how to answer a to what extent essay question

How to answer a “to what degree/extent” essay question

One of the most popular question types to appear on History assessment tasks is one that starts with the phrase, “To what extent/degree...”.

Despite the fact that it appears so frequently, particularly on exam papers , some teachers and students are not sure how to correctly write a response to it.

Thankfully, "to what degree/extent" questions are relatively easy to understand and to write a sophisticated response to, as long as you know what they are specifically asking you to do.

In this blog post, I will explain what such questions are asking you to do and give you some practical tips on how to write an essay response to a “To what extent/degree” question so that you feel confident in your assessment pieces.

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Understanding the question

First of all, it is crucial to understand the purpose of the word “degree” or “extent” in this kind of question. Regardless of which of the two words are used, they mean exactly the same thing: they are asking you to assign a degree of importance to how influential or important a particular factor is regarding the topic at hand.

A useful way of conceptualising the degree of importance , is to think of a simple scale that you could measure it against:

Most of the time, a "to what degree/extent” question is ultimately asking you to decide a single factor’s importance in comparison to another, potentially equally important factor. In other words, you need to argue which of two things is the most important.

Therefore, you will say that one of the two factors was “ to a greater degree ” important, while the other is “ to a lesser extent ” important.

It is rare that this kind of question will require you to say that only one factor was the only important element in regards to a topic. Any event in history is a complex combination of multiple factors, and it is too simplistic to assign only one factor to any topic.

That is why this kind of question is so popular with essays about historical causation , consequences or significance in History exams. These topics acknowledge that there are multiple factors which contributed to a historical event or idea. 

Example essay questions

Sometimes, the question itself will provide you with the two elements that it wants you to compare. For example:

“To what degree was political ideology more important in Hitler’s rise to power than the economic conditions in Germany in the early 1930s?” 

As you can see in this “to what degree” question, it is asking you to decide whether “political ideology” was “more important” than “the economic conditions in Germany in the early 1930s”. Therefore, in your answer to this question, you need to clearly state which you think was “more important”.

Here is another example: 

“To what extent did the Black Death in 14th century Europe decrease the papacy’s cultural influence in comparison to the political scandals within the curia?” 

Once more, it is easy to identify what you are being asked to decide between: whether “the Black Death in 14th century Europe” or “the political scandals within the curia” was more important in causing the decline of “the papacy’s cultural influence”.

However, sometimes an essay question will only give you one factor, in which case you will need to choose the second factor to compare it against.

For example 

“To what degree was Julius Caesar’s assassination the result of his own hubris?” 

In this example, the question only gives you “his own hubris” as one important element. Therefore, you will need to decide, based upon your own historical knowledge and the sources supplied, something else to compare it against.

It is still important, though, that you still come to a conclusion about which of the two elements was the most important.

How to structure your answer to the question (the hypothesis)

Once you have identified the two elements you are going to compare in your answer, you need to decide which of the two you are going to assign most importance to.

When you write your answer to the essay question (which will become your hypothesis ), you have to ensure that you clearly state which of the two options you have decided is the most important. You can use the following cues to identify the greater and lesser factors:

“[Factor 1] was, to a greater degree , more important in [the Topic] than [Factor 2] because...” 

“[Factor 1] was the main cause of [the Topic] despite the role of [Factor 2] because...” 

“While [Factor 2] did play a role in [the Topic], [Factor 1] was by far the most significant element because...”

As you can see in these example structures, you need to:

• clearly state the two topics you’re comparing
• mention the topic to which they relate
• have a clear decision about which of the two factors are most important to the topic

Also, don't forget to provide clear reasons for your decision after the “because” in your hypothesis.

How to structure your essay

 Once you have decided which of the two factors was the most important and which was the least important, then you can start planning your essay paragraphs .

Since essays typically require you to follow the standard five-paragraph structure ( introduction paragraph , three body paragraphs , and a conclusion paragraph ), you know that you will have three body paragraphs available for arguing your decision.

• In two out of your three body paragraphs, provide two separate reasons for why one factor was the most important  
• In the third of your body paragraphs, talk about the lesser contributing factor  

This helps us to use a simple structure to respond to a “to what degree/extent” essay question:

Here is a visual representation of the structure to help you:

By dividing your three body paragraphs in this way, you devote two-thirds of your essay to the most important of the two factors, and then one-third to the lesser of the two factors.

At the start of each body paragraph, then, you need a clear topic sentence that provides a reason why this factor was important. Ensure that you have two separate reasons to support the factor you’ve chosen as the most important, and one for the lesser of the two factors.

For example: 

Topic sentence for body paragraph 1: 

“[Factor 1] was the most important element in [the Topic] because...” 

Topic sentence for body paragraph 2: 

“Another reason that [Factor 1] was the most important element in [the Topic] is because...” 

Topic sentence for body paragraph 3:  

“To a lesser degree, [Factor 2] was important to [the Topic] because...”

Some rare exceptions

The advice provided above will serve you well in replying to almost all “to what degree/extent” essay questions. However, here are some rare exceptions which you might need to watch out for, along with some quick advice for how to deal with them.

Some questions may ask you to compare three separate factors. On these occasions, the question is probably guiding you to argue that all three factors were of equal importance. Typically, you can assign each factor to a body paragraph and provide one reason why each element was a contributing factor.

Some questions may ask you to only assign a degree of importance to only one factor, without expecting you to provide a second alternative. In short, if this happens, it is probably a poorly written question.

Essay questions that require the analysis and explanation of only one factor should probably be a “how” or “why” question, rather than a “to what degree/extent” question. Firstly, check with your teacher about if they really do only want one factor considered and ask how they intend for you to answer the question.

Additional resources

For additional resources on how to write all the elements in a History essay, please check out the following scaffolding guide , which has examples of full paragraphs to help you out. 

For advice on other kinds of exam questions, read over the exam question advice section .

Write a comment

Kim Brett ( Tuesday, 01 September 2020 23:32 )

As always, you've got your finger on the pulse, Michael. My students at Our Lady's College Annerley really appreciate your posts. Best wishes

History Skills ( Wednesday, 02 September 2020 02:13 )

My absolute pleasure, Kim. So good to hear that your students are finding the information helpful. Please say 'hello' to them for me and tell them I wish them all the best for their upcoming assessment.

Jeffery ( Friday, 18 December 2020 16:41 )

Hello, I am unsure how to formulate a thesis to this question, can you help me. "To what extent were the American colonists justified in revolting against England?"

Mutsawashe (Tuesday 15 June) ( Tuesday, 15 June 2021 15:29 )

please help me answer this question,"how far did the Germans benefit from the social policy ".My answer should start with ,the Germans benefited from the social policy to a lesser extent. So what comes next.

sharon odawa ( Thursday, 02 September 2021 01:12 )

my question is."to what extent does common and equity law a source of kenya"please help

maddison ( Sunday, 07 November 2021 03:06 )

this has literally saved me so much time on my assessments.

Karina Doherty ( Wednesday, 10 November 2021 17:26 )

It is possible to ask a well written 'to what extent' question that does not require a comparison, but only asks students to provide a judgement about a degree of success. There will naturally be a discussion about factors that limited the success or impact of a particular event or policy, but this is not really a comparison. The question could still be a perfectly valid and well-written.

Christina ( Monday, 13 June 2022 02:19 )

Great advice! Would be great if you correct the reference to a hypothesis. The correct word hers is "thesis".

Queenest ( Wednesday, 12 October 2022 17:41 )

Thank God I came across this article. It has been a blessing to me. Thank you so much

Ishmael ogechi ( Wednesday, 28 June 2023 10:59 )

Can an extent be used in questionnaire construction to elicit responds from respondents? Please may I know the firs scholar that used this term or introduced it in research work and when? Thank you.

Joy ( Wednesday, 18 October 2023 08:32 )

Can a ''to what extent'' question be used for the prevalence of the disease in two different parts of the world?

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How to Answer “to what Extent” Question in Research & Examples

Answering 'to what Extent” Question

In the real world, deciding which factor is more important than another may seem impossible. However, when answering a question such as “what is ‘to what extent question, they are ultimately asking you to decide a single factor’s importance in comparison to another.

It is a good idea to be upfront about your approach and how you plan to answer it. Read on.  

Also Read: 21 Hardest and 21 Easiest Courses in Colleges to Take in 2022

How to Answer the ‘to what Extent” Question

First, you must determine what “extent” you want to measure. If it’s the extent of your knowledge about something, then you need to know how much you know about it.

If it’s the extent of your experience with something, then you need to know how much time and energy you’ve invested in it .

Second, you must determine what kind of “to what extent” question you’re asking.

If the question is about what extent this has on me (i.e., how does it affect my life), then use an absolute term such as “a lot,” or “much.” 

If the question is about how much this leads me toward some goal (i.e., how do I benefit from this), then use a comparative term such as “more,” or “less.”

To answer a ‘to what extent question, you need to explain what the situation is like. If you can’t do this in your first response, you should think about how to answer the question again before responding with a second response.

If you are unsure how to answer the question, you haven’t thought about how to answer it enough. In this case, try researching the topic and coming up with some ideas for responses that would be relevant to the test context.

Finally, once you’ve determined what kind of question it is and how much each answer will help give it context, answer based on that context!

Also Read: Does Turnitin Check Other Students’ Papers to Check Similarity

Tips to Note when Approaching the ”to what Extent” Question

The “to what extent” question is a great place to start because it allows you to discuss the relationship between the two things.

When approaching these question , ensure you understand how each item functions within your overall goal. These are just some general tips:

1. Make Sure you have a good Understanding of what the Question is Asking

The first step in answering this type of question is understanding what you are being asked. The answer will depend on the context and the nature of your response. 

For example, if you are asked ”to what extent the student understands the concept of Pythagoras,” then it is not enough for you to say that he knows about Pythagoras. 

You will need to elaborate on how much he understands this concept. If you have difficulty explaining how much your student understands about Pythagoras, then he may not understand it well enough for your purposes.

Once you have established what question is being asked, think about how best to answer it based on your knowledge of that topic or area of study. 

In most cases, however, there is no right or wrong way to answer such questions; rather, it depends upon whether or not your answer will help clarify the main point made by your instructor or professor.

2. Ask Someone else to Help Interpret the Question if you Need Help Understanding it

To be able to answer this type of question, you need to be clear in your mind about the meaning of the word ‘to what extent. This means that you need to be able to define clearly what you mean by it. You also need to be able to explain how much is enough and too much.

The best way of doing this is by asking someone else who knows better than yourself about these things. If you have a friend or colleague who can help, this can be done by asking them for their advice on how to answer the question.

They may not always agree with your interpretation of what they say, but they will likely give examples that will help show why they think it’s right or wrong.

3 . Be specific

When describing how one item relates to another, be as specific as possible. Avoid using vague statements such as “it’s important” or “it’s essential.” Instead, give examples from your own experience and knowledge.

Use concrete examples to explain your answers. For example, instead of saying, “I’m good at planning,” say, “I helped my boss plan his trip last year.”

If possible, include documents or visual aids showing how you’ve demonstrated your skills.

4. Don’t be Boring

Don’t just say yes or no; make sure your answer is interesting enough to catch the interviewer’s attention. Saying “yes” has its place in an interview.

However, don’t be afraid to add some color with some personal anecdotes about how you’ve demonstrated those skills in the past that may not directly relate to what they’re looking for.

5. Don’t rush Through an Answer

Take your time! Read through each choice carefully before choosing the most relevant and appropriate for your answer. This will save time and improve your chances of answering correctly (if you make errors from rushing through, there may be little time left on the paper). 

Also Read: Dissertation Length: Optimal Length in Words and Pages

Examples of ‘to what extent” Questions

1. To what extent have you been able to learn Chinese?

2. To what extent do you feel that your English skills have improved?

3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “I don’t enjoy learning languages.”

4. To what extent do Chinese people learn from the Japanese during the war?

5. To what extent is it true that most people do not know how to swim?

6. To what extent should a student be able to speak a foreign language?

7. To what extent should the government try to limit immigration?

9. How much does the price of gasoline affect the average American family’s disposable income?

10. What is your name? -To what extent do you agree/disagree with the statement “I am a good person”?

11. How many times have you been to the cinema? -To what extent do you agree/disagree with the statement “I enjoy going to the cinema”?

12. Which of these books do you like most? -To what extent do you agree/disagree with the statement “I like reading books”?

With over 10 years in academia and academic assistance, Alicia Smart is the epitome of excellence in the writing industry. She is our chief editor and in charge of the writing department at Grade Bees.

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Written Nov. 27, 2019

How to Answer, "To What Extent" Questions

1. First, Consider These Points

First, absolutely every word in the Task 2 question wording has IMPORTANCE and cannot be ignored if you want to get a good score for your essay.

Let's look at an example.

Example Question

Every year several languages die out. Some people think that this is not important because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? (Cambridge IELTS Book 9, Test 4, Task 2 AC)

You need to classify the types of sentences. First, " Every year several languages die out " is a statement. "Statements" are considered to be the same as "facts", more or less. A "fact" is assumed to be true. Maybe you don't really know what "die out" means in relation to languages. In relation to living species, it means the same as "become extinct". E.g., "Dinosaurs have died out (= are extinct)". Let's assume that a language is similar to a living species and can become extinct. (= people are no longer using that language).

Notice the use of " several ". It is an inexact word , i.e., not very specific.

" Some people think that this is not important " is a statement about the opinion of "some people".

Whenever, "some people" is used, (in an essay question or in life in general), one's attention should be aroused and the question asked, "What people?", "Who?"

"Not important" is quite different language to the use of the word, "several", as mentioned above. "Not" is an exact word, meaning something like "zero" or "none", which are both mathematically exact concepts.

So, the opinion of these people is that the death of several languages every year has ZERO importance! Very few people would agree that the death of anything has zero importance! Therefore, a logical person cannot agree with this opinion. "Cannot" is an exact word, meaning " no agreement whatsoever with those words as they are expressed ".

An important point to understand is that the words " not important " and " not very important " are very different in meaning. " Not important " means " having zero importance ", 0%. " Not very important " is inexact and means something like, "lower than about 60% or 70% in importance".

Furthermore, whenever the word, " important " is used in a question, you should always consider the question, "Important to whom?" Similarly, you need to consider whose lives might be made easier if there were fewer languages. (Is life really made easier for those people whose ancestral language becomes extinct and who have no choice but to use a language that is not their ancestral language?)

2. Answering the Question, " To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? "

The words, "To what extent?" mean the same as, "How much?" In other words, you are asked to estimate how much you agree, from " I do not agree at all " (0% agreement) to " I fully agree " (100% agreement).

The question, " To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? " is a direct question. In the English-speaking cultures, it is both polite and the best form of communication to directly answer a direct question. "Directly answer" means not waiting too long in your essay before answering it, and answering in clear, direct language. This is called an "explicit" answer.

The opposite of that is an "implicit" (= an implied) answer where the reader can quire clearly see by what you wrote how much you agree, but you, the writer, do not actually state your own estimate of how much you agree. If you want to get the best score you can (for the Task Response sub-score), you MUST write an explicit statement of how much you agree. Almost always, this should be stated in the first paragraph, not at the end of the essay.

Obviously, if you think you 75% agree, then you 25% disagree. And if you only 25% agree then you 75% disagree. The question gives you a choice about how to express your degree of agreement but logically you should express it in terms of what you mostly think, agreement or disagreement. So, if you 75% agree, write in terms of how much you agree, but if you 75% disagree, express yourself in terms of how much you disagree.

For this particular example, you are not being asked to state how much you think it is important that languages are dying out, and you are not being asked to state how much you think it is simply ' unimportant " �  You are being asked to state how much you think it is 'unimportant because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world.' (Those are the words in this particular question wording.) That is, how much do you agree with both parts of that two-part statement?

If you think it is unimportant but you think it is unimportant for other reasons instead of, "life being easier" then you only "partially agree" with that statement. You should write that in answer to the question, "To what extent . . ?" and explain it in your essay. On the other hand, if you think the fact that languages are dying out is important (the opposite to what the question statement in this particular question says), then you disagree with the statement in the question wording, regardless of why "some people" think it is unimportant (life being easier).

Some example sentences of how to express your extent of agreement or disagreement are shown below.

Quick Guide to Writing a Successful To What Extent Essay

So, your teacher gave a simple assignment - to write a ‘to what extent’ essay. You are heartened by the nature of the task and assume that you’ll finish it in less than an hour. After all, just admitting that you agree or disagree with the statement and to what degree is all you asked to do.

You submit the paper and feel shocked when you see the score. How come you got an F for the minimalistic essay? How come the teacher didn’t get the idea of your inventive approach towards doing your homework or writing the exam?

Friend, we feel for you, but this essay type is really tricky. It involves more work than just saying, ‘I completely agree’ or ‘The author is right on the one hand, but on the other hand, I do not take this statement.’

So, in this article, we’ll detail the ‘to what extent’ essay and will show you how to write it in the right way.

What’s the Purpose of a ‘To What Extent’ Essay?

Before you learn how to answer to what extent question, let’s first take a look at the anatomy of this essay type.

This essay is usually inquiring about the importance or impact of one factor in relation to a wider concept or topic. It also makes an inquiry about the level of your consent and discontent on a specific topic.

For example, ‘To what extent do you agree that robots will replace manpower someday?’. Or ‘In your opinion, to what extent did Abraham Lincoln contributed to the death of slavery?’.

In other words, the aim of the ‘to what extent’ essay is to encourage the student to make a claim about the given topic and assess other conditions that affected the given phenomenon.

Things to Look For in Your Compelling ‘to What Extent’ Essay

The greatest challenge of the ‘to what extent’ essay is that you have to provide a perfect blend between the solid facts and your own in-depth evaluation. In other words, always think of the:

• facts and supportive materials on a narrow topic;
• facts and supportive materials on a broader topic;
• your own evaluation of the events, facts, etc.

Let’s consider the prompt about Abraham Lincoln as an example. At first, you should find and provide facts about the accomplishments of this persona (these would be pieces of information on the narrow topic). Then, mind searching for the materials about actions taken in the USA towards fighting slavery (this would be data to support the broader topic). And, finally, you’ve got to weigh how Lincoln’s legacy correlates with the general solution of the slavery problem.

Thus, you’ve got to apply a wide range of skills to write a winning ‘to what extent’ essay. You should show great research and analytical skills. In case you struggle with finding reputable and trusted sources online, you can always go to the school or college library or ask for assistance from a professional writer.

The Structure of the ‘to What Extent’ Essay

The surest way to write a great essay is to follow the commonly accepted structure. You’ve probably mastered the art of using the introduction, body, and conclusion by the time you are given this type of assignment. But the standard five-paragraph essay construction requires more detailed explanations so you could write a well-reasoned ‘to what extent’ essay.

Introduction

It’s not a surprise that all essays start with the introduction. This part of writing actualizes the subject matter and gives a hint on what’s the author’s point of view towards this or that question.

After you set the topic, you should express your attitude towards the idea provided in the statement. You can say that you completely agree or disagree. You can say that there are only several rational aspects that resonate with you, while some things do not awaken any positive response in your mind.

The key point of the introduction is to make a spoiler of what you are going to talk about in your essay, so do not keep it too long. 3-5 sentences are enough to briefly set the mood of your work and prepare the reader for more profound thoughts.

This is the most important part of the essay because it should contain your arguments and supportive facts in relation to your own ideas. In this structural element, you detail your point of view and give evidence of why you think that way.

The structure of the body will vary depending on what ideas you would like to deliver. But let’s assume that you partially agree with the suggested prompt and have some arguments against the initial thesis.

In this case, devote the first paragraph to explain why you agree with the statement. Break your ideas into logical blocks by combining your own ideas and facts from history, theory, or life. 

Use the next paragraph to show disagreement with the idea expressed in the prompt. Imagine that the reader is a complete rookie in the subject matter you are writing about and do your best to provide relevant and strong arguments to show why the thesis is not completely right.

In the final paragraph of the body suggest how the initial statement could be improved and what idea is more appropriate for you.

In the last paragraph, summarize the arguments and drive your own attitude to the problem, personality, or phenomenon.

The biggest mistake students make in this section is introducing completely new viewpoints that haven’t been shared in the essay. Remember once and for all. A conclusion is a part of the essay where you grab all your ideas together and make a generalized statement towards the essay prompt.

The Final Thought

Free IELTS lessons signup

• Academic practice
• General practice
• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

To what extent you agree or disagree essay

This lesson will guide you how to write essays in IELTS Writing that ask you to what extent you agree/disagree . Such questions are very common for IELTS Writing task 2 . In such essays your task is to say whether you:

• completely agree with a given statement 
• completely disagree with a given statement 
• partly agree / disagree

and  justify your opinion .

In this lesson you will see IELTS writing task 2 sample question + model answer . Also, you will learn the following points:

• how to decide on your opinion
• how to generate ideas to justify your opinion
• how to give a band 9 answer for agree/disagree question

To what extent you agree/disagree question sample

Let’s look at an example of IELTS writing task 2:

The government's investment in arts, music and theatre is a waste of money. Governments should invest these funds in public services instead.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Choose your opinion & generate ideas

Unlike classic agree/disagree questions, to what extent you agree or disagree questions do NOT ask you to clearly determine whether you agree or disagree with the given statement.

In fact, you have 3 major options for your opinion :

   AA : You completely agree (provide 2 ideas that strengthen the statement)    DD : You completely disagree (provide 2 ideas that weaken the statement)    AD : You agree or disagree partly (provide 1 idea that strengthens the statement and 1 idea that weakens it)

After you’ve decided your opinion,  generate 2-3 supporting points for it .

Now let’s generate supporting points for each of the opinions:

AA: Investment in arts, music and theatre is a waste of money

• Art, music and theatre don’t help to solve urgent problems of the society
• Art and music can develop as hobbies, and saved money can be directed towards urgent needs of the society
• If artists and musicians were employed at more traditional jobs, there would be a great benefit for science and industry

DD: Investment in arts, music and theatre is NOT a waste of money

• The arts and music preserve unique culture and heritage, passing nation’s cultural character and traditions to future generations
• Arts, music and theatre are an integral part of the society’s cultural and intellectual development and amusement
• A strong arts, music and theatre sector is an economic asset that creates new jobs and attracts tourism revenue

For this opinion, just combine ideas from the previous points.

For our essay, we’ll choose the last opinion - partially agree / disagree (AD).

Band 9 answer structure

There are a lot of ways to structure your essay, but we’ll use a structure that has been approved by many IELTS examiners to be high-scoring and coherent. Band-9 essay structure :

• Introduction

Body paragraph 1 - the 1st supporting point

• Body paragraph 2 - the 2nd supporting point

As you already know, you can write the supporting points of your body paragraphs in the following ways: agree + agree, disagree + disagree, agree + disagree. We’ll use the last option as our opinion is partially agree / disagree .

Let’s take a look at each of these sections in detail.

• Sentence 1 - paraphrase the statement  (you can use ‘ it is argued/considered/thought that ’ to start):

It is often argued that the government should finance public services instead of spending its budget on arts, music and theatre. 

• Sentence 2 - give your opinion :

Although I agree that government’s investments in public services play a very important role, I think that proper funding of arts sector is also crucial for the society.

• Sentence 1 - state the first reason you agree/disagree .

This sentence should contain the main idea of the whole 1st paragraph. In our case we’ll use the reason A: why it is important to finance public services. As we’ll be considering opposite opinions, it is a good idea to use a collocation on the one hand to introduce the first reason:

On the one hand, the government should definitely allocate a large part of its budget on public services.

• Sentences 2-3 - explain the reason .

To explain the reason effectively, you can imagine that your examiner didn’t understand what you were talking about and you have to explain every detail:

This economic sector determines the overall quality of life, ensuring that some basic services, like schools, hospitals and roads, are available to all citizens irrespective of their income or social status. Public services satisfy the primary needs of the society and thus need a proper funding, while artists and musicians are not curing diseases or building houses, so their role is secondary.

• Sentence 4 - example .

It’s always good to give examples in your body paragraphs, even if you’re not asked to do it (like in our case):

For example, any country can live without music concerts, but absence of medicine will create significant problems.

• Sentence 5 - a short summary of your ideas in this paragraph :

That’s why the government should adequately finance public services in the first place.

Body paragraph 2 - the 2nd reason you agree/disagree

• Sentence 1 - state the second reason you agree/disagree .

This statement should contain the main idea of the whole 2nd paragraph. This time we’ll use the reason D: why it is important to finance public services. As we are considering opposite opinions, it is a good idea to use a phrase on the other hand to introduce the second reason:

On the other hand, arts, music and theatre are not a waste of money, since they are an integral part of the society’s cultural and intellectual development and amusement.

• Sentences 2-3 - explain the reason  (assume that your examiner doesn’t understand the topic at all):

Firstly, art and music draw people’s attention to diverse phenomena and represent the inward significance of things. Quite often a single drawing, piece or song can exhort myriads of people to reconsider their attitude towards some situation. This way, art serves as a major source of nation’s personal and intellectual development. Moreover, visiting museums, watching movies and listening to music are common ways of relaxation and entertainment.

• Sentence 4 - support your idea with an example :

The question doesn’t ask us to give examples, plus we’ve already written a lot in this paragraph, so we’ll skip this point. 

• Sentence 5 - a short summary of your thoughts in the 2nd paragraph .

Thus, art sector is also important for the society and should not be neglected.

You can write the conclusion in  one sentence that summarizes your opinion + 2 reasons for it :

To conclude, though I agree that the government should allocate a large part of its budget on such urgent needs of the society like public services, I think that arts, music and theatre should also be financed since they play an important role in people’s development and entertainment.

DO NOT write new ideas in the conclusion!

Model answer

This is a full band-9 answer for to what extent you agree or disagree IELTS Writing question above:

It is often argued that the government should finance public services instead of spending its budget on arts, music and theatre. Although I agree that government’s investments in public services play a very important role, I think that proper funding of arts sector is also crucial for the society.

On the one hand, the government should definitely allocate a large part of its budget on public services. This economic sector determines the overall quality of life, ensuring that some basic services, like schools, hospitals and roads, are available to all citizens irrespective of their income or social status. Public services satisfy the primary needs of the society and thus need a proper funding, while artists and musicians are not curing diseases or building houses, so their role is secondary. For example, any country can live without music concerts, but absence of medicine will create significant problems. That’s why the government should adequately finance public services in the first place.

On the other hand, arts, music and theatre are not a waste of money, since they are an integral part of the society’s cultural and intellectual development and amusement. Firstly, art and music draw people’s attention to diverse phenomena and represent the inward significance of things. Quite often a single drawing, piece or song can exhort myriads of people to reconsider their attitude towards some situation. This way, art serves as a major source of nation’s personal and intellectual development. Moreover, visiting museums, watching movies and listening to music are common ways of relaxation and entertainment. Thus, art sector is also important for the society and should not be neglected.

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How to answer “To what extent do you agree or disagree?” task 2 questions

July 2, 2021 By Ben Worthington

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In this podcast we are going to look at a very important kind of IELTS Writing Task 2 question – one which students often find hard and that is the ‘ To what extent do you agree or disagree’  question. 

We are going to look at these key skills which will help you achieve a Band 7 or above and which is so important to understand. 

We will look at:

• how to analyze the question – make sure you totally understand what you are supposed to answer.
• how to brainstorm to make sure you answer the right question – this is a very common error and something which we dedicate a whole module to on our course. 
• how to write the best paragraph ever to meet all the key requirements which the examiner will be marking you on. 

The question we will be answering in a fantastic model essay response is: 

Some people believe that professional workers such as doctors and teachers should be paid more than sports and entertainment personalities. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your opinion and relevant examples.

You can download or listen to the audio version here:

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About Ben Worthington

As the founder of IELTSPodcast, Ben started his journey as an English educator in 2006. Ben and his team of teachers provide students with expert advice, twice a week to cover the writing, reading, listening and speaking sections of the IELTS exam.

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Understanding your assignment questions: A short guide

• Introduction

Breaking down an assignment question

Ways to get started, how do you narrow down a broad or general essay question, parts of a question, specific vs general essay questions.

• Further reading and references
• A-Z of Other Guides This link opens in a new window
• Academic Skills Gateway This link opens in a new window
• Book an Academic Skills Team Appointment This link opens in a new window

Before you attempt to answer an assignment question, you need to make sure you understand what it is asking.

This includes the subject matter, but also the way in which you are required to write.

Different questions may ask you to discuss, outline, evaluate...and many more. The task words are a key part of the question.

Once you have broken down and understood your assignment question, you can start to jot down your ideas, organise your research, and figure out exactly what point you want to argue in your essay.

Here is something to try if you are struggling to get going with responding to the assignment question:

• Try to come up with a one word answer to the question ('yes,' 'no',' maybe'- or perhaps two words: 'not quite'; ''only sometimes');
• Then expand the one-word answer into a sentence summarising your reason for saying that;
• Then expand that sentence into three sentences. This could be the beginning of your essay plan.
• Choose one or two key aspects of the topic to focus your argument around.
• Focus on a few examples rather than trying to cover everything that falls under that topic.
• Decide on a standpoint you want to argue (this applies to specific essay questions too).
• Make sure your introduction explains your chosen focus aim and argument. 

Directive or task words : Tell you exactly what to do e.g., discuss, argue etc.

Subject matter : Specifically what you should be writing about. 

Limiting words : Parts of the question that may narrow or alter the focus of your answer. 

Example : To what extent can the novel White Teeth by Zadie Smith be read differently in the light of the 9/11 Terrorist Attack?

• To what extent: This indicates you will need to explore both sides of the topic in a critical way and reach a decision
• Be read differently: This limiting phrase indicates that you will not be writing everything you know about White Teeth and 9/11. You will be focussing on whether or not the terrorist attack alters our reading of the novel. Every point you make should contribute to this.
• White Teeth: You will need to focus on this novel
• 9/11 Terrorist Attack: You will also need to write about this event in relation to the novel

Some essay questions may have a narrow focus e.g., 'To what extent can it be argued that Byron and Keats are second generation Romantic poets?'. 

While other may be quite broad e.g., ' Evaluate the effect of landscape on the expansion of the town'.

The first example indicates exactly which poets to focus on, and which aspect of their work to explore. The second example is much broader: it doesn't specify which features of landscape, or which towns should be analysed. 

Even if the essay question is broad, your answer should have a clear and specific focus. Therefore, you need to choose an area of the topic to concentrate on. If answering the second of the two questions above, you would not need to write about the impact if every type of landscape on every town in the world. It is normally better to write a lot about a little, rather than a little about a lot. 

It is also important to note that, although the specific essay question tells you which poets to focus on and which aspect of their work to discuss, it does not dictate which way you have to argue. You are still free to choose your own standpoint (based on evidence) as to whether or not Byron and Keats can be seen as second generation Romantic poets. 

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• Last Updated: Aug 5, 2024 4:28 PM
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• Focus and Precision: How to Write Essays that Answer the Question

About the Author Stephanie Allen read Classics and English at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and is currently researching a PhD in Early Modern Academic Drama at the University of Fribourg.

We’ve all been there. You’ve handed in an essay and you think it’s pretty great: it shows off all your best ideas, and contains points you’re sure no one else will have thought of.

You’re not totally convinced that what you’ve written is relevant to the title you were given – but it’s inventive, original and good. In fact, it might be better than anything that would have responded to the question. But your essay isn’t met with the lavish praise you expected. When it’s tossed back onto your desk, there are huge chunks scored through with red pen, crawling with annotations like little red fire ants: ‘IRRELEVANT’; ‘A bit of a tangent!’; ‘???’; and, right next to your best, most impressive killer point: ‘Right… so?’. The grade your teacher has scrawled at the end is nowhere near what your essay deserves. In fact, it’s pretty average. And the comment at the bottom reads something like, ‘Some good ideas, but you didn’t answer the question!’.

If this has ever happened to you (and it has happened to me, a lot), you’ll know how deeply frustrating it is – and how unfair it can seem. This might just be me, but the exhausting process of researching, having ideas, planning, writing and re-reading makes me steadily more attached to the ideas I have, and the things I’ve managed to put on the page. Each time I scroll back through what I’ve written, or planned, so far, I become steadily more convinced of its brilliance. What started off as a scribbled note in the margin, something extra to think about or to pop in if it could be made to fit the argument, sometimes comes to be backbone of a whole essay – so, when a tutor tells me my inspired paragraph about Ted Hughes’s interpretation of mythology isn’t relevant to my essay on Keats, I fail to see why. Or even if I can see why, the thought of taking it out is wrenching. Who cares if it’s a bit off-topic? It should make my essay stand out, if anything! And an examiner would probably be happy not to read yet another answer that makes exactly the same points. If you recognise yourself in the above, there are two crucial things to realise. The first is that something has to change: because doing well in high school exam or coursework essays is almost totally dependent on being able to pin down and organise lots of ideas so that an examiner can see that they convincingly answer a question. And it’s a real shame to work hard on something, have good ideas, and not get the marks you deserve. Writing a top essay is a very particular and actually quite simple challenge. It’s not actually that important how original you are, how compelling your writing is, how many ideas you get down, or how beautifully you can express yourself (though of course, all these things do have their rightful place). What you’re doing, essentially, is using a limited amount of time and knowledge to really answer a question. It sounds obvious, but a good essay should have the title or question as its focus the whole way through . It should answer it ten times over – in every single paragraph, with every fact or figure. Treat your reader (whether it’s your class teacher or an external examiner) like a child who can’t do any interpretive work of their own; imagine yourself leading them through your essay by the hand, pointing out that you’ve answered the question here , and here , and here. Now, this is all very well, I imagine you objecting, and much easier said than done. But never fear! Structuring an essay that knocks a question on the head is something you can learn to do in a couple of easy steps. In the next few hundred words, I’m going to share with you what I’ve learned through endless, mindless crossings-out, rewordings, rewritings and rethinkings.

Top tips and golden rules

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been told to ‘write the question at the top of every new page’- but for some reason, that trick simply doesn’t work for me. If it doesn’t work for you either, use this three-part process to allow the question to structure your essay:

1)     Work out exactly what you’re being asked

It sounds really obvious, but lots of students have trouble answering questions because they don’t take time to figure out exactly what they’re expected to do – instead, they skim-read and then write the essay they want to write. Sussing out a question is a two-part process, and the first part is easy. It means looking at the directions the question provides as to what sort of essay you’re going to write. I call these ‘command phrases’ and will go into more detail about what they mean below. The second part involves identifying key words and phrases.

2)     Be as explicit as possible

Use forceful, persuasive language to show how the points you’ve made do answer the question. My main focus so far has been on tangential or irrelevant material – but many students lose marks even though they make great points, because they don’t quite impress how relevant those points are. Again, I’ll talk about how you can do this below.

3)     Be brutally honest with yourself about whether a point is relevant before you write it.

It doesn’t matter how impressive, original or interesting it is. It doesn’t matter if you’re panicking, and you can’t think of any points that do answer the question. If a point isn’t relevant, don’t bother with it. It’s a waste of time, and might actually work against you- if you put tangential material in an essay, your reader will struggle to follow the thread of your argument, and lose focus on your really good points.

Put it into action: Step One

Let’s imagine you’re writing an English essay about the role and importance of the three witches in Macbeth . You’re thinking about the different ways in which Shakespeare imagines and presents the witches, how they influence the action of the tragedy, and perhaps the extent to which we’re supposed to believe in them (stay with me – you don’t have to know a single thing about Shakespeare or Macbeth to understand this bit!). Now, you’ll probably have a few good ideas on this topic – and whatever essay you write, you’ll most likely use much of the same material. However, the detail of the phrasing of the question will significantly affect the way you write your essay. You would draw on similar material to address the following questions: Discuss Shakespeare’s representation of the three witches in Macbeth . How does Shakespeare figure the supernatural in Macbeth ?   To what extent are the three witches responsible for Macbeth’s tragic downfall? Evaluate the importance of the three witches in bringing about Macbeth’s ruin. Are we supposed to believe in the three witches in Macbeth ? “Within Macbeth ’s representation of the witches, there is profound ambiguity about the actual significance and power of their malevolent intervention” (Stephen Greenblatt). Discuss.   I’ve organised the examples into three groups, exemplifying the different types of questions you might have to answer in an exam. The first group are pretty open-ended: ‘discuss’- and ‘how’-questions leave you room to set the scope of the essay. You can decide what the focus should be. Beware, though – this doesn’t mean you don’t need a sturdy structure, or a clear argument, both of which should always be present in an essay. The second group are asking you to evaluate, constructing an argument that decides whether, and how far something is true. Good examples of hypotheses (which your essay would set out to prove) for these questions are:

• The witches are the most important cause of tragic action in Macbeth.
• The witches are partially, but not entirely responsible for Macbeth’s downfall, alongside Macbeth’s unbridled ambition, and that of his wife.
• We are not supposed to believe the witches: they are a product of Macbeth’s psyche, and his downfall is his own doing.
• The witches’ role in Macbeth’s downfall is deliberately unclear. Their claim to reality is shaky – finally, their ambiguity is part of an uncertain tragic universe and the great illusion of the theatre. (N.B. It’s fine to conclude that a question can’t be answered in black and white, certain terms – as long as you have a firm structure, and keep referring back to it throughout the essay).

The final question asks you to respond to a quotation. Students tend to find these sorts of questions the most difficult to answer, but once you’ve got the hang of them I think the title does most of the work for you – often implicitly providing you with a structure for your essay. The first step is breaking down the quotation into its constituent parts- the different things it says. I use brackets: ( Within Macbeth ’s representation of the witches, ) ( there is profound ambiguity ) about the ( actual significance ) ( and power ) of ( their malevolent intervention ) Examiners have a nasty habit of picking the most bewildering and terrifying-sounding quotations: but once you break them down, they’re often asking for something very simple. This quotation, for example, is asking exactly the same thing as the other questions. The trick here is making sure you respond to all the different parts. You want to make sure you discuss the following:

• Do you agree that the status of the witches’ ‘malevolent intervention’ is ambiguous?
• What is its significance?
• How powerful is it?

Step Two: Plan

Having worked out exactly what the question is asking, write out a plan (which should be very detailed in a coursework essay, but doesn’t have to be more than a few lines long in an exam context) of the material you’ll use in each paragraph. Make sure your plan contains a sentence at the end of each point about how that point will answer the question. A point from my plan for one of the topics above might look something like this:

To what extent are we supposed to believe in the three witches in Macbeth ?  Hypothesis: The witches’ role in Macbeth’s downfall is deliberately unclear. Their claim to reality is uncertain – finally, they’re part of an uncertain tragic universe and the great illusion of the theatre. Para.1: Context At the time Shakespeare wrote Macbeth , there were many examples of people being burned or drowned as witches There were also people who claimed to be able to exorcise evil demons from people who were ‘possessed’. Catholic Christianity leaves much room for the supernatural to exist This suggests that Shakespeare’s contemporary audience might, more readily than a modern one, have believed that witches were a real phenomenon and did exist.

My final sentence (highlighted in red) shows how the material discussed in the paragraph answers the question. Writing this out at the planning stage, in addition to clarifying your ideas, is a great test of whether a point is relevant: if you struggle to write the sentence, and make the connection to the question and larger argument, you might have gone off-topic.

Step Three: Paragraph beginnings and endings

The final step to making sure you pick up all the possible marks for ‘answering the question’ in an essay is ensuring that you make it explicit how your material does so. This bit relies upon getting the beginnings and endings of paragraphs just right. To reiterate what I said above, treat your reader like a child: tell them what you’re going to say; tell them how it answers the question; say it, and then tell them how you’ve answered the question. This need not feel clumsy, awkward or repetitive. The first sentence of each new paragraph or point should, without giving too much of your conclusion away, establish what you’re going to discuss, and how it answers the question. The opening sentence from the paragraph I planned above might go something like this:

Early modern political and religious contexts suggest that Shakespeare’s contemporary audience might more readily have believed in witches than his modern readers.

The sentence establishes that I’m going to discuss Jacobean religion and witch-burnings, and also what I’m going to use those contexts to show. I’d then slot in all my facts and examples in the middle of the paragraph. The final sentence (or few sentences) should be strong and decisive, making a clear connection to the question you’ve been asked:

  Contemporary suspicion that witches did exist, testified to by witch-hunts and exorcisms, is crucial to our understanding of the witches in Macbeth.  To the early modern consciousness, witches were a distinctly real and dangerous possibility – and the witches in the play would have seemed all-the-more potent and terrifying as a result.

Step Four: Practice makes perfect

The best way to get really good at making sure you always ‘answer the question’ is to write essay plans rather than whole pieces. Set aside a few hours, choose a couple of essay questions from past papers, and for each:

• Write a hypothesis
• Write a rough plan of what each paragraph will contain
• Write out the first and last sentence of each paragraph

You can get your teacher, or a friend, to look through your plans and give you feedback. If you follow this advice, fingers crossed, next time you hand in an essay, it’ll be free from red-inked comments about irrelevance, and instead showered with praise for the precision with which you handled the topic, and how intently you focused on answering the question. It can seem depressing when your perfect question is just a minor tangent from the question you were actually asked, but trust me – high praise and good marks are all found in answering the question in front of you, not the one you would have liked to see. Teachers do choose the questions they set you with some care, after all; chances are the question you were set is the more illuminating and rewarding one as well.

Image credits: banner ; Keats ; Macbeth ; James I ; witches .

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22 Essay Question Words You Must Understand to Prepare a Well-Structured Essay

(Last updated: 3 June 2024)

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We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

Now, we may be experts in best essay writing , but we’re also the first to admit that tackling essay questions can be, well, a bit of a challenge. Essays first require copious amounts of background reading and research so you can include accurate facts in your writing. You then have to figure out how to present those facts in a convincing and systematic argument. No mean feat.

But the silver lining here is that presenting your argument doesn’t have to be stressful. This goes even if you’re a new student without much experience and ability. To write a coherent and well-structured essay , you just have to really understand the requirements of the question. And to understand the requirements of the question, you need to have a good hold on all the different question words. For example, 'justify', 'examine', and 'discuss', to name a few.

Lacking this understanding is a pitfall many students tumble into. But our guide on essay question words below should keep you firmly above on safe, essay-acing ground.

Definition of Question Words with Examples

No matter their nature, question words are key and must always be adhered to. And yet, many students often overlook them and therefore answer their essay questions incorrectly. You may be a font of all knowledge in your subject area, but if you misinterpret the question words in your essay title, your essay writing could be completely irrelevant and score poorly.

For example, if you are asked to compare the French and British upper houses of parliament, you won’t get many points by simply highlighting the differences between the two parliamentary systems.

So, what should you do? We advise you start by reading this guide – we’ve divided the question words either by ‘critical’ or ‘descriptive’ depending on their nature, which should help you identify the type of response your essay requires.

Question Words that Require a Critical Approach

Once you have done this, it’s also important that you critically (more on this word later) examine each part. You need to use important debates and evidence to look in depth at the arguments for and against, as well as how the parts interconnect. What does the evidence suggest? Use it to adopt a stance in your essay, ensuring you don’t simply give a narration on the key debates in the literature. Make your position known and tie this to the literature.

2. Evaluate

It is essential to provide information on both sides of the debate using evidence from a wide range of academic sources. Then you must state your position basing your arguments on the evidence that informed you in arriving at your position.

Also, you may want to consider arguments that are contrary to your position before stating a conclusion to your arguments. This will help present a balanced argument and demonstrate wide knowledge of the literature. Here, a critical approach becomes crucial. You need to explain why other possible arguments are unsatisfactory as well as why your own particular argument is preferable.

4. Critically evaluate

The key to tackling these question words is providing ample evidence to support your claims. Ensure that your analysis is balanced by shedding light on, and presenting a critique of, alternative perspectives. It is also important that you present extensive evidence taken from a varying range of sources.

State your conclusion clearly and state the reasons for this conclusion, drawing on factors and evidence that informed your perspective. Also try to justify your position in order to present a convincing argument to the reader.

Put another way, ‘review’ questions entail offering your opinion on the validity of the essay question. For example, you may be asked to review the literature on electoral reform in Great Britain. You'll need to give an overview of the literature. and any major arguments or issues that arose from it. You then need to comment logically and analytically on this material. What do you agree or disagree with? What have other scholars said about the subject? Are there any views that contrast with yours? What evidence are you using to support your assessment? Don’t forget to state your position clearly.

Review answers should not be purely descriptive; they must demonstrate a high level of analytical skill. The aim is not simply to regurgitate the works of other scholars, but rather to critically analyse these works.

However, when assessing a particular argument or topic, it is important that your thoughts on its significance are made clear. This must be supported by evidence, and secondary sources in the literature are a great start. Essentially, you need to convince the reader about the strength of your argument, using research to back up your assessment of the topic is essential. Highlight any limitations to your argument and remember to mention any counterarguments to your position.

Give a detailed examination of the topic by including knowledge of the various perspectives put forward by other scholars in relation to it. What are your thoughts on the subject based on the general debates in the literature? Remember to clearly state your position based on all the evidence you present.

You should also try to provide some context on why the issues and facts that you have closely examined are important. Have these issues and facts been examined differently by other scholars? If so, make a note of this. How did they differ in their approach and what are the factors that account for these alternative approaches?

‘Examine’ questions are less exploratory and discursive than some other types of question. They focus instead on asking you to critically examine particular pieces of evidence or facts to inform your analysis.

9. To what extent

Such questions require that you display the extent of your knowledge on a given subject and that you also adopt an analytical style in stating your position. This means that you must consider both sides of the argument, by present contrasting pieces of evidence. But ultimately, you must show why a particular set of evidence, or piece of information, is more valid for supporting your answer.

Question Words that Require a Descriptive Response

It is important that you provide more than one meaning if there are several of them as it shows that you are very familiar with the literature.

2. Demonstrate

Make sure you assert your position with these types of questions. It's even more important that you support your arguments with valid evidence in order to establish a strong case.

3. Describe

‘Describe’ question words focus less on the basic meaning of something, therefore, and more on its particular characteristics. These characteristics should form the building blocks of your answer.

4. Elaborate

In addition, always remember to back any claims with academic research. In explanatory answers it is important that you demonstrate a clear understanding of a research topic or argument. This comes across most convincingly if you present a clear interpretation of the subject or argument to the reader. Keep in mind any ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions as this will help you to structure a clear and logically coherent response. Coherence is extremely important in providing explanatory answers.

A somewhat detached, dispassionate tone can be particularly effective, in contrast to the more assertive, argumentative tone you might adopt for other types of essay question. Just remember that the key objective here is to give a nuanced account of a research topic or argument by examining its composite parts.

7. Identify

8. illustrate, 10. summarise, 11. clarify.

Such questions require you to shed light on a topic or, in some instances, break down a complex subject into simple parts. Coherence is very important for acing such questions, remembering to present your answer in a systematic manner.

12. Compare

Furthermore, you may also want to emphasise any differences, although the focus of your essay should be on establishing similarities.

13. Contrast

How to Strategically Structure Essay Based on Question Words

Understanding how to structure an essay based on question words is crucial for producing clear, focused, and compelling academic writing. The question words we analised above guide the direction of your response and dictate the type of content required. Recognising the demands of each question word allows you to strategically organise your essay, ensuring that your arguments are relevant and comprehensive. By mastering this approach, you can enhance the clarity and impact of your writing, making your academic work more persuasive and effective.

Here are a few more handy tips to bear in mind when addressing your essay questions:

When you first get your essay question, always try to understand exactly what the question means and what it is asking you to do. Look at the question word(s) and think about their meaning before you launch into planning what to write. Hopefully, our guide has shown you how to do this expertly.

Remember to read the question several times and consider any underlying assumptions behind the question. Highlight the key words and if possible, make a very basic draft outline of your response. This outline does not have to be detailed. But if you follow it as you write, it will help keep your response coherent and systematic.

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IELTS with Fiona

Your comprehensive guide to IELTS

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How to answer ‘to what extent do you agree or disagree?’ questions.

By ieltsetc on March 31, 2020

All IELTS Task 2 Writing essays are opinion essays, so here's how to give your opinion in 'to what extent do you agree or disagree?' essays.

Thank you for your interest in my IELTS lessons and tips.

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Reader Interactions

February 20, 2023 at 7:27 pm

It’s not always possible to avoid repetition. See my post about this Listening where ‘staff’ is mentioned 34 times! https://app.getbeamer.com/ieltswithfiona/en/new-podcast-hotel-staff-turnover-and-retention

December 23, 2022 at 4:23 pm

Writing “having said that” isn’t informal if one is aiming for a high band score.

January 2, 2023 at 11:29 am

Hi Sudeep. Are you asking if “Having said that” is too informal for academic writing? No, it isn’t too informal for academic writing. Best wishes Fiona

December 7, 2022 at 1:33 pm

Thank you for such an incredible resource. Just a quick query, about how long should the first/introduction paragraph be?

Kind Regards

January 13, 2023 at 10:48 am

About 50 – 80 words, given the word limit for IELTS Task 2,

Best wishes Fiona

August 31, 2022 at 1:56 am

Can you recommend more sources of good model answers?

August 31, 2022 at 12:27 pm

To be honest, I don’t recommend most of the model answers that I see online apart from a few obvious ones like TED-IELTS and IELTS Liz.

There are about 100 model essays in my Members Academy, as we write one every week as part of the programme.

August 29, 2022 at 1:31 pm

In this article, are sample answers you have given good enough to learn from them?

August 31, 2022 at 12:31 pm

Sorry I don’t quite understand the question. I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to post sample answers that are not good for students to learn from.

October 2, 2021 at 6:53 am

Thank you very much for your in-depth article on IELTS writing. Please keep up your best works.

October 2, 2021 at 4:55 pm

You’re very welcome Rajib.

November 25, 2020 at 2:30 pm

Thanks a lot, your video clear to my doubt and once more thank you for the best explanation.

November 27, 2020 at 9:39 am

You’re very welcome Mohammed! Best wishes Fiona

October 17, 2020 at 1:14 am

Hello Fiona, While writing discuss both views type essays,in the second paragraph when we want to discuss one particular view,is it ok to say the supporters or proponents feel that….Then next sentence as This is because…

October 20, 2020 at 9:13 am

Hi Jincy. Yes definitely. That follows the ‘PEEL’ structure (Point – Explanation/Example – Link), so you made your point [Proponents argue that….] and your explanation [This is because…] and then you can link it back to the question in some way [Therefore…] or give your own opinion which links back to the question. Thanks for your comment, Best wishes, Fiona.

October 10, 2020 at 11:23 am

Hi Fiona, I have a couple of doubts here.

1. When they say “To what extent” should the structure be that we agree throughout the essay or we can disagree in the 3rd paragraph and conclude saying we agree?

2. When we say agree or disagree? can we just agree throughout?

October 12, 2020 at 1:09 pm

Hi Dhiraj and thank you for your question. 1. Yes, this is a perfectly acceptable way of structuring your answer (the 3rd paragraph can show the opposite opinion, but say why you think it’s wrong and then go back to your original argument in the conclusion). 2. Yes, you can adopt a one-sided opinion answer – you can say you totally agree and give 3 clear points why you agree. You might want to put some balancing arguments (e.g. in Paragraph 3, as we discussed above) but you don’t have to. The question does not ask for both sides of the argument. I hope that helps, Best wishes, Fiona.

January 6, 2021 at 5:35 am

Hi Fiona i Just came across your site and it cleared my doubts regarding “at what extent” type essays but i still have one doubt.

* In essay type ” do you agree or disagree” what should be the structure?

Kindly please help my IELTS test is on 20 January 2021.

January 10, 2021 at 11:36 am

Hi Sagar. Many thanks for your comment. The structure depends on how you choose to answer. If you totally agree, then you write a 4/5 paragraph essay on why you agree (as above). The same if you disagree. If you can see both sides, write a paragraph on each. Don’t worry so much about structure. Focus more on making your arguments clear, logical and persuasive, with relevant points and strong examples/illustrations to support your points. The structure is simply a 4 or 5 paragraph essay to organise your arguments and there is not just one correct way to do this. There are several ways. Check out more examples about structures here and find a different type of structure that still works well here. Good luck in your test!

August 6, 2020 at 11:12 am

Hi Fiona , this was extremely useful . Thank u so much for clearing the confusion regarding the types of essays. Just one query, is it okay to keep repeating the word ‘school uniforms’ throughout the essay? Kind Regards.

August 6, 2020 at 5:12 pm

Hi Aisha. You’re right – ‘school uniforms’ is repeated too much! It’s quite hard to find exact synonyms for ‘school uniforms’. I played around with it a bit and put ‘wearing the same clothes’ and ‘school outfits’. It doesn’t sound quite right, but possibly better for IELTS! Many thanks for your comment. All the best Fiona

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How to Write a Good Answer to Exam Essay Questions

Last Updated: July 9, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Tristen Bonacci . Tristen Bonacci is a Licensed English Teacher with more than 20 years of experience. Tristen has taught in both the United States and overseas. She specializes in teaching in a secondary education environment and sharing wisdom with others, no matter the environment. Tristen holds a BA in English Literature from The University of Colorado and an MEd from The University of Phoenix. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 650,027 times.

Answering essay questions on an exam can be difficult and stressful, which can make it hard to provide a good answer. However, you can improve your ability to answer essay questions by learning how to understand the questions, form an answer, and stay focused. Developing your ability to give excellent answers on essay exams will take time and effort, but you can learn some good essay question practices and start improving your answers.

Understanding the Question

• Analyze: Explain the what, where, who, when, why, and how. Include pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses, etc.
• Compare: Discuss the similarities and differences between two or more things. Don't forget to explain why the comparison is useful.
• Contrast: Discuss how two or more things are different or distinguish between them. Don't forget to explain why the contrast is useful.
• Define: State what something means, does, achieves, etc.
• Describe: List characteristics or traits of something. You may also need to summarize something, such as an essay prompt that asks "Describe the major events that led to the American Revolution."
• Discuss: This is more analytical. You usually begin by describing something and then present arguments for or against it. You may need to analyze the advantages or disadvantages of your subject.
• Evaluate: Offer the pros and cons, positives and negatives for a subject. You may be asked to evaluate a statement for logical support, or evaluate an argument for weaknesses.
• Explain: Explain why or how something happened, or justify your position on something.
• Prove: Usually reserved for more scientific or objective essays. You may be asked to include evidence and research to build a case for a specific position or set of hypotheses.
• Summarize: Usually, this means to list the major ideas or themes of a subject. It could also ask you to present the main ideas in order to then fully discuss them. Most essay questions will not ask for pure summary without anything else.

• Raise your hand and wait for your teacher to come over to you or approach your teacher’s desk to ask your question. This way you will be less likely to disrupt other test takers.

Forming Your Response

• Take a moment to consider your organization before you start writing your answer. What information should come first, second, third, etc.?
• In many cases, the traditional 5-paragraph essay structure works well. Start with an introductory paragraph, use 3 paragraphs in the body of the article to explain different points, and finish with a concluding paragraph.
• It can also be really helpful to draft a quick outline of your essay before you start writing.

• You may want to make a list of facts and figures that you want to include in your essay answer. That way you can refer to this list as you write your answer.
• It's best to write down all the important key topics or ideas before you get started composing your answer. That way, you can check back to make sure you haven't missed anything.

• For example, imagine that your essay question asks: "Should the FIFA World Cup be awarded to countries with human rights violations? Explain and support your answer."
• You might restate this as "Countries with human rights violations should not be awarded the FIFA World Cup because this rewards a nation's poor treatment of its citizens." This will be the thesis that you support with examples and explanation.

• For example, whether you argue that the FIFA World Cup should or should not be awarded to countries with human rights violations, you will want to address the opposing side's argument. However, it needs to be clear where your essay stands about the matter.
• Often, essay questions end up saying things along the lines of "There are many similarities and differences between X and Y." This does not offer a clear position and can result in a bad grade.

• If you are required to write your answer by hand, then take care to make your writing legible and neat. Some professors may deduct points if they cannot read what you have written.

Staying Calm and Focused

• If you get to a point during the exam where you feel too anxious to focus, put down your pencil (or take your hands off of the keyboard), close your eyes, and take a deep breath. Stretch your arms and imagine that you are somewhere pleasant for a few moments. When you have completed this brief exercise, open up your eyes and resume the exam.

• For example, if the exam period is one hour long and you have to answer three questions in that time frame, then you should plan to spend no more than 20 minutes on each question.
• Look at the weight of the questions, if applicable. For example, if there are five 10-point short-answers and a 50-point essay, plan to spend more time on the essay because it is worth significantly more. Don't get stuck spending so much time on the short-answers that you don't have time to develop a complex essay.

• This strategy is even more important if the exam has multiple essay questions. If you take too much time on the first question, then you may not have enough time to answer the other questions on the exam.

• If you feel like you are straying away from the question, reread the question and review any notes that you made to help guide you. After you get refocused, then continue writing your answer.
• Try to allow yourself enough time to go back and tighten up connections between your points. A few well-placed transitions can really bump up your grade.

Community Q&A

• If you are worried about running out of time, put your watch in front of you where you can see it. Just try not to focus on it too much. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you need more practice, make up your own questions or even look at some practice questions online! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Look up relevant quotes if your exam is open notes. Use references from books or class to back up your answers.
• Make sure your sentences flow together and that you don't repeat the same thing twice!

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.linnbenton.edu/student-services/library-tutoring-testing/learning-center/academic-coaching/documents/Strategies%20For%20Answering%20Essay%20Questions.pdf
• ↑ https://success.uark.edu/get-help/student-resources/short-answer-essays.php

About This Article

To write a good answer to an exam essay question, read the question carefully to find what it's asking, and follow the instructions for the essay closely. Begin your essay by rephrasing the question into a statement with your answer in the statement. Include supplemental facts and figures if necessary, or do textual analysis from a provided piece to support your argument. Make sure your writing is clear and to the point, and don't include extra information unless it supports your argument. For tips from our academic reviewer on understanding essay questions and dealing with testing nerves, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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how to answer a "to what extent..." essay question properly?

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How to write an argumentative essay quiz (10 questions with Answer Key)

Subject: English

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

21 August 2024

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Today, we’re diving into the world of argumentative essays for 6th graders using a power point slide. The solutions are at the end. These 10 questions help students understand what is required to have a strong argument when writing out their thoughts. Argumentative writing is a type of writing where you get to express your opinions and back them up with solid reasons and evidence. All aboard for this 12 page slide!!!

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