IELTS Opinion Essay Sample (Band 8+): Full Essay & Explanations

The Task 2 Prompt (Opinion)

Question: Some people believe universities should focus on job-ready skills, while others think higher education should emphasise academic knowledge for its own sake. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Tip: Opinion prompts may say “To what extent do you agree or disagree?”, “Do you agree or disagree?” or ask you to choose a side. You can fully agree, fully disagree, or partly agree (balanced view). What matters is clarity and consistency.

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Band 8+ Sample Essay

Introduction

‍Debate over the purpose of university education is hardly new. While some argue that institutions should prioritise immediately employable skills, others claim the true aim is to cultivate knowledge, inquiry, and critical thinking. I partly agree with the first view: universities must equip students for work, provided they do not sacrifice the broader intellectual mission that underpins progress and citizenship.

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Body 1: Why job-ready skills matter

‍It is undeniable that many graduates struggle to transition into the labour market. Courses aligned with real workplace needs like data literacy, effective communication, and project management, can shorten the learning curve for new hires and improve productivity. Moreover, when universities co-design modules with industry, internships and authentic assessments create clear pathways from theory to practice. For first-generation students in particular, such relevance may determine whether a degree translates into financial security.

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Body 2: Why academic breadth still matters

‍Yet reducing higher education to a training centre would be short-sighted. Economies evolve quickly, and specific tools can become obsolete. What endures is the ability to analyse complex problems, evaluate evidence, and learn independently—capacities strengthened by academic inquiry. Disciplines with no immediate “job title,” from philosophy to pure mathematics, have historically seeded breakthroughs that later reshaped technology and governance. Universities therefore serve the public not only by filling vacancies but by expanding knowledge and challenging assumptions.

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Body 3: A principled balance‍

The most responsible approach is a hybrid model: curricula should include transferable skills and opportunities for applied learning, alongside rigorous disciplinary study that deepens understanding. For example, a literature programme can integrate digital humanities and editorial projects without abandoning close reading and theory. Such designs protect intellectual depth while maximising graduate outcomes.

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Conclusion

‍In short, the purpose of university is not a zero-sum choice. I agree to an extent that programmes should prepare students for work, so long as they preserve academic breadth. Only this balance can produce graduates who are employable today and adaptable tomorrow.

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Why This Scores Band 8+ (Explained)

Clear position & consistent development

• The thesis (partly agree) is explicit in the introduction and remains consistent across body paragraphs and conclusion.
• Each paragraph advances a distinct reason with explanation and examples (task response & coherence).

Coherence & cohesion

• Logical sequencing: need for job skills → limits of a training-only model → balanced solution.
• Cohesive devices are varied but natural: while, yet, therefore, for example, such, alongside, in short.
• Topic sentences guide the reader; paragraphs are focused and unified.

Lexical resource

• Topic-appropriate lexis: transition into the labour market, transferable skills, co-design modules, authentic assessments, hybrid model, digital humanities.
• Collocations elevate tone: shorten the learning curve, principled balance, preserve academic breadth.

Grammatical range & accuracy

• Mix of complex and simple sentences; conditionals and participle clauses used accurately: provided…, so long as…, alongside….
• Punctuation and subject–verb agreement are consistently accurate.

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Simple Planning Routine (8–10 minutes)

1. Analyse the task (1–2 mins): Identify topic + instruction (agree/disagree / to what extent).
2. Choose your position (1 min): Full agree/disagree or partial agree (balanced).
3. Brainstorm reasons (2 mins): 2–3 strong points + one counterpoint if doing a balanced view.
4. Paragraph map (2 mins):
   • Intro: paraphrase + thesis
   • Body 1: strongest reason (explain + example)
   • Body 2: contrasting reason/limitation
   • Body 3: synthesis/solution (optional but powerful)
   • Conclusion: restate stance + final insight
5. Lexis list (1–2 mins): write 6–8 collocations to use.

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Paragraph-by-Paragraph Template (Use on Any Topic)

• Introduction: 1) Background sentence; 2) Clear thesis with degree of agreement.
• Body 1: Main reason supporting your stance; explain the mechanism; give a relevant example.
• Body 2: Address the opposing view or a limitation; explain why your stance still holds.
• Body 3 (optional): Propose a balanced solution or a condition (X is acceptable as long as Y).
• Conclusion: Summarise your position without new ideas; link back to the broader significance.

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High-Value Language (Opinion Essays)

• Stance: I (partly) agree / This essay argues / It is reasonable to contend that…
• Cause/Effect: therefore / consequently / as a result / this can lead to…
• Concession: while / although / admittedly / yet / nevertheless
• Condition: provided that / as long as / only if
• Precision: to an extent / primarily / in practical terms / in the long term

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Checklist Before You Finish (1–2 minutes)

• Task: Have I answered the question directly and consistently?
• Organisation: Does each paragraph have one main idea? Are my links smooth?
• Examples: Are my examples relevant and specific (but brief)?
• Language: Any repetition I can replace with better collocations?
• Accuracy: Quick check for verb forms, articles, and prepositions.

Conclusion

A strong IELTS opinion essay sample shows you how ideas flow, which phrases carry your stance, and how examples support arguments without taking over the paragraph. Use the planning routine, borrow the structure, and recycle the high-value language so you can adapt to any prompt confidently.

Read more about Opinion Essays here or IELTS Discussion Essays here.

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Glossary

• Opinion essay (noun) — Task 2 essay type where you give your view.
• Thesis (noun) — the sentence that states your position.
• Cohesion (noun) — linking ideas with logical connectors and reference.
• Concession (noun) — acknowledging the other side before defending your view.
• Collocation (noun) — words that naturally go together (e.g., shorten the learning curve).
• Band descriptor (noun) — criteria IELTS uses to score writing (task response, coherence, lexical resource, grammar).

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Practise What You Learned

Questions

1. In the sample essay, what stance is taken?
   a) Fully agree with job-ready skills
   b) Fully disagree
   c) Partly agree (balanced view)
2. Which paragraph explains the risks of a training-only model?
   a) Body 1
   b) Body 2
   c) Body 3
3. True/False: You must always use three body paragraphs in Task 2.
4. Fill the gap: Good condition phrases for balanced positions include “_________ that” and “_________ as”.
5. Short answer: Name two collocations used in the sample that would impress examiners.

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Answers

1. c
2. b
3. False (two or three bodies can work; clarity matters most)
4. provided; as long
5. e.g., transition into the labour market; shorten the learning curve; transferable skills; principled balance; preserve academic breadth.