IELTS Writing Task 2: The Structure That Gets You Band 7

What Task 2 Is and Why It Carries Double the Weight

IELTS Writing Task 2 presents a statement or argument and asks test-takers to write a discursive essay in response. The minimum is 250 words; the recommended time allocation is 40 minutes. Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the overall Writing band score. A strong Task 1 with a weak Task 2 still produces a weak Writing band overall.

The question types are predictable: opinion (to what extent do you agree or disagree), discussion (discuss both views and give your opinion), problem and solution, advantages and disadvantages, and two-part direct questions. Identifying the type correctly before writing determines which paragraphs need to do what.

Task 2 is scored against four criteria, each worth 25% of the Writing Task 2 mark. This has one practical implication: a score cannot rise to Band 7 overall if one criterion remains at Band 5. The ceiling is determined by the weakest criterion. Most candidates who plateau at Band 6 are strong on grammar and vocabulary but weak on Task Response or Coherence and Cohesion.

The Four Criteria — What Band 7 Requires

The official IELTS band descriptors for each writing criterion are published by the IELTS Partners and are freely available on ielts.org. What follows is a plain-language summary of what Band 7 looks like in each area. Read these against the originals before preparing for the test.

TR — Task Response Task Response All parts of the task are addressed. A clear position is maintained throughout the essay from introduction to conclusion. Main ideas are extended and supported, though may occasionally lack depth or full development. 25% of Task 2 mark

CC — Coherence & Cohesion Coherence & Cohesion Information is logically sequenced. A range of cohesive devices is used appropriately, not repetitively. Each paragraph has a clear central topic. Paragraph boundaries are clear and logical. 25% of Task 2 mark

LR — Lexical Resource Lexical Resource Range is wide enough for flexibility and some precision. Some less common items are used with awareness of collocational preferences. Minor errors in spelling or word choice appear but do not impede communication. 25% of Task 2 mark

GRA — Grammatical Range & Accuracy Grammatical Range & Accuracy A variety of complex structures is used. The majority of sentences are error-free. Occasional grammar or punctuation errors appear but do not cause misunderstanding. 25% of Task 2 mark

The Five-Part Essay Structure

IELTS does not require exactly five paragraphs. It requires that all parts of the task are addressed and that ideas are logically organised. The five-part structure below consistently satisfies these requirements across all question types.

1 Introduction Paraphrase the prompt using different vocabulary. State a clear position or signal what the essay will discuss. Two sentences are sufficient. Do not list the paragraphs to follow.
2 Body Paragraph 1 First main argument or first perspective. Topic sentence, explanation, specific example or evidence, analysis connecting the example back to the central argument.
3 Body Paragraph 2 Second main argument, counter-argument, or second perspective depending on the question type. Same internal structure as BP1.
4 Body Paragraph 3 (conditional) Used only when the prompt genuinely requires a third main point. Many question types are fully addressed in two body paragraphs. Adding a thin third paragraph often hurts CC more than it helps TR.
5 Conclusion Restate the position in different words. Briefly summarise the two main points. Do not introduce any new idea. Three to four sentences.

Writing the Introduction

The introduction is the examiner's first signal of what band range the essay is likely to be in. A Band 7 introduction does two things: it paraphrases the prompt using genuinely different language, and it states a clear position or frames the discussion.

The single most common introduction error across all band ranges is copying the prompt directly. Substituting one synonym while keeping the rest of the prompt unchanged is still treated as insufficient paraphrase. The paraphrase needs to restructure the sentence, not just swap individual words.

Example prompt: "Some people believe that university education should be free for all students. To what extent do you agree or disagree?"

Band 6 range — common pattern

"Nowadays, many people think that university should be free for students. I strongly agree with this statement and in this essay I will explain my reasons."

Issues: "Nowadays" is overused and adds nothing; the position is stated redundantly; "I will explain my reasons" is a weak signpost that repeats what the task already implied.

Band 7 range

"Whether higher education should be publicly funded has become a significant policy question in many countries. This essay argues that while access to education is a genuine social good, the fiscal costs of making university universally free outweigh the benefits for most national contexts."

This version: paraphrases without repeating prompt vocabulary, states a nuanced position in the second sentence, and signals the direction of the argument without listing individual paragraphs.

Writing Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs are where Task Response is won or lost. The most common reason an essay stays at Band 6 for TR is underdevelopment: a topic sentence followed immediately by an example, with no explanation of the reasoning and no analysis linking the example back to the central argument.

A Band 7 body paragraph has four moves:

Topic sentence — states the main point of the paragraph in one specific sentence. Specific enough to guide the rest of the paragraph.

Explanation — develops the topic sentence. Explains the reasoning or the mechanism behind the claim. This is the step most often skipped.

Example or evidence — a concrete illustration. For Academic IELTS, this can be a trend, a documented situation, or a logical scenario. Sources do not need to be cited.

Analysis — connects the example back to the central argument. Shows why this example supports the topic sentence. This is the move that earns the "extended and supported" credit at Band 7.

The development test

Read each body paragraph and cover the example. If the remaining sentences still make a clear, supported argument, the paragraph passes. If covering the example collapses the paragraph entirely, there is no explanation or analysis — the example is carrying all the weight. At Band 7, examples illustrate arguments; they do not substitute for them.

Band 6 vs Band 7 — Criterion by Criterion

Band 6

TR: Addresses the task but may not address all parts equally. Position is present but may not be consistent throughout.

CC: Organises information; uses cohesive devices, but often repetitively (e.g., "Furthermore," "In addition," "Moreover" in every paragraph).

LR: Adequate range; errors in less common vocabulary; paraphrase attempted, sometimes unsuccessfully.

GRA: Mix of simple and complex structures; errors present; meaning is generally clear.

Band 7

TR: All parts fully addressed. Clear position maintained from introduction to conclusion. Ideas extended and supported.

CC: Information logically sequenced. Range of cohesive devices used — not just linkers but also pronouns, substitution, reference. Clear paragraph management.

LR: Wide enough for precision and flexibility. Less common items used with some accuracy. Collocational awareness evident.

GRA: Variety of complex structures. Majority of sentences error-free. Occasional minor errors do not obscure meaning.

The Template Trap

The official band descriptors include a criterion for whether a response uses "memorised language" that appears formulaic or mechanical. Templated introductions and conclusions — phrases that could be inserted unchanged into any essay regardless of the question — signal that the writing is not responsive to the specific task.

The test for a template: if the introduction could still work if the question changed to a different topic, the language is too generic for Band 7. A Band 7 introduction only works for the specific prompt it was written in response to.

The practical fix: practise the structure, not the sentences. Learn that a Task 2 introduction paraphrases and states a position. Then practise writing fresh introductions for different question types and topics until the structural decision is automatic and the language is generated in response to the actual prompt.

The same applies to conclusions. A conclusion that begins with a fixed phrase — "In conclusion, it is clear that..." — is not inherently penalised, but a conclusion that merely repeats the introduction's wording adds nothing on CC or LR, while a conclusion that restates the position in genuinely different language does.

Pre-Submission Checklist

✓Every part of the prompt is addressed — not just the most obvious part.
✓The introduction states a clear, specific position (not "there are advantages and disadvantages" for an opinion question).
✓Each body paragraph begins with a specific topic sentence, not a general observation.
✓Each example connects back to the central argument through analysis.
✓The introduction does not copy the prompt wording directly.
✓The conclusion is consistent with the position stated in the introduction.
✓Word count is at or above 250 words.
✓The linking devices used across body paragraphs are not all the same (not "Furthermore" in every paragraph).

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For personalised guidance on Task 2 essays — including paragraph-by-paragraph feedback against the four official criteria — see the IELTS tutoring service. Sessions focus on structural and criterion-specific improvements, not on template phrases.

The Band Score Guide covers what overall band score different universities and scholarship programmes in Germany, the UK, and Australia actually require. IELTS Speaking covers the four speaking criteria and the specific errors that cost marks in each of the three parts.

Sajjadur Rahman

IELTS Tutor · University of Dhaka

Offers IELTS tutoring focused on structural and criterion-specific improvement for candidates targeting Band 7 and above. Guidance on all four skills; post-test score report analysis; One Skill Retake strategy.

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