Tips & Advice for IELTS Writing Task 2 Agree or Disagree Questions

IELTS Writing Task 2 FAQs

Is it acceptable to use “my” or “I” in IELTS writing?

As an IELTS ex-examiner, my advice is that when the question asks for your opinion, you should use phrases like “in my opinion” or “I believe”. Some IELTS teachers tell students not to use “I” in academic essays, but this advice is really for university academic writing, not IELTS.

Do you AGREE or DISAGREE?

Don’t write a paragraph about what other people think, if the question asks whether YOU agree or not. The whole essay should be about YOUR views.

IELTS Writing Task 2: agree, disagree or partly agree?

Here’s some advice for people who are still confused about “agree or disagree” questions:
If you entirely agree or disagree:
Make your opinion clear in the introduction (first paragraph) and conclusion (last paragraph). Then you can explain one reason for your opinion in paragraph 2 and another in paragraph 3. Imagine that you are persuading the examiner that your opinion is right.
If you write a paragraph about what ‘other people’ think , you are in danger of writing a “discuss both views” essay. If you mention the opposite argument, make sure that you refute it (explain why you think it’s wrong).
If you partly agree:
Make it clear in the introduction and conclusion that you have a balanced view i.e. that you accept both sides of the argument to some extent. Write one paragraph about each side of the argument. But do this from your point of view, for example: On the one hand, I accept that… / On the other hand, I also believe that… Don’t write a discussion essay e.g. some people believe / other people argue…