IELTS essay types: how to recognise each Task 2 question and structure your answer

Every IELTS Writing Task 2 question asks you to do something specific: give your opinion, discuss two views, weigh advantages against disadvantages, explain causes and solutions, or answer two separate questions. Spotting which one you have, in the first minute, decides whether your essay answers the question or only talks about the topic.

This guide covers the five IELTS essay types teachers commonly use, how to recognise each from the wording, and a paragraph plan for each. Each type links to a full model answer on Stride so you can see the structure in practice. All the example questions here are original, written for practice.

Why the essay type matters

Task 2 is at least 250 words in about 40 minutes, and it counts twice as much as Task 1. The first criterion, Task Response, is about whether you answer the actual question. The official band descriptors (Task 2, May 2023) show how much this matters:

• Band 7: “The main parts of the prompt are appropriately addressed. A clear and developed position is presented.”
• Band 6: “The main parts of the prompt are addressed (though some may be more fully covered than others).”
• Band 5: the main parts of the prompt are “incompletely addressed”.

Answering only half a two-part question, or describing both views but never giving the opinion you were asked for, is the classic way to cap Task Response. Recognising the essay type is how you avoid it.

How to recognise each essay type

Underline the instruction, not just the topic. Two questions about the same topic, say working from home, can require completely different essays depending on that last line.

1. Opinion essays (agree or disagree)

Example question (original): Some people believe that every student should be required to learn a musical instrument at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

You can agree completely, disagree completely, or take a partly-agree position. What matters is that the reader knows your view from the introduction and that every body paragraph supports it.

Our model opinion essay on technology and sociability takes a “largely disagree” position, concedes the opposite view, then answers it.

2. Discussion essays (both views and your opinion)

Example question (original): Some people think that cities should invest in more cycle lanes, while others believe the money would be better spent on public transport. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

The key word is both. Each view needs a proper paragraph with reasons, written fairly even if you disagree with it. Then you must give your own opinion, because the question asks for it.

Phrases such as Those who…argue that, On the other hand, supporters of… and In my view, the second argument is stronger because… make the structure easy to follow. See our model discussion essay on public libraries.

3. Advantages and disadvantages essays

This type comes in two versions, and they are not the same:

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of…? asks you to explain both. An opinion is not required, though a brief judgement in the conclusion can round off the essay.
• Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? asks for a judgement. You must say which side is stronger and explain why.

Example question (original): More and more supermarkets are replacing cashiers with self-service checkouts. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

The evaluation paragraph is what lifts this essay. Listing pros and cons without weighing them leaves the question “do they outweigh?” unanswered. Our model essay on working from home shows a weighing paragraph in action.

4. Problem and solution essays (and causes and solutions)

Example question (original): In many cities, young adults are finding it increasingly difficult to afford their own home. What problems does this cause, and what can be done to address the situation?

Read carefully: some questions ask for problems and solutions, others for causes and solutions, and some for causes and effects. They need different content. A cause explains why something happens; a problem or effect describes what results from it.

Linking each solution back to a cause is what makes the essay feel coherent rather than like two separate lists. See our model problem and solution essay on childhood obesity.

5. Two-part questions

Example question (original): Today, many people choose to work for themselves rather than for a company. Why do people make this choice? What difficulties might they face?

Two-part (or “direct question”) essays ask two different questions about one topic. There is no hidden opinion requirement unless one of the questions asks for it, as in Is this a positive or negative development?

Give both questions roughly equal space. Our model two-part essay on international travel answers “why” in one paragraph and “positive or negative” in the next.

Mixed and tricky wordings

• “Is this a positive or negative development?” This is an opinion question in disguise. Decide, and say so in the introduction.
• “Discuss” without “give your opinion”. Discuss both sides fully. Many candidates add a brief view in the conclusion; the important thing is to cover both sides.
• Statements with two parts. Governments should spend more on public health and less on hospitals contains two claims. Address both.
• Narrow topics. IELTS says that if the question is about one aspect of a wider topic, you should focus on that aspect, not the topic in general.

Planning in five minutes

1. Underline the instruction and name the essay type.
2. Decide your position (if one is needed) before writing a word.
3. Note two main ideas per body paragraph, each with a reason and an example.
4. Write a two-sentence introduction: paraphrase plus position or outline. Our paraphrasing guide helps here.
5. Leave three or four minutes at the end to check grammar and that every part of the question is answered.

For ideas and vocabulary by theme, browse our IELTS Writing Task 2 topics. To make the links between paragraphs smoother, read linking and cohesion and concession and contrast. And to understand exactly what Task Response rewards at each band, see our plain-English guide to the IELTS Writing band descriptors.

Once your plan is ready, the introduction and conclusion are where your position should be clearest. See how to write an IELTS essay introduction and conclusion, with before-and-after examples for each essay type.

How many IELTS essay types are there?

Teachers usually describe five: opinion, discussion, advantages and disadvantages, problem and solution (or causes and solutions), and two-part questions. The official format page does not use these labels, so always follow the exact wording of your question.

Do I always have to give my opinion in Task 2?

Only when the question asks for it, directly (To what extent do you agree?) or indirectly (Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Is this positive or negative?). Where a position is required, the band 7 descriptor expects a clear and developed one.

Can I use the same structure for every essay?

The introduction, body and conclusion shape stays the same, but the content of the body paragraphs must match the question. A discussion essay needs both views; a two-part essay needs both answers; an outweigh question needs a judgement.

How many body paragraphs should I write?

Two or three is typical within 250 to 300 words. Fewer, well-developed paragraphs are better than many thin ones, since the band 6 descriptor notes ideas that are insufficiently developed.

Where can I see full examples of each essay type?

Stride's IELTS writing samples include a model answer for each Task 2 type, with notes on how each one meets the four criteria. They are study models written by Stride, not examiner-marked scripts.