In this post: eight pairs of prompts that look like one type but are really another, all taken from my own essays, and a task card that turns each type into one task sentence and a paragraph count.
Task 2 Question Types · 3 parts
- 1. Why and how to identify the type
- 2. Confusing pairs and each type's task (you are here)
- 3. Outline in 3 minutes and practice
✦ In this post
5. Eight pairs of prompts that are easy to confuse
What actually makes people write the wrong essay is usually not an unfamiliar type but a prompt that looks like type A and is really type B. These eight are ones I fell into myself, or nearly did.
1. Plain advantages/disadvantages vs Outweigh (Essay 43)
The prompt for Essay 43 said that some cultures tell children they can achieve anything if they try hard enough, and the question was What are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children this message? The background sounds like a debate about whether the practice is worth it, so it is easy to assume you have to weigh the two sides. But the question only asks what the advantages and disadvantages are; there is no outweigh and no give your opinion.
The second sentence of my introduction was The purpose of this essay is to analyze both merits and demerits of this phenomenon. I wrote one paragraph of advantages and one of disadvantages, concluded that there were both, did not force myself to pick a side, and got TR 8. This essay convinced me: if the question does not ask for a position, you do not need one. Giving one anyway will not lose marks, but you will need to spend time justifying it.
2. Both views written as Outweigh (Essay 1)
The question in Essay 1 was Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. The two views were “accept a bad situation” and “try to improve it”. But my introduction said:
Original (second and third sentences of Essay 1’s introduction)
Considerable public debates surround on whether the merits of accepting a bad situation outnumber the demerits. As for my perception, the negatives of accepting poorer situation surpass the positives …
Writing it this way turned “two views” into “the advantages and disadvantages of accepting a bad situation”. The body paragraphs then mixed up “the benefits of accepting” with “the benefits of improving”, and my position became blurred. The task in a Both views essay is to give the reasons behind each view, not the pros and cons of one of them. The full analysis is in the Essay 1 sample.
Rewritten version (second sentence of the introduction)
While some people believe it is wiser to accept a difficult situation, I would argue that trying to improve it is the better choice.
3. It starts with “Some people think”, but it is really Agree/Disagree (Essays 10 and 12)
Essays 10 and 12 answered the same prompt: some people think schools should teach practical skills (such as car maintenance or managing a bank account) as well as academic subjects. The background begins with Some people think, which looks like two views, but there is only one view and the question is To what extent do you agree or disagree? This is Agree/Disagree, and the task is to take a position on that claim.
Interestingly, I fully agreed in one essay and fully disagreed in the other, and both got TR 8. That shows there is no “correct answer” in Agree/Disagree: what matters is a clear position and reasons that stand up.
4. Positive/Negative vs Outweigh (Essays 6 and 39 vs Essay 45)
Essay 6 (people moving from the countryside to cities) and Essay 39 (supermarkets selling food from all over the world) asked Is this a positive or negative development? Essay 45 (more young adults than older people) asked Do the advantages of this situation outweigh the disadvantages? All three topics are a social change, but the tasks differ:
| Positive/Negative | Outweigh | |
|---|---|---|
| Task | Judge whether this is good or bad overall | Compare which matters more, the advantages or the disadvantages |
| Body paragraphs | Both support the same judgement | Two support the heavier side, plus one concession paragraph |
| Number of paragraphs | 4 | 5 |
| What I did | Essays 6 and 39 were both “negative + two reasons”: TR 7 and TR 8 | Essay 45: two paragraphs of advantages, one of disadvantages: TR 8 |
5. A position hidden inside one of two questions (Essay 41)
Essay 41 asked why people in some countries particularly value owning a home, and then Do you think this is a positive or a negative situation? This is Two questions, but the second question is really a Positive/Negative question and needs a clear position. My introduction stated both things: I would analyse the reasons and explain why I thought the situation was negative. The conclusion repeated this, and I got TR 8.
6. Agree or disagree + another question (Essay 25)
Essay 25 asked whether entertainers are paid too much (Do you agree or disagree?) and which other jobs should be well paid. Both questions must be answered, and the key word in the first is “too much”. When I paraphrased it as gain extremely high payment, I lost the judgement of “excessive, unjustified”, and my argument drifted from “paid too much” to “paid a lot”. The analysis is in the Essay 25 sample.
7. Two questions that ask only about disadvantages (Essay 23)
Essay 23 asked why more and more people choose to work for themselves, and what the disadvantages of self-employment might be. The second question asks only about disadvantages, not advantages and disadvantages, and there is no weighing. I wrote one paragraph of reasons and one of disadvantages, without adding any advantages, and got TR 7–8. The most common mistake with this kind of prompt is to see disadvantages and reflexively add advantages too, which then overlap with the reasons in the first paragraph.
8. Advantages/disadvantages + your opinion (trial essay 1)
The prompt for trial essay 1 was about working or travelling for a year after finishing secondary school: Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this and then give your opinion. The only difference from Essay 43 is the last few words, but they add a requirement to give an opinion. The structure is still one paragraph of advantages and one of disadvantages, with the opinion in the second sentence of the introduction and in the conclusion. My introduction said I would explain the reason why I think that it is advantageous to do so, and my conclusion began On balance …. I got this part right, and the essay got TR 7.
| Looks like | Is actually | Key to deciding | Cost of getting it wrong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outweigh | Plain advantages/disadvantages (Essay 43) | No outweigh, no opinion | More time spent, but no penalty |
| Plain advantages/disadvantages | Outweigh (Essay 15) | It says outweigh | No weighing; TR drops to 6 |
| Outweigh | Both views (Essay 1) | discuss both these views | The task is changed and the position blurs |
| Both views | Agree/Disagree (Essays 10 and 12) | Only one view + agree or disagree | Half and half on each side; unclear position |
| Outweigh | Positive/Negative (Essays 6 and 39) | positive or negative | An extra concession paragraph; a weaker judgement |
| A single type | Two questions (Essays 25 and 41) | Two question marks | One question unanswered; TR 5–6 at most |
| Advantages/disadvantages | Disadvantages only (Essay 23) | What could be the disadvantages | Writing advantages nobody asked for |
| Plain advantages/disadvantages | Advantages/disadvantages + opinion (trial essay 1) | give your opinion | No position; one part of the task left unanswered |
6. The essay’s task and paragraph count for each type
Once you have identified the type, the next step is to turn it into the essay’s task: one sentence that states clearly what this essay has to do. The table below is my task card for each type. For detailed advice on paragraph layout, see sections 2 and 3 of the Task 2 essay framework.
| Type | The essay’s task (one sentence) | Paragraphs | Where your position appears | What the conclusion does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agree/Disagree (fully) | Explain why I agree / disagree with this claim | 4 | Second sentence of the introduction | Restates the position + the two reasons |
| Agree/Disagree (partly) | Explain to what extent I agree, and what the other side gets right | 5 | Second sentence of the introduction (I partly agree) | States the extent |
| Both views | What are the reasons behind each view, and which do I support? | 4 | Second sentence of the introduction or the conclusion (ideally both) | Explains why my side is more convincing |
| Advantages/Disadvantages | What are the benefits and drawbacks of this? | 4 | Not needed (only if it asks for your opinion) | Sums up both sides |
| Outweigh | Comparing the benefits and drawbacks, which matters more and why? | 5 | Second sentence of the introduction | Explains why the conceded side is lighter |
| Problems/Solutions | What are the problems (causes), and how can each be solved? | 4 | Not needed | One sentence each on problems and solutions |
| Two questions | Answer question one, then question two | 4 | If one question asks for a position, state it in the introduction | Answers both questions again |
| Positive/Negative | Is this good or bad overall? Two reasons | 4 | Second sentence of the introduction | Restates the judgement |
Continue reading · Part 3 of 3
IELTS Notes in English · Task 2 Structure (post 1 of 9)
Next →: The IELTS Task 2 Essay Framework: Introductions, Topic Sentences, Logic Chains and Conclusions
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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