How to write an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2!

Opinion essays are extremely common and frequently appear in the IELTS Writing Task 2. To achieve a high band score in this task, candidates must clearly present two streams of ideas or viewpoints, commonly known as "Agree or Disagree”, and ultimately state their own opinion. Therefore, in this article, PREP will guide Preppies on how to write an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2 accurately. Let's refer to the following article to better understand how to approach Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2.

I. What is the Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2?

An Opinion Essay is a common type of essay that often appears in the IELTS Writing Task 2. This type of essay is also known as an Agree or Disagree essay.

An Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2 requires the writer to express their personal opinion on a given issue or viewpoint. The prompt may refer to a certain development and ask whether it is a positive development, whether you agree with it or not, etc.

Example of Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2 prompts:

• An increased number of people today change their careers and living places in their lives. Is it a positive or negative development?
• It is more important for schoolchildren to learn about local history than world history. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 

When writing an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2, you cannot simply stop at presenting arguments and evidence to support each of your points. You must also state your own viewpoint on the issue presented in the prompt.

II. Notes for writing an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2

1. Avoid going off-topic

Candidates participating in the IELTS exam should always remember to write within the scope of the question and the requested prompt. Moreover, candidates should not introduce any opinions that undermine their personal viewpoint in the Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2.

2. Pay attention to tenses when writing IELTS Writing Task 2

The main tenses that candidates need to use in an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2 are the simple present tense. Occasionally, you can also use the present perfect tense to enhance your IELTS Writing Task 2 essay.

3. Use formal language

Use professional and formal language in the Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2. This includes words such as "Furthermore," "However," "As Stated By," "Thus," and so on.

4. Present a clear viewpoint

If you present a viewpoint in your Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2 essay that is not clear, it can significantly affect your final score. Remember to ensure that you have a clear viewpoint and stick to it throughout the Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2.

5. Ensure accuracy in spelling and grammar

In the Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2, you need to ensure accuracy in terms of spelling and grammar to avoid losing points due to basic errors.

6. Use survey results and research to support your opinion

When using examples and evidence from your own life experiences to support your opinion in the Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2, it may be difficult for the examiner to verify the accuracy of your research and surveys. Therefore, remember to present a clear opinion supported by examples from your own life to achieve the highest score.

7. Other mistakes

The most common mistake candidates make is not providing their own personal opinion. The prompt clearly states that you must choose one side of the topic, either Agree or Disagree. If you do not adhere to the requirements of the prompt, you will undoubtedly receive a low IELTS score for Task Achievement.

Please remember that it doesn't matter whether you argue in favor of Agree or Disagree or even if you personally agree with that viewpoint. Choose a viewpoint that you can develop ideas for effectively.

III. Simple guide to write an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2

1. The most common approaches to write an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2

Below are the two most common approaches to write an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2:

• Balanced: This approach is widely used because it allows the writer to present both sides of the issue easily. By clearly presenting both sides of the issue, you can complete the essay. This approach is suitable for issues where you have a neutral opinion or slightly inclined towards one side.
• One-sided: This approach is suitable for issues where you want to focus entirely on one side of the issue and dismiss the other side completely. However, to effectively use this approach, you need to develop your opinion deeply to persuade the reader that your opinion is reasonable.

Identification signs: Common question types that often appear at the end of this type of essay → There are various types of questions/opinions, such as:

• To what extent is this a positive or negative development?
• To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Do you agree or disagree?
• What is your opinion?

2. Detailed structure of an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2

Below is a sample essay from prepedu.com, hoping that you will have many ideas for writing an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2:

 IV. Some sample Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2 for your reference

Below are sample essays and how to write an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2 on July 1, 2021, that you should refer to for easier application in your IELTS Writing exam.

1. Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2 prompt on July 1, 2021

It is natural process of animal species to become extinct (e.g. dinosaurs, dodos, etc.). There is no reason why people should stop this from happening. Do you agree or disagree?

2. Sample Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2

Whether or not humans should intervene in the potential extinction of certain species is still up for debate. While some people believe that such events occur naturally, I entirely disagree with this conviction.

On the one hand, it is true that several ancient species, such as dinosaurs, were exterminated due to unavoidable apocalyptic events like asteroid collision and vast volcanic eruptions. However, this is currently not the primary factor in the disappearance of most species. Instead, animals are on the verge of extinction because of negligent human activities in their natural habitat. For instance, unfiltered industrial gas released from factories brings about acid rains in the surrounding areas, destroying forests and polluting water sources, which in turn devastates the homes of wildlife. In such regard, humans are deemed responsible, hence their obligation to protect these animals from becoming extinct.

On the other hand, saving wild animals is also a matter of morality. Firstly, as humans consider themselves the superior species, they should take responsibility for preventing extinction among the inferior ones. It goes against their moral sense to let these animals vanish without taking any action. Secondly, wild animals have significant aesthetic and socio-cultural values in various countries across the globe, where some species play a crucial role in their religions or traditions. Finally, if one species were to disappear, the balance of the ecosystem would be disturbed, significantly impacting other species. These points make protecting wildlife imperative for the sake of moral decency.

In conclusion, the extinction of many species may not always occur as a natural process but rather a result of human actions. Therefore, the intervention of humanity is crucial to maintain the planet’s biodiversity.

The above is the most beneficial way to write an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2 that PREP wants to share with you. Through this article, it is hoped that Preppies will have a better understanding of how to write an agree or disagree essay. Besides, please refer to many sample agree or disagree essays or opinion essays to enhance the necessary knowledge to achieve a high IELTS Writing band score.

To effectively prepare for the IELTS and achieve a high score when encountering an Opinion Essay IELTS Writing Task 2, make sure to practice writing regularly. Additionally, you can consider taking an in-depth IELTS course covering all four skills to receive detailed writing training and feedback.