Task 2 is 40 minutes, 250+ words, and worth two-thirds of your Writing band — and it is where most candidates get stuck at 6.0-6.5. The gap to band 7 is rarely vocabulary; it is answering the actual question with a clear position and controlled paragraphs. Here is a method built around what examiners actually mark.
Know the five question types
- Opinion (agree/disagree) — take a clear position and hold it.
- Discussion (discuss both views + your opinion) — cover BOTH views and still give yours.
- Advantages/disadvantages — sometimes with "do benefits outweigh drawbacks?" (that variant needs a position).
- Problem/cause + solution — name specific problems, propose specific solutions.
- Two-part question — answer both parts, explicitly.
Misreading the type is the most expensive mistake on the paper: a brilliant discussion essay written for an opinion question caps Task Response at 5.
A structure that examiners can follow
Four paragraphs, roughly 270-290 words, is the reliable frame:
- Introduction (2-3 sentences): paraphrase the question, state your position or roadmap. No memorised throat-clearing.
- Body 1 (main idea + explain + example): one central idea, developed. One idea per paragraph is a Coherence rule, not a style preference.
- Body 2 (second idea, same discipline). For discussion questions, this is the other view — analysed, not just mentioned.
- Conclusion (1-2 sentences): restate position. Nothing new.
What each criterion actually rewards
- Task Response (25%): a position that is clear in the introduction, maintained in every paragraph, and answers every part of the prompt. Band 6 answers "generally address" the task; band 7 answers all of it with a position throughout.
- Coherence & Cohesion (25%): logical paragraphing and invisible linking. Band 6 essays shout FIRSTLY/MOREOVER/IN CONCLUSION at every turn; band 7 links ideas through reference and flow, using connectors without mechanical overuse.
- Lexical Resource (25%): precision beats decoration. "Significant environmental damage" (accurate) outscores "cataclysmic ecological ramifications" (misused). Memorised "band 9 phrases" that don't fit the topic actively hurt you.
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy (25%): a mix of complex structures with most sentences error-free. Band 7's phrase is "frequent error-free sentences" — control matters more than ambition.
Why 6.5 gets stuck (and how 7 happens)
The classic 6.5 essay: relevant ideas, decent vocabulary, but the position wobbles ("However, others believe..." with no return), paragraphs contain two half-developed ideas, and small grammar errors appear in most sentences. The fix list, in order of payoff:
- State a position in the introduction and repeat its logic in every body paragraph.
- One idea per paragraph, fully developed — explain, then exemplify.
- Hunt your top-3 recurring grammar errors (articles, subject-verb agreement, comma splices head most lists) and eliminate them — fewer error types beats fancier sentences.
- Cut memorised chunks. Examiners discount them; they dilute Task Response.
This is a feedback-loop problem: you cannot see your own wobbling position or recurring errors. Every essay you write on Myndaq is scored on all four criteria with sentence-level feedback — the loop that turns writing practice into band movement.
The 40-minute clock
- 5 min — analyse the question (type, parts, keywords) and plan two body ideas.
- 30 min — write the four paragraphs.
- 5 min — proofread for YOUR known error list, not general vibes.
Skipping the plan costs more than it saves: unplanned essays drift, and drift is a Task Response penalty. And never leave Task 1 to fewer than 20 minutes — a collapsed Task 1 drags the whole Writing band (how the weighting works).
Full preparation roadmap: IELTS Academic guide.
Criteria descriptions follow the public IELTS band descriptors. Current as of July 2026.