IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Types: All 5 Explained with Examples (2026)
Task 2 is not one essay shape with five different titles. The prompt hides an instruction type, and if you miss it, Task Response drops even when the grammar looks clean. When we mark scripts, the familiar leak is a confident discussion essay pasted onto a to what extent question — or a strong answer to the first half of a two-part prompt and a polite sentence for the second.
Teachers keep five labels because they match real papers: opinion (agree/disagree), discussion (both views + your opinion), advantages/disadvantages, problem–solution, and two-part. Spend half a minute naming the type before you plan. That habit saves more marks than another vocabulary list.
Related: Task 2 complete guide | Structure & format | Band descriptors | Introduction examples
Last updated: July 25, 2026
On this page (why type matters, five types, quick ID, FAQ)
Why the type matters
Examiners mark against the public descriptors. At Band 7, you have to address all parts of the prompt appropriately. Each type has a non-negotiable job:
| Type | You must… |
|---|---|
| Opinion | State a clear lean and support it |
| Discussion | Develop both views + give your opinion |
| Advantages/disadvantages | Cover both sides (and weigh them if asked) |
| Problem–solution | Cover causes/problems and solutions |
| Two-part | Answer both questions with real development |
Underline the instruction words first: discuss, agree, advantages, causes, why, what measures. Then choose the body jobs. One four-paragraph format travels across types; the jobs inside the bodies change.
I notice students improve fastest when they catch the wrong template early. One timed draft treated every education prompt as “agree that education matters.” On a causes-and-solutions question about school leavers, Body 2 never reached solutions — TR stayed thin while the language looked busy. After the outline forced causes → matched measures, the same student cleared the task without new “Band 7 phrases.”
Opinion (agree / disagree)
Stems: To what extent do you agree or disagree? / Do you agree or disagree?
Example: Some people think governments should spend more on public transport than on building new roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your job is to take a side — fully, largely, or with a clear limit — and keep that lean from introduction to conclusion. A thin courtesy paragraph for “the other side” is optional. Burying your own position is not.
| Paragraph | Job |
|---|---|
| Intro | Paraphrase + clear thesis |
| Body 1 | Strongest reason + support |
| Body 2 | Second reason, OR short concession + pushback |
| Conclusion | Restate the same lean |
Deep dive: Agree/disagree guide · Models: Band 7+ vs 8.5 sample · Shape: structure guide.
Discussion (both views + opinion)
Stem: Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Example: Some believe children should learn a foreign language at primary school; others think secondary school is better. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Here the trap is the opposite of opinion essays. If you only argue the side you like, examiners can fairly say both views were not developed. Give View A and View B real space, then make your judgment easy to find — in the intro, at the end of Body 2, or in the conclusion.
| Paragraph | Job |
|---|---|
| Intro | Both camps briefly + signpost your opinion |
| Body 1 | View A — fair and developed |
| Body 2 | View B with equal weight, then your judgment (or save judgment for the end if already signalled) |
| Conclusion | Short reminder + final position |
Deep dive: Discussion essay guide.
Advantages and disadvantages
Stems: Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? / What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Example: Many people work from home. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Read the exact wording. If the prompt only asks you to discuss both sides, map advantages and disadvantages without forcing a fake I agree. If it asks whether advantages outweigh disadvantages, sitting on the fence in the introduction looks weak — pick a direction and defend the comparison.
A workable shape when you must weigh: intro states the lean; Body 1 develops the stronger side; Body 2 presents the other side honestly, then pushes back; conclusion confirms the judgment. When you only need both sides, keep the coverage balanced — not a long praise paragraph and a courtesy line of risk.
Problem–solution
Stems: What are the causes/problems and what solutions can you suggest?
Example: Traffic congestion is increasing in many cities. What are the causes and what solutions can you suggest?
You usually do not need I agree. You need causes (or problems) and measures that match. What we see in weak scripts is a long complaint paragraph and then two vague “raise awareness” lines.
| Paragraph | Job |
|---|---|
| Intro | Issue + map (causes and solutions) |
| Body 1 | Two or three causes, each explained |
| Body 2 | Solutions tied to those causes |
| Conclusion | Brief summary of both halves |
Nod to both parts in the introduction so solutions are not forgotten until the last minute.
Two-part questions
Stems: Two questions in one prompt — Why is this? What can be done? / Is this positive or negative? Why?
Example: In many countries, people are living longer. Why is this happening? Is this a positive or negative development?
These look simple and then catch people out. If the introduction only answers the first question, the second feels bolted on. Sentence 2 should promise both parts.
| Paragraph | Job |
|---|---|
| Intro | Paraphrase both questions / map both answers |
| Body 1 | Question 1 fully |
| Body 2 | Question 2 fully |
| Conclusion | Short summary of both |
A common Band 6 pattern: a full Body 1 and a one-sentence Body 2. Both halves need development if you want Task Response to hold.
Quick identification
| If the prompt says… | Essay type |
|---|---|
| agree or disagree / to what extent | Opinion |
| discuss both views | Discussion |
| advantages / disadvantages / outweigh | Advantages/disadvantages |
| causes / problems + solutions | Problem–solution |
| Two separate questions | Two-part |
After you name the type, use the matching jobs from the structure & format guide. Plan about five minutes, then write. Openings by type: introduction paragraph examples.
When you score a practice draft, look at Task Response first: did every part of this prompt get real space? The free essay checker splits TR / CC / LR / GRA so you can see that leak quickly.
Questions students ask
Are there really only five types?
Most prompts fit these five patterns. Some blend elements — for example a problem–solution stem that also asks for your view — but the instruction words still tell you what to prioritise. From the scripts I mark, guessing the type wrong hurts more than picking the “less common” label.
Is Academic Task 2 different from General Training Task 2?
No. Same essay types, same criteria, same timing. Only Task 1 differs between modules.
Which type appears most often?
Opinion and discussion show up a lot; problem–solution and two-part appear regularly too. Prep the recognition habit more than a frequency chart.
Should I memorise one template for all types?
No. Keep one four-paragraph outer format, then change what each body must do. Memorised openers (In this day and age…) usually hurt more than they help. Between full essays, mix short drills the way Personalized Practice does — Practices 1–15 mixed, 16–20 timed essays; 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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