The 5 Different Types of IELTS Task 2 Questions, and How to Answer Them

The IELTS Task 2, although can vary greatly with the topic itself, does not change the style of the question all that much. Below we will present information about the 5 main types of IELTS task 2 questions, how common they are, and the strategy you should follow to prepare your answer for them. Your answer preparation should come before you start writing anything, and should take 2 to 4 minutes with your pencil down, writing nothing. You may also write a very brief list of keywords of what your paragraphs will contain, which is your main points. 1. The "Agree or Disagree" Frequency Score: 5/5 (very common) The first type is seen most frequently, in which you are presented with a point of view, then asked to give reasons why you agree or disagree with it.

Just like you pick certain clothes that match with each other for a reason. You should pick your arguments to match with the topic for a reason. Write it!

Example: Raising taxes on cars could help encourage the use of public transport to combat traffic congestion. Do you agree or disagree? How to prepare your answer: Paragraph 1: Introduction: Rephrase the topic. Mention whether you agree or disagree. Briefly explain why. Paragraph 2: Argument 1: The first reason why you agree or disagree in details. Paragraph 3: Argument 2: The second reason. Paragraph 4: Argument 3: (optional, but is a safer choice in case argument 1 or 2 are weak). Paragraph 5: Conclusion: Summarize your arguments. Show how they caused you to agree or disagree. Future expectations of the given topic. You will see the words paragraph and argument come up a lot. To learn more about these, check out our previous article about IELTS writing tips. 2. The Direct Question Frequency Score: 2/5 (uncommon) The second type is fairly rare, but can still be seen in a few cases.

This question forces you into explaining a specific point of view

Example: Encouraging the use of public transport can combat traffic congestion. Explain how raising taxes on cars could help encourage the use of public transportation. How to prepare your answer: Paragraph 1: Introduction: Rephrase the topic. Mention reasons how it makes sense. Briefly explain why.

Paragraph 2: Argument 1: The first reason the topic makes sense.

Paragraph 3: Argument 2: The second reason.

Paragraph 4: Argument 3: (optional, but is a safer choice in case argument 1 or 2 are weak). Paragraph 5: Conclusion: Summarize your arguments. Show how they proved that the topic makes sense. Future expectations of the given topic. 3. The "Compare both opinions" Frequency Score: 2/5 (uncommon) Be careful, you cannot give your own opinion if the question does not ask you to. Always read the question carefully to determine what is required of you.

In this type, you are just reporting the points of views of two groups without taking part in the discussion yourself

Example: Some people believe that raising taxes on cars could help encourage the use of public transport to combat traffic congestion. Others consider it an unfair expense that could particularly affect people in remote areas that do not even have the choice of public transport. Compare between both opinions. How to prepare your answer: Paragraph 1: Introduction. Paraphrase the view points. Give a brief comparison. Paragraph 2 and 3: Arguments of the first view point Paragraph 4 and 5: Arguments of the second view point No conclusion required (since you were not asked for your opinion) 4. The "Compare both opinions and give your own" Frequency Score: 3/5 (common) This is a combination of the compare type and the agree or disagree type. Answering this one is fairly easy and is describe below.

In this type of question, you actually do take part in the discussion after the two other points of views are presented with their reasons.

Example: Some people believe that raising taxes on cars could help encourage the use of public transport to combat traffic congestion. Others consider it an unfair expense that could particularly affect people in remote areas that do not even have the choice of public transport. Compare between both opinions and give your own. How to prepare your answer: Paragraph 1: Introduction. Paraphrase the view points. Give a brief comparison. Paragraph 2: Argument for first view point. Paragraph 3: Argument for second view point. Paragraph 4: Conclusion: which view point you agree with. A few reasons why. Future expectations. 5. The List Frequency Score: 1/5 (very uncommon) The list style question, or any other types of questions, can rarely be seen. Here is an example of the very rare types of variations of IELTS task 2 questions, and the general idea of how to organize your answer.

This type of question could be anything. But do not worry, they are very rare and are usually easier as long as you give good arguments.

Example: The following solutions to combat traffic congestion have been suggested: - Raising Car Taxes - Making Public Transport Cheaper - Encouraging People to Work Online - Increasing the rates of use of the home-delivery Pick two solutions that you believe could have the best effect in reducing traffic congestion, and explain the reasoning behind your choices. How to prepare your answer: Paragraph 1: Introduction. Paraphrase the topic head. Paraphrase your first choice from the list. Paraphrase your second choice from the list. Paragraph 2: First choice. Give argument why. Paragraph 3: Second choice. Give argument why. Paragraph 4: Conclusion. Summarize the choices. Future expectations. About the Author:

Amr Ayman was a regular pharmacist, until he discovered his gift for teaching IELTS. He created Speak2Me, and now teaches English and IELTS full-time. You can try his lesson here for free.