IELTS Writing Task 2: Complete Guide | IELTS Academic
IELTS Writing Task 2 is the essay part of the IELTS Writing test. You are given a point of view, an argument, or a problem to discuss, and you write a short essay that develops your position with reasons, examples, and a conclusion. Your performance is scored on the 9-band scale used across IELTS Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1 in the final Writing band, so it is the task with the largest single effect on your Writing score.
This guide covers the official format from ielts.org, the four criteria the examiner scores you on, the common essay prompt types, and the strategies that lift a band 6 essay to band 7.
Table of Contents
- What is the "Writing Task 2" question type?
- How "Writing Task 2" is scored
- Tips to do well on "Writing Task 2" questions
- How to practice "Writing Task 2" questions
- Frequently asked questions
- Conclusion
What is the "Writing Task 2" question type?
IELTS Writing Task 2 is the second of two tasks in the 60-minute IELTS Writing test. According to the official IELTS Academic Writing format, you are given "a point of view, argument or problem which you need to discuss" and must "present solutions, justify opinions, compare evidence, or evaluate arguments".
You must write at least 250 words, and the recommended time is no more than 40 minutes. Writing fewer than 250 words is penalised on Task Response. Writing more is allowed but cuts into the time you need to plan and check your essay.
Task 2 prompts fall into a small number of recognisable types:
- Opinion (agree/disagree): "To what extent do you agree or disagree?"
- Discuss both views: "Discuss both these views and give your own opinion."
- Advantages and disadvantages: "Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?"
- Problem and solution: "What are the causes of this, and what can be done to address it?"
- Two-part question: two related questions in one prompt, both of which must be answered.
Your essay must be written as a whole piece of connected text in an academic or semi-formal style. Bullet points and notes are not allowed. Copying the wording of the prompt or memorising a generic essay are both penalised. The essay topics on IELTS Task 2 are broad areas of public interest: education, technology, the environment, work, health, society, government, and media.
Strong opening paragraph: "The cost of university education has become a focus of public debate in many countries. Some argue that the state should fund higher education in full, while others maintain that the cost should fall on the student. This essay will discuss both positions, before arguing that a shared model, in which the state covers tuition and students contribute to living costs, is the more sustainable approach."
Why it works: paraphrases the prompt (does not copy it), names both views fairly before taking a position, and signals the position in advance so the examiner knows where the essay is going. The position becomes the thesis. The body paragraphs then develop each view, and the conclusion restates the position with one final reason.
For more examples like this one, see our 40 IELTS Writing Task 2 essay practice questions with sample answers, which cover the full range of contexts and patterns you may face on the real test.
How "Writing Task 2" is scored
Your Task 2 essay is scored on four equally-weighted criteria, each rated on the 9-band scale, per the official IELTS Writing band descriptors:
- Task Response: how well your essay addresses every part of the prompt and develops your position with reasons, examples, and a clear conclusion.
- Coherence and Cohesion: how well your paragraphs are organised and how clearly your ideas connect.
- Lexical Resource: range and accuracy of vocabulary on the topic.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: range and correctness of grammar.
Each criterion is scored on the 9-band scale, and the four scores are averaged to give your Task 2 band. The Task 2 band then combines with your Task 1 band, with Task 2 counting twice as much, to give your overall Writing band.
The most common reasons for losing marks on Task 2 are not addressing every part of the prompt (for example, giving an opinion when the prompt asked for both views, or answering only one half of a two-part question), and writing a paragraph that is on-topic but not on-prompt (a general comment about education when the prompt asked specifically about university fees). Both lower Task Response. Address every part of the prompt directly, in your own words, and the rest of the criteria become much easier to score on.
Tips to do well on "Writing Task 2" questions
Answer the question that is actually asked
This is the single largest source of lost marks on Task 2. A "discuss both views" prompt requires both views in the essay, fairly developed. A "to what extent do you agree" prompt requires a clear position (agree, disagree, or partially agree) plus reasons. A two-part question requires both parts to be answered. Read the prompt twice. Underline every question word and every conjunction. If you cannot identify what the prompt is asking, you cannot score band 7 on Task Response, no matter how well you write.
Plan for 5 minutes before writing
The 40 minutes for Task 2 should be roughly: 5 minutes to plan, 30 minutes to write, 5 minutes to check. Use the planning time to decide your position, sketch the 2 main reasons, and think of one example for each. A planned essay reaches 250 words without padding and stays on-prompt. An unplanned essay loses direction and loses marks on Coherence and Cohesion.
Use a four-paragraph structure
A reliable Task 2 structure for most prompt types is four paragraphs: (1) introduction that paraphrases the prompt and states your position, (2) body paragraph on the first main reason or view, (3) body paragraph on the second main reason or view, (4) conclusion that restates your position. Each body paragraph has a topic sentence (the main idea), supporting sentences (the reason and example), and a final sentence that links back to the prompt. This structure scores reliably on Coherence and Cohesion at band 7 if executed cleanly.
Show a range of grammar, on purpose
The band 7 descriptor for Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards "a variety of complex structures" with frequent error-free sentences. Write at least one conditional sentence (If governments invested more, students would...), at least one relative clause (students who study abroad often...), and at least one passive sentence (tuition is funded by the state in many countries) in every essay. Putting these in by design moves your grammar score from band 6 to band 7, even if a few of them contain small errors.
How to practice "Writing Task 2" questions
Random practice does not raise your Writing band. What raises it is writing Task 2 essays at your current level, timing yourself to 40 minutes, and comparing your essay to a sample answer at your target band. After every attempt, check your essay against the four criteria: did you address every part of the prompt (Task Response)? Did each body paragraph have a clear topic sentence (Coherence and Cohesion)? Did you use topic-specific vocabulary (Lexical Resource)? Did you use a range of grammatical structures (Grammatical Range)?
Arno's IELTS Writing Task 2 practice is free to start. You get essay prompts across all the common topic areas (education, technology, environment, work, society, government, health), with sample band-7 and band-8 essays for each one.
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Frequently asked questions
How long is IELTS Writing Task 2?
The whole IELTS Writing test is 60 minutes, with two tasks. The recommended time for Task 2 is no more than 40 minutes, with the other 20 minutes for Task 1. The 40-minute target is recommended, not enforced, but Task 2 is the larger half of your Writing band and needs the planning time.
What is the minimum word count for IELTS Writing Task 2?
At least 250 words. Writing fewer than 250 words is penalised on Task Response. Writing more is allowed and not penalised, but going much longer than the minimum tends to add little and uses time you need for planning and checking. IELTS does not publish a target word count beyond the minimum.
Can I use 'I' in IELTS Writing Task 2?
Yes, when the prompt asks for your opinion. Task 2 prompts that explicitly invite a position ("To what extent do you agree?", "Give your own opinion") expect you to state one, and "I" or "In my view" is acceptable for that. The required style is academic or semi-formal, so avoid informal language (contractions, slang, chatty asides). British Council essay guidance suggests using "I" sparingly and varying with impersonal alternatives like "It seems" or "It can be argued" elsewhere in the essay.
Do I need to use real-world examples in IELTS Writing Task 2?
You need examples, but they do not have to be famous real-world ones. A specific, made-up example ("For example, a recent study in my country found that...") works as well as a real example. What matters is that each main reason is illustrated with a specific example, not that the example is factually verifiable.
Does IELTS Writing Task 2 differ between Academic and General Training?
The task itself is broadly the same: write an essay on a given topic in at least 250 words, scored on Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. The prompt topics may differ: General Training prompts tend to be more everyday (work, family, daily life), while Academic prompts tend to be more abstract. The strategies in this guide work for both.
How much does Task 2 count toward my IELTS Writing band?
Roughly two-thirds. Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1, so your Writing band is a weighted average of one-third Task 1 and two-thirds Task 2. A strong Task 2 can lift your Writing band even if Task 1 is weaker, but a weak Task 2 caps your Writing band regardless of how good your Task 1 was.
Conclusion
Task 2 is the part of the Writing test with the largest single effect on your Writing band. The two habits that matter most are reading the prompt carefully so you answer the exact question asked, and using the first 5 minutes to plan your position and your two main reasons before writing. Build both into your timed practice, and Task 2 stops being the part of the test where your Writing band quietly drops.