1. IELTS
1
WRITING: TASK II
Task 2 essays require you to explore issues by comparing, evaluating or challenging ideas. You may be asked to present an argument or offer a solution to
a problem, which means you have to demonstrate your understanding of the topic by including examples and evidence. You must regard the reader as
educated but non-specialist. There are FIVE main types of essays:
ESSAY TYPES HOW TO IDENTIFY THE TASK WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? EXAMPLE QUESTIONS
Problem-solution
What can be done to solve…?
What challenges…?
What strategies…?
How can this problem be
addressed…?
Explain 2 or 3 aspects of the issue using one
paragraph for each one.
-Suggest solutions.
-Make recommendations.
Traffic congestion seems to be increasing.
What do you think are the causes of traffic
congestion and what, if anything, can be done to
reduce the problems?
Agree/Disagree
Do you agree or disagree?
Why?
-Explain your position
-Justify your opinion.
Take a position and defend it strongly. Give
several reasons to support your argument—
one paragraph for each.
Try to acknowledge the counter-argument and
then weaken or dismiss it.
Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods
reflect the power of advertising and not the real
needs of the society in which they are sold.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Two sides of an argument
Discuss (both the views)
-Compare/ Contrast
-Advantages/ Disadvantages
Give a balanced presentation. This means you
should write equally about both sides of the
issue. In conclusion, you may indicate your
position.
Some people think that teenagers’ use of the
internet should be limited. Others feel that the
internet is an academic resource that they should
have free access to, in order to do things such as
homework and projects.
Discuss both the views and give your opinion.
Make choices and justify
From the options given, choose
the (3) most important…
-Justify your choice.
Each of your choices becomes the topic of one
paragraph. Give reasons for choosing in this
order.
If you are given 1 million dollars for the development
of your country, which of the following would you
focus on--education, poverty, pollution,
unemployment, and health-care? Why?
Evaluate an argument
To what extent…?
How important…?
What do you think…?
Take a position neither in total agreement or
total disagreement but somewhere in between
and explain why you choose to do so.
To what extent do you believe there should be
absolute freedom of speech in your country?