IELTS opinion essay (agree/disagree): the Band 7 structure

The opinion essay — also called the agree/disagree essay — is the most common Task 2 question type on the IELTS Academic and General Training tests. Examiners award Band 7 for Task Response when your position is clear, consistent, and fully developed. This guide shows you exactly how to build that response.

How to recognise an opinion prompt

Opinion prompts always ask for your personal view on a statement. The wording varies, but the task is always the same: state and defend your stance.

All four variants require the same approach: read the statement carefully, decide your position before you write a single word, and maintain that position throughout.

The key decision: pick one side

Fence-sitting caps your Task Response score at Band 6. If you write 'there are good points on both sides' without committing to a dominant view, the examiner cannot give you the 'clear position' descriptor required for Band 7. Decide — fully agree, fully disagree, or mostly agree/disagree — and defend that decision consistently.

You are allowed to acknowledge the opposing view briefly (one or two sentences inside a body paragraph), but your overall argument must lean clearly in one direction. This is not the same as fence-sitting; it is sophisticated argumentation.

The four-paragraph structure

A Band 7 opinion essay uses four paragraphs. Each has a specific job. Do not add a fifth paragraph to squeeze in extra ideas — underdeveloped paragraphs hurt Coherence and Cohesion more than they help.

Writing the introduction

The introduction has three sentences. Use this sequence every time:

1. 1Paraphrase the prompt statement (change vocabulary and sentence structure; do not copy).
2. 2State your position clearly: 'I completely agree that…', 'I disagree with this view because…', or 'While I acknowledge [opposing point], I largely believe that…'.
3. 3Preview your two main reasons: 'This essay will argue this point by examining [reason 1] and [reason 2].'

Keep the introduction concise. Examiners do not award marks for length; they award marks for clarity.

Writing the body paragraphs

Each body paragraph develops one reason using the PEEL sequence: Point, Explain, Example, Link.

1. 1Point — state the main idea of the paragraph in one sentence (your topic sentence).
2. 2Explain — say why this point supports your position; go one level deeper than the point itself.
3. 3Example — provide a specific, plausible example (you may invent realistic data or cite general knowledge; you are not penalised for inaccuracy if the logic is sound).
4. 4Link — close the paragraph by connecting the point back to your overall argument.

A common error is listing two or three ideas inside one body paragraph without developing any of them. Examiners describe this as 'ideas not extended or supported'. One well-developed point is worth far more than three underdeveloped ones.

Acknowledging the other side without fence-sitting

You may open Body 2 with a concession — 'Admittedly, some argue that…' — and then refute it or subordinate it to your main point. This shows sophisticated reasoning without undermining your position. The critical requirement is that the paragraph ends on your side of the argument.

How 'partly agree' works

A 'partly agree' response is legitimate and can reach Band 7 — but only if you commit to a dominant position. For example: 'I partly agree with this statement. While there are limited circumstances in which [concession], I fundamentally believe that [main stance] for two reasons.' Your body paragraphs then both support the main stance. The essay is directional, not balanced.

Contrast this with the fence-sitting error: 'There are advantages and disadvantages on both sides' followed by one paragraph for and one paragraph against, with no overall verdict. That structure earns Band 6 for Task Response, regardless of language quality.

Writing the conclusion

The conclusion is one short paragraph. Restate your position using different words from the introduction. Do not introduce new arguments, new examples, or new qualifications. A two-sentence conclusion is sufficient and safer than a long one that risks contradicting your body paragraphs.

Common mistakes that cost Band 7

• Not stating a position at all — the examiner cannot infer your view; you must write it explicitly.
• Stating a position in the introduction and then abandoning it in the body paragraphs.
• Writing 'It depends on the situation' without specifying a dominant view.
• Developing three body paragraphs with thin, one-sentence reasons instead of two paragraphs with full PEEL development.
• Confusing an opinion essay with a discussion essay — a discussion essay ('Discuss both views and give your own opinion') requires you to present both sides equally before giving your view; an opinion essay does not.
• Copying the prompt statement word-for-word into the introduction — this is not paraphrasing and will not be credited for Lexical Resource.

Putting it together

The Band 7 Writing Playbook reinforces the same principle: Task Response is the first criterion marked, and a clear, consistent position is the fastest way to secure a Band 7 on that criterion. Once your position and structure are locked, your language — range, accuracy, cohesion — can do its work without being undermined by an unclear argument.

Task Response: Band 7 descriptor — 'The main parts of the task are appropriately addressed. A clear and developed position is presented.'— IELTS Writing Band Descriptors (Public Version)

Use the table below as a final checklist before you submit your essay.