IELTS Writing Task 2: Do I have to write about both sides?

ScottsEnglish · January 2016

If you get a question in Writing Task 2 that asks:

"To what extent do you agree or disagree"...do you have to write about both sides or just one?

The answer is: it's your decision. If you completely agree, you don't need to mention the opposite view - just support your side of the argument. If you partly agree, you should write something about both sides.

*Usually the topics chosen by IELTS lend themselves to writing about both sides. In our experience, choosing only one side is a more difficult answer to write.

We therefore recommend the following structure for your Task 2 response:

Paragraph 1:	Establish the topic, scope of the answer and give your opinion (50 words).
Paragraph 2:	Write about your opposing point of view (50 words).
Paragraph 3:	Write about your opinion on the topic (130 words).
Paragraph 4:	Conclusion (20-30 words).

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