‘AGREE OR DISAGREE’

ESSAY:
A WALKTHROUGH
• LETS’ LOOK AT THIS EXAMPLE AND ANSWER THE 3 USUAL
QUESTIONS:
‘GOVERNMENTS SHOULD SPEND MONEY ON RAILWAYS RATHER
THAN ROADS.
TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE?’
• (IELTS CAMBRIDGE 11)
 THINGS TO CONSIDER

• YOU DON’T NEED TO DISCUSS BOTH SIDES

YOU CAN CHOOSE THREE APPROACHES: AGREE,
DISAGREE, OR A SHARED VIEW BUT…
YOU STILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHERE YOUR POSITION IS:
AGREE OR DISAGREE.
• WHAT ARE THE THREE APPROACHES REGARDING THE
ABOVE TOPIC QUESTION:
1. STRONGLY AGREE
2. STRONGLY DISAGREE
3. PARTLY AGREE
 ESSAY OUTLINING

• BE CAUTIOUS:
• TRY TO GIVE YOUR OPINION FROM THE
INTRODUCTION. LEAVING YOUR OPINION TO THE
CONCLUSION CAN RESULT IN AMBIGUITY.
 Think of three possible
essay structures for the
topic question about rail
and roads
 POSSIBLE ESSAY STRUCTURE
STRONGLY AGREE

Paraphrase the question and state your

Paragraph 1 (intro) overall opinion
(you feel rail is more important)
Explain and support your first reason
Paragraph 2 (body 1)
why rail is more important.
Explain and support your second
Paragraph 3 (body 2)
reason why rail is more important.
Re-state your overall opinion (rail is
Paragraph 4 (conclusion) more important) and  summarise your
main reasons.
 POSSIBLE ESSAY STRUCTURE
STRONGLY DISAGREE

Paraphrase the question and state your

Paragraph 1 (intro) overall opinion
(you feel roads are more important)
Explain and support your first reason
Paragraph 2 (body 1)
why roads are more important.
Explain and support your second
Paragraph 3 (body 2)
reason why roads are more important.
Re-state your overall opinion (roads
Paragraph 4 (conclusion) are more important) and  summarise
your main reasons.
 POSSIBLE ESSAY STRUCTURE
PARTLY AGREE
Paraphrase the question and state your
overall opinion
Paragraph 1 (intro)
(you feel roads are important but rail
is more important)
Explain and support your reasons why
Paragraph 2 (body 1)
one side is important. (roads)
Explain and support your reasons why
Paragraph 3 (body 2)
the other side is important. (rail)
Re-state your overall opinion (you feel
roads are important but rail is more
Paragraph 4 (conclusion)
important) and  summarise your main
reasons.