IELTS Writing Task 2: Should I give my opinion?

Should I give my opinion in an IELTS writing task 2 essay? This is a common question that many students ask me. To know whether you should put your opinion in your essay or not, you should read the instructions given by IELTS very carefully for each task.

If you fail to give your opinion when it is asked for, it means you failed to complete the task. This will reduce your score significantly for Task Response which is 25% of your task 2 marks.

Opinion Tips

1. don’t put your opinion unless you are asked to give it
2. if the question asks what you think, you MUST give your opinion to get a good score
3. don’t leave your opinion until the conclusion
4. don’t sit on the fence – take a clear position
5. keep the same position throughout your essay

Types of Essay Instructions

Here are examples of instructions that require you to give your opinion:

• “….do you agree or disagree?” – it means you should give your opinion 
• “…do you think…?” –  it means you should give your opinion
• “… your opinion…? –  it means you should give your opinion
• “…what is your view?” – it means you should give your opinion
• “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?” – this is asking for your opinion (your answer) not the opinions of other people
• Are there more benefits or more drawbacks? – this is a paraphrase of the above instructions
• “Is this positive or negative?” – this is asking for you to choose and explain your opinion
• “Do you think this is a good thing?” – this is asking you to evaluate if something is good or bad

When to Give your Opinion in an IELTS Essay

Below are some IELTS essay questions. Decide if you think you should give your opinion or not. Then check the answer.

Some people think that rich countries should support poor countries in terms of aid for health care and education. To what extent do you agree?

While some people think that the problem with education in poor countries is the teaching methodology used, others believe it is the lack of resources that is the real issue. Discuss both sides.

With the development of modern transportation comes environmental problems. What possible solutions are there to these problems?

Some people believe that schools should not assess a student’s ability through exams but instead assess them by their course work and project work over the whole academic year. Do you agree?

Having a year off before starting universities is becoming increasingly common. Do you think this is a positive or negative trend?

Many children no longer read books and instead spend their time using modern technology. While some people think this is a positive trend, others think it is a problem. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Due to the low cost of flights, many people are choosing to holiday abroad rather than have holidays in their own country. What are the advantages and disadvantages to this?