IELTS Task 2 Agree or Disagree Essays: A Clear Structure
How to plan an IELTS Writing Task 2 agree or disagree essay: thesis, body paragraphs, and the mistakes that keep writers at band 6.
Updated
What the question is asking
Agree or disagree prompts ask for your position on one statement, not a tour of every possible view. Typical wording is “To what extent do you agree or disagree?” or “Do you agree or disagree?”
Pick a side you can support with two reasons. A full disagree, a full agree, or a partial agree all work if the thesis is explicit in the introduction and every body paragraph defends it.
A four-paragraph plan you can reuse
Write about 250 to 280 words. Spend a few minutes planning before you type so the essay does not change position halfway through.
- Introduction: paraphrase the statement, then state your position in one sentence.
- Body 1: first reason, one concrete example, and a sentence that ties the example back to the question.
- Body 2: second reason. Do not repeat body 1 with different words.
- Conclusion: restate the position. Do not add a new argument.
A short example of a clear thesis
Prompt: “Some people think universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”
Weak thesis: “There are many opinions about this topic and both sides have points.” That sentence does not answer the question.
Clearer thesis: “I disagree that every subject should enrol equal numbers of men and women, because course choice should follow interest and entry standards, not a fixed gender quota.”
Mistakes that cap the score
Examiners are not looking for a clever opinion. They are looking for a position that stays consistent, and language you control.
- The introduction agrees and body 2 argues the opposite.
- Examples stay vague: “in many countries” with no specific situation.
- Memorised linkers (furthermore, moreover, in conclusion) appear in every sentence.
- The same grammar error repeats: subject-verb agreement, articles, or tense shifts inside one paragraph.
How to practise one essay type
Write one agree or disagree essay, then review it in this order: position, example, then repeated grammar. Fix the repeated mistake in a new paragraph instead of starting a brand-new topic.
Proselift is built for that loop on Task 2: paste a draft, see which criterion is weakest, and practise the mistake that shows up again.