Task 2 · Band 8 path
Opinion — Agree or Disagree
One position, defended twice, never abandoned.
Recognise the question
How to spot this question type, what the examiner is actually marking, and the traps that cap it at Band 6.
One position, defended twice, never abandoned.
The most frequently set Task 2 question type in recent Academic and General papers.
Also called: Opinion essay · To what extent do you agree? · Argumentative essay
Spotting it
How this question is worded
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
The examiner wants a position AND a strength. "To what extent" invites you to say how far you agree — completely, or only in part.
Do you agree or disagree?
A binary invitation. Pick one side and hold it for the whole essay.
What is your opinion?
Same task with softer wording. It still needs a single, clearly stated view, not a survey of what people think.
Some people believe X. Do you think this is a positive step?
A statement plus an opinion request. React to the statement — do not simply describe both sides of it.
The rule that decides Task Response
Your position must be stated in the introduction, visible in both body paragraphs, and restated in the conclusion — and it must be the same position in all three places.
The standard
What a Band 8 answer to this type does
- A clear, unambiguous position in the introduction — the reader knows your view after one sentence.
- Two developed reasons that support that position, each with its own paragraph.
- Extension, not just assertion: every reason explained, then made concrete with an example or consequence.
- A conclusion that restates the same position without introducing a new argument.
- Precise topic vocabulary and a mix of simple, complex and conditional sentences used accurately.
Where the band is lost
The 5 traps in this question type
Each of these is a specific, repeatable way to lose marks on this type — not general writing advice.
Sitting on the fenceTask Response capped at 5–6
Writing "there are advantages and disadvantages" and never deciding turns an opinion essay into a discussion essay. The examiner is instructed to mark down a response that does not present a clear position throughout.
The fix
Decide before you write. State the position in the introduction in your own words, then open each body paragraph with a reason that serves that position.
Switching sides in body 2Task Response and Coherence both drop
Many candidates argue their view in body 1 and then argue the opposite in body 2 out of habit. The position is no longer "clear throughout" and the essay reads as two unrelated halves.
The fix
If you want to acknowledge the other side, do it in ONE concession clause inside your own argument — "Although critics argue X, …" — then return to your view immediately.
Partial agreement with no boundaryTask Response 6
Partial agreement is a legitimate Band 8 position, but only if you define exactly where you agree and where you do not. "I partly agree" without a boundary reads as indecision.
The fix
Name the boundary: "This is true of primary education, but not of universities, where …" Then give each side of the boundary one body paragraph.
Reasons that are really the same reasonTask Response 6 · Coherence 6
Two paragraphs about "it saves money" and "it is cheaper" give the essay one idea, not two. Development is judged on distinct, extended ideas.
The fix
Test your two reasons: could one exist without the other? Pick reasons from different domains — economic, social, environmental, personal.
Memorised openersLexical Resource capped at 6
"Nowadays, in this modern era, it is a controversial issue that…" is recognised as learned language and is discounted — it contributes nothing to your word count or your band.
The fix
Open by paraphrasing the actual question. Change the nouns and the grammar, keep the meaning.
Quick reference
The Agree / Disagree essay at a glance
Your position must be stated in the introduction, visible in both body paragraphs, and restated in the conclusion — and it must be the same position in all three places.
The most frequently set Task 2 question type in recent Academic and General papers.
How to recognise this question
- “To what extent do you agree or disagree?”
- The examiner wants a position AND a strength. "To what extent" invites you to say how far you agree — completely, or only in part.
- “Do you agree or disagree?”
- A binary invitation. Pick one side and hold it for the whole essay.
- “What is your opinion?”
- Same task with softer wording. It still needs a single, clearly stated view, not a survey of what people think.
- “Some people believe X. Do you think this is a positive step?”
- A statement plus an opinion request. React to the statement — do not simply describe both sides of it.
The four-paragraph structure
Show you understood the question, then commit to a position.
Prove your first reason, and make the reader see it.
Prove a second, genuinely different reason for the same position.
Restate the same position and the two reasons. Add nothing new.
The traps that cap this type at Band 6
Sitting on the fenceTask Response capped at 5–6
Writing "there are advantages and disadvantages" and never deciding turns an opinion essay into a discussion essay. The examiner is instructed to mark down a response that does not present a clear position throughout.
Fix: Decide before you write. State the position in the introduction in your own words, then open each body paragraph with a reason that serves that position.
Switching sides in body 2Task Response and Coherence both drop
Many candidates argue their view in body 1 and then argue the opposite in body 2 out of habit. The position is no longer "clear throughout" and the essay reads as two unrelated halves.
Fix: If you want to acknowledge the other side, do it in ONE concession clause inside your own argument — "Although critics argue X, …" — then return to your view immediately.
Partial agreement with no boundaryTask Response 6
Partial agreement is a legitimate Band 8 position, but only if you define exactly where you agree and where you do not. "I partly agree" without a boundary reads as indecision.
Fix: Name the boundary: "This is true of primary education, but not of universities, where …" Then give each side of the boundary one body paragraph.
Reasons that are really the same reasonTask Response 6 · Coherence 6
Two paragraphs about "it saves money" and "it is cheaper" give the essay one idea, not two. Development is judged on distinct, extended ideas.
Fix: Test your two reasons: could one exist without the other? Pick reasons from different domains — economic, social, environmental, personal.
Memorised openersLexical Resource capped at 6
"Nowadays, in this modern era, it is a controversial issue that…" is recognised as learned language and is discounted — it contributes nothing to your word count or your band.
Fix: Open by paraphrasing the actual question. Change the nouns and the grammar, keep the meaning.
Agree / Disagree questions — frequently asked
Can I partly agree in an agree/disagree essay?
Yes, and it can score Band 9 — but only if you define the boundary precisely. Say what you agree with, what you do not, and give each side its own body paragraph. "I partly agree" with no boundary reads as having no position and is marked as such.
Should I discuss the opposing view at all?
Only briefly, and only inside your own argument. One concession clause ("Although critics argue…") followed by a rebuttal shows maturity. A full paragraph arguing the other side turns your opinion essay into a discussion essay and caps Task Response.
How many words should an agree/disagree essay be?
Aim for 260–290. The minimum is 250 and going under it is penalised, but very long essays are usually padded and lose accuracy. A tight 270-word essay outscores a rambling 350-word one.
Do I need real facts and statistics?
No. Examiners do not verify your examples, and invented statistics look weaker than reasoned consequences. A specific, plausible situation explained properly is what earns the mark.
Next
Once this type is at Band 8, move to another — Both Views, Advantages, Problem / Solution — or check a full essay you have written in the Essay Checker
Go deeper on Task 2
- Band 9 vs Band 6.5 sample answersThe same question answered twice, compared criterion by criterion
- How IELTS Writing is markedWhat each of the four criteria actually rewards
- More Task 2 questionsA large bank of practice prompts by topic
- Timed writing mock testTask 1 and Task 2 in 60 minutes, marked like the exam