Introduction
A lot of students lose marks not because they have weak ideas, but because their IELTS Writing Task 2 essay structure is unclear. In this post, I’ll show you the exact structure I teach my students to boost their scores. When your writing is easy to follow, your message lands better — and examiners reward that in both Coherence and Cohesion and Task Response.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the 4-paragraph structure I recommend to all my students. It’s clear, flexible, and works for every type of Task 2 question — including those confusing “positive or negative development” ones.
The 4-Paragraph Structure I Teach My Students
This IELTS Writing Task 2 essay structure is flexible, easy to learn, and ideal for Band 7+ writing. I’ve seen it work across every question type — it keeps your ideas organised and your argument focused.
1. Introduction
- Hook the reader with a general statement
- Paraphrase the question
- Clearly state your opinion
2. Body Paragraph 1
- Present your main supporting idea
- Explain it clearly
- Give an example
- Link it back to the question
3. Body Paragraph 2
- Present an opposing idea
- Explain it
- Acknowledge it as valid, but explain how it is lacking
- Link back to your overall argument
4. Conclusion
- Restate your opinion
- Summarise both ideas
- Avoid adding new information
💡 Tip: Each paragraph should be around 90–110 words. Keep your focus tight — it’s better to fully develop two ideas than briefly touch on four.
This Structure Works — Even for Tough Questions
This approach gives you a framework you can adapt to any Task 2 question:
- Agree/disagree → argue one side or both
- Discuss both views → body paragraph for each view, with your opinion in intro + conclusion
- Problem/solution → one paragraph for the problem, one for the solution
- Positive/negative development → one paragraph on the benefit, one on the drawback (or both on one side, depending on your stance)
No matter the format, your ideas will come across clearly — and that clarity makes a real difference in your score.
Want to Know If You’re Doing It Right?
If you’ve written an essay and want to check whether your IELTS Writing Task 2 structure is helping or hurting your score, try our IELTS Task 2 feedback tool. You’ll get detailed feedback with scores, grammar advice, and practical suggestions for improvement.
👉 Get feedback on your IELTS writing (You’ll be taken to a secure form where you can submit your essay and pay securely. Feedback is generated in under 1 minute.)
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