some people that introducing sports and exercise lessons into the school curriculum can help tackle the issue effectively. In my opinion, I think that this kind of scheme will be a good idea, however, health education should also be taken into account.

One good reason of introducing physical education lessons in school curriculum in order to tackle overweight problems is that it will maintain fitness levels of the students. In other words, sporting activities will help students to be active and also give them a sense of consciousness about their health. This will help them develop and maintain healthy lifestyle even after school as this will become part of them. The physical education lessons will stress on the importance of living and maintaining healthy lifestyle through exercise which will greatly benefit both individual and the nation.

Another point to consider in addressing overweight issues is to emphasize the importance of health education. Health education will help create awareness and also educate people about the advantages of maintaining a healthy lifestyle as well as the complications bad habits will have on their health. Through health education people will become conscious about their diet, the need to reduce stress, and the value of regular exercise which is essential in preventing obesity. This will go a long way to benefit the society because a healthy people builds a healthy nation. It will also help reduce the workload on the healthcare system. Government will also spend less money on treatment of these health related problems and can channel it to other aspect of the economy.

In conclusion, the introduction of sporting activities in school curriculum and the education of people on their health will go a long way in tackling overweight issues in a country.

Hi Liz, what would be the score if it’s written in a real exam?

All model essays on my website are band score 9. The techniques and tips are the same regardless of which band score you are aiming for. The difference in the final score will depend on how good you are at applying those techniques and the level of your English.

Hi Liz, thank you very much for all the tremendous work you’ve been doing! I feel a bit confused re the topic sentence for the first body paragraph as it seems to me extremely similar to the thesis. Do you think we can use the second sentence of this para as a topic sentence instead, saying “Firstly, this method will….etc”. Thank you in advance!

This is a good question. When we write “This method will ….” it is called referencing. It is a language feature that is marked in IELTS Writing, under Coherence & Cohesion (not grammar). In IELTS essays, you count each paragraph as a new entity. You can reference inside the paragraph but not from one paragraph to another. So, we could write “this method” …” in the same paragraph where we have already mentioned the method. We cannot use “it” or “this” at the start of a new body paragraph referring to something in the previous paragraph. The first sentence of a body paragraph is called a Topic Sentence, it contains the main point – it must always be written in full. The examiner should never have to stop reading to go back to a different paragraph to see what you are talking about. IELTS essays are different from other academic essays you might write in school, college or university.

Liz, thank you!

it’s very interesting and looks perfectly logical now.

Hi Liz, thanks for your wonderful website. I’m learning so much.

I want to ask you about the opinion essay. What is the difference between To What Extend Do You Agree and the essay which is Do You Agree? Are they the same or different. I’m confused.

Please advice me.

This is a common concern that people have. An Opinion Essay question might have different instructions. It might be “To what extent do you agree?” or “Do you agree?” or “Do you agree or disagree?” or “What is your opinion?”. Regardless of how the instructions are written, you can use the same approach, the same techniques because it is exactly the same essay task but with paraphrased instructions. You could agree, you could disagree or you could have a partial agreement, which is sometimes called a “balanced view” but does not mean that you convert it into a discussion essay. At no point can you sit on the fence. You are being marked on giving a clear opinion and explaining your opinion.

I watched lots of video of you 3 years ago and now I am preparing my IELTS test.

Please i need clarity in this kind of opinion question. From the available sample, the agreement is always the last sentence in the introduction paragraph. can i start the paragraph with “I agree” and have other parts of the intro coming after it?

Is it possible too to, in restructuring the introduction paragraph to fuse the “I agree” statement and continue with other supposed parts of the introduction ?

Please advise

You’ll find a free video lesson about how to write an introduction for writing task 2 on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Dealing with obesity issues has long been a concern, as it poses a significant burden on health care organizations. Some people argue that introducing more physical education lessons in the school curriculum is the best solution. I completely agree with this opinion because it will motivate individuals to become healthier. First and foremost, introducing physical education lessons in the school curriculum will educate students about the detrimental effects of being overweight. Regular physical exercise has been proven to encourage a healthy lifestyle. For instance, schools that incorporate daily physical activities see lower rates of obesity among students. This demonstrates that the more physical exercise students engage in, the higher their potential to maintain a healthy and well-shaped body. Secondly, more physical education lessons will inspire students to engage in sports and develop lifelong healthy habits. From a young age, students will learn that exercise is fundamental to maintaining good health, which will help build a healthier generation in the future. By fostering a culture of physical activity, we can ensure that individuals grow up understanding the importance of fitness and incorporating it into their daily lives. In conclusion, I believe that incorporating more physical education lessons into the school curriculum is an effective way to combat obesity. Such programs would instill healthy habits in young people and raise awareness about the health risks associated with being overweight.

In past 10 years have seen a dramatic increase in the obesity rate .These numbers are rising day by day ,thereby putting stress on medical system to tackle these issues . It is considered by some people that by providing physcially or sports education in schools this problem can be solved . I partially agree with this idea and in this essay i will support my opinion with examples.

Firstly , long- term approach must be introduced by schools . For example, sport or health care syllabus should introduce in school curriculum because by doing this , students will habitual of playing games in ground ratherthan spending their time leisure time on mobile phones. Consequently , this idea will assists people to keep away from sedentary lifestyle. Moreover,by organisisng monthly sport tournaments, obesity rate is likely to be decrease as well as that will help for their good mental growth as well such as, if people will take part in sports that will assist for decrease the weight also they can relief from the pressure of daily other activities . Futher and even more interesting note that these activites will develop positive attitude towards their health and give solutions to control on obesity .

On other hands, medical system is also responsible for tackle this problem because not all students have same ability to play in ground such as , some students are not physcially strong thus they are unable to play games . Thus , health care assits these people to get rid from overweight . Futhermore , students from low – income families could not pay for extra seesions or games activities resultant they have to suffer with obesity and worse mental health . Therefore , health care department is also considerable for find the solutions regarding obesity .

In conclusion , although school plays important role to decrease this problem , role of medical system can not be given nelson ‘s eyes .

It has been noted that there is an increase in the number of people who are overweight, and this increase has a negative impact on the health care system. Physical activity awareness could be incorporated in schools to counter the problem and help reduce the pressure that the health care system faces.

Healthcare systems are created to help in the recovery and maintenance of health in the human population. In over the years, being overweight has been linked to the cause of many illnesses and sometimes the reason why recovery of health is slow or unsuccessful. I believe that exposure to information about physical health is important and influence the population to engage in more physical activity especially if it is introduced in early ages, for example, in schools as a subject.

Developing a hobby through physical education at schooling age will most certainly improve the populations awareness in maintaining a healthy weight and therefore help the health care system to provide efficient services with ease. I fully agree that physical education is a good intervention that should be implemented globally.

Don’t forget you will definitely get a low score if you fail to write a conclusion. It’s essential.

hello, i’ve noticed that you did not mention your opinion in the introduction.

A large number of people who are overweight, causing different difficulties in the health care system. A group of people think that adding more sports and exercise in the school might be helpful in order to mitigate the issue. However, I do partially agree with this and believe that along with the physical education lessons in the school, education about healthy diet and physical activities outside of the school is also essential to tackle the issue. Gaining weight is 80% depending on what we are eating in a day. the knowledge of the carb, protein, and vegetable intake in a meal can be helpful to maintain a healthy lifestyle and control weight. As a result, schools can arrange sessions for the students and sometimes for the parents to educate what a balanced meal is. In addition to this, educating about the impact of junk foods on our bodies also how it can damage our different organs can be beneficial for individuals at schools. Another key factor for gaining weight is less activity after school. Usually, after a tiring day at school, most student prefers to stay at home, play video games, or be idle. As a result, they do less physical activities and gain weight. Parents can play an important role in the early childhood of students by encouraging them to do outdoor activities like swimming, skiing, and playing badminton during weekends or after school hours. This will be helpful to keep them active throughout the day/week. In conclusion, adding physical activities to the school curriculum can be a good initiative. However, focusing on educating about a balanced diet and ensuring to do after-school activities can be helpful in handling the issue of being overweight.

Your thesis statement states that you agree exercise in school is needed. Then your body paragraphs completely ignore that point and only talk about food education and after-school activities. You’ll get a low score for ignoring the main part of the task, which is your opinion (fully developed) about exercise in schools. I strongly recommend that you get my advanced lessons to learn precisely how to tackle these essays: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . You must learn how to tackle essays for IELTS so that you fulfil the marking criteria. The other issue is grammar. For example, your first sentence: “A large number of people who are overweight” = this is the subject of the sentence. It is a noun phrase. The next word should be a verb, but it isn’t. You ought to write “is causing” which is a present continuous because the problem is happening now. There also shouldn’t be a common between the subject and verb. The more errors you make in grammar and vocabulary, the lower your score. Aim for accuracy in every sentence and with every word. I have a Grammar E-book in my store to help you with your grammar.

As a result of the strain being placed on the healthcare system due to the growing number of overweight people, a number of people think that the best way to deal with this problem is to introduce more physical education lessons in the school curriculum of which I strongly disagree. I believe that providing easy accessibility of healthier foods and provision of foods that are lower in calories, as well as reducing the amount of sugars present in packaged foods and beverages would be a more effective method of tackling the problem of a growing number of overweight people in the society.

According to numerous researches conducted in recent times, the major cause of the growing number of overweight people in this generation is poor diet. An increasing number of people rely on fast foods and packaged foods for their main meals during the day and unfortunately, most of these foods are loaded with an outrageous amount of artificial sugars and are very calorie dense leading to a higher number of obese people in the society. Making healthier foods such as vegetables and whole grains more accessible and affordable by slashing their prices and making them available across all mini marts and supermarkets would go a long way in making it easier for people to make healthier food choices without breaking the bank or going to extreme lengths to access these foods.

In addition to this, the government should make it compulsory for packaged food producing companies to reduce the quantity of artificial sugars in the foods they produce. They should be mandated to make their foods as healthy as possible and made to reduce the quantity of calories present in these foods as much as is possible while retaining all the health benefits of such foods. For example, the Coca-cola company recently reduced the sugar content in their drinks while retaining the same taste, this goes to great lengths to prove that this is indeed a possibility.

In conclusion, I reiterate my stance that rather than introducing physical education lessons in the school curriculum which is a more passive approach to such an urgent matter, a more effective method of tackling the growing number of obese people in the society would be promoting accessibility and affordability of healthier food choices as well as mandating packaged food producing companies to reduce the quantity of sugars in foods they produce.

Try to remember your aim is to write an essay of around 270-290 words. Longer is definitely not the goal for IELTS. See this page with model answers and tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

The increased rate of obesity is creating a problem in the health care system. Some people believe that to help solve the crisis it is imperative to present additional physical activities as part of school curriculum. I highly agree that it will be a crucial start to motivate young individuals in making way towards a healthy living.

Nowadays, most schools have a physical education intended for every student as part of their school curriculum. In addition to the said physical education are numerous kinds of extracurricular activities that some active students participate in. For example, football, basketball and running- all these activities are not graded as it is only an optional activity for students. In spite of the encouragement of many educators for young individuals to get engaged in many sports, there are many students who opt not to be involved at all. As a result, physical education only works if there is a grading system for students to follow. Moreover, students will be more motivated if they are constantly reminded that health education is a competitive subject that they need to pass.

Moreover, physical education that will be implemented at school will be a beginning of the young generations’ choices towards a healthy life. If the students know the importance of being in a good shape has a significant effect on their future, it will be a solid foundation for them to continue their healthy lifestyle even after they graduate from school. Through this they will aim not only to have good grades but for a positive and long lasting effect on their life.

In conclusion, physical education that is introduced as part of school curriculum will be a beginning of building a strong motivation to young individuals in making good and healthy choices throughout their lives.

I have a question: in opinion essays, should we present points in favor and points against, or should all points support our opinion? My issue is that I’ve seen some essays uploaded to these websites that have two paragraphs stating why they hold the opinion they have chosen, while others, like this one, list points in favor and against as if it were a discussion and finally state which one carries more weight. The difference is that in this one, it only states whether one agrees, and in the other, it states whether one agrees or disagrees (social media opinion). Can you explain this? Thank you in advance

I’m not fully sure I understand what you mean. So, I’ll try to guess. All Opinion Essays focus on your opinion only, not the opinion of other people. You can agree, you can partly agree (ie agree to some extent but not totally or have a specific view point) or you can disagree. Whatever your opinion, the whole essay is about it. This essay above agrees with the statement that exercise is the best method and the whole essay explains. The essay about social media asked about the effects on individuals and the community. The writer said it was positive for individuals but negative for communities – that was the opinion, the whole essay tackled that opinion. It is not about being in favour or against, it is about having an opinion, stating it and then explaining it. It is not related to other people’s opinions, only your own. See my advanced lessons for more detailed training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz! I hope you’re doing well. It’s so nice to see you back😊. Liz I have a question I am going to write computer based test so in listening part can I write the answers in capital letters. Please let me know I am going to write my exam this week on April 27th

For the computer based test, handwriting is not an issue so you can use upper or lower case, as you wish.

Can I write examples from my own life? like ” For example, my friend was fit because……….”

All IELTS writing task 2 essays, for both the GT test and Academic test, are formal essays. That means you are not writing about friends, family or yourself. But rather your understanding and knowledge of people and the world in general. See all my model essays to learn the tone and types of essays: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/ . For detailed training, get my advanced lessons in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

It is true that nowadays, the rise in the ratio of obese patients, are putting a significant amount of pressure on health systems to cater for their deteriorating health needs. A good number of people believe that the best way to deal with this endemic is to incorporate health education in school programs. This essay will completely agree to this statement and give relevant examples.

First and foremost, there are various reasons to this statement. However, the most powerful to this, is the ability to increase the life span of the young adults. This means that when adolecents are being educated enough on the risk of overweight, they are likely to change their habits. Most especially, when they are practiced at school level, this is because children learn better when they are with their colleagues. For example, a result to a research conducted in a montessori school revealed that children aged 4-17 consumed a ton of sugary snacks which was filled with unhealthy calories and they never liked fruits and vegetables as well. All of them had unequal body mass index which was detrimental to their health and if had continued they were continously going to be filled with infirmity and weren’t going to live long. The school changed and incorporated health science in their curriculum. In less than a year after evaluation, the children were all living well, loved healthy snacks. which resulted zero hospital visit.

Furthermore, the second benefit to eradicating obesity is incorporating sporty activities in the routine of their students. By so doing, pupils will always burn off excess calories while engaging in their favourite sports. This will also encourage people around them like their parents to get fit when they see the benefits in their kids. It is proven that parents with sporty children ends up finding interest in sports to encourage their children in doing better. In doing this, they are unconsciously living a healthy lifestyle thereby reducing the risk of obesity in the society.

To sum up, the preferred method to eradicate unhealthy weight is by educating children in schools and instilling exercise in their routine.

Just a quick comment. For an opinion essay, you can’t write “this essay will”. This essay question is asking for your opinion – your personal opinion. If you fail to give it, you will lose marks. Also make sure body paragraphs are equally developed and equally supported. See my advanced lessons to learn how to tackle this essay type: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

I was able to score 7.5 for my Academic Writing with the help of your valuable guidance. Thanks a lot for your genuine effort

That’s a great score! Very well done 🙂

Hii mam, please check the essay below and tell me band score of it and also tell where I did mistakes.

I argued that the people who are heavyweight visiting health care systems to reduce the weight,but few people thought that correct way to solve this issue at school about physical education lessons.I completely agree about the problem think that each and every school should introduce about physical education. first of all, nowadays most of the people are visiting to healthcare to reduce the weight because their is no proper exercises.so,to solve this problem at school education has to introduce about physical education lessons although they have to take care about exercise thrice in a week even though keep more activities about exercise. moreover encourage the children to participate in the physical activities while it should introduce from schooling about the physical exercise so their people donot face any issues about their weight.By using medication people can face health issues.Fir example in an army education they thought about physical activities like running, long jumps, overweight lifts so,in this education they maintain a proper weight however people don’t have any health issues. To conclude every educational institution should have about physical exercise and educate them by keeping the lessons on physical activities so we can avoid overweight problems.

Can you please share your feedback on my essay:

Overweight has always been a great challenge in the past few decades. These days patient list is increasing, not because of serious illness or emergency cases, but because of weight gain problems. Lately, people have started believing that to combat this issue; schools must include physical education as extra course. Although, the idea behind the belief is partially correct, but providing students with only these classes will not address the problem completely.

In a World health survey report of 2019, it was recorded that in Finland, there are least number of cases when it comes to health and fitness related sickness. Finland spends heavily on the health awareness programs at schools, and which, in turn, prepares students right from the very beginning, to be conscious about their body. However, this research doesn’t show the full picture, because Finland’s residents are eating only organic food since last 3 decades. Moreover, the deep cultural and traditional norm of Finland is to have only one meal a day, which automatically keeps people fit and fine.

Adding to the above point, school teachings are not the only way to create health awareness. In a research published by Doctor Prakashmurthy, at IIT Roorkee, it was discovered that hormones and stress levels play a crucial role in fat storage. Hence rather than some exercises, people of India opt for Yoga and meditation as tools to combat body problems related to weight gain.

To conclude, I agree that children should be trained about health and fitiness in schools, but it is also vital to teach them discipline about eating food and involve them in other activities, which are related to calmness of body, as these eventually leads to a healthy and fit body and mind.

It is often argued that the increasing number of obese people is putting a strain on the healthcare system. Some masses believe that the best way to tackle this problem is to introduce more physical education in the school curriculum. I completely agree with this opinion and think that it’s the most important thing that every school should do.

First of all, doing physical exercises daily enhances not only your physical health but also your mental health. Introducing physical education in the school curriculum provides daily basis physical training which helps to remove unnecessary fats and also helps to become free from anxiety, tension, and pressure which ultimately benefits both physical and mental health. For instance, students involved in daily basis physical education can be qualified for jobs related to body physics such as Army. Thus it is better to introduce more physical education.

Secondly, physical activity in schools is one of the best ways to eradicate obesity problems. It helps to form the habit in students on involving in physical activity. Even if the student completes their education in school, they have good knowledge of physical education which they can apply for the rest of their life. That’s why it is important to include physical education in every school, curriculum.

To conclude, I strongly believe that involving physical education in the school curriculum is beneficial because it helps to eradicate the obesity problem in a more holistic way.

there is no doubt that, I contemporary era, the majority of individuals are becoming victims of obesity, hence, it is suggested by few masses that involving the vast information regards physical education in school study, can be proved beneficial to tackle with this issue. I completely agree with this statement. Now I will discuss about this statement in my next sections along with explanation. To commence with, there are numerous reasons for increasing weight related issues. the first and the foremost is unawareness of folks towards balance diet. To clarify it, in modern era, human give high priority to fast food instead of home made, however, junk food has plenty of calories, which is responsible to make people fatty, therefore, it is excellent concept to give possible knowledge about physical education in school to children, because in this age they easily can understand and definitely follow in their future life. furthermore, advancement of technology is second cause fir this problem, To elaborate it, it can be seen that in earliest time, human being needed to move out for work, however, in modern time, it yas become straightforward for them to finish their at home, it means the roberts have been taken replace of human labour, for this reason, people have become lazy and do not anything to keep their body fit and health, and if the knowledge about demerits of enhancing weight will be given in younger age, can be fruitful for adolescence in further life. to conclude, after discussing this statement it is clear that everyone has various thinking, but, in my opinion, this notion is better for every person.

Nowadays, increasing number of obese people is putting a strain on the health care system. Some masses believe that the best way to tackle this problem is to introduce more physical activities lessons in the school curriculum. I completely agree that this is the best way to solve this issue.

to begin with, obesity is become a major problem in the society and adding more physical education lesson in school is the best way to solved this problem. for instance, if more physical lessons are introduced in the schools then children get more time to do physical activities like playing football, cricket and many more physical games, this thing not only make them physically fit but also make them more socialize and mentally happy. hence, adding more physical fitness lessons can change the lifestyle of the students and make them fit physically as well as mentally.

Another point to be consider is that introducing more sports lessons for pupils in school may result in creating more interest of children towards sports and also encourage them to take part in different sports event. Moreover, if a child take part in many sports events then he/she can also encourage their parents to do more physical activities. In other words, parents with more sporty child are more likely to involve in sports as a way of increasing interest of their child towards the sports. Thus, by both parents and children involvement in sports can create a good and healthy society.

In conclusion, to deal with unfit population changing the lifestyle of the coming generation by adding more physical activities in school is the easiest and most effective method.

Very good man

Hello Liz, thank you for making your website a great resource for many of us who are studying for the IELTS!

Essay on obesity topic, any inputs or comments would be greatly appreciated:

Reducing weight can be a challenge for many, and figuring out a solution to this health issue is an important task. Being overweight comes with its own related co-morbidies, such as heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, and osteoarthritis, just to name a few. Consequently, these health issues invariably put a strain on the healthcare system, through the involvement of multidisciplinary teams needed to manage these conditions as well as the cost of medications needed to treat the symptoms. Having said that, physical education lessons implemented at school is a possible solution. However, I disagree with the view that it is necessarily the ‘best way’ to deal with this problem.

Being overweight is defined as having a body mass index greater than 25 kilograms per meter square. Overweight and obesity are becoming an increasingly prevalent condition across the globe, more specifically in first world countries. This is partly because of the surplus in food available (especially fast food) as well as the sedentary lifestyles afforded by the children.

Physical activity in schools is just one way to combat obesity. Evidence-based research has shown that being overweight is not just caused by a sedentary lifestyle, it is a multimodal condition with several etiologies: genetics, diet and lifestyle. Hence, just focussing on one cause will insufficiently address and tackle the issue at hand. There needs to be enough done on all fronts in order to not only tackle the present issue, but also to take preventative measures for future generations.

Besides physical educations classes, governments can direct funds towards preventative campaigns through educational sessions in both school and through advertisements. Moreover, policy changes need to be implemented, which include -but not necessarily limited to – the following: banning sugary drinks and candies from school canteens, reducing junk food availability and providing healthier options such as salads. Parents should also be educated on the need and importance of reducing screen time – a known risk factor for obesity.

In conclusion, there cannot be one “best way” to deal with a complex issue such as overweight. This has to be tackled in a more holistic way in order to attain more statistically signifiant results and outcomes to have an impact on the healthcare system.

I am so grateful for your tutorials. I followed all your lessons, bought some of your e-books for my personal studies and finally wrote my exams this year. I am happy to say that I had Reading 8.0, Listening 7.5, speaking 7.5 and writing 7.0. Now I have informed all my friends about your wonderful website. God richly bless you Liz.

That’s wonderful. Well done to you 🙂 And thanks for sharing my website with others 🙂

It is considered that the best option to mitigate the stress of the health care system in tackling with the increasing overweight population is to make students take more physical education lessons at school. Although I agree that students having more exercise will help to deal with the issue to some extent, more attention should be put on enhancing the health awareness of people from all walks of life to solve the problem thoroughly.

On the one hand, exercise is definitely the best choice to keep fit compared to other improper methods like medicine therapy, especially for younger groups like students who are more energetic and able to refresh themselves at a relatively high speed after a running race. The obesity rates of students who have engaged in a sports club at school are averagely lower than those who have not. Therefore, increasing the number of lessons related to sports at school will have positive impact on tackling with the issue.

On the other hand, the physical education lessons cannot stop the rising trend of the obesity population outside the school, it is necessary to let people of all ages receive the health education. Children at school contributed a part of the population who are overweight, the rest part consist of people with unbalanced lifestyle and people suffered from diseases which are the primary cause of obesity like diabetes. It is inevitable to improve their awareness of staying healthy to deal with the growing number of overweight people. This can be achieved in many ways, health experts can give lectures on prevention of obesity and nutritionists can provide advice on daily diet, which are available for everyone on smartphones or TVs. A great number of people who are out of shape will benefit from the health education, which is the cornerstone of winning the battle with obesity.

To conclude, thought I agree that more sports lessons at school may contribute a part in solving the obesity issue, it is more important to improve the health awareness of people of all ages and only in this way, can we solve the problem thoroughly.

Could someone please give feedback on my essay.

The health care system is struggling to resolve the health problems caused by a number of more and more overweight people. It is addressed that introducing more physical education lessons in the school curriculum is the most efficient method. I totally agree that applying the new classes is the key for public health improvement. One plausible effect of the method is that people will spend more time outside and less time in bed. In fact, overweight and obesity people who are likely to eat quite much are not very active. Additionally, modern technologies contribute a huge impact on the sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, getting them engaged in such outdoor activities will help to improve their body health in a positive way. In other words, they can do frequent exercise and burn more unnecessary fat. Creating a stronger society bond is another feasible consequence of the teaching application. Attending physical lessons at school, people can find new friends, especially when they work in teams, and enhance the mental health. Achieving which, a chain effect on their existing relationships such as parents, siblings and classmates will blast. Gradually, people will get to know each other more and more. Nationwide competitions can be held on a regular basis, producing TV shows which entertain viewers and reducing stress among workers. Therefore, the health care system is no longer restrained. In conclusion, to tackle overweight problems, I consent that people should be active on both their mind and behaviors by emerging themselves in the school curriculum. This is among the easiest and most effective way that is either good for body development and social connection.

You’ve got some grammatical errors and I suggest contracting contractable words…. so instead of saying obesity people, say “obese.”

Overall, good job!

It is thought that some of the problems that the health care system faces due to the growing populations of overweight people can be solved by introducing sport and exercise lessons in the schools’ curriculum. I completely agree that this is the best solution to overcome such some of the health issues, in addition to increasing the awareness of people about healthy diet.

Firstly, I believe that making sport as a mandatory subject in schools will decrease the problems that face the health care system. When children do some exercises at different times in the day, they will get healthier and more fit in the future. Also, this will be reflected to their parents as they watch them. For instance, when parents take their children to a garden and the children start to practice what did they learn in their school, their parents will notice the elasticity of their children and they will start do like their children. This encourages most of people and increases their awareness about the importance of sport to their health.

Secondly, besides sport, an awareness about a healthy diet should be taken into account. Eating a lot of fats and sugar can cause some health problems regardless that someone does some exercises. For example, the government should put some taxes on fast food and reduce the taxes on the healthy food.This will encourage people to buy healthy food and as it becomes a habit to them and their children and they notice the difference in their weight and in turn their health. Thus, I strongly recommend to increase the awareness of people about their healthy food bedsides doing sport.

To conclude, I believe that sport and healthy diet will make a big difference in the health care system when they are introduced to children at schools. This results in increasing the awareness of the next generation about avoiding health problems and following a healthy lifestyle.

I dont think the second point was relevant. If it is being marked for Response point, adding and explaining how diet is helpful seems off-point. I think answering like that will be good for questions that ask you for more ways and solutions to the problem, rather than this type

Hello Respected Madam Liz 💗 Please help me to sort out the problem with the question type * To what extent do you agree or disagree) please i am having so much trouble in this ..

If you need training, please go to my store where you can find an advanced lessons about this essay: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Obesity has become more common in our society due to the busy lifestyle practiced by individuals. This has caused enormous strain on the health care system, which can be avoided by practicing a healthy lifestyle.

It is important to promote awareness among the general public of the health problems that can occur due to obesity.

Increasing the frequency of physical education alone will not effectively solve the issue. That is one of the several other steps to inculcate a healthy lifestyle among people. Exercises have the potential to eliminate the excess calories present in our bodies. Exposing children to a variety of sports can help to identify their interests and sometimes, it can help to create a habit among them. In such cases, it can be taken as a very effective option to prevent the flooding of the health care system due to obesity. According to available statistics, the probability of such an occurrence is negligible.

More than that, a well-balanced, nutritious and healthy diet should be practiced. Governments should step up measures to reduce the accessibility of fast foods rich in Sodium and Sugar. They also can educate their citizens about the healthy diet options, which can be easily substituted for the fast food.

In conclusion, a healthy lifestyle, involving nutritious food, adequate sleep, rest and exercise, when combined in the right proportion, is the only solution to deal with any of the lifestyle abnormalities which overwhelm the health care system.

Hi Liz, Is it correct to write the thesis statement as: “I completely agree with this statement for two reasons which I will elucidate below.” Here, I am not using words related to the prompt because they will be used again in the topic sentences of both the body paragraphs.

That is a learned phrase. Each sentence should be connected to the topic you are given and created uniquely by yourself in the test. Is the topic about family? Is it about education? Each sentence must connect to the specific issues presented in the essay question. However, please note that all my advice is aimed at people aiming for the higher band scores. If you are needing only band 5 or around that score, it would be fine to use such techniques in your essay.

Wow… Liz you are back ..so happy for you ❤

Liz, hi. When they ask to what extent do you agree can I write my thesis statement I completely disagree. What is the difference between to what extent do you agree or disagree question and to what extent do you agree question.

There is no difference at all. IELTS like to paraphrase instructions – it’s still the same essay.

Very magnificaant👍👍👍

Hi Liz, thank you for the tips here, they are really helpful. What is the difference between these two essay types- ‘To what extent do you agree/disagree’ and ‘Do you agree or disagree’

Do i have to answer that ‘I completely agree’ to ‘To what extent do you agree question’ OR should i just answer ‘ I agree’ ( I mean, do i have to state the extent of my agreement or i should just simply say i agree)

They are 100% the same. IELTS like to paraphrase instructions from time to time.

Thank you for the response.

Thank You Liz.

I started my prep using your site, a week before my IELTS exam and I scored an overall 7.5 using your tips. Thanks for uploading such amazing tips and samples. They really helped me a lot in my exam.

Great to hear that you did well. Good for you !! 🙂

Hi. Pleaseeeee answer me if possible. In body paragraphs of agree/disagree essays, the first body paragraph should be assigned to agreement side and the second paragraph should be assigned to disagreement side? Or both paragraphs could be assigned to agreement or disagreement side? Thanks in advance.

Your whole essay is a presentation of your opinion. It is not a discussion essay. If you are unsure, please get my Advanced Lessons: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi, Liz. I’ve seen certain solutions to the writing task 1 and 2 with a heading or title. Is that necessary please?

You definitely do not use headings or titles in any IELTS Writing task.

Hi Liz, I had practiced GT Writing Task 2 recently first time. Please check and tell that how much band score I’ll get if the following question will come. I’ll be thankful to you for this. Q- You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic. Write at least 250 words.

In some countries it is thought advisable that children begin formal education at four years old, while in others they do not have to start school until they are seven or eight.

How far do you agree with either of these views?

Answer- In world, some countries believed that proper education of a child should start at the age of 4. On the other hand, other countries do not want to start the education of child before the age of 7 or 8. In my opinion, children have to start his/her education from the age of 4 so that basic concepts will be clear in coming 3-4 year. Firstly, if we discussed about formal education, it requires a formal schooling with adequate content and materials that create interest and increase knowledge related to the subject in a child. A young child brain is in developing stage up to the age of 5. If any country want to start primary education in formal way, it helps to increase knowledge of the children’s. Additionally, They will catch the new terminologies and content in a different ways e.g., play-way method. Secondly, if a country want to start children’s study from the age of 7-8 in formal school, they have to provide some materials and content before school. In other words, they have to provide them education in play schools and with new techniques e.g., learn and play, visual learning etc. When children join the formal school, an evaluation test needs to be taken to check the knowledge and capability they’ll have. After that, based on the performance, particular actions and classes should be arrange so that they all come at equal level. Lastly, I want to share my view that early education is very important. I would prefer to provide early school from the age of 4 so that kids brainstorming can be done at right time. I am strongly agreed to start education from the age of 3-4 years.

Hello, I just took Ielts indicator test. I really messed up with the writing task 2. What I wrote is off topic. I don’t remember the question clearly. It is about lectures and technology and maybe it means that teaching in the class I wrote about lecture paper and students should find information from internet by their own I didn’t write about teaching in class. Do you think I can get 6. Please, reply my message I really need to know If I can’t get 6 I have to try again on 27. I need all skills at least 6.

For listening, In Sec 4, there are 4 multiple questions so I think questions are not the same. I just wanna share the others.

It is important to understanding the way Writing Task 2 is marked. If your essay is off topic then you might get only band 4 or 5 for Task Response. It will depend on whether some parts of your essay are relevant as to what you get for Task Response. Task Response counts for 25% of your Task 2 marks. The other marking criteria for Task 2 will not be affected. You could get band 4 in TR, but get band 8 in the other three marking criteria. You can do the maths. On top of these considerations, you must also consider that Task 1 counts for about 33% of your final marks for Writing. With all these considerations, your overall score will depend on so many factors. You will need to judge for yourself what score to expect in the three other criteria then calculate your prediction for your score in Task 2. Then you will need to add your prediction for Task 1 on to that as well.

Thank u so much for your reply Tr, Liz. In task 1 they asked for one bar chart and pie chart and I think I did well. And thank you so much for your lessons. These help me a lot I really appreciate all these lessons provided, I really mean it. In speaking part 2, the time you didn’t tell a truth to your friends and in part3 why children lie to parents and why people tell lies and that kinds of questions. (just sharing the other friends ). I can’t use earphones in speaking maybe because I’m under 18 and my father had to sit near me. It is ok to use earphones in listening.

Good luck with your results !! Let me know how you do when they arrive

Yes, teacher, I will. Thank u so much for the lessons. My result will not be good as others but I’m glad to study your lessons.

GOD Bless You Hello Liz very thnx for your help

You’re welcome 🙂

Good afternoon Liz.I should say You are very intelligent and thank you very muuuuuch .Since your tips help improve my writing .Thanks😘

Please Liz I took my ielts today I completely agreed on an opinion in my introduction but ended up discussing on partially agreed in the paragraphs, please how will this affect my score

It will affect your score for Task Achievement which is 25% of your task 2 marks. If you look at this page: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/ielts_task_2_writing_band_descriptors.pdf , you’ll see that presenting a clear position throughout is a requirement for band 7. This means that for this marking criterion, you would struggle to hit band 7 if you alter your opinion in the middle or end of your essay. But luckily. it won’t affect your score for the other three marking criteria for task 2. Hopefully other people reading this comment thread will see the importance of fully planning your essay before you start writing your introduction.

Thank you very much Liz for such a kind support. Your’s blog is the best one which i follow the most in my preparation. Specially i recently bought your Essay ideas e-book, which is also very helpful.

Kind Regards

I’m so glad you are enjoying my Ideas for Topics E-book 🙂

Hello, ma’am, I took my IELTS exam on 11th nov. 2020. and i got only 5.5 band(overall).i am struggling with grammar and lack of confidence. please assist me for that.

This year I released a Grammar E-book. However, the level of the e-book is quite high. It will help you, but make sure you don’t overreach yourself. It is important to only produce English within your level rather than trying to impress. The more errors you make, the lower your score. So, use the e-book to improve your accuracy and reduce your errors: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Thank you liz.।।। Making content accessable

I took the test on 12th of Sept 2020. Here is the Writing Task 2 question: The most important priority of any governments is to provide housing. To what extent do you agree or disagree. I hope it helps.

Dear Liz, Your lessons are really very helpful and easy to understand.Thanks for the useful instructions:) Could you please help in assessing the below essay?

Looking at the eating habits and sedentary lifestyle of people, obesity problem has grown over the years which in turn is increasing pressure on the healthcare systems. In my view, introducing physical exercise lessons alone in the school cannot solve this problem. In addition to this, proper eating habits should be followed by people.

Firstly, there is no doubt that physical education can help people maintain their weight and thereby reduce the health problems arising due to overweight. Making students aware of the importance of body stretching on a regular basis is the initial step towards solving this problem .Students can learn a lot about the body structure , its functioning and the ways to keep the body fit through exercises. When the students understand the value of physical exercise, they can pass on this information to their families as well. This is the kind of transformation which is possible only by involvement of not only students but also elders .

Secondly, doing exercise alone cannot be a solution to this problem. There are many more factors such as eating habits (junk food) and sleep cycle , which are responsible to this overweight issue.So , along with the physical fitness, people should start working on their eating patterns and the type of food they eat. Taking an average amount of sleep is also required for healthy lifestyle.This can be achieved by introducing healthy-lifestyle specific lessons in the school curriculum and make children implement the healthy eating habits in their life.

In conclusion, adding more physical fitness lessons at the school level will greatly help in improving the health of people. However, eating habits should also be in control to keep oneself fit and active.

Thank you very much for the free lessons. Can I partially agree in agree and disagree essay even when I’m not asked: ”to what extent do you agree”?

Yes, you can.

But, I was told never to have a clear opinion in agree and disagree question. It’s not only in situations of “to what extent” that we can decide our grace.

Do you agree? Do you agree or disagree? To what extent do you agree? To what extent do you agree or disagree? What is your opinion? All the above are the same instructions which are used for an Opinion Essay. They are not different instructions. This means the techniques for an Opinion Essay apply to an Opinion Essay regardless of how the instructions are phrased. They are simply paraphrases of the same instructions. If you are confused, please get my Advanced Lessons so you can learn the right way to tackle an IELTS essay: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

My instructor told me my reasoning behind my opinion was not strong enough. For instance, when the topic was about the advantages of having older people in a country, I discussed my views as “Children need older people at home for supervision as most of them have working parents”, whereas, my instructor thinks, I should’ve discussed it in country’s perspective saying ” older people are experienced in their occupations”.

I described my arguments clearly with supportive lines. But he didn’t like the “argument” itself. Is that a problem? Will I get less marks for this?

Both you and your instructor are thinking about two different points, not the same point. Your instructor is talking about how older people have more experience in their work which is beneficial for a country. Your point is that elderly people provide family support to take care of the grandchildren if their parents are working. Both points are relevant, but they are completely different points. You get a high score to organising your clear points into logical paragraphs and explaining what you mean in detail. As long as your point was well explained, it’s fine.

You are really super and your explanatory techniques and exemplification in addition to how simple you discuss and present the material are awesome. you have a high talent or skill in analyzing all the discussed and handled topics. thank you from the depth of my heart as you are helping me alot Haytham Selim Egyptian in UAE

I’m really pleased you are finding my lessons useful. Good luck in your test!!

hey liz, Thank you so much for your free content. I did my IELTS test today and it was quite fair. My task 2 was “employers should give their employees at least 4 weeks holiday per year. Do you agree or disagree with the statement?”

Thank you so much for the wonderful tips and lessons, I have learned so much in my short time of preparing. I would be taking the test for the first time in Aug. I hope I make it.

I do have a question on paraphrasing. Is it OK to paraphrase only the 1st sentence of the question, as I saw this done on a model essay. The 2nd sentence was used as the thesis statement. Please find Sample question below. I would truly appreciate it if you could give a model answer.

“According to a recent study, the more time people use the Internet, the less time they spend with real human beings. Some people say that instead of seeing the Internet as a way of opening up new communication possibilities world wide, we should be concerned about the effect this is having on social interaction. How far do you agree with this opinion? ”

Thank you for your help ☺️

Learn how to write an introduction and see model essays on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hey Liz, It’s Mr. Jasjit singh here and I am working as an IELTS trainer in a company. Here, my concern is to point you out that you have used “sporty children” in the essay’s body para – 2, even though, the word SPORTY is an informal. According to the parameters of marking, the informal language must not be used basically in the essay writing, otherwise there is a penalty. Do you think it is worthy to be used by the candidates?

Kindly share your perspective asap!!

“sporty” is completely fine. However, to use the word “kids” is too informal.

I have a question, please answer me.

In my IELTS writing, while checking things at last minute, I did a foolish mistake and change all the words next to comma “, ” in a capital letter.

i.e “However, This was…..”

So, the question is how many marks did the checker will cut or how many bands of mine are at risk. I am worried sick.

Please reply.

Well, I still don’t understand how I did that mistake. Time was ticking and something pushes me to do it :@ maybe this was because of C.D test. I am.sure if I were writing on a paper it would not happen. But fate :@

Since childhood, we know that after full stop next letter is Capital and not after the comma :@ but…argh

This would just count as one systematic error. It means you make the same mistake over and over again. It will affect your score for Grammar, but it isn’t possible to predict your overall score. Your Grammar score will depend on how many other errors you made and the range of grammar features you used. Good luck with you results! Try not to worry too much.

Hello Liz and thank you for all the info that you give us!! I would like to ask you. In this type of essay can I add examples from my personal experience? or I just say my opinion at the introduction and nowhere else?

The style of all essays should be formal which means you should avoid writing about your family and friends. Instead share your experience of the people in your country or around the world.

Dear Liz, Please, I am confused; agree/disagree is opinion essay? I mean: both are the same? Regards

Yes, they are the same. Do you agree or disagree? To what extent do you agree? What is your opinion? All the above are Opinion Essays.

Should I write the word count at the end of the writing task 2?

No, definitely don’t waste your time with that. The examiner will count the words himself if necessary.

Hi Liz, First of all thanks a lot for your great website and youtube channel. These are treasure troves of information. Millions of thanks to you.

I took the test couple of days ago. Writing part 2 was a bit confusing for me.” some people agree it is the best way to make detailed plan of activities in their free time”. While others disagree. Discuss both the views and give your opinion. I read this question more than 10 times, meanwhile, I was writing the essay. Whether it is asking about ‘ free time activities plan’ or ‘If we are free and utilize that time to make a plan about upcoming activities’. I hope you can solve my confusion.

However, the remaining questions are:

Writing part 1: write a letter to the manager about an accident you met with? Speaking: part1: about me, my residential area, facilities, whether you like living in an apartment or not? did you write with a pen or pencil as a child? what do you think if you get a pen as a gift? How do you think when it is compulsory to write only using a pencil-like this test? speaking part 2: An incident when you were not allowed to take a phone with you. (No more points to explain). speaking part 3: why the phones are restricted in some areas of the hospital? Importance of politeness, Need of rule for using mobile phones.

You haven’t remembered the essay question correctly – there are English language mistakes in it. For this reason, I can only speculate. Most questions like this are about whether you should make plans for free time activities or not. Many people like to plan each and every activity they do in their free time, whereas others prefer to wake up and decide what to do based on how they feel that day or how the weather is etc – they don’t want to schedule or plan.

I am preparing my IELTS exam and I have written the below eassy all myself can I please have your feedback

Since the 18th Century technological advances have replaced people in the workplace. with today’s technology this process is happening at a greater rate. Technology is increasingly responsible for unemployment.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Since Industrial age technological breakthroughs have taken the place of individuals in many companies. Now a day’s Digital process plays a great role in many organizations due to which a lot of people are jobless. I completely agree that machines have taken place of human beings. Firstly, mobilized process has fasten the work and brings out better results than of humans. Organizations doesn’t have to double check the work as its scientifically proven that computers and machines are not liable to make errors or mistakes. Many firms are trying to replace the employees with robots where possible to reduce the number of workers in their company, save money which can be used to do investments, buy shares and make profit. For instance, I work in a water company, where distribution of water is 24hours. there are many departments were large number of employees are working. In the production department, earlier men’s where used to drive the forklift and load the trucks now they have been replaced with robots to do the same job.

Secondly, Using Scientific advancement can lead to organizational growth in very less time. As the employer doesn’t have to go through the hiring process which is time consuming and sometime leads to failure as the wrong person is hired for the job. A good illustration of this is, Accounts department is the most important section in any huge firm if the employees are not provided with computers the calculations may go wrong and in worst case the firm could face loss.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend especially large organization to save their time, efforts and utilize their money in digitalizing their work which will lead them to huge profit.

Number of overweight people and children are increasing from last 10 years. Some people think that to solve these issues, facilities of sports and exercises should be provided in school. I completely agree that this is the best solution to tackle the issue for improving public health in relation to weight.

Firstly, to deal with increase in number of obesity and weight of people, some steps should be taken by schools and colleges. Easy access and more facility in sports should be introduced for children and people. This will ensure fitness among students and people interested to take part can join with no age barrier. This will result in reducing sadentry lifestyle and will encourage all to take part in competition.

Secondly, the sports lesson for children in school would result in children developing interest in exercise which might encourage the old age or parents to get motivated. In other word parents with sporty children will try to involve themselves with sports to make their children happy. If both of them get interested, they will practice daily. This would be the best and natural way to improve health of people.

In conclusion, to deal with reducing laziness and overweight people, changing the lifestyle and access to more facility will change the body shape with less problems.

Hi Liz, Is this an opinion essay and we need to cover both sides? Or just the side that I support. I am confused.

It is generally accepted exercise is good for children and teenagers. Therefore physical education and sports should be made compulsory for all students in all schools. What do you think ?

IT is asking for your opinion. It is an opinion essay. It is the same as “do you agree or disagree?” or “To what extent do you agree?”. You present your opinion of the issue or issues stated and use the body paragraphs to give reasons and explanation for your opinion.

Thank you so much Liz! I got a score that is very useful (lrsw=8,9,8.5,7.5). I was just 0.5 away from 8 in writing to get a perfect score! It was an opinion question. I agreed in part in other to have ideas to get my body paragraphs. Number of words 330 essay and 190 letter (computer-based IELTS is the best if you enjoy typing but hurrible hand written like me). I looked through all your model essays, and I discovered that my issues were mainly articles and punctuations).

Well done with your results 🙂 I’ve put loads of information about articles in my new Grammar E-book as well as a chapter on punctuation. I hope to have the e-book ready at the end of April or beginning of May 🙂

May I ask could I take both sides on the question like “Do you agree or disagree”?

Sorry, I think I just found the answer in the comments… 100% same. Which is strange. I thought agree or disagree should give only one position; and for “to what extent do you agree or disagree” require two positions.

Thanks for the great community!

They are the same instructions, just paraphrased.

Hi Liz, is “the key to solving these issues is” correct? Shouldn’t it be “the key to solve” ? Thank you

“the key to solving” is 100% correct. The word “to” is used as a preposition in this phrase, not as part of the verb.

Hi, Liz! I’ll have an IELTS test next week, but am still confused about agree-disagree essay.

Here’s the question: Some people think that employers should not care about the way their employees dress, because what matters is the quality of their work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Is that alright if I say on my introduction as follows: In my opinion, dress codes are significant in a working environment, while employees’ competence should matter as well.

My first body paragraph explains the reason why dress codes are important, and my second body paragraph is about why competence should matter.

I do hope you answer my question. Thank you, Liz! Get well soon.

You’ve got the right approach for a partial agreement. However, you need to address your English. “In my opinion, both dress codes and employee competence should be important to any employer.” Try to aim for accuracy and clear meaning in your written English. Don’t try to write in any particular style – just be clear and direct.

Wish me all the best liz!!… I ve covered all your lessons!!…

Thank you very much Liz. Your lessons were of immense help. I got the band score that I wanted.

That’s great to hear. Well done 🙂

Thanks for all time! We truly appreciate your efforts in making IELTS easier to tackle. However I would like to ask about recent questions reported by student for writing task 2. My exam is on the 13th of this month.

Thanks! Don’t forget to get well soon 🙂

I will post Recent Questions for January 2020 soon.

Hi Liz, Thank you soo much for your help.

Should we quote example only if they asked for it in the question or should we give it for all essay questions?

You give examples when you know of a good example to use that will help support and explain the main idea of the body paragraph.

Hi dr liz u r great soul i ever seen wish u a happy happy new year

Thanks 🙂 Happy New Year 🙂

Hi dear liz,wish u a very happy new year ,stay blessed always. U r the great soul i ever seen. I have a doubt regarding essay. If the question was asked about leadership innate or achieved opinion essay shall i write my balanced view lik this, i agree that this skill must be innate for political leadership i bliv this should be achieved for managerial leadership.is this stand ok for partly agree. Thanks in advance for reply

If you want a quantified response which you by you say it is X in this situation and Y in this, make sure your grammar and language are 100% clear. If you make any mistakes with that statement it could have serious consequences. So, make sure you write it clearly without any errors at all.

Its quite evident that the physical structure of humans are mainly measured in terms of average weight and height. This aspect of human body varies based on several factors. Also there are many speculations anticipated especially with respect to the optimal weight of any person. This requires a lot of monitoring and maintenance efforts to predict the health related outcomes of any individual who is known to be overweighted. I totally agree with some of the initiatives incorporated at the school levels in order to mitigate the above factor. School Managements in recent days have implemented diet related programs with the strong vision of maintaining advisable health care system, particularly for stalwarts who are considered be above the average weight. Furthermore, the students have to be encouraged rigorously to participate in sports, games and other outdoor activities. Now a days, we also find a typical gymnasium court with trained experts dedicated to help students who are weighing above the acceptance level. The above attempts can also be recommended to help students to address their depression levels if they are facing any sort of misbehaviour from their fellow mates. There are many real-time scenarious wherein a kid is illtreated or accused by his or her classmates due to their physical appearances pertaining to overweight. It should also be treated as key responsibilities of teachers especially physical fitness trainers in schools. Overall, these kind of programs will always stand as unique and responsive while addressing many health related issues due to overweight. Irrespective of any barriers pertaining to this, the schools shall give atmost importance to motivate students who are observed to be above the normal weight.

You definitely need to realise that an IELTS essay is an essay formed and structured in a particular way for this test to adhere to the band score requirements. You must first learn how to structure your essay. Look at all the differences between my model and your own essay. If you can’t see the differences, please get my advanced lessons which teachin how to write an IELTS essay step by step: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Really you are a very good trainer.

How are you ? Will you please explain the difference between writing task 2 of academic and general? in your website nothing is mentioned like for academic and general for writing task 2. i am preparing for general. please let me know writing task 2 is same for academic and general or different ?

Go to the RED MENU BAR and select “Test Info”. You’ll see an option for GT IELTS information. Always use the MENU BAR to access what you need.

Hi Liz !thanku so much for your topic they are all very useful. I think I got a high band score for writing task 2 thankuuuuu sooo much dear.

That’s really good to hear !! Very well done 🙂

Hi liz, this is the first time I am commenting! Hope you are well. Please tell me where I can find the model answers of writting task 2 provided in your WT – 2 section !

You can find all model essays, tips etc in the main writing task 2 section of the website. Just click on the RED MENU BAR at the top of the page to open the section of the test you want to learn.

That’s is really great for my IELT practice and I’m just 13 and I’m gonna take it when I’m 13 and a half thanks for the information

Good luck 🙂

hi !!! Can we use ‘A LOT OF’ and ‘SO’ in task 2 ? as someone told me that we cannot use it in writing , reason being these both are INFORMAL. Is it true ?

No, that isn’t true. It’s completely fine to use those words.

Hey there!! Can we use “And” and “But” For the beginning of the sentence in between the body paragraphs to add and contrast information respectively ???

PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH AN EXPLAINED INFORMATION ASAP, I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

— Jasjit Singh

No, you can’t. See the linking words page for details: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hi Liz , I sat for my academic test on the 28 of September, 2019. I got an overall score of 7.5. LRWS = 7.5, 8.0,6.0,8.0. For the Speaking questions. Part 1: 1.Tell me your full name please? 2. Do you work or study? 3.How is the weather in your country?. 4.Would you like to live in a place with a different weather from your country? 5. Where do you like to read? 6. Do you like to read in an hot weather or cold weather?. Part 2: Talk about an historical building you visited in your country. Part 3:1. Should the appearance of public buildings be designed ? 2. Do you think people should pay taxes to use public buildings? I can’t remember the other 3 questions she asked. For the reading questions, most of them were Yes, No, and Not given questions. I think I did well because the passages were close to what I studied in school. The listening was easy. I got lost in some places though. Writing Task 1. I was given a table to describe the population of people in Jakarta, Sao Paolo, and Bangkok in 1999 and 2001. There was a column for the projected population in 2001.The numbers were too close. I got confused a bit. Writing task 2: Some people believe that university admissions should only be offered to young people with the highest merits while some believe that admissions should be given to all people without considering their grade. Discuss both views and give your opinion. I didn’t finish my writing to my satisfaction. I think that’s the reason for my low score. Time finished faster than I thought. I just want to say Thank you Liz for everything. I learnt a lot from your lessons. Hopefully,i won’t write this exam again.

Well done with your results and thanks for sharing 🙂

Hi Liz, I love all your content. Thank you so much for helping us through IELTS. I just wan to know is there a difference between “Do you agree or disagree” and “to what extend do you agree or disagree ” also are opinion essays same as agree disagree essays ?

They are 100% the same.

Hi Liz, thanks for all your help to prepare for my IELTS exam. I can’t thank you enough. I have a doubt regarding “To what extent do you agree or disagree” question. Can I just see it as Agree or Disagree question and just take one side or do I need to address both the side? This question type is really confusing. Kindly advise me. Thanks again for all your help and you are indeed my God for IELTS 🙂 🙂

Thanks, Karthik

They are 100% the same essay – no difference at all.

I am also confused about “to what extend do u agree or disagree” and “Do u agree or disagree” Is there any diference in their answer plz explain

No, there is no difference at all.

hello madam I’m Nikhil I have a doubt that crushing my mind since 10days, please madam could you solve it.

my Institute tutor said we must follow this pattern for agree or disagree question Introduction paraphrase question thesis statement ( not mentioning agree or disagree)

para1 (agree|) statement ! example

para2 (agree) sate3ment2 example

para3 statement3 example

conclusion now I must discuss my opinion

Above essay can also write in vise verse with disagree madam, I already comment you, but you didn’t give reply madam please help me out from this problem, I would be ecstatic.

There is no such thing as a fixed content for body paragraphs. Of course you should state your opinion in the introduction – give your answer and then explain it in the body paragraphs. Please see my Advanced Writing Task 2 lessons if you need training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz! Thank you for your lessons. They are all very useful.

I would like to ask your opinion regarding examples in body paragraphs.

To get a high band score for writing task 2, it is necessary to support and develop our main ideas. I found some websites recommend providing examples from surveys, polls, government report, etc to support main ideas. Is example really needed? Are there any other ways to support main ideas without using examples?

If we really want to give an example, does it have to be a real example? Can we fabricate false/unreal example?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you, Liz!

Examples with data from sources are definitely not required. You can explain and illustrate your ideas in any way you want. Giving the source of information is a waste of time in IELTS because a) it is written as a learned phrase which doesn’t help your language score b) the examiner doesn’t mark data in task 2 so it won’t help your score either. You decide how to explain your main ideas. You can see most of my essays don’t have examples with data.

Thanks, Liz! It’s so helpful.

Hi Liz, i want to clear my doubts regarding this essay type. There is an essay question in your website which is about the rapid expansion of supermarkets because of which local shops are closing, and some people believe that this is causing death of local communities.

I disagreed with this argument and wrote that supermarkets provide efficacious results for native communities. In body paragraphs i wrote reasons of my opinion, and i hadn’t mentioned local shops in body paragraphs. I just wrote reasons to support my view that this and this are the advantages which benefit local communities. I want to ask is it okay to not mention local shops because i am supporting my view for supermarkets?

You can’t ignore part of the essay question. The fact presented to you is that supermarkets are expanding and local shows are closing. This is the basis of your essay. The opinion you tackle is “do you think this is the death of local communities?”. So, if you think supermarkets are good for local communities – do you also think it is good that local shops are closing?? You need to address the issue or issues in the question.

But if i also acknowledge that local shops are good for local communities then i might be contradicting my own agreed view point that supermarkets are good for local communities, so it means that i have to say that local shops are not good for local communities?

It would mean you have a partial agreement. You don’t have to agree with one side. Think more carefully about why you think supermarkets are good for local communities and then think about what effect local shops closing will have. Once you’ve brainstormed, analyse your ideas and think of exactly what your view is and how to you will express it. After that, plan supporting points. Hopefully you can now see how important planning is 🙂

Hi Liz… Your website is so helpful for me. Thank you much for that. My confusion is…. In this model esssy, there is no discussion about health system. Should we avoid discussion about it? I used to elaborate about helath system in one paragraph . Am I wrong? Please guide.

An opinion essay is not a discussion essay. This essay does not ask you to discuss the health care system. It is asking your opinion about whether you think the problem that obesity is causing on the health care system can be solved by offering more physical education in schools – do you agree with this solution?? Your whole essay from beginning to end is about your opinion of solutions to the problem.

Hi Liz, thank you for all the tips and essay examples. They really help us to achieve better scores on IELTS. Anyway, I was practicing this essay before reading the example, and I wrote it differently. So I want to know your opinion on how I wrote it.

In the first body paragraph, I wrote that including physical activities such as sports in schools’ curriculums is the best way to introduce children to an active and healthier life, giving the example of how US do this.

However, in the second body paragraph I explained that there are other approaches that should be done to countries witness a really dramatic decrease of healthcare use: lowing the taxes of companies that produce natural and organic food, to make these types of food cheaper to people, and making awareness campaigns about having a healthier diet.

I conclude restating that physical activities in schools are essential to create the habit of being physically active, but it should be combined with an awareness of healthy diet.

So the question is: can I agree and also include other aspects to the subject? Thank you!

Yes, of course. It’s called a partial agreement (or balanced approach). It means that you agree to some extent but not 100%. So, you would explain what you agree with and then add what else needs to be considered. I find this approach to be very useful sometimes because it’s easier to find unique ideas for each body paragraph which results in a more focused essay and also a better range of language. See my Advanced Writing Task 2 lessons if you want more training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Oh nice! That’s a relief. I don’t agree completely sometimes with the affirmation on the question, so I’ll look the page that you recommended. Thank you very much for the answer!

I love this response.

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Free Tips, Lessons & Model Essays
1. IELTS Writing Task 2 Test Information. Learn about your IELTS writing task 2 test. All lessons and tips on this page are for both Academic and GT writing task 2. IELTS Writing has two tasks: Task 1 (a report) and Task 2 (an essay). The total time is one hour for both tasks. You should spend only 40 mins on task 2.
100 IELTS Essay Questions
100 IELTS Essay Questions. Below are practice IELTS essay questions and topics for writing task 2. The 100 essay questions have been used many times over the years. The questions are organised under common topics and essay types. IELTS often use the similar topics for their essays but change the wording of the essay question.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Essay
IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Essay. by Liz 79 Comments. Below is an example of a band score 9 IELTS writing task 2 model essay. The task is a direct questions essay which is quite common in IELTS. Read it carefully and pay attention to the structure of the essay, the linkers and the sentence structures. Essay Question.
IELTS Writing Task 2: All You Need to know
IELTS Writing Task 2 Question Types with Sample Answers. Let's look at the different IELTS writing task 2 essay types that may appear in Writing Task 2: Opinion Essay. These prompts simply ask for your opinion on a topic without presenting two views. Sample prompt: "Some people think that the best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison ...
IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Structures + Band 9 Essays
The five most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions are: Opinion (Agree or Disagree) Advantages and Disadvantages. Problem and Solution. Discussion (Discuss both views) Two-part Question. Below I will outline examples and a structure approved by experienced IELTS teachers and examiners for each type of question.
PDF Writing Task 2 Essay structure and writing an introduction
Procedure: introduce focus of the lesson: Writing Task 2 - Essay structures and introductions. give each student a copy of Worksheet 1 and one minute to read the Task 2 question. elicit possible next steps before writing i.e. brainstorming ideas. draw attention to the True / False task and clarify the importance of spending time with the ...
IELTS opinion essay, model answer, structure, and analysis
As with all IELTS essays, it is crucial to spend a couple of minutes analysing the task and underling the keywords so that you are writing relevant points in the essay. If you go off-topic or write irrelevant points it will affect your score. This is the task question for my model answer below and it is clear that the essay is about having too ...
7 Steps to Structuring an IELTS Task 2 Essay
IELTS Essay Structure: The Basics. Before we begin with the 7 steps, I would like to give you a short overview. Writing an IELTS essay requires many skills and you have a lot of different criteria to meet in order to get a band 7 or above. Your essay will be judged in four ways, each accounting for 25% of the total score: Task Achievement
IELTS Writing Task 2: Strategies, Topics and Sample Answer
Step 1 of our strategy is to identify which IELTS Writing Task 2 question type you are given on your test. The question type will influence how you will structure your answer. The different IELTS Writing Task 2 question types you can expect to see on IELTS test day are: i. Writing Task 2 Agree or Disagree Questions.
IELTS Writing Tips: How to Put Examples in Your Essay
Learn how to add examples in your IELTS essay using academic vocabulary for IELTS writing task 2. Learn a range of linking words and how examples should be w...
IELTS Essays: Five Types of IELTS Essays
1) IELTS Opinion Essay. This type of essay is where you are presented with someone else's opinion and you are asked if you agree or disagree with it. The opinion is often flawed or extreme in its views. Some teachers call this the Argumentative Essay. The instructions can be written in a number of ways. Below are a few examples:
IELTS Task 2
There are 5 main types of IELTS Task 2 essays: 1) Opinion Essays. 2) Discussion Essays. 3) Problem Solution Essays. 4) Advantages & Disadvantages Essays. 5) Double Question Essays. Most questions fit one of these categories. However, questions can be written in many different ways, which can make it difficult to determine which type they are.
IELTS Direct Question Essays
The IELTS Writing Task 2 has an essay type known as the 'Direct Question Essay', which is a crucial component of the IELTS exam. It evaluates your ability to express your ideas, analyze a given topic, and provide a clear, well-structured response. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the structure of IELTS Writing Task 2: Direct ...
Planning IELTS Writing Task 2 Structure
It is important to be able to structure your IELTS writing task 2 essay, or else you will struggle to get a high band score. However, doing this isn't necessarily very difficult. You just need to practise planning your essays so that the structuring process becomes quick and easy. Before we begin, remember to check out my IELTS writing ...
IELTS Opinion Essay
Tips to Answer IELTS Opinion Essay Questions. In the IELTS opinion essays, you need to write your opinion about a topic and back it up with proof and examples. If you use a clear structure and good writing methods, you can improve your chances of doing well! Spend 5 minutes on a mind map before writing. Stick to one viewpoint throughout the essay.
Liz Ideas for IELTS Essay: Free PDF Download
Liz's Ideas for IELTS Essay Topics PDF Free Download. Preparing for your IELTS exam can be both exciting and challenging, especially when it comes to essay writing. ... Through these exercises, you can refine your arguments, structure your essays effectively, and develop a persuasive writing style - crucial elements for excelling in the ...
IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Model Essay With Useful Tips
Paragraphing & Structure. Regardless of which type of essay, the paragraph structure will be the same: Introduction with Background Statement and Thesis statement. You do not require more for an introduction. A long introduction does nothing for your score. All IELTS introductions are function and quite short (usually between 45 and 55 words).
Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Lesson
IELTS advantages and disadvantages questions normally give you a statement and ask you to comment on the advantages and disadvantages of that statement. The problem is that there are 2 different types of advantages and disadvantages essays, each requiring a different approach. If you answer them differently, you risk losing many easy marks.
IELTS Discussion Essays
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.
IELTS Essay Structure
2.2 Essay Structure 2. Planning your Advantage/Disadvantage Essay. 3.1 Identify key words and phrases. 3.2 Organise your ideas. 3.3 Identify vocabulary. Writing your Advantage/Disadvantages Essay. 4.1 Introduction. 4.2 Main body paragraphs. 4.3 Conclusion.
IELTS Discussion Essay Model Answer with Techniques & Tips
Discussion Essay Model Answer. Please note that this essay is over 300 words. Longer doesn't mean better. It is rare for an essay to go over 300 words or 310 words at most. Most IELTS essays are between 270 and 290 words, even for a band 9. However, 300 words, more or less, is possible as long as each sentence is highly focused and relevant.
How to Structure IELTS Writing Task 1 Essays
Whether you are writing about a line graph or a table, you can pretty much use this IELTS writing task 1 template: Paragraph #1. Explain the basic facts of the image. Describe the general trend. Paragraph #2. Describe the first group of information. Paragraph #3. Describe the second group of information.
IELTS Agree Disagree Essay Sample Answer with Tips
Below is a model answer for the above Opinion Essay = Agree/Disagree Essay. Owing to the problems which a growing population of overweight people cause for the health care system, it is thought that the key to solving this issue is to have more sport and exercise in schools. I agree that this is one way to tackle the problem, but diet must also ...

How to write an IELTS opinion essay

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What is an effective opinion essay structure?

Tips on structure:

Which body paragraph is better?

Analysing the question.

Model Answer

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Tips, Topics and Sample Answers

IELTS Writing Task 2 Overview

IELTS Writing Task 2 Question Types

Writing Task 2 Essay Structure and Sample Answer

Summary and Next Steps

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IELTS Opinion Essays: Structure, Topics and Sample Answers

Table of Contents

Introduction:

Body Paragraphs (Usually 2 paragraphs):

Conclusion:

Sample Question 1

Introduction

Body Paragraph 1

Body Paragraph 2

Sample Answer

Sample Question 2

Body Paragraphs

Sample Question 3

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IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Lesson

Structure for Essay 1

Structure for Essay 2

Question 1 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Answer

Question 2 Advantages and Disadvantages Sample Answer

Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Next Steps

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How To Plan & Write IELTS Discussion Essays

The Question

3 Common Mistakes

Essay Structure

How To Plan IELTS Discussion Essays

# 2 Decide on your opinion

# 3 Generate ideas

# 4 Vocabulary

How To Write an Introduction

1) Paraphrase the question

2) Thesis and outline statements

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main Body Paragraph 1

Main Body Paragraph 2

How To Write a Conclusion

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