IELTS Writing Task 2: Complete Guide for Band 7+ (2026)
If Writing is the band holding you back, Task 2 is usually where the story is decided. It takes about two-thirds of the Writing score, runs for roughly 40 minutes, and shows every criterion on one page: Did you answer the whole question? Can someone follow the paragraphs? Is the language precise enough without sounding pasted from a phrase list?
When we mark practice scripts, Band 6 writers are rarely “lazy.” They write full essays. They just write the wrong shape for the prompt — a discussion essay when the question asked to what extent, a thin courtesy paragraph for one view, a conclusion that invents a new idea, or a stack of unmarked mocks with no idea which criterion is dragging them. Band 7 is less about sounding clever and more about making the task easy to mark.
This page is the map. Format, the five question types, a four-paragraph shape that works across topics, how TR / CC / LR / GRA actually bite, a 40-minute timing plan, the mistakes that keep people stuck, and how to practise in a way that matches real improvement — mixed short work first, timed essays later — not a neat “TR week / vocab week” calendar that fights both teaching and our 20-practice plan.
Before you dig in, glance at the band descriptors guide (and the free PDF there). Then come back here for the Task 2 workflow.
Related: Essay types | Structure templates | Band 6 to 7 | Band 7+ samples
Last updated: July 24, 2026
On this page (format, five types, structure, scoring, timing, mistakes, practice, FAQ)
What Task 2 actually is
Task 2 is a formal essay of at least 250 words, written in about 40 minutes, on a general topic. Academic and General Training share the same Task 2 format and the same four criteria. Only Task 1 differs between modules.
| Feature | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Time | ~40 minutes (many people: 5 plan, ~30 write, ~5 check) |
| Length | 250 minimum; strong Band 7 answers often land around 280–320 |
| Register | Calm academic English — not chatty, not slogan-heavy |
| Topics | Education, environment, technology, health, work, society — no specialist degree required |
| What is marked | How you argue, organise, and control language — not whether your “statistics” are true |
You are not graded on being right about the world. You are graded on answering this prompt clearly. Invented but plausible examples are fine; long personal stories usually are not.
Task 1 still matters. A soft Task 1 can pull a strong Task 2 down half a band. But if you only have limited study time, Task 2 is where most Band 6 writers unlock movement. More on that balance: How to get Band 7.
The five Task 2 types
Older guides still say “four types.” In practice, teachers keep five labels because they match real papers: opinion, discussion, advantages/disadvantages, problem–solution, and two-part. Identify the type in the first half-minute. Wrong type is one of the fastest ways to lose Task Response while feeling confident.
Fuller map with examples: IELTS Writing Task 2 essay types. Below is the working overview you need on exam day.
Opinion (agree / disagree, to what extent)
Example: Some people believe university education should be free for everyone. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Take a clear lean early — fully, largely, or with a defined limit. Body 1 carries your strongest reason. Body 2 is a second reason, or a short concession then pushback. Conclusion matches the same lean. Do not write a balanced discussion by accident.
Deep dive: Agree/disagree guide · Side-by-side models: Band 7+ vs 8.5 sample.
Discussion (both views + your opinion)
Example: Some think children should start school at 4; others prefer 7. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Both camps need real space. Your opinion still has to be easy to find — in the introduction, at the end of Body 2, or in the conclusion — but it cannot replace developing the view you dislike. A three-sentence “courtesy” paragraph for View A is the classic leak.
Deep dive: Discussion essay guide.
Advantages / disadvantages
Example: Do the advantages of remote work outweigh the disadvantages?
Read the exact wording. If it only says “discuss the advantages and disadvantages,” you can map both sides. If it asks whether advantages outweigh disadvantages, sitting on the fence in the introduction looks weak — pick a direction and defend the comparison.
Problem–solution
Example: Traffic congestion is rising in cities. What are the causes, and what can be done?
You usually do not need I agree. You need causes and measures that match. A long complaint paragraph plus two vague “raise awareness” lines is what we see in weak scripts. Nod to both halves in the introduction so you do not forget solutions until the last minute.
Two-part questions
Example: Why are people living longer in many countries? Is this a positive or negative development?
Two questions, one essay. If the introduction only answers the first, the second feels bolted on. Sentence 2 should promise both parts — the “why,” and the positive/negative judgment.
Practical habit: Underline every command (discuss, agree, causes, outweigh, why… and…). Missing one part often caps Task Response around Band 6 no matter how polished the vocabulary looks.
Openings by type: Introduction paragraph examples. Templates: Task 2 structure.
A Band 7 shape that travels
Most Task 2 answers work as four paragraphs: introduction → Body 1 → Body 2 → conclusion. One main job per body. You do not need a rigid chant in every paragraph; you do need a lead sentence, enough explanation that the idea cannot fit any topic in the book, and a path the examiner can follow.
Introduction (~40–60 words)
Paraphrase the issue in your own words, then state your answer or your plan for the essay. Leave the real arguing for the body.
What fails: empty Nowadays… openers, I will discuss this topic with no position, copying half the prompt, or a dramatic hook that never answers the question. Examiners are not grading how exciting line one sounds.
Body paragraphs (~80–110 words each)
Say the point. Explain why. Ground it with a concrete scenario or consequence. Link back if it helps. Labels like Topic → Explain → Example → Link are training wheels — useful until the habit sticks, then optional.
Weak body we see constantly:
Technology is bad for people. Many people feel stressed. So I disagree.
Stronger: name a mechanism (after-hours messages, sleep loss), show a result, tie it to the lean you promised. Specific beats flashy.
Conclusion (~30–40 words)
Restate the answer. No new big idea. If paragraph 4 invents “also, online learning…” and that idea never appeared, it looks bolted on.
Full essays with checker breakdowns: Band 7+ sample answers.
How Task 2 is scored (TR, CC, LR, GRA)
Each criterion is roughly a quarter of the Task 2 band. Examiners mark them separately with the public descriptors — they do not give one fuzzy “overall impression” and reverse-engineer the parts.
| Criterion | What we look for when marking |
|---|---|
| Task Response (TR) | Every part of the question answered; clear position where needed; ideas extended past labels |
| Coherence & Cohesion (CC) | Paragraphs in a sensible order; progression you can follow; linking that is not a stack of Furthermore |
| Lexical Resource (LR) | Precise topic wording; collocations that fit; few forced “advanced” words |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy (GRA) | A mix of structures; control that stays clean enough to trust |
Your Task 2 band is the average of the four, then rounded to the nearest half band. One criterion stuck at 6 can pull three 7s down to 6.5 overall — which is why naming the lowest score matters more than polishing the strongest one.
Study the descriptors properly: Band descriptors explained · Free PDF study guide.
For a quick split on a practice draft, use the free essay checker (no login for score-only). Treat AI bands as practice feedback, not exam-day truth.
Forty minutes on the clock
Candidates who plan for a few minutes usually write faster, not slower — because they stop mid-paragraph less often, and Task Response leaks less.
| Minutes | Action |
|---|---|
| 0–2 | Read twice; underline every demand |
| 2–7 | Thesis or map + two body ideas + one concrete support each |
| 7–12 | Introduction |
| 12–22 | Body 1 |
| 22–32 | Body 2 |
| 32–37 | Conclusion |
| 37–40 | Check: question coverage, plurals/articles, whether the lean still matches |
Under pressure, skip the beautiful rewrite of sentence one. Protect the map. A plain introduction that answers the question beats a stylish one that fights paragraph 3.
Most people do better writing Task 2 first, then Task 1 in the remaining ~20 minutes — more of the Writing mark sits in Task 2.
Mistakes that keep people at Band 6
These are the patterns we see again and again. Each one is ordinary on its own; together they explain a lot of stuck scores.
Incomplete answer. Discussion with one thin view. Problem–solution with causes but no measures. Two-part with only the first question developed. Underline the parts before you plan — then check the plan against those underlines.
Under 250 words. Automatic Task Response risk. If you finish at 230, you usually under-developed, not “wrote efficiently.”
One-sentence paragraphs. A topic sentence with no why is a label, not an argument. Force reason → example before you move on.
Memorised openers. It is undeniable that…, In this day and age…, Every coin has two sides… Examiners see them constantly. Paraphrase this prompt in your own words.
No clear position on opinion questions. There are two sides is not a thesis. Put the lean where it is hard to miss.
Listing five ideas with no development. Two developed bodies beat five bullet points dressed as sentences.
Off-register anecdotes. A brief, general example is fine. A long personal story usually is not.
Wrong template for the type. Pasting I agree onto problem–solution, or writing a full discussion when the question asked to what extent. Recognise the type first; then open.
One marking case: a student stuck at overall 6 kept writing balanced intros on agree/disagree prompts. After we forced a mostly disagree thesis and made Body 2 answer the critic instead of switching camps, TR moved before the vocabulary list changed. That is typical — Task Response first, then language density.
Longer mistake list: 10 common Band 6 mistakes.
How to practise without fighting the plan
Two or three scored Task 2 essays beat seven with no review. Between full essays, keep short mixed work going — outlines, paragraph flow, wording swaps, sentence rewrites — in the same sitting. Do not build a calendar that freezes one criterion per week. That silo fights how writing improves, and it fights Personalized Practice: Practices 1–15 mix logic, vocabulary, cohesion, and rewrites; Practices 16–20 are timed essays; Practices 1–2 are free; progress reports come every two practices.
A DIY session (~30 min)
Pick one prompt (any type you tend to avoid). Then, in one sitting:
- Logic (TR + CC) — Outline only: position or map, two body ideas as Idea → Reason → Example.
- Wording (LR) — Replace five vague words (good, bad, important, people, society) with precise collocations that still fit.
- Flow (CC) — Write one body as four to six sentences without a stack of Furthermore… Moreover….
- Sentences (GRA) — Rewrite two weak lines into cleaner complex forms without breaking meaning.
Spend a bit longer on whichever step matched your lowest criterion last time. Keep the other three warm.
After two or three weeks of that habit, shift: a few full timed essays each week, score them, rewrite the weakest paragraph, then book another mock only when the pattern holds.
Walkthrough of the same shape on our platform: 20-day / 20-practice study plan. Broader Band 6→7 roadmap: Improve from Band 6 to 7.
Questions students ask
How long should Task 2 be?
Aim for roughly 280–320 when you can. Under 250 risks Task Response. Far past 350 often means you left no time to clean grammar — and length alone does not raise the band.
Is Task 2 the same for Academic and General Training?
Yes — same timing, length, and criteria. Only Task 1 differs.
Can I use personal examples?
Brief, general examples are fine (In many cities…, A first-year student who…). Avoid long personal stories; keep the tone academic.
How important is handwriting?
On paper tests, illegible script can cost you. On computer-delivered tests, focus on paragraph breaks and spelling instead.
Should I write Task 1 or Task 2 first?
Most people do better with Task 2 first (more of the Writing mark), then Task 1 in the remaining time.
From the scripts I mark, what should I do after this guide?
Write one timed essay to a real prompt. Score it — tutor, partner with the descriptors, or the free essay checker. Name the lowest criterion. Then mix short drills on that weak spot with the other skills in the same session, and only later stack more full essays. That loop matches Personalized Practice (Practices 1–2 free).
After you check your score
Most free tools stop at another band estimate. EssayGradeWise adds criterion drills inside a 20-practice plan (TR, CC, LR, GRA) so you practise the weak spot — not another full essay at random.
- Free IELTS essay checker — no login for score-only
- Try Practices 1–2 free
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