How to plan an IELTS Task 2 essay in 5 minutes
A quick, repeatable 5-minute plan for IELTS Writing Task 2: analyse the question, pick a position, choose two ideas and outline paragraphs.
By English Grader study guides · AI-assisted educational content · Official sources linked below
The short answer
Five minutes of planning prevents off-topic paragraphs: underline the task, decide your position, choose two developed ideas, and note one example each.
Minute 1: analyse the question
Underline the topic and every instruction. A two-part question needs two answers; an opinion question needs a clear position.
Related guide: Answering two-part questions
Minutes 2–3: choose two ideas
Brainstorm quickly, then keep the two ideas you can explain best, not the ones that sound most impressive.
Minutes 4–5: outline paragraphs
Note a topic sentence, explanation and example for each body paragraph.
- Intro: paraphrase + position
- Body 1: idea, why, example
- Body 2: idea, why, example
- Conclusion: restate position
Related guide: Task 2 essay structure
Practise the plan under time
Repeat this plan on new questions until it feels automatic, and check the result with feedback.
Write a timed essay →Put this into practice
Pick a question, plan for 5 minutes, write for 35, then get feedback.
Guest AI tries are limited to one use per feature per day. Sign in for saved progress. AI feedback and band estimates are practice guidance, not official IELTS results.
Official sources and further reading
Practice examples and study routines are illustrative advice, not official band-scored answers or predictions of exam questions.