Mastering “To What Extent” Agree or Disagree Essays

-

If you are preparing for the IELTS Writing Task 2 in 2025, one of the most common questions you’ll face is the “To what extent do you agree or disagree?” essay. Many students, especially Gujarati and Hindi-speaking learners, find this essay type confusing because they don’t know whether to fully agree, fully disagree, or partly agree with the given statement.

At My Engvish Academy, one of the best IELTS academies in Gujarat, we train students from across India and abroad to confidently tackle such essay questions. Whether you are aiming for Band 7, Band 8, or Band 9, mastering this essay format is essential for your IELTS Writing success.

What is a “To What Extent” IELTS Essay?

This essay type asks you to evaluate a statement and express how much you agree or disagree. Unlike simple agree/disagree questions, IELTS Writing Task 2 (2025 format) gives you three options:

  1. Completely agree with the statement.

  2. Completely disagree with the statement.

  3. Partly agree and partly disagree (a balanced opinion).

This is very popular in the IELTS exam across the globe, and we’ve seen it appear repeatedly in 2024–2025 IELTS test papers. For Hindi and Gujarati students preparing for IELTS abroad (Canada, UK, USA, Australia), this is a must-practice question type.

Step 1: Decide Your Opinion Clearly

Many IELTS students in India lose marks because their opinion is unclear. From the start, you must decide if you are going to fully agree, fully disagree, or partly agree.

At My Engvish Academy, we emphasize this to our students: your opinion should remain consistent from introduction to conclusion. IELTS examiners in 2025 focus heavily on clarity, coherence, and logical development.

Step 2: Generate Supporting Points

For your IELTS essay, brainstorm simple but logical reasons. For example:

  • Why should governments spend money on public services like healthcare and education?

  • Why are arts and culture also important for society?

  • What happens if one side is ignored?

This brainstorming step is crucial for Band 8 and Band 9 writing, whether you’re an IELTS candidate from Gujarat, Delhi, Mumbai, or abroad.

Step 3: Use a Band 9 Structure

In IELTS Writing Task 2 (2025), structure is everything. Examiners reward essays that are logical and easy to follow. Here’s a structure we teach at My Engvish Academy, which has helped many Gujarati and Hindi-speaking students achieve Band 7.5 and higher:

  1. Introduction – Paraphrase the question + give your opinion.

  2. Body Paragraph 1 – First reason (with explanation and example).

  3. Body Paragraph 2 – Second reason (with explanation and example).

  4. Conclusion – Restate your opinion and summarize key points.

💡 Remember: Your body paragraphs can follow Agree + Agree, Disagree + Disagree, or Agree + Disagree (balanced view).

Step 4: IELTS Vocabulary for 2025 Writing

To rank high in IELTS exams worldwide, your essay must use formal, academic vocabulary. Some useful phrases include:

  • It is often argued that…

  • On the one hand… / On the other hand…

  • While it is true that…

  • This highlights the fact that…

  • Therefore, it can be concluded that…

In our IELTS writing correction sessions in Gujarat and online worldwide, students practice these phrases until they can use them naturally.

Skeleton Answer (Practice Framework)

Here’s a practice skeleton you can use for your IELTS Writing Task 2 essay:

Introduction

  • Paraphrase the question: It is often argued that…

  • State your opinion: Although I agree that…, I believe that…

Body Paragraph 1 (Agree side):

  • Main idea: On the one hand, …

  • Explanation: This is because…

  • Example: For instance, …

  • Short summary: Therefore, …

Body Paragraph 2 (Disagree side):

  • Main idea: On the other hand, …

  • Explanation: This is important because…

  • Example: For example, …

  • Short summary: Thus, …

Body Passage 3 (Strawman's Technique) 

  •  Present the counterargument clearly (so examiner sees you can engage with other perspectives).

  • Acknowledge why it looks valid (shows balance).

  • Refute it with logic/evidence (strengthens your stance).

  • Close by reaffirming your position.    

Conclusion

  • Restate opinion: To conclude, while I agree that…, I also believe that…

  • Summarize two reasons briefly.

👉 Students at My Engvish Academy (Vadodara, India) regularly practice with this structure, which helps them develop confidence and accuracy for IELTS Writing Task 2.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in 2025 IELTS Essays

  • ❌ Being unclear about your opinion.

  • ❌ Writing new ideas in the conclusion.

  • ❌ Using overly complicated sentences.

  • ❌ Forgetting to add examples.

Examiners in 2025 are especially strict about coherence and task response, so avoid these mistakes.

Final Thought

The “To what extent” essay is one of the most common IELTS Writing Task 2 questions in 2025 exam papers across India and abroad. By planning your opinion, generating strong points, and following a clear structure, you can confidently achieve your dream score.

At My Engvish Academy, we provide personalized IELTS coaching in Gujarat and online for Hindi and Gujarati students worldwide. Whether you need IELTS Writing correction, Speaking practice, or full exam preparation, we ensure you are ready for success in your IELTS journey.

🌍 Join thousands of IELTS candidates across India and abroad who are preparing with My Engvish Academy in 2025.


Want some sample answers by Vishalsir? 👇Click on the titles given below...

1. Latest IELTS questions from Canada– Jun 2025 (Academic Module)

University students should pay the full cost of their studies because university education benefits individuals rather than society as a whole. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 

2. Latest IELTS questions from Australia – May 2025 (Academic Module)





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Some important linking words for IELTS essay writing....

-
Image
  Common connective words to be used in IELTS writing Familiarity with these words would be useful in all IELTS test modules. KEY WORDS for IELTS WRITING   Stating Your Opinion In my opinion, According to me, In my view, To me, From my point of view, I think It seems to me that I believe From my perspective To my way of thinking It appears that I suppose I realize I understand I imagine I feel   Giving Examples For example, For instance, such as In other words, as like that is namely To illustrate To paraphrase Comparing Similar to As...as in common also Either...or In the sa...
Read more

Field-trips from school - Good or bad?

-
Some people believe that children should have important lessons other than classes in schools, that is, visiting local businesses or public buildings. To what extend do you agree or disagree?          W ith the endless advances in every field in the modern era, education too is getting reformed in its own way. Many schools today often try to provide more innovative learning experiences to children by numbers of different methodologies. Among them, taking students to visit local commercial establishments or public buildings is one of the latest trends. This practice, I think, would be a significant opportunity for them to acquire skills and information which are not usually available in a school environment. To begin with, classroom learning can sometimes be monotonous and limited, whereas access to ideas and knowledge in nonverbal and practical ways, by visiting outer places can make learning creative, fun-filled and more effective.  For instanc...
Read more

Download pdf of "List of 249 Most Important IELTS Essays- Jan- Mar 2023"

-
Image
  Dear Aspirants,  Let me start by saying that by far the best resource for authentic IELTS essay topics are the Cambridge 1 – 14 books. These are real past IELTS exam papers and, therefore, provide students with the highest quality questions for all parts of the test. However, what if you’re done with them and need more questions or need more practice on any specific type?   Well, until now, students have relied on questions that were “memorized” by test-takers (often incorrectly), or written by well-meaning teachers who have no specific education in test creation. As a result, many of the “IELTS questions” on the Internet are worded incorrectly. (YES, even with millions of followers, the you-tubers or bloggers misguide students willy-nilly) and unfortunately, students in search of free materials easily become scapegoat of such traps!   So, today I am sharing my list of 100+ IELTS writing topics. Some are taken from old exam papers, a few are from t...
Read more