IELTS · Articles · October 19, 2026 · 4 min read
IELTS Writing Task 2: essay structure, question types and a sample
Writing Task 2 is an essay of at least 250 words in about 40 minutes. It is the same task in Academic and General Training, and it counts twice as much as Task 1 in your Writing band. That makes it the single most valuable hour of preparation in the whole test.
The five question types
Almost every Task 2 question is one of these:
| Type | How it is phrased | What you must do |
|---|---|---|
| Opinion | To what extent do you agree or disagree? | Give a clear position and keep it throughout |
| Discussion | Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | Explain both sides, then say which you support |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? | Weigh both and give a verdict |
| Problem and solution | What are the causes? What can be done? | Answer both questions with specific ideas |
| Two-part question | Why is this happening? Is it a positive development? | Answer each question directly |
The most common mistake in Task 2 is not grammar. It is answering a different question: writing about advantages when the task asks to what extent you agree, or giving no opinion when the task asks for one. Underline every part of the question before you plan.
A structure that works for every type
Four paragraphs, 260–300 words:
- Introduction (40–50 words). Paraphrase the topic in one sentence, then state your position or what the essay will do.
- Body paragraph 1 (90–110 words). One main idea: a topic sentence, an explanation, an example, a link back to the question.
- Body paragraph 2 (90–110 words). The second main idea, built the same way.
- Conclusion (30–40 words). Restate your position in new words. No new ideas.
Five paragraphs (three body paragraphs) is fine too, but two well-developed ideas usually score higher than three thin ones. Examiners reward ideas that are extended and supported, not lists.
Planning in five minutes
Use the 40 minutes roughly like this: 5 minutes to plan, 30 to write, 5 to check.
In the plan, write only:
- your position in a few words;
- the main idea of each body paragraph;
- one example or reason for each.
If you cannot think of an example in the plan, you will not find one halfway through a paragraph.
A sample
Some people think that working from home is better for both employees and companies. Others believe that people work better in an office. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Plan: mixed opinion → office better for new staff and teamwork; home better for focused work and less commuting; my view: a hybrid model.
Introduction:
Since the pandemic, many organisations have had to decide whether their staff should work remotely or return to the office. While there are good reasons for both arrangements, I believe that a combination of the two serves employees and employers best.
Body paragraph 1:
On the one hand, working in an office has clear advantages, especially for teamwork and for people who are new to a job. Colleagues who sit together can solve small problems in a few minutes, whereas the same question online may take a day of emails. New employees, in particular, learn a great deal simply by listening to how more experienced colleagues talk to clients and deal with difficulties. A junior accountant, for example, is likely to pick up the habits of a team far faster in a shared office than through a video call once a week.
Look at how the paragraph is built: a topic sentence with the main idea, an explanation, a second point linked to the first, and a concrete example. It answers the question rather than describing offices in general.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, offices support collaboration and training, while home working allows concentration and saves time. For most organisations, therefore, a hybrid arrangement is the most sensible way to gain the benefits of both.
How the essay is marked
Task 2 is scored on four criteria, each a quarter of the band:
- Task Response: answering all parts of the question, a clear position, ideas that are developed and supported. Essays under 250 words lose marks here.
- Coherence and Cohesion: logical order, one main idea per paragraph, linking words that are accurate rather than numerous.
- Lexical Resource: a range of vocabulary used precisely, including less common words, with few spelling errors.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: a mix of simple and complex sentences, with most sentences free of errors.
Notice that linking words alone do not raise Coherence and Cohesion. “Moreover”, “furthermore” and “in addition” at the start of every sentence tend to lower the score because they feel mechanical. Use them where they really join ideas.
The five-minute check
Keep the last five minutes for errors you know you make. Most people have three or four repeating ones: articles, subject–verb agreement, a missing “s” on plurals, run-on sentences. Read once for meaning, then once only for your personal list.
How to practise
Write one essay at a time under real conditions, then get it checked against the four criteria. Rewrite the weakest paragraph with the corrections before writing a new essay. In Nomto you can write Task 2 essays in the practice room and get a band for each criterion, your errors marked in the text and a stronger version of your own sentences.
The test format guide shows how Task 2 fits into the Writing section.