Writing guide
IELTS Writing Task 2
Task 2 is an essay in both Academic and General Training. It has a 250-word minimum, and a practical plan is to reserve about 40 minutes because this task carries more weight than Task 1.
Build a direct, supported response
- Identify every instruction: for example, discuss both views and give your opinion.
- State a position you can maintain consistently.
- Give each main paragraph one controlling idea, then explain and support it.
- Leave time to check logic, referencing, sentence boundaries, and repeated errors.
Academic and General Training candidates answer different prompts, but both need a relevant position, organised development, suitable vocabulary, and controlled grammar. A memorised template cannot repair ideas that do not answer the question.
Common failure patterns
- Answering the broad topic but not the exact instruction.
- Changing position between the introduction and conclusion.
- Listing examples without explaining how they support the claim.
- Writing fewer than 250 words or using extra length as a substitute for focus.
- Forcing memorised phrases into places where they sound unnatural or unclear.
Fresh sample prompt
Some communities convert unused public buildings into shared work and study spaces. Others believe these buildings should be sold to reduce public costs. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
IELTS is a registered trademark of the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, and Cambridge Assessment English. NorthPrep is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by them.