IELTS Writing Task 2: Opinion (Agree or Disagree) Essays
The opinion essay — also called 'agree or disagree' or 'to what extent do you agree' — is the most common Task 2 question type. It asks for your position on a statement, and the marks come from taking a clear stance and defending it consistently.
What this question looks like
You are given a statement and asked how far you agree or disagree with it. Your job is to state a clear position in the introduction and then support it throughout. You can fully agree, fully disagree, or partly agree — but whatever you choose, every body paragraph must back up that single position. Sitting on the fence without ever committing is the fastest way to lose Task Response marks.
Step-by-step approach
- 1Decide your position before writing. A clear, consistent opinion is easier to defend than a vague 'it depends', and it must appear in your introduction and conclusion.
- 2Introduction (2 sentences): paraphrase the statement, then state your opinion directly ('I strongly agree that…').
- 3Body paragraph 1: give your first main reason, explain it, and support it with a specific example.
- 4Body paragraph 2: give your second main reason, again explained and supported. Each paragraph should develop one idea fully rather than list several thinly.
- 5Conclusion (1–2 sentences): restate your opinion in different words and summarise your two reasons. Add no new ideas.
Worked example
'Some people believe that university students should be free to choose any subject they want to study. To what extent do you agree or disagree?' — How should the introduction state a position?
Paraphrase + clear stance: 'It is sometimes argued that students at university ought to be allowed to select any field of study freely. I largely agree with this view, because personal interest drives both motivation and long-term success.'
The first sentence rephrases the prompt using different words ('be free to choose any subject' becomes 'be allowed to select any field of study freely'), which shows lexical range. The second sentence commits to a position and previews the reasons — giving the essay a spine the examiner can follow, which is exactly what Coherence and Task Response reward.
Try it yourself
Spend about 40 minutes and write at least 250 words. Then reveal the band-8 model answer and compare your structure, not just your ideas.
'In many countries, the amount of crime committed by teenagers is increasing. Some people think giving longer prison sentences is the best solution. To what extent do you agree or disagree?' Write your response, then reveal the model answer.
Common mistakes
- !Not giving a clear opinion, or changing position between paragraphs. Decide once and defend it all the way to the conclusion.
- !Listing many reasons with no development. Two well-explained reasons with examples score higher than five undeveloped ones.
- !Memorised templates and empty linking phrases ('Nowadays, in this modern era…'). Examiners penalise pre-learned filler that doesn't answer the question.
- !Writing under 250 words, which is penalised, or going far over and running out of time for checking.
- !Adding new ideas in the conclusion instead of summarising the ones you already argued.
Quick quiz
1. In an 'agree or disagree' essay, where must your opinion appear?
2. What is the minimum word count for Task 2?
3. Which approach scores higher in the body paragraphs?
4. What should the conclusion do?
Practise this in a real IELTS test
Take a free Writing test with expert evaluation and apply the technique under exam conditions.
Take a free Writing testIELTS Writing Task 2: Opinion (Agree or Disagree) Essays — FAQ
Can I partly agree in an IELTS opinion essay?
Yes. A balanced position such as 'I agree that… but only when…' is perfectly acceptable and can score band 8 or 9, as long as it is clear and consistent. What you must not do is give no opinion at all, or contradict yourself between paragraphs.
How many paragraphs should an opinion essay have?
Four is the reliable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs (one main reason each), and a conclusion. You can write three body paragraphs if each is fully developed, but two strong ones are usually enough in 40 minutes.
How is IELTS Writing Task 2 marked?
On four equally-weighted criteria: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. For an opinion essay, Task Response depends heavily on taking and defending a clear position.