How to Write an Agree Disagree Essay IELTS- Specific Guide and Sample

The agree disagree essay IELTS represents one of the most common question types in Writing Task 2, appearing in approximately 30% of all IELTS exams worldwide. This essay format challenges candidates to present a clear personal stance on a given statement while demonstrating sophisticated argumentation skills and language proficiency that examiners expect at higher band levels. Now let’s dive in to the agree disagree essay IELTS with ieltssamplebanks.com

What is an Agree Disagree Essay IELTS?

An agree disagree essay IELTS also known as an opinion essay, this IELTS essay type requires you to take a clear position on a specific statement or proposition presented in the task prompt. The primary objective centers not on finding the “correct” answer, but on demonstrating your ability to construct a logical, well-supported argument using sophisticated English language skills that showcase critical thinking and analytical capabilities.

The task 2 agree disagree typically appears in two distinct phrasings that fundamentally require the same core approach. The first variation asks directly “Do you agree or disagree with this statement?” while the second presents “To what extent do you agree or disagree?” Both formats demand that you establish a clear personal opinion supported by relevant examples, logical reasoning, and coherent argument development that maintains consistency throughout your response.

How to Choose Your Opinion: The Most Important Step

Selecting your position in agree disagree essay IELTS represents the most critical decision in your entire essay-writing process, as this choice determines your argumentative direction, supporting evidence selection, and overall essay structure that will guide your writing from introduction to conclusion.

1. The one-sided approach emerges as the recommended strategy for most IELTS candidates (particularly those targeting Band 6.5 to 7.5 scores). 

• This method involves choosing either complete agreement or complete disagreement with the given statement of agree disagree essay IELTS, then developing two strong supporting arguments that reinforce your chosen position throughout the essay. 
• The one-sided approach ensures absolute clarity, maintains unwavering consistency, and demonstrates focused argumentation that directly addresses Task Response requirements while minimizing the risk of appearing indecisive or contradictory to examiners.

2. The balanced approach represents an advanced option suitable for highly proficient candidates who can skillfully acknowledge counterarguments while maintaining a clear overall stance. 

• This sophisticated strategy works effectively when the agree disagree essay IELTS topic presents genuinely nuanced aspects that warrant consideration from multiple perspectives. However, this approach carries significant risks because it requires exceptional language control and structural precision to avoid appearing uncertain or uncommitted. 
• When executing a balanced approach, you must use precise language such as “While X presents valid concerns, I fundamentally believe Y proves more significant because…” to demonstrate that you acknowledge complexity while maintaining your primary position with conviction and authority. For a more advanced discussion on balancing views, refer to Discuss Both Views Essay

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Agree Disagree Essay IELTS in 40 Minutes

Mastering the agree disagree essay IELTS structure requires disciplined time management and systematic execution of proven writing strategies that optimize your performance within the strict 40-minute timeframe while ensuring comprehensive coverage of all marking criteria.

Step 1 – Planning (5 minutes) represents your foundation for success and should never be skipped despite time pressure. Create a simple three-row planning template: 

• Write your clear position in row one 
• Develop your first main idea with a specific supporting example in row two
• Formulate your second main idea with another concrete example in row three 

This planning phase prevents writer’s block, ensures logical flow, and provides a roadmap that keeps you focused throughout the writing process in agree disagree essay IELTS.

Step 2 – Introduction: follows the proven two-sentence introduction formula that immediately establishes clarity and direction. 

• Your first sentence should paraphrase the question using different vocabulary while maintaining the original meaning, demonstrating lexical resource skills that examiners value highly. 
• Your second sentence must state your thesis clearly and unambiguously, using phrases like “I completely agree that…” or “I firmly believe that…” to eliminate any doubt about your position. Avoid weak language such as “I think” or “maybe” as these undermine the confidence that higher band scores require.

Step 3 – Body Paragraphs: utilize the P.E.E.L. method (Point, Explain, Example, Link) to ensure comprehensive development of your arguments in agree disagree essay IELTS. 

• Begin each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that presents your main point directly and connects obviously to your thesis statement. 
• Explain your point using 2-3 sentences that elaborate on the reasoning behind your argument, providing logical development that demonstrates critical thinking skills. 
• The example component proves absolutely crucial for achieving higher band scores in agree disagree essay IELTS – provide specific, detailed examples from real-world situations, historical events, or personal experiences that convincingly support your argument. 
• Finally, link back to your thesis using transitional language that reinforces your overall position and maintains essay coherence.

Step 4 – Conclusion: employs the two-sentence conclusion formula that provides satisfying closure without introducing new information. 

• Your first sentence should summarize your two main supporting points using different vocabulary from your body paragraphs, demonstrating lexical variation that contributes to higher band scores. 
• Your second sentence must restate your thesis using fresh language while maintaining the same clear position you established in your introduction. 

Remember this crucial principle in agree disagree essay IELTS: never introduce new arguments, examples, or ideas in your conclusion as this violates the logical structure that examiners expect and can lower your Coherence and Cohesion score significantly.

Agree Disagree Essay IELTS Band 9 Sample 

The following task agree disagree essay IELTS demonstrates how theoretical knowledge translates into practical application, showcasing the precise techniques and sophisticated language control that distinguish Band 9 performances from lower scoring responses.

Sample Question: Some people believe that universities should only offer courses that are useful for future employment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Agree Disagree Essay Sample (One-Sided Approach):

I strongly disagree with the proposition that universities should exclusively provide courses that directly relate to future employment opportunities. While practical skills undoubtedly hold importance in today’s competitive job market, limiting higher education to purely vocational subjects would fundamentally undermine the broader purpose of university education and deprive society of essential intellectual development.

Firstly, universities serve as crucial centers for advancing human knowledge through research and critical thinking that extends far beyond immediate employment needs. Subjects such as philosophy, literature, and theoretical mathematics may not guarantee direct career paths, but they develop analytical reasoning, creative problem-solving, and cultural understanding that prove invaluable across numerous professional contexts. For instance, many successful entrepreneurs credit their liberal arts education with providing the broad perspective and innovative thinking that enabled them to identify unique market opportunities and develop groundbreaking solutions that purely technical training could never have fostered.

Additionally, society requires individuals who pursue knowledge for its intrinsic value rather than purely economic considerations, as these scholars often make discoveries that transform human understanding in unexpected ways. Historical examples demonstrate that seemingly impractical academic research frequently leads to revolutionary practical applications decades later. Alexander Fleming’s basic research into bacterial cultures, conducted without immediate commercial objectives, ultimately resulted in the discovery of penicillin, which has saved millions of lives and transformed modern medicine in ways that employment-focused education could never have predicted or planned.

In conclusion, while universities should certainly prepare students for successful careers, they must also preserve their role as guardians of human knowledge and critical thinking. I firmly believe that the most valuable education combines practical skills with intellectual breadth, creating graduates who can both succeed professionally and contribute meaningfully to society’s ongoing development.

Agree Disagree Essay Sample (Balanced Approach):

While universities should undoubtedly prepare students for successful careers in an increasingly competitive global economy, I believe that limiting higher education exclusively to employment-focused courses would create a dangerously narrow educational system that fails to serve society’s broader intellectual and cultural needs.

Admittedly, the practical argument for employment-oriented education carries significant weight in today’s economic climate where graduates face mounting student debt and fierce competition for quality positions. Universities that prioritize marketable skills such as engineering, computer science, and business administration enable students to secure well-paying careers that justify their educational investment and contribute immediately to economic productivity. Countries like Germany have demonstrated that technical and vocational emphasis in higher education can create robust economies with low unemployment rates and high living standards for graduates.

However, I fundamentally believe that universities must maintain their traditional role as centers of comprehensive learning that extends beyond immediate economic utility. Liberal arts subjects such as history, philosophy, and literature develop critical thinking, cultural awareness, and communication skills that prove essential for leadership roles across all industries. Moreover, many breakthrough innovations emerge from interdisciplinary connections that purely vocational education cannot foster. Steve Jobs famously credited his calligraphy course with inspiring the typography revolution that transformed personal computing, demonstrating how seemingly impractical studies can generate unexpected practical value.

In conclusion, while universities should respond to employment market demands, they must preserve intellectual diversity and comprehensive education that benefits both individuals and society. I am convinced that the optimal approach balances practical career preparation with broader academic exploration that creates well-rounded graduates capable of adapting to rapidly changing professional landscapes.

Useful Vocabulary and Phrases for Agree Disagree Essay IELTS

Strategic vocabulary selection significantly impacts your Lexical Resource score, and organizing useful phrases by function ensures natural integration into your agree disagree essay IELTS sample responses rather than forced insertion that appears unnatural to examiners.

In writing task 2 agree disagree, these phrases work most effectively when they arise naturally from your argument development rather than being artificially inserted to impress examiners. Focus on precise meaning and appropriate context rather than attempting to use the most complex vocabulary possible, as accuracy and appropriateness matter more than sophistication alone. Expand your lexical range further with Vocab for Writing Task 2.

Common Mistakes That Lower Your Score (And How to Fix Them)

Understanding examiner perspectives on frequent errors helps you avoid pitfalls that consistently prevent candidates from achieving their target band scores in writing agree disagree essay IELTS.

1. Weak or absent thesis statements that fail to clearly communicate your position leave examiners uncertain about your stance throughout the essay. Many candidates write vague introductions such as “This is an interesting topic with arguments on both sides” instead of taking a definitive position. 

-> Solution: Use the two-sentence introduction formula consistently, ensuring your second sentence contains unambiguous language like “I completely agree” or “I strongly disagree”.

2. Insufficient or irrelevant examples that fail to support your arguments convincingly represent one of the most common reasons for lower Task Response scores. Generic statements like “many people believe” or “studies show” provide no concrete evidence for your claims. 

-> Solution: Develop specific, detailed examples using the P.E.E.L. method not only to agree disagree essay IELTS, but also other question types, drawing from current events, historical incidents, or personal observations that directly relate to your argument and demonstrate real-world application of your reasoning.

3. Inconsistent positioning where you accidentally contradict your thesis statement in body paragraphs or conclusion creates confusion that damages your Coherence and Cohesion score significantly. This often occurs when candidates attempt balanced approaches without sufficient language control. 

-> Solution: Regularly refer back to your thesis during writing, ensuring every main point and supporting detail reinforces rather than undermines your chosen position throughout the essay structure.

Final Checklist

Before beginning your agree disagree essay ielts questions response, verify these critical elements to maximize your scoring potential across all four marking criteria. Does your introduction contain a clear, unambiguous thesis statement that directly answers the question? Have you planned two strong main points with specific supporting examples for each body paragraph? Does your conclusion summarize your arguments without introducing new information or contradicting your established position?

These fundamental checkpoints ensure your essay meets examiner expectations while demonstrating the sophisticated argumentation and language control that distinguish high-band performances from average responses in IELTS Writing Task 2.