A detailed guide to this IELTS Writing Task 2 essay type, with structure templates, useful vocabulary, and techniques to achieve Band 7+.
Originally published April 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at an agree/disagree essay example: Environment When designing a building, some people think that the intended use of the building should be taken into account as important rather than the outward appearance. from the IELTS writing task 2 test.
Students often ask if the questions are repeated year after year and the answer is no, but the topics are. There are so many questions written each year, you may find your practice answering various questions on different topics. For example, you could write essays to answer questions about education or the environment, which benefits you because you learn vocabulary associated with those topics and develop ideas that can help you in your writing test. Practising writing IELTS task 2 essays on a range of topics is a great way to learn new vocabulary for those topics, but also to practice your essay structures. You begin to develop your ideas around those topics, thinking of examples and giving your opinions.
If you would like to purchase a 31 page PDF download that is easy to read and print out please take a look at the bookshop >
Take a look at the IELTS Agree/Disagree Essay example below:
Environment
When designing a building, some people think that the intended use of the building should be taken into account as important rather than the outward appearance. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Take a look at the model answer.
Many people believe that when drawing up plans for a building the maximum use should be taken into consideration rather than its façade. This essay strongly agrees that building structures should maximize the area given in order to please clients, but at the same time, should also have an attractive frontage. Firstly, the essay will discuss why it is important to utilize the space in a building and secondly, how having an appealing outward design can improve the beauty of the structure and help it to integrate into its surroundings.
On the one hand, architects normally maximise the use of the space they are tasked with, in order to please clients and ensure they get the design they want. Depending on what the intended use of the structure is, the plans will reflect how to best use all of the space, so that the client or occupants are happy with their spot, whether it is a new home, office or school. For example, a documentary filmed by the BBC in 2018, called ‘The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes’ showed how architects utilize space after many meetings with their clients in order to create unique living spaces.
On the other hand, the outside of a building can also be turned into something amazing, depending on how the building is situated. Newly erected structures can be made extraordinary by design or can be seamlessly integrated into the surrounding area. Many new designs are opting for simple outward appearances, so that they may use various materials to fit into their environment or to become energy efficient. For instance, in the channel 4 program ‘Grand Designs’ many newly designed buildings are slotted into their surrounding environments using natural materials, or made environmentally friendly with the addition of solar panels.
In conclusion, I agree that both having a very efficient use of space and a beautiful façade is very important in order for the building to attain its maximum potential.
(Word count – 324 / Band score 8)
Instructor Feedback on IELTS Agree/Disagree Essay: Environment: Environment.
Task Achievement – The essay provides an answer to the question asked, supported by relevant examples.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs and each main body paragraph only has one main idea. There are cohesive links between the main body paragraphs.
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of a wide range of vocabulary, with no errors in the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences have a wide range of structures.
We hope you found this post helpful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. Let us know in the comments or on the Facebook page if you have any questions. The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, and then follow us onInstagramand Pinterest. We offer essay correction services, mock exams, and online courses. If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can help you achieve your desired band score faster.
A detailed guide to this IELTS Writing Task 2 essay type, with structure templates, useful vocabulary, and techniques to achieve Band 7+.
Originally published April 2018. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will look at an agree/disagree essay example from the IELTS writing task 2 test. Students often ask if the questions are repeated year after year and the answer is no, but the topics are. There are so many questions written each year, you may find your practice answering various questions on different topics. For example, you could write essays to answer questions about education or the environment, which benefits you because you learn vocabulary associated with those topics and develop ideas that can help you in your writing test.
Practising writing IELTS task 2 essays on a range of topics is a great way to learn new vocabulary for those topics, but also to practice your essay structures. You begin to develop your ideas around those topics, thinking of examples, and giving your opinions.
If you would like to purchase a 31 page PDF download that is easy to read and print out please take a look at the bookshop >
If you would like to learn how to structure an agree/disagree essay please click the button below >
At the present time, the younger generation idolizes celebrities, not only for their acting accomplishments but also for their fashion sense and wealthy lifestyles. They are also influenced by the behaviour of celebrities and this may lead to troubling situations. I strongly agree that many teens admire famous people who can be a bad influence. Firstly, this essay will discuss how a certain individual can become famous instantly without proper training. Secondly, it will discuss how well-known people can affect our younger generation.
On the one hand, reality TV can make an ordinary person turn into a famous celebrity in an instant. This is happening all over the world since the TV networks are adapting different types of reality TV shows. This can be seen from dating games, modelling contests or even in singing competitions and as soon as the shows have ended, the winner will be an instant celebrity. Instead of planning to work hard for the job they want, many young people see instant fame through reality shows as a way of getting money and recognition. For instance, DLSU from the Philippines developed a survey in 2017 that revealed 95% of their students wanted to become a celebrity by joining a reality TV contest, rather than learning through acting workshops.
On the other hand, a sudden change of lifestyle can sometimes make or break you; this can be seen through most of the instant celebrities. They want to retain their famous status and that is why they would do unlawful acts, to create publicity. Therefore, younger people through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are following them; eventually, mimicking them because they think that this is normal acceptable behaviour. For example, a survey, conducted by the London Police in June 2017 showed that youth crime including lewd behaviour, drinking underage and violent acts had increased by 40% since 2016. Many of these young people were influenced by the behaviour they witnessed from celebrities in the media acting out.
In conclusion, I strongly agree that celebrities can sometimes be a bad influence among our younger generation however, I also believe that celebrities have a wider duty to the public and especially to their younger followers to practice good behaviour and set a good example.
(Word count – 372 / Band score 8)
Instructor Feedback on IELTS Agree/Disagree Essay Sample: Society
Task Achievement – The essay provides an answer to the question asked, supported by relevant examples.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs and each main body paragraph only has one main idea. There are cohesive links between the main body paragraphs.
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of a wide range of vocabulary, with no errors in the text.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences have a wide range of structures.
We hope you found this post helpful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. Let us know in the comments or on the Facebook page if you have any questions. The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, and then follow us onInstagramand Pinterest. We offer essay correction services, mock exams, and online courses. If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can help you achieve your desired band score faster.
Step-by-step guide to answering this type of IELTS Writing Task 1 question. Covers structure, key language, and band-scoring criteria.
Originally published May 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
Here are a number of writing task 1 sample essays for you to look at. Take a look through the questions and sample answers and compare them to your own work. Are they similar? Do you find them easy to understand? Do they answer the question? Can you see how the information has been structured?
It is important for you to look at sample essays when you are studying to see if your work is on the way to becoming a band score 7 or higher.
Read through the essay feedback and see why the essays have achieved a band score 9. The band 9 criteria are also at the end of this post.
Sample Essay 1 – Pie Charts
The pie charts show the ratio of goods shipped from Great Britain from 2010 to 2015. The products are measured by percentage.
Overall, over the five-year period, the most exported goods were machinery and vehicles. These two types of goods were predominantly wanted out of all of the categories. The least amounts of goods exported were plastics and organic chemicals. Minimal changes occurred over the selected time period.
On the one hand, machinery exports have a small increase as the amounts moved are 29% and 30% respectively. The percentage of vehicles shipped only rose slightly by 1% from 2010 (28%) to 2015 (29%). The machinery and vehicles export pattern remained steady throughout the five years.
On the other hand, the diagrams illustrate an increasing rise in the production of plastics at over 4% since 2010. Furthermore, the most relevant feature is the increase in the export of organic chemicals from 2010 (7%) to 2015 (10%). There is a huge difference in the production of pharmaceuticals, due to the fact that it experienced a decrease from 2010 (27%) to 2015 (18%).
(Word Count = 180 / Band Score 9)
Task Achievement – The answer provides a paraphrased question, to begin with, followed by an overview that gives the reader key information. The information selected is relevant.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs.
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences are mainly made up of multiple clauses and have a variety of structures.
TIP >> Remember to identify two or three main features and write about those. You don’t need to write about everything you see in order to gain a high band score.
Sample Essay 2 – Line Graph Showing Future Trends
The line graph presented depicts the loan status of the Royal Bank of Scotland between the years 2012 to 2022. It is measured in millions of pounds sterling.
Overall, it can be seen that while student loans and mortgages are predicted to increase simultaneously over the period, auto loans and personal loans have highs and lows, therefore remaining much lower in comparison.
Firstly, it is clear that student loans and mortgages are following a very similar pattern over the years. Student loans stood at just under 1.500 million in 2012, noticeably, being the highest of the four groups. Though they remained constant up to 2013, they are expected to climb steadily to approximately 2.5 billion in 2022. Like the student loans, mortgages are predicted to follow a similar pattern and increase.
Secondly, auto loans are expected to show abnormalities of both highs and lows during the years. Although having initially grown, they will drop to 700 million in 2016, before reaching the peak of about 1500 million in 2020. Auto loans will end close to the amount where they began.
Finally, personal loans were staged at the lowest level of the four groups, at under 500 million in 2012. Despite climbing up and overtaking auto loans briefly in 2016 to about 800 million, this level will continue decreasing until 2022 to 400 million.
(Word Count = 223 / Band Score 9)
Task Achievement – The answer provides a paraphrased question, to begin with, followed by an overview that gives the reader key information. The final sentence has a future prediction.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs. The overview explains the trends generally then the specific information is written about in the main body paragraphs.
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words. Specific vocabulary used to describe change over time has been used.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences have a variety of structures.
TIP >> Remember to end the essay with a prediction for the future, after looking at the present.
Sample Essay 3 – Process
The illustration shows the whole process of how a hydroelectric dam manufactures electricity from water.
Overall the main element of the procedure is the flow of water, making a reservoir of water, this is the first step until the last step where the power is produced and distributed. There are 5 main steps in this process.
To begin, a body of water is stored in a large water reservoir holding the water until it goes into the intake. The dam will then control the flow of water to the intake. After that, water will flow to a cylindrical passage called a penstock, making it flow with a strong pressure until it reaches the turbine. Next, the current of the flowing water from the river passing through the penstock will maintain the turbine’s rotation.
Subsequently, the rotation of the turbine would produce energy that will pass through a generator until electricity is produced. The generator is inside of the powerhouse, where long distance power lines are connected. Finally, from the generator, electricity is then transmitted to long distance power lines.
(Word Count = 178 / Band Score 9)
Task Achievement – The answer provides relevant information, describing the process through every stage. The overview gives clear information, leading into the main body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs, with clear cohesion between them with the addition of time connectors (after that, next, subsequently, finally).
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences are mainly made up of multiple clauses and have a variety of structures. There are no spelling mistakes and punctuation is correct.
TIP >> Write a good overview, with how many stages the process has, starting with….. and ending with……then go into the main detail of describing the process into the main body paragraphs.
TIP >> Describe the process and lead the reader through it by using time connectors.
Sample Essay 4 – Line Graph
The line graph illustrates the climate conditions in Athens, Barcelona, and Sydney over the period of one year.
Overall, it can be seen that generally, the cities of Athens and Barcelona have a similar temperature movement in comparison with Sydney. Both Athens and Barcelona’s temperatures peak during the summer months of June, July and August, while Sydney has lower temperatures during those three months. In contrast, Sydney’s highest temperatures are when Athens and Barcelona have their lowest.
To begin with, Athens has approximately 8 degrees of temperature in January with a gradual increase to 25 degrees in June. However, this trend slowly declined each month reaching close to 8 degrees by December. Similarly, Barcelona had a similar trend but started with just a little below 7 degrees in January. Nonetheless, after the succeeding months, there had been a steep incline to the temperature that peaked at around 28 degrees in August. But, a sudden drop to nearly 5 degrees per month was experienced for the remaining months until December with exact 6 degrees.
In contrast to Athens and Barcelona, Sydney’s temperature was just a little over 27 degrees in January but slowly decreased in the following months, reaching the lowest point at 14 degrees in July. Finally, this average monthly temperature incrementally increased each month, ending with the same temperature of 25 degrees in December.
(Word Count = 225 / Band Score 9)
Task Achievement – The answer provides a paraphrased question, to begin with, followed by an overview that gives the reader key information.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs. The overview explains the trends generally, then the specific information is written about in the main body paragraphs.
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences are mainly made up of multiple clauses and have a variety of structures.
TIP >> Remember to compare and contrast information, using cohesive devices, such as overall, to begin with, similarly and finally.
Sample Essay 5 – Table
The table illustrates the percentage of people who decided to shop in a humane way from 2012 to 2014.
Overall, it is evident that the free range/organic and fairtrade experienced declines in numbers of shoppers, whereas the pre-loved clothes became the most wanted items during the same period.
To begin, the proportion of people buying ethical clothing fell from just over half to only 20% or one fifth from 2012 to 2014. Similarly, the relative number of people buying Fairtrade items — just under one quarter — dropped by half in the same period. As for the free range and organic products, the relatively small percentage of people buying this type of product in 2012 (12%) also fell, although not significantly.
However, while the other three types of ethical shopping declined in importance, the opposite was true in the case of pre-loved clothes. In fact, while only a small minority of 12% were interested in purchasing these in 2012, this figure increased to well over half of all shoppers during the following two years reaching 58% in 2014.
(Word Count = 178 / Band Score 9)
Task Achievement – The answer provides a paraphrased question, to begin with, followed by an overview that gives the reader key information that is supported by data from the table.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs. The overview explains the trends generally, then the specific information is written about in the main body paragraphs.
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences are mainly made up of multiple clauses and have a variety of structures.
TIP >> Remember to highlight any trends that stand out, for example in this table, the number of people buying pre-loved clothes in 2014.
Writing Task 1 Band Score 9 Criteria >>
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest.
If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
Step-by-step guide to answering this type of IELTS Writing Task 1 question. Covers structure, key language, and band-scoring criteria.
Originally published May 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
A question on the IELTS academic writing test that is becoming more common, asks the candidate to write about and describe a process.
You may have a natural or a man made process question. In this post we will look at how to write this type of essay, with structure help, vocabulary and sample answers.
Writing Task 1 – Process Essay Structure >>
Paragraph 1 – Paraphrase the question
When writing your own introduction of one or two sentences paraphrase the question and add detail.
Paragraph 2 – Overview of the main features
You need to be able to give a broad summary of the information. This is best started with – Overall.…… then giving details of the main features you can see. You can write this in one or two sentences, which describe the main features of the information that is presented in the process. Think about the number of stages that are in time order, what is happening at the beginning? What is happening at the end? How many stages are there?
Paragraph 3 – Specific details
Write about the process from the beginning, explaining what is happening throughout each stage.
Paragraph 4 – Specific details
Write about the process through to the end, including time connectors that lead the reader through each step of the process clearly.
TIP >> When describing a process you should write using the passive voice, focussing on the activities not the person who is doing them.
Time Connectors >>
The words below can help you to connect the stages of the process you are writing about.
Writing Task 1 Process Sample Essays >>
Here are two sample essay questions and answers for you to look at. Review the language used, the essay structure, the stages and how it has been written.
Sample Process Essay 1
The diagram presents how olive is produced with the use of different equipment.
Overall, olive oil production involves four main stages and needs different equipment to achieve its desired appearance and flavour. The process starts with the breakdown of the olives after collection in a mill and culminates with storing the product in bottles until it is ready for consumption.
The process of making olive oil starts when olives are ground in a mill to create a paste. After the paste has been spread onto mats, this is transferred into a press where water is added. Following this procedure, the mashed olive paste is placed into a separation container where the oil goes through a natural separation process from vegetable waters.
After separation, the mixture goes into the olive oil return, where more water is added and wastewater is subsequently drained. Once this process has ended, the olive oil is ready to be bottled, where it is stored for a period of time known as the clarification stage. Finally, once this time has passed the oil is ready to be used.
(Word Count = 181 / Band Score 9)
Task Achievement – The answer provides relevant information, describing the process of how olive oil is made. The overview gives clear information, leading into the main body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs, with clear cohesion between them with the addition of time connectors (after, following this, finally).
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences are mainly made up of multiple clauses and have a variety of structures. There are no spelling mistakes and punctuation is correct.
TIP >> Write a good overview, with how many stages the process has, starting with and ending with.
TIP >> Describe the process and lead the reader through it by using time connectors.
Sample Process Essay 2
The picture illustrates the process of making paper from the trees that have been collected.
Overall, it can be observed that there are eight stages in this process, beginning with the collection of trees from the forest and ending with the paper being made in the paper making machine.
To begin with, timber is collected from the forest and taken to be debarked. After the wood has been stripped bare, it enters the chipping machine, where it is chopped up into tiny pieces. From the chipping machine, the wood enters into three separate stages. First, the wood chips are put through the mechanical pulping process, where they are ground and smashed into pulp. Then they have a chemical pulping, going next into the hydra-pulper.
In the subsequent stage, the mixture goes through to be screened and cleaned, to filter any lumps or waste from the pulp. Lastly, the pulp is entered into the paper making machine, where it is pressed to make sheets of paper. The paper is then stored and stacked, ready for shipping and to be used.
(Word Count = 179 / Band Score 9)
Task Achievement – The answer provides relevant information, describing the process of how paper is made. The overview gives clear information, leading into the main body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion – The answer has been divided into clear logical paragraphs, with clear cohesion between them with the addition of time connectors (first, then, subsequently).
Lexical Resource – There is evidence of paraphrasing, synonyms and some less common words.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy – The answer has no grammatical errors. The sentences are mainly made up of multiple clauses and have a variety of structures. There are no spelling mistakes and punctuation is correct.
TIP >> Write a good overview, with how many stages the process has, starting with and ending with.
TIP >> Describe the process and lead the reader through it by using time connectors.
Writing Task 1 Band Score 9 Criteria >>
We hope you found this post helpful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. Let us know in the comments or on the Facebook page if you have any questions. The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, and then follow us onInstagramand Pinterest. We offer essay correction services, mock exams, and online courses. If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can help you achieve your desired band score faster.
