IELTS Essay: Opinion (Agree/Disagree)

What is an Opinion Essay?

You read a statement and are asked how much you agree or disagree. You take a clear position and defend it throughout the whole essay.

Today's Question

University education should be provided free of charge by the government.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Key rule: State your opinion in the introduction and maintain it in the conclusion. Examiners deduct marks for an unclear or shifting position.

Essay Structure

Introduction

Paraphrase the topic + state your clear opinion

40-50 words

Body 1: Your main argument

Topic sentence + explanation + evidence or example

90-110 words

Body 2: Your second argument

Topic sentence + explanation + evidence or example

90-110 words

Conclusion

Restate your opinion + brief summary. No new ideas.

30-40 words

Review: What Do You Already Know?

Before we look at anything — from memory — what arguments exist for and against free university education?

Write your ideas (no notes, no searching):

Today's goal: You will be able to write a complete Band 7+ opinion essay with correct structure and advanced sentence structures including inversion and nominalization.

Model Essay: Band 8

Read carefully. Notice how each paragraph begins, how the opinion is stated, and which structures appear.

INTROThe question of whether higher education should be publicly funded has generated considerable debate in recent years. I firmly believe that governments should provide free university education, as the long-term social and economic benefits far outweigh the initial costs.

BODY 1The primary advantage of free university education is that it removes financial barriers for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. When tuition fees are prohibitively expensive, talented individuals from lower-income families are effectively denied the opportunity to develop their potential. Were universities to be free at the point of entry, a more diverse and capable workforce would emerge, driving innovation and economic growth.

BODY 2Furthermore, the broader societal benefits of a highly educated population justify public investment. Countries with high levels of educational attainment consistently demonstrate stronger economies, lower crime rates, and more active civic participation. Never has it been more important to invest in human capital, particularly as automation threatens many traditional employment sectors.

CONCLUSIONIn conclusion, I strongly believe that free university education represents a sound investment for any government. By removing financial obstacles and developing national talent, society as a whole stands to benefit considerably.

Nominalization (intro): "The question of whether..." — turns a verb idea into a noun phrase

Topic sentence pattern (body): "The primary advantage of X is that..."

Conditional inversion: "Were universities to be free..." (instead of "If universities were free...")

Fronted negative: "Never has it been more important..." (instead of "It has never been more important...")

Your Position

Do you agree or disagree? Write your opinion in one sentence:

Write Your Introduction

Question

University education should be provided free of charge. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sentence 1: Paraphrase the Topic

Sentence frame:

[The question / The debate / The issue] of whether [topic in your own words] has [generated / prompted / sparked] considerable debate in recent years.

Your paraphrase sentence:

0 words

Sentence 2: State Your Opinion

Sentence frame:

I [firmly / strongly] believe that [governments / universities] should [your view], as [brief reason].

Your opinion sentence:

0 words

Introduction checklist:

Paraphrased the topic — did not copy the question

Stated a clear opinion — agree OR disagree, not both

Used nominalization in sentence 1

Two sentences — clear and direct

The question of whether higher education should be publicly funded has generated considerable debate in recent years. I firmly believe that governments should provide free university education, as the long-term social and economic benefits far outweigh the initial costs.

44 words

Write Body Paragraph 1

Your strongest argument. Three to four sentences.

Topic Sentence

Frame:

[The primary / main / key] [advantage / benefit / reason] of [free education] is that it [verb + what + for who].

Your topic sentence:

0 words

Development and Evidence

Include these two moves:

When [current problem], [who] are effectively [negative consequence].

[Were / Should] [subject] to [action], [positive outcome] would [result].

Your development (2-3 sentences):

0 words

Body 1 checklist:

Clear topic sentence — the argument is immediately obvious

Explained WHY the argument matters, not just stated it

Used the Were...to... conditional inversion

3-4 sentences total

The primary advantage of free university education is that it removes financial barriers for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. When tuition fees are prohibitively expensive, talented individuals from lower-income families are effectively denied the opportunity to develop their potential. Were universities to be free at the point of entry, a more diverse and capable workforce would emerge, driving innovation and economic growth.

78 words

Write Body Paragraph 2

A second argument. Less scaffolding — you lead the way.

Useful structures for this paragraph:

Link word: "Furthermore, / Moreover, / In addition,"
Nominalization: "The broader societal benefits of..."
Generalisation: "Countries with X consistently demonstrate Y"
Inversion: "Never has it been more important to..."

Write your complete Body 2 paragraph (aim for 80-100 words):

0 words (aim: 80-100)

Body 2 checklist:

Different argument from Body 1

Linking phrase at the start

At least one advanced structure (inversion or nominalization)

Supports your overall opinion

Furthermore, the broader societal benefits of a highly educated population justify public investment. Countries with high levels of educational attainment consistently demonstrate stronger economies, lower crime rates, and more active civic participation. Never has it been more important to invest in human capital, particularly as automation threatens many traditional employment sectors.

67 words

Write Your Conclusion

Short and decisive. Restate your opinion — do not copy the introduction and do not introduce new arguments.

Two-sentence conclusion:

In conclusion, I [strongly / firmly] believe that [restate opinion in different words].

By [doing X] and [doing Y], [society / the country] stands to [benefit considerably / gain enormously].

Your conclusion:

0 words (aim: 30-40)

Conclusion checklist:

Starts with "In conclusion,"

Restates opinion using different words from the introduction

No new arguments introduced

30-40 words total

In conclusion, I strongly believe that free university education represents a sound investment for any government. By removing financial obstacles and developing national talent, society as a whole stands to benefit considerably.

37 words

Your Complete Essay

Read it as one piece. Does it flow? Does the opinion stay consistent throughout?

Click "Assemble Essay" to see your paragraphs joined together.

Total: 0 words

Self-Assessment

Band 7+ checklist — tick every box you can honestly tick:

Clear opinion stated in intro and maintained in conclusion

Four paragraphs with clear topic sentences

Used conditional inversion at least once (Were...to...)

Used fronted negative at least once (Never has...)

Nominalization used at least twice

Conclusion does not copy the introduction

Total word count 250-290

Reflection: Which structure was hardest to use? What would you practise next?

I can: Write a complete IELTS opinion essay with Band 7+ vocabulary and advanced grammatical structures including inversion and nominalization.