IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Structures + Band 9 Essays

IELTS Writing Task 2
Essay Structures
(https://www.ieltsadv
The four most common IELTS writing Task 2
antage.com/)
questions are: Opinion, Advantages and
Disadvantages, Problem and Solution Discussion
IELTS Task 2 Essay

Structures
Knowing how to structure your IELTS Writing
Task 2 essay is an essential skill that can make
the difference between getting and not getting
the band score you deserve. With that in mind,
we have outlined the most common IELTS
Writing Task 2 structures below.
Nearly all of my Task 2 essays follow this basic

structure:
https://www.ieltsadvantage.com/2015/03/03/ielts-writing-task-2-essay-structures/ 11/10/2023, 10 04
Page 1 of 25
:
The sentences you put in each paragraph will
depend on what type of question you get.
The five most common IELTS Writing Task 2

questions are:
1. Opinion
(https://www.ieltsadvantage.com/2015
/03/02/ielts-writing-task-2-agree-
disagree-lesson/) (Agree or Disagree)

2. Advantages and Disadvantages
/05/24/ielts-advantages-and-
disadvantages-lesson/)
Page 2 of 25
:
3. Problem and Solution
/05/08/ielts-problem-and-solution/)
4. Discussion
/03/18/writing-task-2-discussion-
essay-lesson/) (Discuss both views)
5. Two-part Question
Below I will outline examples and a structure

approved by experienced IELTS
(http://www.ielts.org) teachers and examiners
for each type of question. This will help you
write a clear, coherent answer and hopefully
boost your IELTS band score. I also include an
example answer for each type of question so
you can see the structure in a real essay.
Please note that these are general structures

and may vary slightly depending on the
question.
Please also note that no ‘one’ Task 2 essay

structure will get you a high score. There are
many types of structures that can get you a
high score. These are just some I think are
effective and easy to learn.
Please visit the lessons below for more

detailed guidance on each type of question. I
have provided a link at the end of each
section.
Page 3 of 25
:
Opinion Questions
(Agree or Disagree)
Typical Question Words–
What is your opinion?
Do you agree or disagree?
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Direct question.
Example Question–
Some people believe that unpaid community

service should be compulsory in high school
programmes (for example, working for a
charity, improving the neighbourhood or
teaching sports to younger children).
Do you agree or disagree?
Essay Structure
Introduction
(https://www.ieltsadvantage.com/2015/03/05/h
ow-to-write-introduction-ielts-writing-task-2/)
Page 4 of 25
:
1- Paraphrase
(https://www.ieltsadvantage.com/2015/03/31/p
araphrase-ielts/)Question
2- Give your opinion and outline the main

ideas.
Main Body Paragraph 1
1- Topic Sentence
2- Explain Topic Sentence
3- Example
1- Topic Sentence
2- Explain Topic Sentence
3- Example
Conclusion
(https://www.ieltsadvantage.com/2015/06/14/ie
lts-writing-conclusions/)
1- Summary of main points and opinion
Student Sample Answer

It is argued that volunteering should be made
part of the school curriculum. This essay
agrees with that suggestion completely
Page 5 of 25
:
because it help pupils develop soft skills and
helps them gain much-needed work
experience.
Education should not be limited to strictly

academic pursuits, and those in education
should also develop life skills, such as
teamwork, empathy and self-discipline, and
one of the best ways to hone these aptitudes is
through community service. Serving those less
fortunate than ourselves teaches us many
lessons, including how to work with people
from other backgrounds and the value of hard
work, thus enabling us to hone these skills
before becoming an adult. For example, many
young people from wealthier countries take a
gap year and help those less fortunate than
themselves to increase their gratitude for what
they have and improve their work ethic.
Many colleges and companies are also

increasingly looking for this type of experience.
Most school leavers have the same grades, and
charitable work can help set you apart from
other students when making college
applications. For example, Cambridge and
Oxford receive thousands of applications from
straight-A students yearly and can only accept
a small percentage of applicants. What you
have done outside the classroom often
differentiates you from everyone else and gets
you that coveted spot.
Page 6 of 25
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In conclusion, teenagers should be made to
partake in unpaid work as part of their
schooling because it will help them learn things
they wouldn’t ordinarily learn from their
teachers, and it will also boost their chances of
getting into third-level education.
For more detail on how to answer agree or

disagree questions, please visit our opinion
essay lesson
(https://www.ieltsadvantage.com/2015/03/0
2/ielts-writing-task-2-agree-disagree-
lesson/).
Need help writing essays like this? Check out

our ESSAY CORRECTION SERVICE
3/essay-correction-service/).
Advantages and
Disadvantages
Questions
Typical Question Words
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Example Question
Technology is being used more and more in

education.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.
Essay Structure
Introduction
1- Paraphrase Question
2- Outline Main Points
1- State Two Advantages
2- Expand/Explain First Advantage
3- Expand/Explain Second Advantage
3- Example
1- State Two Disadvantages
2- Expand/Explain First Disadvantage
3- Expand/Explain Second Disadvantage
3- Example
Page 8 of 25
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Conclusion
1- Summary of Main Points

It is argued that technology plays an ever-
increasing role in schools and universities.
Increased access to information and student
freedom are the main advantages, whereas
dependency on technology and decreasing
levels of face-to-face contact are the main
disadvantages.
Access to more information and student

autonomy are the principal advantages of
increasing the use of electronic devices in
education. With the internet, students can
access all the information available about any
topic, regardless of what books and other
resources are available in the school.
Furthermore, students can focus on whatever
topic or subject they want and study it in
depth. A prime example of this is the number
of online university courses available to
students, covering a myriad of subjects that,
up until recently, were unavailable to most
learners. This has resulted in more people
studying third-level degrees than ever before
at a pace and schedule that suits them.
The main disadvantages associated with the

increasing use of technology in education are
the dependency on this technology and the
decrease in face-to-face interaction between
Page 9 of 25
:
students. With many students now using the
internet as their primary source of information,
they often struggle to use other academic
resources to find what they’re looking for. As
well as this, students spend more time looking
at computer screens by themselves than
interacting with each other, which is thought to
lead to lower levels of emotional intelligence.
For instance, the recent explosion in
smartphone use has been at the expense of
genuine human interaction. This results in soft
skills, such as verbal communication and
empathy, being affected.
In conclusion, the benefits technology brings

to education, such as unrestricted access to
information and student autonomy, must be
weighed against the drawbacks, such as
dependency on this technology and the
negative effects on human interaction.
For more detail on how to answer advantage

and disadvantage questions, please visit
our advantage and disadvantage lesson
4/ielts-advantages-and-disadvantages-
lesson/).
Discuss Both Views

Question (Discussion
Essay)
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:
Discuss both points of view and give your

opinion.
Example Question
Technology is being used more and more in

education. Some people say that this is a
positive trend, while others argue that it is
leading to negative consequences.
Discuss both sides of this argument and then

give your own opinion.
Essay Structure
Introduction
1- Paraphrase Question and/or state both

viewpoints.
2- Thesis Statement
3- Outline Sentence
1- State first viewpoint
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2- Discuss first viewpoint
3- Reason why you agree or disagree with

viewpoint
4- Example to support your view
1- State second viewpoint
2- Discuss second viewpoint
3- Reason why you agree or disagree with

viewpoint
4- Example to support your view
Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary
Sentence 2- State which one is better or more

important

There is an ever-increasing use of technology,
such as tablets and laptops, in the classroom.
It is often argued that this is a positive
development, whilst others disagree and think
it will lead to adverse ramifications. This essay
agrees that an increase in technology is
beneficial to students and teachers.
Page 12 of 25
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The Internet has provided students with access
to more information than ever before. This has
allowed learners to research and learn about
any subject at the touch of a button. It is
therefore agreed that technology is a very
worthwhile tool for education. Wikipedia is a
prime example, where students can type in any
keyword and gain access to in-depth
knowledge quickly and easily.
However, many disagree and feel that

technology deprives people of real human
interaction. Human interaction teaches people
valuable skills such as discourse, debate and
empathy. Without these soft skills, many
people find it difficult to become successful in
work and their personal lives. Despite this,
human interaction is still possible through the
internet, and this essay disagrees that
technology should be dismissed for this
reason. For instance, Skype and Facebook
allow people to interact in ways that were never
before possible.
While the benefits of technology, particularly

the internet, allow students to tap into limitless
sources of information, some still feel that
people should be wary of this new
phenomenon and not allow it to curb face-to-
face interaction. However, as long as we
carefully consider the importance of human
interaction in education, the educational
benefits are clearly positive.
Page 13 of 25
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For more detail on how to answer
discussion questions please
visit our discussion essay lesson
8/writing-task-2-discussion-essay-lesson/).
Problem and Solution

Questions
Problem and solution.
Cause and solution.
Example Question
Students are becoming more and more reliant

on technology.
What are some of the problems associated

with reliance on computers, and what are some
of the possible solutions?
Essay Structure
Introduction
Page 14 of 25
:
2- Outline Sentence
1- State Problems
2- Explain First Problem
3- Explain Second Problem
4- Example of Second Problem
1- State Solutions
2- Explain First Solution
3- Explain Second Solution
4- Example of Second Solution
Conclusion
1- Summary

Learners are becoming increasingly dependent
on technology, such as the Internet and mobile
devices. This essay believes the main problems
associated with dependence on computers are
the lack of original thought and copying
Page 15 of 25
:
original work from others and suggests critical
thinking classes and writing analysis software
as the most viable solutions.
The principal problems with over-reliance on

technology are people being unable to think for
themselves and plagiarism. With access to so
much information, students often rely on other
people’s opinions instead of forming their own.
As well as this, they often use search engines
to answer a question and copy the text from a
website rather than thinking about the
question. This practice is prohibited in schools
and universities and stunts students’
intellectual development because they will
never truly think for themselves, which is what
university is supposed to be for. For example,
many teachers complain that students copy
web pages straight from Wikipedia word for
word rather than giving a reasoned answer to
their questions.
Solutions to these worrying problems are

special classes to focus on critical thinking and
teachers using anti-plagiarism software to
detect copying. If teachers create situations
where students have to infer meaning and
express opinions based on a small amount of
information, this will ensure that students have
an opportunity to develop these skills. Also, if
students know that their assignments are being
checked for plagiarism, this will be enough to
deter them from doing so. For instance, many
universities already use this kind of software to
Page 16 of 25
:
scan coursework for plagiarism, and it could be
extended to include all homework by learners
in both secondary and tertiary education.
In conclusion, the main problems with the

overuse of technology in education are the lack
of original thought and plagiarism. These can
be solved through special classes that teach
students analytical skills and plagiarism
detection software.
For more detail on how to answer problem

and solution questions please
visit our problem and solution lesson
8/ielts-problem-and-solution/).
Two-Part Questions
There will normally be a statement, and they

will then ask you to answer separate questions.
Example Question
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:
As most people spend a major part of their
adult life at work, job satisfaction is an
important element of individual wellbeing.
What factor contributes to job satisfaction?
How realistic is the expectation of job

satisfaction for all workers?
Essay Structure
Introduction
2- Outline Sentence (mention both questions)
1- Answer first question directly
2- Explain why
3- Further explain
4- Example
1- Answer second question directly
2- Explain why
3- Further explain
4- Example
Page 18 of 25
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Conclusion
1- Summary

As most adults spend most of their time at
work, being content with your career is a
crucial part of a person’s health and happiness.
This essay will first suggest fair pay as a key
element leading to job satisfaction, and it will
then state that it is not very likely that everyone
can be happy with their job.
The most important thing that satisfies

someone at work is being compensated fairly.
If those more senior than you respect you as a
person and the job you are doing, then you feel
like you are valued. A fair salary and benefits
are important marks of respect, and if you feel
you are being underpaid, you will either resent
your bosses or look for another job. These two
factors came top of a recent job satisfaction
survey conducted by Monster.com, which
found that 72% of people were pleased with
their current role if their superiors regularly told
them they were appreciated.
With regard to the question of happiness for all

workers, I think this is and always will be highly
unlikely. The vast majority of people fail to
reach their goals and end up working in a post
they don’t really care about in return for a
salary. This money is just enough to pay their
living expenses which often means they are
Page 19 of 25
:
trapped in a cycle of disenchantment. For
example, The Times recently reported that
89% of office workers would leave their jobs if
they did not need the money.
In conclusion, being satisfied with your trade or

profession is an important part of one’s well-
being, and respect from one’s colleagues and
fair pay can improve your level of happiness;
however, job satisfaction for all workers is an
unrealistic prospect.
Can I get a band 8 or 9 following these

structures?
Nobody can give you a Task 2 IELTS structure

that guarantees high scores. Your score is
dependent on how good your grammar and
vocabulary are and how well you answer the
question. A good structure will help you answer
the question to some extent and boost your
score for coherence and cohesion, but you
must use relevant ideas and use these ideas
well to answer the question.
You can see how my student scored a Band 8.5

in IELTS Writing here:
Page 20 of 25
:
Next Steps
We hope you found those IELTS Writing Task 2

structures useful. Looking for some more
sample questions? Here are over 100 sample
questions
(https://www.ieltsadvantage.com/2015/07/15/10
0-ielts-writing-sample-questions/) from past
exam papers.
If you would personalised feedback and

guidance until you get the score you need,
you can join the Waiting List for my VIP
Course here. (http://bit.ly/2OV2fp9)
About
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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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IELTS Writing Task 2

IELTS Task 2 Essay

Nearly all of my Task 2 essays follow this basic

The five most common IELTS Writing Task 2

disagree-lesson/) (Agree or Disagree)

Below I will outline examples and a structure

Please note that these are general structures

Please also note that no ‘one’ Task 2 essay

Please visit the lessons below for more

What is your opinion?

Do you agree or disagree?

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some people believe that unpaid community

Do you agree or disagree?

2- Give your opinion and outline the main

Main Body Paragraph 1

2- Explain Topic Sentence

Main Body Paragraph 2

2- Explain Topic Sentence

1- Summary of main points and opinion

Student Sample Answer

Education should not be limited to strictly

Many colleges and companies are also

For more detail on how to answer agree or

Need help writing essays like this? Check out

Typical Question Words

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

Technology is being used more and more in

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

2- Outline Main Points

Main Body Paragraph 1

1- State Two Advantages

2- Expand/Explain First Advantage

3- Expand/Explain Second Advantage

Main Body Paragraph 2

1- State Two Disadvantages

2- Expand/Explain First Disadvantage

3- Expand/Explain Second Disadvantage

1- Summary of Main Points

Student Sample Answer

Access to more information and student

The main disadvantages associated with the

In conclusion, the benefits technology brings

For more detail on how to answer advantage

Discuss Both Views

Discuss both points of view and give your

Technology is being used more and more in

Discuss both sides of this argument and then

1- Paraphrase Question and/or state both

Main Body Paragraph 1

1- State first viewpoint

3- Reason why you agree or disagree with

4- Example to support your view

Main Body Paragraph 2

1- State second viewpoint

2- Discuss second viewpoint

3- Reason why you agree or disagree with

4- Example to support your view

Sentence 2- State which one is better or more

Student Sample Answer

However, many disagree and feel that

While the benefits of technology, particularly

Problem and Solution

Typical Question Words