In this post: How to recognise an Agree/Disagree question, how to choose between full and partial agreement, and the paragraph blueprints for four and five paragraphs.
Agree/Disagree Essays · 3 parts
- 1. The question and paragraph blueprints (you are here)
- 2. Sentence frames and what worked
- 3. What kept me at 7, plus practice
✦ In this post
Of the 23 Task 2 essays I wrote during my period of intensive marking, seven were Agree/Disagree questions, and every one of those seven scored 7 overall. I find that result interesting. It shows that once the structure of this question type is well practised, your score becomes very stable. It also shows that structure alone is hard to push up to 7.5.
So this post is in two halves. The first half covers the structure that gets you a reliable 7 (recognising the question, paragraph blueprints and sentence patterns; the sentence patterns are in Part 2). The second half uses my own essays to show what kept me at 7 (see Part 3). If you have not read the general framework yet, I suggest starting with the first post in this series, The IELTS Task 2 Essay Framework.
“Essay N” refers to the order in which I submitted my essays for marking. The scores are the four criterion scores and overall band given by the marker; the analysis is my own, written against the public IELTS band descriptors.
1. How to recognise an Agree/Disagree question
An Agree/Disagree question usually consists of a statement plus a question asking whether you agree or disagree. The key point is that the question gives you only one view and asks you to take a position on it.
| What the question looks like | Question type | Note |
|---|---|---|
| One view + Do you agree or disagree? | Agree/Disagree | State your position directly |
| One view + To what extent do you agree or disagree? | Agree/Disagree | “To what extent” does not mean you must partly agree; full agreement is fine too |
| Two views + Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. | Discuss both views | Not Agree/Disagree; you must discuss both sides |
| One view + Do you agree? + a second question (for example, which other jobs should be well paid) | Two-question | Answer both questions, one paragraph each |
| A trend + Is this a positive or negative development? | Positive/Negative | Very similar structure to Agree/Disagree, but your second sentence should say positive or negative |
The last two are the easiest to confuse. The first half of my Essay 25 (entertainers are paid too much, and which other jobs should be well paid) is an Agree/Disagree question, but because it adds a second question, the essay as a whole needs the four-paragraph Two-question layout. I cover that essay in the Two-question post.
2. Full vs partial agreement: how many paragraphs?
In my notes I call the two approaches a one-sided argument (fully agree or fully disagree) and a balanced argument (partly agree).
| Fully agree / fully disagree | Partly agree | |
|---|---|---|
| Paragraphs | 4 | 5 |
| Second sentence of the introduction | I totally agree / disagree with this statement because R1 and R2. | I somewhat agree with this view because R1 and R2; however, [concession]. |
| Body paragraphs | Body 1: Reason 1 | Body 2: Reason 2 | Body 1: Reason 1 | Body 2: Reason 2 | Body 3: concession (the other side’s point) |
| Conclusion | Restate position + R1 + R2 | In conclusion, even though [concession], I still believe… + R1 + R2 |
| Best when | Both reasons are easy to illustrate and time is tight | You genuinely think “it depends” and the concession is clear-cut |
| Risk | Padding when you run short of reasons | A blurred position and running out of time |
All seven of my essays fully agreed or fully disagreed. That is not because partial agreement is bad. It is because the four-paragraph structure lets each body paragraph run the full cycle of “topic sentence → explanation → example → mini-conclusion”, which is the easiest way to write something solid in 40 minutes. My advice: unless you have a particular reason, fully agree or fully disagree. If you really think both sides have a point, then use the five-paragraph partial agreement structure.
Here is one way to write the second sentence of a partial-agreement introduction (my own model sentence):
Model: I somewhat agree with this view because a longer weekend allows employees to rest and spend more time with their families; however, a shorter working week may not be practical for essential services such as hospitals.
Two things to notice. First, the concession goes only after however; the two reasons before it are your main position. Second, do not write While I agree…, however, …. While and however both signal contrast, so using both in one sentence is a grammatical error. Pick one.
3. Paragraph blueprint: full agreement (four paragraphs)
| Paragraph | Sentence | Content | Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | S1 | Paraphrase the question (It is argued that… / Some people advocate that…) | 20–25 |
| Introduction | S2 | I totally agree with this statement because R1 and R2. | 20–25 |
| Body 1 | Point | The main reason why I believe … is that R1. | 20 |
| Body 1 | That is | In other words, / To be more specific, … (explain why R1 is true) | 25–35 |
| Body 1 | Example | For example, / X, which…, is a good example of this matter. | 35–45 |
| Body 1 | Mini-conclusion | Therefore, … (link back to R1) | 15–20 |
| Body 2 | Point | Another factor supporting my opinion is that R2. | 20 |
| Body 2 | That is + Example + Mini-conclusion | Same as Body 1 | 75–100 |
| Conclusion | S1 | In conclusion, I want to reiterate my agreement that … | 15–20 |
| Conclusion | S2 | This is because R1 and R2. | 15–25 |
4. Paragraph blueprint: partial agreement (five paragraphs)
| Paragraph | Content | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | S1 paraphrase the question | S2 I somewhat agree … because R1 and R2; however, [concession]. | 40–50 |
| Body 1 | Reason 1: topic sentence + explanation or example + mini-conclusion | 80–90 |
| Body 2 | Reason 2: topic sentence + explanation or example + mini-conclusion | 80–90 |
| Body 3 | However, I do not think that … / Admittedly, … (the other side’s point, one point only) | 60–70 |
| Conclusion | In conclusion, even though [concession], I still believe that …. This is because R1 and R2. | 40–50 |
The most important thing about a concession paragraph is its limit: it admits that the other side has a point under certain conditions, but it must not overturn your main position. Here is a model paragraph (my own, continuing the “shorter working week” question above):
Model: Admittedly, a four-day working week may not suit every industry. Hospitals, police stations and public transport need staff every day, so reducing working days in these sectors could lead to a shortage of workers and longer waiting times for the public. Therefore, this policy should be introduced gradually rather than applied to all jobs at once.
This paragraph makes only one point (some industries cannot adopt it), and the last sentence brings the concession back to “introduce it gradually” rather than “so a shorter week is bad”. If the conclusion of your concession paragraph contradicts your main position, the examiner will see your position as inconsistent, and you will lose marks in Task Response.
Which side should you choose? Ask yourself three questions
- For which side can I immediately think of two reasons?
- For which side can I give specific examples (my own experience, the situation in my country, reasonable figures)?
- For which side am I more confident about the vocabulary I need?
If all three answers point to the same side, choose that side. Do not pick a position because it “feels more correct” if you cannot think of examples for it.
Continue reading · Part 2 of 3
IELTS Notes in English · Task 2 Structure (post 3 of 9)
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Task 1 Structure · Task 2 Structure · Topic Guides · Writing Language · Band Score Samples · Practice Methods · Speaking & Study Tips
✦ Target Your Future
Some days you practise for hours and the score still does not move. I hope these notes remind you that the setbacks are part of the road: every recording you replayed, every essay you rewrote and every sentence you finally dared to say is progress you have already made.
I wrote this down so the next person can take fewer detours. You do not have to follow my method exactly. Find a rhythm that works for you, rest when you need to, and come back for the next small step.
I hope what you take away is more than a number on a score report: a little more confidence in yourself, and the courage to step a bit closer to the world.
— Ting
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