Writing Task 2 is the essay. You get a point of view, argument or problem on a topic of general interest, and you write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes. It counts twice as much as the Task 1 letter towards your Writing band, so it deserves most of your hour.

Below: the common question types, a structure that works for nearly all of them, two sample essays, and 15 questions to check your skills.

All prompts and sample essays here are original practice written in the IELTS format. They are not official IELTS material, and they don’t come with an official band score.

How Task 2 is marked

Four criteria, weighted equally:

• Task Response: do you answer every part of the question, with a clear position and ideas that are developed and supported?
• Coherence and Cohesion: are your ideas logically ordered, in clear paragraphs, with linking words used well?
• Lexical Resource: is your vocabulary varied, precise and suitable for a semi-formal essay?
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy: do you use a mix of sentence structures, mostly without errors?

IELTS also says you can support your ideas with examples from your own experience, and that answers written as notes or bullet points, or not related to the topic, are penalized.

The main question types

A structure that works

1. Introduction (2 or 3 sentences): paraphrase the topic and state your position or what the essay will cover.
2. Body paragraph 1: one main idea, explained, with a specific example.
3. Body paragraph 2: a second main idea, or the other side, explained with an example.
4. Conclusion (1 or 2 sentences): sum up your position. No new arguments.

Plan for 5 minutes, write for 30, check for 5. Aim for about 270 to 300 words.

Sample essay 1: opinion

Prompt: Some people believe employers should let staff work from home for part of the week. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In recent years, many companies have experimented with letting employees work from home on some days. In my view, employers should offer this option wherever the job allows it, because it benefits both staff and the business.

The most obvious advantage for workers is the time saved on commuting. In large cities, a round trip can easily take two hours, and removing that journey even twice a week gives people more time for rest, exercise and family. Employees who are less tired and stressed tend to be more focused, so the company also gains. In addition, many people find that they can concentrate better at home on tasks such as writing reports, where office noise and interruptions are a constant distraction.

Flexible working can also help businesses keep their best employees. A colleague of mine recently turned down a better-paid job at another firm simply because her current employer allows her two days at home, which makes it easier for her to care for her young son. Replacing experienced staff is expensive, so a policy that reduces turnover can save a company far more than it costs.

Admittedly, home working does not suit every role. Nurses, chefs and factory workers cannot do their jobs remotely, and some new employees learn faster when they sit beside experienced colleagues. However, these are reasons to apply the policy sensibly, for example by keeping certain days for team meetings and training, not to reject it altogether.

In conclusion, I strongly agree that employers should allow part-time home working where possible, as it improves employees’ lives and helps companies retain skilled staff.

Why it works: the position is clear in the first paragraph and repeated at the end. Each body paragraph has one main idea, a reason and an example, and the fourth paragraph shows the writer has considered the other side without changing position.

Sample essay 2: two-part question

Prompt: In many cities, young people find it increasingly hard to afford a home. Why is this the case, and what can be done about it?

Across many cities, young adults are spending a growing share of their income on rent, and buying a home can seem out of reach. This essay will explain the main reasons for this and suggest some measures that could help.

The central cause is a gap between supply and demand. Cities attract people because that is where most jobs are, but new housing is often slow to build. Planning rules in many areas allow only detached houses on most residential land, which limits the number of homes that can be built. At the same time, wages for younger workers have not kept pace with prices, so even those with steady jobs struggle to save for a deposit. Many end up paying such high rents that saving becomes almost impossible, which traps them in the rental market for years.

There are several ways to tackle the problem. First, local governments could allow more types of housing, such as low-rise apartment buildings and small houses behind existing ones, so that more homes fit on the same land. Second, public or non-profit organizations could build rental housing with rents linked to income, which would give young people a stable place to live while they save. Finally, employers in expensive cities could help by offering remote or hybrid work, allowing some staff to live in cheaper areas without changing jobs. None of these measures would work overnight, but together they would steadily increase the supply of homes that young people can afford.

In conclusion, housing is unaffordable for many young people mainly because cities have not built enough homes for the people who want to live there. Allowing more housing, expanding affordable rentals and supporting flexible work would all help to close the gap.

Why it works: the question has two parts, and the essay answers both, with one body paragraph each. The solutions match the causes, and the linking words (first, second, finally, at the same time) make the order easy to follow.

Check your essay skills

For the letter task, see the letter writing samples. For pacing across the hour, read the time management tips, and for the full format, the IELTS General Training test guide.