Everything you need to master the most common IELTS Task 2 question type. Full structure guide, Band 9 model introductions, 20-question bank, key vocabulary, and 355 real student essays with AI feedback.
Question Type Overview
The agree/disagree question — also called an opinion essay — is the most frequent question type in IELTS Writing Task 2, appearing in approximately 40% of real exams. You are given a statement and asked "To what extent do you agree or disagree?" Your task is to take a clear personal position and defend it throughout the essay with well-developed arguments and specific examples. Unlike a Discuss Both Views essay, this question type demands your opinion — not a balanced exploration of two sides.
Submit an agree/disagree essay and get instant AI feedback on whether your weighing judgment is clear, justified, and expressed with the language the examiner is looking for.
Essay Structure
This four-paragraph structure consistently produces high-scoring agree/disagree essays. It is clear, logical, and easy for examiners to follow — which directly benefits your Coherence and Cohesion score.
Body Paragraph Formula
Worked Example
The introduction is where your band score is largely determined in the first 30 seconds of an examiner's reading. Here is the same question answered two ways — and exactly why one scores Band 5 and the other Band 8.
Submit an agree/disagree essay and receive AI scores across all four IELTS criteria — plus a Band 9 model answer for your exact question showing what a perfect verdict looks like.
Key Vocabulary
Using a range of precise opinion phrases, concession structures, and linking language is the single fastest way to improve your Lexical Resource and Coherence scores. Memorise and practise these before your exam.
Question Bank
These prompts are representative of real IELTS Task 2 agree/disagree questions across the most common topic areas. Use them to practise planning and writing timed essays. Click any prompt to see a student answer with AI feedback.
Common Mistakes
These are the most consistent errors found in agree/disagree essays that score Band 5–6, based on analysis of thousands of student submissions on Test & Score.
Submit an agree/disagree essay and receive AI scores across all four IELTS criteria — with specific feedback on whether your conclusion delivers a clear, justified, evaluative verdict.
FAQ
The most common questions about IELTS Task 2 agree/disagree essays, answered clearly.
An agree or disagree question — also called an opinion essay — gives you a statement and asks "To what extent do you agree or disagree?" You must take a clear personal position — fully agree, largely agree, largely disagree, or fully disagree — and defend that position throughout your essay with well-developed arguments and specific examples. Unlike a Discuss Both Views essay, this question type demands your opinion, not a balanced exploration of two sides.
Either position can achieve Band 9. However, many IELTS teachers recommend fully agreeing or fully disagreeing rather than partially agreeing, because a strong clear position is easier to develop consistently across the essay. A partial agreement essay risks appearing vague or contradictory if the two sides are not handled carefully, which can lower your Task Response score.
The recommended structure is four paragraphs: Introduction (paraphrase the statement and state your position clearly, 40–55 words), Body Paragraph 1 (your strongest argument supporting your view with a reason and example, 80–95 words), Body Paragraph 2 (a second supporting argument or a concession with a counter-argument, 80–95 words), and Conclusion (restate your position and summarise key points without introducing new ideas, 40–50 words). Total target: 265–290 words.
No. Changing your opinion between the introduction and conclusion is one of the most serious Task Response errors. If you state in your introduction that you strongly agree, your conclusion must also express agreement. Contradicting yourself will significantly lower your Task Response band score, which accounts for 25% of your total mark.
Strong opinion phrases for IELTS Task 2 include: "I strongly believe that…", "It is my firm view that…", "I am fully convinced that…", "I would argue that…", "In my opinion,…", "From my perspective,…". For partial agreement: "While I acknowledge that X, I believe Y is more significant because…", "Although there is some merit in this view, I largely disagree because…". Avoid informal phrases like "I think it's really good" — maintain a formal academic register throughout.
In an agree/disagree essay, you are asked for YOUR opinion and you defend one clear position throughout. In a discuss both views essay, you are asked to present arguments for both sides of a debate equally, then give your opinion at the end. The key difference is that agree/disagree essays are driven by your personal stance, while discuss both views essays require balanced coverage of two opposing perspectives before concluding.
The agree/disagree opinion essay is the most common IELTS Writing Task 2 question type, appearing in approximately 40% of real IELTS exams. This makes it the most important question type to master. It is identified by phrases such as "To what extent do you agree or disagree?", "Do you agree or disagree?", or "Do you think this is a positive or negative development?".