HOW TO WRITE 'TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE/DISAGREE ESSAY' IN IELTS TO SCORE 7 PLUS BAND?

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Good morning readers! 🌞

Let’s start today’s blog with an interesting IELTS essay question that was recently asked in the real exam in the UK (August 2025)—shared by our beloved candidate, Aayush.

The question is:

“Some people believe that advancements in technology in the 21st century have allowed people to have more free time. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”

Now, “to what extent do you agree or disagree” is one of the most commonly asked IELTS Writing Task 2 essay types.

💡 Why do examiners love this type of essay?
Because it allows them to assess almost all key elements of your English proficiency and academic writing skills. In other words, to score high, you need to demonstrate mastery across multiple areas.

Here’s what matters most:

  1. Task Response – How effectively you address the question and cover all parts.
  2. Coherence & Cohesion – How logically you present and develop your arguments.
  3. Lexical Resource – The range, appropriateness, and formality of your vocabulary and collocations.
  4. Grammatical Range & Accuracy – How well you use complex but natural structures without errors.
  5. Balance in Argument – Especially in “to what extent” essays, you must acknowledge both sides while placing stronger emphasis on the side you support.
    • Useful techniques: concession, balance, strawman technique, academic tone.

👉 We’ll cover these techniques (and how to master them) in detail in our upcoming blogs. For now, let’s look at a sample essay for today’s question and see how these skills are applied in practice.

Today’s Question

“Some people believe that advancements in technology in the 21st century have allowed people to have more free time. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”

Sample Essay

In the modern era, technology has become deeply integrated into daily life, transforming the way people work, study, and communicate. While some argue that technological advancements have actually increased stress and workload, I strongly believe that technology has indeed created more free time for individuals, despite a few drawbacks.

To begin with, technology has automated several tasks that once required hours of manual effort. For instance, online banking, digital communication tools, and smart household devices reduce the time spent on routine chores. This allows people to allocate more hours to leisure, family, or personal development. (Concession: Although it is true that technology sometimes blurs the line between work and rest, the overall efficiency it brings cannot be denied.)

Furthermore, the rapid rise of remote work and digital platforms has minimized the need for long commutes and repetitive office routines. Employees today can finish their tasks more quickly and enjoy flexible schedules, which ultimately results in more personal time. (Strawman Technique: Critics argue that technology has enslaved people to their devices, making them busier than before. However, this view overlooks the fact that it is poor time management, not technology itself, that often causes such issues.)

In addition, online learning platforms and digital resources have revolutionized education, enabling students and professionals to acquire knowledge at their own pace and convenience. Instead of spending hours in traditional classrooms or traveling to libraries, individuals now save substantial time through e-learning.

In conclusion, although technology can sometimes encourage overwork or constant connectivity, its overall impact has been to free up time by simplifying and accelerating countless daily tasks. Therefore, I firmly agree that advancements in 21st-century technology have allowed people to enjoy more free time than ever before.

let's understand how this essay style is useful for getting highrer score, i.e more than band 7, in your ielts exam

 What Did We Use Here?

Concession → This means acknowledging the opposing view briefly before dismissing it with stronger reasoning.
  • Example: “Although it is true that technology sometimes blurs the line between work and rest…”
  • Why useful? → It shows examiners you can think critically, consider both sides, and still argue persuasively.
Strawman Technique → This means presenting a weaker or exaggerated version of the opposing argument and then refuting it.
  • Example: “Critics argue that technology has enslaved people… However, this view overlooks…”
  • Why useful? → It strengthens your argument, highlights logical thinking, and makes your essay more persuasive.
 

🎓 Why This Essay Deserves Band 7+

✅ Clear stance maintained throughout.
✅ Well-developed ideas with supporting examples.
✅ Use of advanced techniques (concession + strawman) → adds depth and academic tone.
✅ Wide lexical range: automated, allocate, blurs the line, flexibility, revolutionized.
✅ Good cohesion with linking words.

To reach Band 8 or 9:

  • More varied sentence structures (e.g., inversion, conditional forms).
  • Even stronger data/examples (e.g., citing surveys, statistics).
  • More precise academic vocabulary (e.g., paradoxically, intrinsically, exponentially).

💡 Tips for Students

  • Practice balancing both sides even if you agree with one → use concession.
  • Strengthen your stance by weakening the opposite view → strawman technique.
  • Use formal connectors: nevertheless, whereas, conversely, indeed.
  • Always plan your essay → 2 main body paragraphs are usually enough.

📌 In our upcoming blogs, we will share detailed lessons on these techniques and many more advanced writing strategies to help you aim for Band 8 and 9.



Are you preparing for IELTS in Vadodara or as an international student?
👉 Follow MY ENGVISH ACADEMY for real exam questions, model answers, and Band 7+ writing strategies.
📩 DM us if you want personal feedback on your essays on 8264829179.


  • IELTS essay sample 2025

  • IELTS writing task 2 band 7+

  • IELTS tips for international students

  • IELTS coaching Vadodara

  • IELTS writing task 2 strategies

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#IELTS #IELTSWriting #IELTSTask2 #IELTSEssay #IELTSPreparation #StudyAbroad #IELTSVadodara #Band7plus #IELTS2025



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