How to Write a Task 2 Introduction

A strong IELTS Task 2 introduction does two jobs in about two or three sentences: paraphrase the topic in your own words, then state a clear position or outline. Examiners tend to reward accurate task coverage and a stance you can sustain — not long background stories or dramatic hooks.

This guide from IELTS AI Tutor by IELTSGRADER walks through paraphrase techniques, intro formulas by question type, before/after examples, and a timed drill you can score today.

In this guide

1. What a Band 7 introduction must include
2. Paraphrasing techniques that sound natural
3. Before and after: education prompt
4. Before and after: technology prompt
5. Intro formulas by question type
6. Timing and word budget for your intro
7. Common introduction mistakes
8. Try this yourself

What a Band 7 introduction must include

Most Task 2 introductions follow a simple two-part pattern:

1. Paraphrase the topic — show you understand the question without copying it word for word.
2. Position or outline — agree/disagree extent, your view after both sides, or a signal of what the essay will cover.

For discuss-both-views and two-part questions, a short third move helps: name both sides or both questions before you develop them in the body.

Aim for roughly 40–60 words. Longer intros steal time from body paragraphs, where Task Response and Coherence are usually won or lost. If your introduction runs past 70 words, you are often writing a mini-essay before the essay begins.

Related structure maps: best Task 2 essay structure and the full essay types hub.

Three sentences, three jobs

Sentence	Job	Example function
1	Paraphrase topic	Shows Lexical Resource without copying
2	Position or both sides	Sets Task Response direction
3 (optional)	Condition or outline	Previews balanced development

You do not need a thesis so complex that you cannot prove it in two body paragraphs. Two clear reasons beat four vague promises.

Paraphrasing techniques that sound natural

Paraphrase is not synonym roulette. Swapping children for juveniles and important for paramount while keeping the same sentence shape still looks copied. Stronger paraphrases change structure, not only nouns.

Prompt chunk	Weak paraphrase	Stronger paraphrase
Some people think…	Many individuals believe…	Critics argue that… / Supporters claim…
should be banned	ought to be prohibited	should be restricted / phased out
children	youngsters / kids	young people / school-age students
in modern society	in contemporary society	today / in many countries
the government	the authorities	policymakers / public bodies
more and more	increasingly	a growing number of

Three reliable moves:

• Change word form — education → educating; important → matters; competition → competitive.
• Change voice or clause order — active to passive, or move the main clause to the front.
• Use a category word — smartphones → personal devices; cars → private vehicles.

What not to do: never change the meaning of the question. If the prompt is about unpaid community service in high schools, do not drift into university internships or paid work placements. If it asks about banning cars in city centres, do not rewrite it as a general pollution essay.

When the prompt is long

Long prompts tempt you to copy half the sentence. Instead, identify the core nouns (who? what policy?) and the task (agree? outweigh?). Your paraphrase only needs to cover the core — you are not summarising every clause in the prompt box.

Before and after: education prompt

Prompt: Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Weak intro (copies + vague):
Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes. I agree with this statement because it is good for students and society.

Problems: near-verbatim copying; no extent language; reasons are labels, not a developed stance.

Stronger intro:
Compulsory volunteering in secondary schools is sometimes proposed as a way to build civic habits early. I largely agree that a limited, well-designed service requirement can benefit students and communities, provided placements are meaningful and hours are capped.

Why it works: the paraphrase keeps high-school, unpaid, and compulsory ideas; the position uses extent language (largely agree) plus a condition that sets up balanced body paragraphs — benefits in Body 1, safeguards in Body 2.

Before and after: technology prompt

Prompt: Nowadays many people choose to work from home instead of travelling to an office. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Weak intro:
Nowadays many people choose to work from home instead of travelling to an office. There are advantages and disadvantages and I will discuss them in this essay.

Stronger intro:
Remote working has become a realistic option for many employees who once commuted daily. On balance, I believe the flexibility and time savings outweigh the social and supervision drawbacks, especially for roles that do not require constant in-person collaboration.

Why it works: remote working and commuting replace the prompt wording; on balance signals the outweigh structure; the lean gives Body 1 (advantages) and Body 2 (disadvantages + why advantages win) clear jobs.

For a full opinion model with body development, see Band 7.5 opinion sample.

Intro formulas by question type

Type	Intro job	Example opener phrase
Agree / to what extent	Paraphrase + clear extent	I largely agree that… / I disagree because…
Discuss both views + opinion	Paraphrase + both sides + your view	While some argue…, others maintain…; I side with…
Advantages / disadvantages	Paraphrase + whether advantages outweigh	The growth of X brings clear benefits, though…
Problem–solution	Paraphrase + acknowledge problem	X has become a serious issue; practical steps include…
Two-part	Paraphrase + signal both answers	Two related questions arise: whether… and how…

Fence-sitting hurts Task Response when the prompt asks for your opinion. "It depends" without conditions in the body reads as unfinished. See discuss both views structure for a paragraph map.

Discuss both views: a workable template

Sentence 1 — paraphrase the tension. Sentence 2 — name View A fairly. Sentence 3 — name View B and state your opinion (or promise it after both are examined). That three-sentence intro often lands near 55 words and prevents the body from repeating the prompt.

Two-part questions: do not answer only half

If the prompt asks why and what can be done, your intro should signal both. A single-sentence paraphrase plus "I will address both questions" is enough. Missing the second question in the intro often predicts a missing answer in the body.

Timing and word budget for your intro

In a 40-minute Task 2 block, many strong candidates spend 3–4 minutes on the introduction including a quick plan check:

Minute	Action
0–1	Read prompt twice; circle task words (agree? both views? outweigh?)
1–2	Draft paraphrase on scrap paper or screen notes
2–3	Add position; read aloud silently — any copied chunks?
3–4	Write intro; move to Body 1 without editing vocabulary

If you are still polishing synonyms at minute 6, you are borrowing time from conclusion and proofreading. Criterion priorities: how writing is scored.

Common introduction mistakes

• Copying 8+ consecutive words from the prompt — looks memorised and wastes Lexical Resource potential.
• Historical openings — "Since the dawn of time…" adds length without task coverage.
• Empty announcements — "In this essay I will discuss…" with no real position when one is required.
• Four-idea previews you cannot develop in 40 minutes.
• Idioms or jokes in Academic Task 2 — tone mismatch and clarity risk.
• New arguments in the intro you never return to — breaks Coherence.
• Over-qualifying every clause so the reader cannot tell if you agree or disagree.
  Fix these before hunting rare vocabulary. A clean paraphrase plus a clear stance often beats a flashy opener that obscures your task.

Try this yourself

Prompt: Governments should spend more money on public transport than on building new roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

1. Write only the introduction (2–3 sentences) in 4 minutes.
2. Underline words taken from the prompt — rewrite any three-word phrase that still matches.
3. Circle your extent phrase (fully / largely / partly / disagree).
4. Read the intro alone: could a reader predict your two body topics?
5. Paste into the Task 2 checker with a short body draft, or check your full essay when ready.

If feedback mentions "unclear position," fix the intro before editing body vocabulary.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a Task 2 introduction be?

About two or three sentences (roughly 40–60 words). Enough to paraphrase and state a position — not a mini-essay.

Can I copy the question if I change a few words?

Changing one or two words is usually not enough. Paraphrase with new structures and keep the meaning. Heavy copying can weaken Lexical Resource impressions.

Do I need a hook or surprising fact?

No. Dramatic hooks rarely raise your band on their own. Clarity and task coverage tend to matter more.

Should every intro end with "This essay will discuss…"?

Only when it helps — for example, discuss-both-views outlines. Prefer a real opinion when the prompt asks for one.

What if I cannot think of synonyms?

Change grammar and clause order first. Category words (urban transport, road expansion) often beat forced rare synonyms.

Can I write the introduction last?

Some candidates draft body paragraphs first, then paraphrase once they know their angle. That can work if you still leave time and your final intro matches the body position.

Next: map the whole essay with best Task 2 structure, practise types in the essay types hub, then score a timed draft.