IELTS Writing Task 2: Plan an Opinion Essay in 5 Minutes

IELTS Writing Task 2 asks you to write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes, and it is worth more than Task 1 in your Writing score. Many students start writing immediately and then run out of ideas halfway through, or change their opinion in the conclusion. Five minutes of planning prevents both problems. This lesson gives you a planning routine you can use for any opinion essay.

Recognise an opinion essay

Opinion essays usually end with a question like:

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

Your job is to give your own clear position and support it throughout. The examiner does not care which side you choose; they care whether your position is clear, logical and well supported.

The 5-minute plan

Minute 1 – Understand the question. Underline the topic and the exact claim. If the question says "Universities should make internships compulsory for all students", the key words are compulsory and all. Your essay must discuss those words, not internships in general.

Minute 2 – Decide your position. Choose one of these:

• Fully agree or fully disagree
• Partly agree: agree with one aspect, disagree with another

Choose the side you can explain most easily in English, not the side you think sounds cleverest.

Minutes 3–4 – Two main reasons. Write two short reasons that support your position, and one example or explanation for each. Keep them in note form.

Minute 5 – Write your thesis. One sentence that states your view and hints at your two reasons.

A reliable four-paragraph structure

1. Introduction (40–50 words): paraphrase the topic + thesis statement.
2. Body paragraph 1 (90–110 words): reason 1 + explanation + example.
3. Body paragraph 2 (90–110 words): reason 2 + explanation + example. For a "partly agree" essay, this can be the other side.
4. Conclusion (30–40 words): restate your view in new words. No new ideas.

This gives roughly 270–300 words, which is a comfortable target.

Paragraph logic: the PEEL pattern

Each body paragraph should follow a clear line of thinking:

• Point: a topic sentence stating the reason
• Explain: why this is true or important
• Example: a specific, realistic situation
• Link: a sentence connecting back to your position

Examples do not need to be real statistics. A specific, believable situation is enough, such as a business student who learns teamwork during an internship. Avoid inventing precise-sounding "research" figures; they rarely convince the examiner.

Worked example plan

Question (invented): Some people think that universities should make internships compulsory for all students. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Position: Partly agree.

Thesis: Although compulsory internships would give most students valuable workplace skills, I believe they should not be required for every course.

Body 1 (agree): Internships build practical skills and contacts. Example: an accounting student who learns real software and receives a job offer from the same firm.

Body 2 (limit): Not suitable for all. Some courses, such as pure mathematics or fine art, have weaker links to a single workplace, and some students must work paid jobs to support themselves. Example: an international student in Kuala Lumpur who already works part-time to pay living costs.

Conclusion: Internships should be strongly encouraged and supported, but universities should allow flexibility.

Once this plan is on paper, writing becomes a matter of turning notes into sentences.

Useful language

• Giving a view: I firmly believe that... / In my view,... / I partly agree that...
• Adding: Furthermore, / In addition, / What is more,
• Contrasting: However, / On the other hand, / Nevertheless,
• Examples: For instance, / A clear example of this is...
• Concluding: In conclusion, / To sum up,

Use linking words naturally. Starting every sentence with Moreover or Furthermore looks mechanical and can lower your Coherence and Cohesion score.

Common mistakes

• Unclear or changing position. If you agree in the introduction, do not disagree in the conclusion.
• Answering a different question. Writing generally about "education" when the question asks about compulsory internships.
• Too many ideas. Two well-developed reasons are better than five undeveloped ones.
• Memorised templates. Examiners recognise long memorised phrases, and they do not count as evidence of your real ability.
• Writing under 250 words. Short essays are penalised. Count the lines of a few practice essays so you know how many lines 250 of your words fill.
• No time to check. Leave 3–4 minutes to correct articles, plurals and subject-verb agreement, the most common errors for Bengali speakers.

Closing tip

Practise planning separately from writing. Take ten past-style questions and give yourself exactly five minutes to plan each one, without writing the essay. After a week, planning becomes automatic, and on test day you will start writing with a clear map instead of a blank page.