IELTS Essay Structures Masterclass

Paragraph templates, sentence starters, and examples for all Task 2 essay types and Task 1 reports.

Why Structure Matters

Examiners need to find your thesis, topic sentences, and conclusion quickly. A clear structure = higher Coherence & Cohesion score. These templates work for any question.

Task 2: 5 Essay Structures

⚖️ Opinion Essay (Agree/Disagree)

4-Paragraph Structure:
Para 1: Introduction (paraphrase + thesis: I strongly agree/disagree)
Para 2: Body 1 (reason 1 + explanation + example)
Para 3: Body 2 (reason 2 + explanation + example)
Para 4: Conclusion (restate position + summarise)

Sentence starters:
"I strongly agree that..."
"The primary reason is..."
"For instance..."
"In conclusion, I firmly believe..."

💬 Discussion Essay

4-Paragraph Structure:
Para 1: Introduction (paraphrase + state both views + your opinion)
Para 2: Body 1 (View A – explain + example)
Para 3: Body 2 (View B – explain + example)
Para 4: Conclusion (restate your opinion + summarise)

Sentence starters:
"On one hand, proponents argue that..."
"On the other hand, opponents claim that..."
"In my view, a balanced approach is..."

⚠️ Problem & Solution

4-Paragraph Structure:
Para 1: Introduction (paraphrase + state main causes & solutions)
Para 2: Body 1 (2-3 causes + explanation)
Para 3: Body 2 (2-3 matching solutions + explanation)
Para 4: Conclusion (summarise + suggest action)

Sentence starters:
"The primary causes are..."
"This can be attributed to..."
"To address this, governments should..."
"A further solution is..."

➕ Advantages / Disadvantages

4-Paragraph Structure:
Para 1: Introduction (paraphrase + state position)
Para 2: Body 1 (advantages – 2 points + examples)
Para 3: Body 2 (disadvantages – 2 points + examples)
Para 4: Conclusion (weigh + state which outweighs)

Sentence starters:
"The main advantage is..."
"However, there are significant drawbacks..."
"On balance, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages because..."

🔢 Double Question

4-Paragraph Structure:
Para 1: Introduction (paraphrase + outline)
Para 2: Body 1 (answer question 1 – why? how?)
Para 3: Body 2 (answer question 2 – effects? solutions?)
Para 4: Conclusion (summarise both answers)

Sentence starters:
"This essay will first examine the reasons for... and then suggest..."
"The main reason is..."
"To solve this, governments could..."

Writing Task 1: 4-Paragraph Structure

📝 Paragraph 1: Introduction

Paraphrase the question. Change words, sentence structure, but keep meaning.

Original: "The graph shows the number of tourists visiting three countries."
Paraphrased: "The line graph illustrates changes in international tourist arrivals to three destinations."

📊 Paragraph 2: Overview

Describe 2 main trends / biggest changes / overall pattern. NO DATA.

Example: "Overall, all three countries saw an upward trend, with Thailand consistently attracting the highest numbers, while Greece experienced the most dramatic growth."

🔍 Paragraph 3: First Details

Describe specific data from the first time period or first set of categories.

Example: "In 2010, Thailand welcomed approximately 16 million visitors, compared to 12 million for Mexico and 9 million for Greece."

📈 Paragraph 4: Second Details

Describe remaining data, changes over time, or second set of comparisons.

Example: "By 2020, Thailand's figures had risen to 22 million, while Greece saw a surge to 19 million, overtaking Mexico which plateaued at 17 million."

PEEL Paragraph Builder (For Body Paragraphs)

📌 P = Point

Topic sentence stating main idea.
Starters: "Firstly, ..." – "The primary benefit is that..."

📖 E = Explain

Elaborate with reasoning.
Starters: "This is because..." – "The reason for this is that..."

💡 E = Example

Provide specific evidence.
Starters: "For instance..." – "A case in point is..." – "According to a study..."

🔗 L = Link

Connect back to the question.
Starters: "Therefore..." – "Thus, it is clear that..." – "As a result..."

Complete Band 9 Template (Opinion Essay)

📝 Opinion Essay: Full Template

Introduction (40 words)
It is often argued that [restate topic]. This essay agrees/disagrees that [your position] because [reason 1] and [reason 2].

Body Paragraph 1 (70 words)
Firstly, [topic sentence]. This is because [explanation]. For example, [specific example]. Therefore, [link to question].

Body Paragraph 2 (70 words)
Secondly, [topic sentence]. This means that [explanation]. A case in point is [specific example]. As a result, [link to question].

Conclusion (40 words)
In conclusion, I firmly believe that [restate position] because [reasons]. Despite some minor drawbacks, the benefits clearly outweigh the negatives.

Sentence Starters Bank

🎯 Introducing Your Opinion

"I strongly agree/disagree that..."
"In my view..."
"From my perspective..."
"It is my firm belief that..."

🔄 Adding Ideas

"Furthermore..."
"Moreover..."
"In addition..."
"Another key point is..."

⚠️ Contrasting

"However..."
"On the other hand..."
"Nevertheless..."
"Despite this..."

📊 Concluding

"In conclusion..."
"To summarise..."
"On balance..."
"In the final analysis..."