to what extent in essay

How to answer a “to what degree/extent” essay question

One of the most popular question types to appear on History assessment tasks is one that starts with the phrase, “To what extent/degree...”.

Despite the fact that it appears so frequently, particularly on exam papers , some teachers and students are not sure how to correctly write a response to it.

Thankfully, "to what degree/extent" questions are relatively easy to understand and to write a sophisticated response to, as long as you know what they are specifically asking you to do.

In this blog post, I will explain what such questions are asking you to do and give you some practical tips on how to write an essay response to a “To what extent/degree” question so that you feel confident in your assessment pieces.

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Understanding the question

First of all, it is crucial to understand the purpose of the word “degree” or “extent” in this kind of question. Regardless of which of the two words are used, they mean exactly the same thing: they are asking you to assign a degree of importance to how influential or important a particular factor is regarding the topic at hand.

A useful way of conceptualising the degree of importance , is to think of a simple scale that you could measure it against:

Most of the time, a "to what degree/extent” question is ultimately asking you to decide a single factor’s importance in comparison to another, potentially equally important factor. In other words, you need to argue which of two things is the most important.

Therefore, you will say that one of the two factors was “ to a greater degree ” important, while the other is “ to a lesser extent ” important.

It is rare that this kind of question will require you to say that only one factor was the only important element in regards to a topic. Any event in history is a complex combination of multiple factors, and it is too simplistic to assign only one factor to any topic.

That is why this kind of question is so popular with essays about historical causation , consequences or significance in History exams. These topics acknowledge that there are multiple factors which contributed to a historical event or idea. 

Example essay questions

Sometimes, the question itself will provide you with the two elements that it wants you to compare. For example:

“To what degree was political ideology more important in Hitler’s rise to power than the economic conditions in Germany in the early 1930s?” 

As you can see in this “to what degree” question, it is asking you to decide whether “political ideology” was “more important” than “the economic conditions in Germany in the early 1930s”. Therefore, in your answer to this question, you need to clearly state which you think was “more important”.

Here is another example: 

“To what extent did the Black Death in 14th century Europe decrease the papacy’s cultural influence in comparison to the political scandals within the curia?” 

Once more, it is easy to identify what you are being asked to decide between: whether “the Black Death in 14th century Europe” or “the political scandals within the curia” was more important in causing the decline of “the papacy’s cultural influence”.

However, sometimes an essay question will only give you one factor, in which case you will need to choose the second factor to compare it against.

For example 

“To what degree was Julius Caesar’s assassination the result of his own hubris?” 

In this example, the question only gives you “his own hubris” as one important element. Therefore, you will need to decide, based upon your own historical knowledge and the sources supplied, something else to compare it against.

It is still important, though, that you still come to a conclusion about which of the two elements was the most important.

How to structure your answer to the question (the hypothesis)

Once you have identified the two elements you are going to compare in your answer, you need to decide which of the two you are going to assign most importance to.

When you write your answer to the essay question (which will become your hypothesis ), you have to ensure that you clearly state which of the two options you have decided is the most important. You can use the following cues to identify the greater and lesser factors:

“[Factor 1] was, to a greater degree , more important in [the Topic] than [Factor 2] because...” 

“[Factor 1] was the main cause of [the Topic] despite the role of [Factor 2] because...” 

“While [Factor 2] did play a role in [the Topic], [Factor 1] was by far the most significant element because...”

As you can see in these example structures, you need to:

• clearly state the two topics you’re comparing
• mention the topic to which they relate
• have a clear decision about which of the two factors are most important to the topic

Also, don't forget to provide clear reasons for your decision after the “because” in your hypothesis.

How to structure your essay

 Once you have decided which of the two factors was the most important and which was the least important, then you can start planning your essay paragraphs .

Since essays typically require you to follow the standard five-paragraph structure ( introduction paragraph , three body paragraphs , and a conclusion paragraph ), you know that you will have three body paragraphs available for arguing your decision.

• In two out of your three body paragraphs, provide two separate reasons for why one factor was the most important  
• In the third of your body paragraphs, talk about the lesser contributing factor  

This helps us to use a simple structure to respond to a “to what degree/extent” essay question:

Here is a visual representation of the structure to help you:

By dividing your three body paragraphs in this way, you devote two-thirds of your essay to the most important of the two factors, and then one-third to the lesser of the two factors.

At the start of each body paragraph, then, you need a clear topic sentence that provides a reason why this factor was important. Ensure that you have two separate reasons to support the factor you’ve chosen as the most important, and one for the lesser of the two factors.

For example: 

Topic sentence for body paragraph 1: 

“[Factor 1] was the most important element in [the Topic] because...” 

Topic sentence for body paragraph 2: 

“Another reason that [Factor 1] was the most important element in [the Topic] is because...” 

Topic sentence for body paragraph 3:  

“To a lesser degree, [Factor 2] was important to [the Topic] because...”

Some rare exceptions

The advice provided above will serve you well in replying to almost all “to what degree/extent” essay questions. However, here are some rare exceptions which you might need to watch out for, along with some quick advice for how to deal with them.

Some questions may ask you to compare three separate factors. On these occasions, the question is probably guiding you to argue that all three factors were of equal importance. Typically, you can assign each factor to a body paragraph and provide one reason why each element was a contributing factor.

Some questions may ask you to only assign a degree of importance to only one factor, without expecting you to provide a second alternative. In short, if this happens, it is probably a poorly written question.

Essay questions that require the analysis and explanation of only one factor should probably be a “how” or “why” question, rather than a “to what degree/extent” question. Firstly, check with your teacher about if they really do only want one factor considered and ask how they intend for you to answer the question.

Additional resources

For additional resources on how to write all the elements in a History essay, please check out the following scaffolding guide , which has examples of full paragraphs to help you out. 

For advice on other kinds of exam questions, read over the exam question advice section .

Write a comment

Kim Brett ( Tuesday, 01 September 2020 23:32 )

As always, you've got your finger on the pulse, Michael. My students at Our Lady's College Annerley really appreciate your posts. Best wishes

History Skills ( Wednesday, 02 September 2020 02:13 )

My absolute pleasure, Kim. So good to hear that your students are finding the information helpful. Please say 'hello' to them for me and tell them I wish them all the best for their upcoming assessment.

Jeffery ( Friday, 18 December 2020 16:41 )

Hello, I am unsure how to formulate a thesis to this question, can you help me. "To what extent were the American colonists justified in revolting against England?"

Mutsawashe (Tuesday 15 June) ( Tuesday, 15 June 2021 15:29 )

please help me answer this question,"how far did the Germans benefit from the social policy ".My answer should start with ,the Germans benefited from the social policy to a lesser extent. So what comes next.

sharon odawa ( Thursday, 02 September 2021 01:12 )

my question is."to what extent does common and equity law a source of kenya"please help

maddison ( Sunday, 07 November 2021 03:06 )

this has literally saved me so much time on my assessments.

Karina Doherty ( Wednesday, 10 November 2021 17:26 )

It is possible to ask a well written 'to what extent' question that does not require a comparison, but only asks students to provide a judgement about a degree of success. There will naturally be a discussion about factors that limited the success or impact of a particular event or policy, but this is not really a comparison. The question could still be a perfectly valid and well-written.

Christina ( Monday, 13 June 2022 02:19 )

Great advice! Would be great if you correct the reference to a hypothesis. The correct word hers is "thesis".

Queenest ( Wednesday, 12 October 2022 17:41 )

Thank God I came across this article. It has been a blessing to me. Thank you so much

Ishmael ogechi ( Wednesday, 28 June 2023 10:59 )

Can an extent be used in questionnaire construction to elicit responds from respondents? Please may I know the firs scholar that used this term or introduced it in research work and when? Thank you.

Joy ( Wednesday, 18 October 2023 08:32 )

Can a ''to what extent'' question be used for the prevalence of the disease in two different parts of the world?

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"To What Extent" Essay Writing

Updated 04 Jun 2024

Table of contents

‘To What Extent’ Essay Examples

Words to use in an essay, start by choosing your stance, to what extent essay structure.

When it comes to ‘Agree or Disagree’ write-ups, a lot of students face difficulties since they lack clear ideas and effective structures in mind. This specific 'to what extent essay' type of writing was popularized by the International English Language Testing System, commonly known as IELTS – the most famous test people take to prove their English language expertise. Here, we will guide you on the best structure, how to generate ideas and support your evidence and how to  order essay from the best writers on the market. But before that, check out some questions you should expect in writing part of IELTS.

To give you an image of what to expect in your IELTS exam, take a look at these writing prompts:

• Age group is key determinant of purchasing decisions. Do you concede or dissent? To what degree?
• Public libraries have been a waste of resources since computer technology evolved. Discuss.
• Young people make the best leaders of today’s tech-driven organizations. How much do you concur or disapprove?

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Since the purpose here is to explain the depth of your agreement (or a disagreement) with a certain concept or an idea being discussed, the essay words that you use play a paramount role. Of course, saying "I agree with John" or "I disagree with Lucy" might sound like a great way to explain your thoughts, yet it is not the point or a purpose here. The trick is to use directive words. What these mean is that you should direct your readers to the point that you want to make as you turn to statistics, explanations, or direct quotes. The words to use in an essay should create an inspiring topic sentence that explains where you are coming from with your take on things. For example, saying “based on X research that shows how Y brings damage because of Z aspect, I tend to disagree with the general perception of things because Z aspect cannot be addressed by the current political system and lack of…”. Saying that you disagree with the point made by the author would not be sufficient. It is your wording and research that matter!

The typical essay phrases that you use should point out that you agree "to a certain extent" because "the study of both opinions helps to conclude that". Likewise, saying that you agree "to a great extent" will require an explanation as to why it is so. If you provide evidence or some examples, it will help. Saying that you agree "to a very small extent" can be among those useful essay phrases that will show your attitude, yet remember to provide sources that support your opinion or something that has helped you come to a certain conclusion. Link your thoughts to solid arguments and don’t forget to use academic style language!

Read also: “ Pay for essay writing and benefit from expert help.”

After reading to what extent essay questions, you should decide on a clear point of view. Do you completely side with the statement? Or are you totally against the statement? Perhaps you can accept certain sides of question discussed, while rejecting the others. From there, you can start structuring your paper.

Suppose you completely invalidate perspective of the query. In introduction, discuss reasons for disregarding it, starting with strongest and end with weakest. Mention your thesis preferably in the second statement of introduction. Don’t forget to insist why opposite idea is wrong towards the end of introduction and restate your standpoint.

Then, elaborate your points in body section, using two paragraphs. If you partly bear with the question statement or protest, state exact points you approve of and those that you completely deny. Do so with relevant examples and evidence.

In summary section of an essay to what extent, be sure to stipulate degree of disagreement or agreement using distinctive adverbs as opposed to what you used in introduction. Conclude with supportive arguments and restate your stance. One paragraph is enough to conclude your paper.

See how we have broken down the sections into sentences for you to understand.

• The introduction

Sentence 1: In introduction section, you are expected to paraphrase the question. Simply restate it with a different meaning. This is where you must demonstrate your ability to use synonyms. Sentence 2: This is the best place to introduce your thesis statement. In other words, put your opinion in a single line. Sentence 3: This is the outline sentence which lines up what you are going to discuss in the body.

You need supportive paragraphs to propose or oppose an idea. In this case, we are using two paragraphs.

In paragraph 1: include a topic, and explanation, and some relevant to what extent essay examples.

The topic sentence tells reader what to expect in the entire paragraph. It is a like an abstract of your initial idea. From there, think about expanding the point further (the explanation). As you write, assume that the reader is in complete oblivion of subject matter. So you should explicitly explain your arguments.

In the last sentence of first body paragraph, come up with a good example to support your idea. Use recent stories and studies. But when you don’t find one, you can always make up something since the reader may not have time to verify if it is true or false.

In paragraph 2: repeat the same format to explain your second point, i.e. a topic sentence, an explanation, and a relevant example.

As previously stated, conclusion should give a summary of the main points and your final verdict. Never introduce new ideas in this section. Simply restate your thesis statement and summarize the supportive evidence.

Not all students understand to what extent meaning essay. Like any assignment, it is important to understand the question before providing an effective answer. By the way, you can ask Edubirdie for any essay writing help . Thinking about how to answer to what extent essay questions, keep in mind that any question that poses ‘extent’ requires concrete evidence and analysis. Such an essay requires you to discuss how one aspect is more valid than other is.

So, you must critically analyze all aspects and give a verdict with the degree of how true or false the statement in question is. Use as many sources of information as possible to increase the credibility of your arguments.

If it hasn’t occurred to you yet, this assignment is one of the easiest exams. We recommend you to avoid consenting to or declining partly so you can avoid mixing up ideas and ending up with a confusing thesis. But when you simply stand for an idea or condemn it, you will get an easier time since you only need two reasons to support your stance.

Keep in mind that the examiner focuses on your ability to express, plan, and support your perspective. You will not be judged on the opinion you give. Just make sure the opinion is logical and coherent. A coherent opinion means that the arguments are supported, and they stick together throughout your to what extent essay.

And that is what it takes to ace in ‘To What Extent’ essay. The structure described above has been approved by IELTS for cohesive and clear papers. If you practice this method, you will be in a position to organize your paper even when you have as little as 40 minutes.

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Essay exams: how to answer ‘To what extent…’

(Last updated: 3 March 2020)

Since 2006, Oxbridge Essays has been the UK’s leading paid essay-writing and dissertation service

We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

Many students struggle to produce a sophisticated essay format under exam conditions. Instead of writing to their usual standard, they panic and just scribble down all the information they know on the subject. Sound like you?

You can earn a lot of extra marks in these exams, if you know how to answer the question specifically and producing a well-structured essay. So it’s Oxbridge Essays to the rescue , with a series of custom essay formats that you can use to answer any one of these common exam question types: ‘Compare and Contrast’, ‘To What Extent’, ‘How does the Writer’, ‘For and Against’ and ‘Close Reference’.

To What Extent?

Why are they so popular? Well, this type of question allows the student to show a variety of skills. Firstly, the depth of their knowledge on the given subject. Secondly, students can display independent judgement by analysing the importance of different pieces of information.

What your custom essay should include

The first is detailed source evidence and extra material, to support your argument. Let's use an example essay question here to demonstrate. In a history exam, the essay might ask: “ To what extent was the character of Charles II responsible for his problems with parliament? ".

The student is being asked to do two things here: to show an in-depth knowledge of Charles II's character, and to analyse which specific aspects of his character may have affected his political relationships.

Incorporating detailed evidence will always demonstrate how much you know of the subject matter, and will help to support the angle and strength of your argument.

The second element is linking to wider issues, topics or arguments that support your point of view. For example, in this particular history essay, a student could refer to other historical events that were responsible for problems between Charles II and parliament, but which were not related to his character.

Drawing on other factors in this way helps to increase the significance of your argument, and will round out your essay fully.

These two elements of analysis – including detailed evidence and linking to wider ideas – can be used to answer any 'To what extent...' question. In other words, when answering this type of essay question, keep the general structure the same and change the the appropriate information in the right places.

Remember also to analyse your evidence as you weave your argument. Do this by answering questions like, 'how significant is your evidence in supporting your argument?' and, 'what are the potential weaknesses that this evidence carries?'.

How your custom essay should be structured

Introduction.

For example, going back to our history essay question above, the introduction would need to acknowledge that to some extent, the character of Charles II was responsible for his problems with parliament.

An introduction should then go on to highlight the importance of taking into account other aspects which also impact the topic of the essay.

Paragraph 1 and 2

Linking sentence, paragraph 3 and 4.

This can be achieved in two ways. Firstly, by showing flaws in its logic (in this case, by suggesting that there were actually some aspects of Charles’s character that in fact improved his political relationships). Secondly, by offering alternatives (in this case, other elements unconnected to his personality that may have soured the parliamentary relationship independently).

To do this, simply recap:

• The points that suggest the question's claims are true • The points against • Then conclude whether you agree the statement is true ‘to a certain extent’, ‘to a great extent’ or ‘to a very small extent’. This must be backed up by a summary of the argument on both sides to prove why you feel it to be weighted one way or the other.

Once you have finished your essay, the little touches matter. You don't want to risk being penalised for not sticking to the formatting guidelines set for your submission. Many students seek the assistance of a good proofreader to check for any errors or omissions in your work and will ensure that you have every opportunity to present your points in the best possible light, with the perfect structure, formatting and presentation to match. After your thorough research and work put into completing this best essay writing , you deserve the best possible grade.

Read other articles in the Custom Essay series

Some close reference questions are specifically focussed on the piece itself, whilst others use it as a springboard to discuss a wider issue with aspects of the text used to illustrate your argument. > read more

This is exactly the kind of essay that can cause students to panic under exam pressure, as a clear, structured essay format is required to tackle it correctly. > read more

This question offers an invitation for the student to showcase as much knowledge as possible about the craft and techniques of writing. Luckily for you, you’ll be going in armed with your own super writing technique. > read more

Somewhere, in every exam room, is one student who calmly looks at the question and confidently begins to write – as if they had a custom essay already prepared no matter what the requirements. That student knows the secret of custom essays… > read more

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How to Answer “to what Extent” Question in Research & Examples

Answering 'to what Extent” Question

In the real world, deciding which factor is more important than another may seem impossible. However, when answering a question such as “what is ‘to what extent question, they are ultimately asking you to decide a single factor’s importance in comparison to another.

It is a good idea to be upfront about your approach and how you plan to answer it. Read on.  

Also Read: 21 Hardest and 21 Easiest Courses in Colleges to Take in 2022

How to Answer the ‘to what Extent” Question

First, you must determine what “extent” you want to measure. If it’s the extent of your knowledge about something, then you need to know how much you know about it.

If it’s the extent of your experience with something, then you need to know how much time and energy you’ve invested in it .

Second, you must determine what kind of “to what extent” question you’re asking.

If the question is about what extent this has on me (i.e., how does it affect my life), then use an absolute term such as “a lot,” or “much.” 

If the question is about how much this leads me toward some goal (i.e., how do I benefit from this), then use a comparative term such as “more,” or “less.”

To answer a ‘to what extent question, you need to explain what the situation is like. If you can’t do this in your first response, you should think about how to answer the question again before responding with a second response.

If you are unsure how to answer the question, you haven’t thought about how to answer it enough. In this case, try researching the topic and coming up with some ideas for responses that would be relevant to the test context.

Finally, once you’ve determined what kind of question it is and how much each answer will help give it context, answer based on that context!

Also Read: Does Turnitin Check Other Students’ Papers to Check Similarity

Tips to Note when Approaching the ”to what Extent” Question

The “to what extent” question is a great place to start because it allows you to discuss the relationship between the two things.

When approaching these question , ensure you understand how each item functions within your overall goal. These are just some general tips:

1. Make Sure you have a good Understanding of what the Question is Asking

The first step in answering this type of question is understanding what you are being asked. The answer will depend on the context and the nature of your response. 

For example, if you are asked ”to what extent the student understands the concept of Pythagoras,” then it is not enough for you to say that he knows about Pythagoras. 

You will need to elaborate on how much he understands this concept. If you have difficulty explaining how much your student understands about Pythagoras, then he may not understand it well enough for your purposes.

Once you have established what question is being asked, think about how best to answer it based on your knowledge of that topic or area of study. 

In most cases, however, there is no right or wrong way to answer such questions; rather, it depends upon whether or not your answer will help clarify the main point made by your instructor or professor.

2. Ask Someone else to Help Interpret the Question if you Need Help Understanding it

To be able to answer this type of question, you need to be clear in your mind about the meaning of the word ‘to what extent. This means that you need to be able to define clearly what you mean by it. You also need to be able to explain how much is enough and too much.

The best way of doing this is by asking someone else who knows better than yourself about these things. If you have a friend or colleague who can help, this can be done by asking them for their advice on how to answer the question.

They may not always agree with your interpretation of what they say, but they will likely give examples that will help show why they think it’s right or wrong.

3 . Be specific

When describing how one item relates to another, be as specific as possible. Avoid using vague statements such as “it’s important” or “it’s essential.” Instead, give examples from your own experience and knowledge.

Use concrete examples to explain your answers. For example, instead of saying, “I’m good at planning,” say, “I helped my boss plan his trip last year.”

If possible, include documents or visual aids showing how you’ve demonstrated your skills.

4. Don’t be Boring

Don’t just say yes or no; make sure your answer is interesting enough to catch the interviewer’s attention. Saying “yes” has its place in an interview.

However, don’t be afraid to add some color with some personal anecdotes about how you’ve demonstrated those skills in the past that may not directly relate to what they’re looking for.

5. Don’t rush Through an Answer

Take your time! Read through each choice carefully before choosing the most relevant and appropriate for your answer. This will save time and improve your chances of answering correctly (if you make errors from rushing through, there may be little time left on the paper). 

Also Read: Dissertation Length: Optimal Length in Words and Pages

Examples of ‘to what extent” Questions

1. To what extent have you been able to learn Chinese?

2. To what extent do you feel that your English skills have improved?

3. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “I don’t enjoy learning languages.”

4. To what extent do Chinese people learn from the Japanese during the war?

5. To what extent is it true that most people do not know how to swim?

6. To what extent should a student be able to speak a foreign language?

7. To what extent should the government try to limit immigration?

9. How much does the price of gasoline affect the average American family’s disposable income?

10. What is your name? -To what extent do you agree/disagree with the statement “I am a good person”?

11. How many times have you been to the cinema? -To what extent do you agree/disagree with the statement “I enjoy going to the cinema”?

12. Which of these books do you like most? -To what extent do you agree/disagree with the statement “I like reading books”?

With over 10 years in academia and academic assistance, Alicia Smart is the epitome of excellence in the writing industry. She is our chief editor and in charge of the writing department at Grade Bees.

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Mastering “To What Extent” IELTS Essays: A Comprehensive Guide

“To what extent do you agree or disagree?” This phrase strikes fear into the hearts of many IELTS test-takers. It signals an essay demanding a nuanced understanding of a topic and the ability to present a well-structured, reasoned argument. But fear not, aspiring IELTS achievers! This guide will equip you with the knowledge and strategies to confidently tackle “to what extent” essays and boost your IELTS Writing score.

Understanding “To What Extent” Essays

In these essays, you’re presented with a statement and asked to assess the degree to which you agree or disagree. Unlike a simple agree/disagree essay, a “to what extent” essay requires you to explore the complexities of the issue and acknowledge varying perspectives.

Why is this essay type important for IELTS?

The “to what extent” essay tests your ability to:

• Analyze an issue critically: You must dissect the prompt, identifying its key components and potential arguments.
• Formulate a balanced argument: Acknowledging both sides of the argument is crucial, even if your opinion leans one way.
• Present a clear and logical argument: Your stance should be supported by relevant examples and coherent reasoning.

Crafting Your “To What Extent” Essay

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown to help you construct a high-scoring essay:

1. Analyze the Question

Carefully read the prompt and underline keywords. For example, let’s consider this prompt:

“Some people believe that technology has made our lives more stressful. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”

Keywords: technology, stressful, agree/disagree, to what extent

Determine your stance. Do you completely agree, partially agree, or disagree? Your essay will be structured around your chosen stance.

2. Plan Your Essay

Create a brief outline. This will help you organize your thoughts logically. A typical structure:

• Introduction: Introduce the topic, paraphrase the question, and clearly state your stance.
• Body Paragraph 1: Present your main argument supporting your stance with relevant examples.
• Body Paragraph 2: Acknowledge the opposing viewpoint and provide counter-arguments. This shows you have considered different perspectives.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your position in a clear and concise manner.

3. Write a Strong Introduction

Engage the reader with a hook. This could be a general statement about the topic or a rhetorical question.

Paraphrase the question. Demonstrate your understanding of the prompt using different words.

State your thesis statement. This is your overall stance on the issue. Be clear and concise.

Example Introduction:

In today’s rapidly evolving world, technology has become an indispensable part of our lives. While it offers undeniable conveniences, some argue that its proliferation has led to increased stress levels. While I acknowledge that technology can contribute to stress, I believe its benefits far outweigh this drawback.

4. Develop Your Body Paragraphs

Use topic sentences. Clearly state the main point of each paragraph.

Provide evidence and examples. Support your arguments with relevant and specific examples.

Use transition words and phrases. Ensure a smooth flow between ideas and paragraphs (e.g., however, furthermore, in contrast).

Example Body Paragraph:

One of the primary reasons I believe technology reduces stress is its ability to simplify daily tasks. For instance, online banking and shopping platforms eliminate the need for physical errands, saving time and effort. Furthermore, communication tools like email and instant messaging enable us to connect with others instantly, reducing the stress of missed calls or delayed responses.

5. Craft a Persuasive Conclusion

Summarize your main points. Briefly reiterate the key arguments presented in your essay.

Restate your thesis statement. Remind the reader of your overall stance on the issue.

End with a final thought. This could be a prediction, a call to action, or a thought-provoking statement.

Example Conclusion:

In conclusion, while technology may present some challenges, its ability to streamline daily tasks, enhance communication, and provide access to information significantly outweighs its potential to induce stress. As we continue to embrace technological advancements, it is crucial to use them judiciously to maximize their benefits and minimize any potential drawbacks.

Exam Tips & Strategies

• Manage your time wisely. Allocate time for planning, writing, and proofreading.
• Use a formal tone and avoid contractions. Maintain an academic style throughout your essay.
• Use a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures. Showcase your language proficiency.
• Proofread carefully for grammar and spelling errors. These mistakes can lower your score.

Example Essay Question & Answer

Some people believe that governments should spend money on public art, such as statues and sculptures. Others feel that public money should be spent on essential services. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The allocation of public funds is a topic of ongoing debate, with proponents for various sectors advocating for their perceived essential needs. While I acknowledge the importance of essential services such as healthcare and education, I firmly believe that governments should allocate a portion of their budget to public art.

Firstly, public art contributes significantly to a city’s cultural landscape and identity. Sculptures, murals, and installations transform mundane public spaces into vibrant, engaging environments. For instance, the “Cloud Gate” sculpture in Chicago has become an iconic landmark, attracting millions of visitors annually and boosting tourism revenue.

Conversely, some argue that public funds are better utilized in addressing pressing social issues. They contend that investing in healthcare, education, and infrastructure yields more tangible benefits for citizens. While this perspective has merit, it is important to recognize that art plays a vital role in fostering creativity and critical thinking, qualities essential for a thriving society.

In conclusion, while essential services undoubtedly deserve significant financial support, I believe that allocating a portion of public funds to public art is a worthwhile investment. Public art enriches cultural identity, stimulates creativity, and enhances the overall well-being of a community. Therefore, governments should strive for a balanced approach that addresses both essential needs and the artistic enrichment of their cities.

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Quick Guide to Writing a Successful To What Extent Essay

So, your teacher gave a simple assignment - to write a ‘to what extent’ essay. You are heartened by the nature of the task and assume that you’ll finish it in less than an hour. After all, just admitting that you agree or disagree with the statement and to what degree is all you asked to do.

You submit the paper and feel shocked when you see the score. How come you got an F for the minimalistic essay? How come the teacher didn’t get the idea of your inventive approach towards doing your homework or writing the exam?

Friend, we feel for you, but this essay type is really tricky. It involves more work than just saying, ‘I completely agree’ or ‘The author is right on the one hand, but on the other hand, I do not take this statement.’

So, in this article, we’ll detail the ‘to what extent’ essay and will show you how to write it in the right way.

What’s the Purpose of a ‘To What Extent’ Essay?

Before you learn how to answer to what extent question, let’s first take a look at the anatomy of this essay type.

This essay is usually inquiring about the importance or impact of one factor in relation to a wider concept or topic. It also makes an inquiry about the level of your consent and discontent on a specific topic.

For example, ‘To what extent do you agree that robots will replace manpower someday?’. Or ‘In your opinion, to what extent did Abraham Lincoln contributed to the death of slavery?’.

In other words, the aim of the ‘to what extent’ essay is to encourage the student to make a claim about the given topic and assess other conditions that affected the given phenomenon.

Things to Look For in Your Compelling ‘to What Extent’ Essay

The greatest challenge of the ‘to what extent’ essay is that you have to provide a perfect blend between the solid facts and your own in-depth evaluation. In other words, always think of the:

• facts and supportive materials on a narrow topic;
• facts and supportive materials on a broader topic;
• your own evaluation of the events, facts, etc.

Let’s consider the prompt about Abraham Lincoln as an example. At first, you should find and provide facts about the accomplishments of this persona (these would be pieces of information on the narrow topic). Then, mind searching for the materials about actions taken in the USA towards fighting slavery (this would be data to support the broader topic). And, finally, you’ve got to weigh how Lincoln’s legacy correlates with the general solution of the slavery problem.

Thus, you’ve got to apply a wide range of skills to write a winning ‘to what extent’ essay. You should show great research and analytical skills. In case you struggle with finding reputable and trusted sources online, you can always go to the school or college library or ask for assistance from a professional writer.

The Structure of the ‘to What Extent’ Essay

The surest way to write a great essay is to follow the commonly accepted structure. You’ve probably mastered the art of using the introduction, body, and conclusion by the time you are given this type of assignment. But the standard five-paragraph essay construction requires more detailed explanations so you could write a well-reasoned ‘to what extent’ essay.

Introduction

It’s not a surprise that all essays start with the introduction. This part of writing actualizes the subject matter and gives a hint on what’s the author’s point of view towards this or that question.

After you set the topic, you should express your attitude towards the idea provided in the statement. You can say that you completely agree or disagree. You can say that there are only several rational aspects that resonate with you, while some things do not awaken any positive response in your mind.

The key point of the introduction is to make a spoiler of what you are going to talk about in your essay, so do not keep it too long. 3-5 sentences are enough to briefly set the mood of your work and prepare the reader for more profound thoughts.

This is the most important part of the essay because it should contain your arguments and supportive facts in relation to your own ideas. In this structural element, you detail your point of view and give evidence of why you think that way.

The structure of the body will vary depending on what ideas you would like to deliver. But let’s assume that you partially agree with the suggested prompt and have some arguments against the initial thesis.

In this case, devote the first paragraph to explain why you agree with the statement. Break your ideas into logical blocks by combining your own ideas and facts from history, theory, or life. 

Use the next paragraph to show disagreement with the idea expressed in the prompt. Imagine that the reader is a complete rookie in the subject matter you are writing about and do your best to provide relevant and strong arguments to show why the thesis is not completely right.

In the final paragraph of the body suggest how the initial statement could be improved and what idea is more appropriate for you.

In the last paragraph, summarize the arguments and drive your own attitude to the problem, personality, or phenomenon.

The biggest mistake students make in this section is introducing completely new viewpoints that haven’t been shared in the essay. Remember once and for all. A conclusion is a part of the essay where you grab all your ideas together and make a generalized statement towards the essay prompt.

The Final Thought

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IELTS Writing Task 2: To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In this type of question, you are presented with an opinion and then asked to agree or disagree. Also, the phrase “to what extent” makes this type of question flexible, meaning that you can also have a balanced opinion.

In this article, I’m going to go through an example and write a high-scoring sample. I will walk you through all the steps so that you can develop a well-written essay too. The question is from IELTS past papers.

Here’s the essay question we’re going to work on:

Prevention is better than cure. Researching and treating diseases is too costly, so it would be better to invest in preventive measures. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

You can develop your essay in three ways. Depending on the question, choose the one that you’re most comfortable with. Keep in mind that your argument should be reasonable and examples specific.

Option 1: You completely agree with the opinion.

Medical research and treatment can be very expensive. Therefore, I completely agree that governments and medical organizations should focus on preventive healthcare instead.

Body Paragraph 1:

Explain why you think investing in research and treatment is not a good idea. 

Body paragraph 2: 

Explain why focusing on preventive measures is better. What are the benefits?

Conclusion:

Summarize your points in one complex sentence or two sentences.

Option 2: You completely disagree with the opinion.

It is argued that medical research and treatment are too expensive; therefore, preventive measures should be the focus of governments and medical organizations instead. I completely disagree with this idea and believe that allocating enough funds to the former is vital to save lives.

Explain why you disagree with the idea. What adverse effects might that bring about?

Body paragraph 2:

Explain why you believe enough funds should be allocated to research and treatment. What are the benefits?

Option 3: You take a balanced approach.

It is argued that preventive healthcare should be the main focus of the healthcare system instead of medical research and treatment due to the latter being too expensive. While I agree that preventive measures are necessary to stop diseases from spreading and lower healthcare expenditure, I also believe that allocating financial resources to research and treatment should continue despite their high costs. 

For this question, I’ve chosen option 3 because it makes the most sense to me. However, you can go with the other options. No problem!

Step 1: As always, you should start with spending 2 minutes reading and understanding the question . Once you have fully understood what the question asks of you, you can move on to the next step.

Step 2: Now, it’s time for you to plan your whole essay. If you do this part properly, you will save time and produce a better and cohesive essay. This step should take about 8 minutes .

Here’s my plan:

Note: You may not understand some parts of my plan until you’ve read my full essay. That’s because my planning is my thinking process written fast using signs. It’s just to remind me what to write in my essay. I have included it just to show you how you can plan. You can also make yours even shorter by using more signs of your own.

Introduction: Paraphrase the question + your thesis statement

Paraphrase: It is argued that……main focus…. due to…. too expensive

Thesis statement: While I agree that….necessary, I also believe that ….. continue despite…

Body paragraph 1: Why I believe preventive measures are necessary.

Main idea: Taking precautions reduces the spending on healthcare by keeping people’s wellness under control and preventing diseases before they occur.

Support 1: 

Example: vaccines create antibodies in healthy people→ no severe cases→hospital admissions decrease→costs go down

Support 2: 

Other measures: exercising and keeping weight in check→ lower the chance of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, which… lifetime + expensive medications

… is definitely effective in lowering costs…

Body paragraph 2: Why I believe the funding for research and treatment should continue despite the high costs.

Main idea: Effective preventive measures wouldn’t exist without proper research. + treatment addresses a specific disease or problem that prevention can’t completely eliminate.

Support 1 : Highly effective vaccines are developed after intense research on the virus or the bacteria.

Example: Pfizer, a private biopharmaceutical company, spend millions of dollars and several months on developing the most effective Covid-19 vaccines→no research funds, no vaccines.

Support 2 : Preventive measures cannot address hereditary diseases like type 1 diabetes. No amount of exercise can keep people ….. The only way … right medicines, which can be expensive. → Treatment … expensive but vital.

Conclusion : Prevention is an effective way to keep people healthy and the costs down; however, research and treatment not only… necessary… but also irreplaceable.

Step 3: Write your full essay. This step should take about 25 minutes .

Here’s my full essay:

On the one hand, taking precautions will reduce the spending on healthcare by keeping people’s wellness under control and preventing diseases before they occur. For instance, vaccines, one of the most used such measures, trigger the production of disease-fighting antibodies by the immune system and result in lower severe cases of illnesses and hospitalization, thus reducing the spending on healthcare. Other preventive methods also effectively lower the chance of chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes, which are usually caused by a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. Simply put, if people exercise regularly and keep their weight in check, they will have much fewer health issues and consequently lower the expenditure on healthcare. Therefore, I believe that prevention brings nothing but benefits to people and the healthcare system.

On the other hand, some effective preventive measures wouldn’t exist without proper research. In addition, treatment sometimes addresses specific diseases or problems that prevention can’t eliminate. For example, a highly effective vaccine such as that of Pfizer, which was developed for Covid-19, takes a lot of research and millions of dollars worth of production equipment to be developed and finally available for public use. Furthermore, preventive healthcare cannot address hereditary diseases like type-1 diabetes. Such illnesses can only be treated with expensive medications. Therefore, I firmly believe that it is worth funding research and treatment projects.

In conclusion, prevention is an effective way of keeping people healthy and the costs down; however, research and treatment are not only needed to develop effective preventive measures but also vital for some people.

(314 words)

Step 4: Spend about 5 minutes to read your work and correct your mistakes.

Here’s the summary:

• Spend 2 minutes to understand the task completely.
• Spend 8 minutes planning your essay.
• Spend 25 minutes writing your essay.
• Spend 5 minutes to read your work and correct your mistakes.

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• Academic practice
• General practice
• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

To what extent you agree or disagree essay

This lesson will guide you how to write essays in IELTS Writing that ask you to what extent you agree/disagree . Such questions are very common for IELTS Writing task 2 . In such essays your task is to say whether you:

• completely agree with a given statement 
• completely disagree with a given statement 
• partly agree / disagree

and  justify your opinion .

In this lesson you will see IELTS writing task 2 sample question + model answer . Also, you will learn the following points:

• how to decide on your opinion
• how to generate ideas to justify your opinion
• how to give a band 9 answer for agree/disagree question

To what extent you agree/disagree question sample

Let’s look at an example of IELTS writing task 2:

The government's investment in arts, music and theatre is a waste of money. Governments should invest these funds in public services instead.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Choose your opinion & generate ideas

Unlike classic agree/disagree questions, to what extent you agree or disagree questions do NOT ask you to clearly determine whether you agree or disagree with the given statement.

In fact, you have 3 major options for your opinion :

   AA : You completely agree (provide 2 ideas that strengthen the statement)    DD : You completely disagree (provide 2 ideas that weaken the statement)    AD : You agree or disagree partly (provide 1 idea that strengthens the statement and 1 idea that weakens it)

After you’ve decided your opinion,  generate 2-3 supporting points for it .

Now let’s generate supporting points for each of the opinions:

AA: Investment in arts, music and theatre is a waste of money

• Art, music and theatre don’t help to solve urgent problems of the society
• Art and music can develop as hobbies, and saved money can be directed towards urgent needs of the society
• If artists and musicians were employed at more traditional jobs, there would be a great benefit for science and industry

DD: Investment in arts, music and theatre is NOT a waste of money

• The arts and music preserve unique culture and heritage, passing nation’s cultural character and traditions to future generations
• Arts, music and theatre are an integral part of the society’s cultural and intellectual development and amusement
• A strong arts, music and theatre sector is an economic asset that creates new jobs and attracts tourism revenue

For this opinion, just combine ideas from the previous points.

For our essay, we’ll choose the last opinion - partially agree / disagree (AD).

Band 9 answer structure

There are a lot of ways to structure your essay, but we’ll use a structure that has been approved by many IELTS examiners to be high-scoring and coherent. Band-9 essay structure :

• Introduction

Body paragraph 1 - the 1st supporting point

• Body paragraph 2 - the 2nd supporting point

As you already know, you can write the supporting points of your body paragraphs in the following ways: agree + agree, disagree + disagree, agree + disagree. We’ll use the last option as our opinion is partially agree / disagree .

Let’s take a look at each of these sections in detail.

• Sentence 1 - paraphrase the statement  (you can use ‘ it is argued/considered/thought that ’ to start):

It is often argued that the government should finance public services instead of spending its budget on arts, music and theatre. 

• Sentence 2 - give your opinion :

Although I agree that government’s investments in public services play a very important role, I think that proper funding of arts sector is also crucial for the society.

• Sentence 1 - state the first reason you agree/disagree .

This sentence should contain the main idea of the whole 1st paragraph. In our case we’ll use the reason A: why it is important to finance public services. As we’ll be considering opposite opinions, it is a good idea to use a collocation on the one hand to introduce the first reason:

On the one hand, the government should definitely allocate a large part of its budget on public services.

• Sentences 2-3 - explain the reason .

To explain the reason effectively, you can imagine that your examiner didn’t understand what you were talking about and you have to explain every detail:

This economic sector determines the overall quality of life, ensuring that some basic services, like schools, hospitals and roads, are available to all citizens irrespective of their income or social status. Public services satisfy the primary needs of the society and thus need a proper funding, while artists and musicians are not curing diseases or building houses, so their role is secondary.

• Sentence 4 - example .

It’s always good to give examples in your body paragraphs, even if you’re not asked to do it (like in our case):

For example, any country can live without music concerts, but absence of medicine will create significant problems.

• Sentence 5 - a short summary of your ideas in this paragraph :

That’s why the government should adequately finance public services in the first place.

Body paragraph 2 - the 2nd reason you agree/disagree

• Sentence 1 - state the second reason you agree/disagree .

This statement should contain the main idea of the whole 2nd paragraph. This time we’ll use the reason D: why it is important to finance public services. As we are considering opposite opinions, it is a good idea to use a phrase on the other hand to introduce the second reason:

On the other hand, arts, music and theatre are not a waste of money, since they are an integral part of the society’s cultural and intellectual development and amusement.

• Sentences 2-3 - explain the reason  (assume that your examiner doesn’t understand the topic at all):

Firstly, art and music draw people’s attention to diverse phenomena and represent the inward significance of things. Quite often a single drawing, piece or song can exhort myriads of people to reconsider their attitude towards some situation. This way, art serves as a major source of nation’s personal and intellectual development. Moreover, visiting museums, watching movies and listening to music are common ways of relaxation and entertainment.

• Sentence 4 - support your idea with an example :

The question doesn’t ask us to give examples, plus we’ve already written a lot in this paragraph, so we’ll skip this point. 

• Sentence 5 - a short summary of your thoughts in the 2nd paragraph .

Thus, art sector is also important for the society and should not be neglected.

You can write the conclusion in  one sentence that summarizes your opinion + 2 reasons for it :

To conclude, though I agree that the government should allocate a large part of its budget on such urgent needs of the society like public services, I think that arts, music and theatre should also be financed since they play an important role in people’s development and entertainment.

DO NOT write new ideas in the conclusion!

Model answer

This is a full band-9 answer for to what extent you agree or disagree IELTS Writing question above:

It is often argued that the government should finance public services instead of spending its budget on arts, music and theatre. Although I agree that government’s investments in public services play a very important role, I think that proper funding of arts sector is also crucial for the society.

On the one hand, the government should definitely allocate a large part of its budget on public services. This economic sector determines the overall quality of life, ensuring that some basic services, like schools, hospitals and roads, are available to all citizens irrespective of their income or social status. Public services satisfy the primary needs of the society and thus need a proper funding, while artists and musicians are not curing diseases or building houses, so their role is secondary. For example, any country can live without music concerts, but absence of medicine will create significant problems. That’s why the government should adequately finance public services in the first place.

On the other hand, arts, music and theatre are not a waste of money, since they are an integral part of the society’s cultural and intellectual development and amusement. Firstly, art and music draw people’s attention to diverse phenomena and represent the inward significance of things. Quite often a single drawing, piece or song can exhort myriads of people to reconsider their attitude towards some situation. This way, art serves as a major source of nation’s personal and intellectual development. Moreover, visiting museums, watching movies and listening to music are common ways of relaxation and entertainment. Thus, art sector is also important for the society and should not be neglected.

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IELTS To What Extent Essay Introductions

Hey! When students prepare for IELTS writing, they often learn “chunks” of language – these are groups of words or certain sentence structures that can be used in any essay. I encourage this. For example, I tell my students to always use an “although” sentence in the conclusion of an Advantages / Disadvantages essay as this is the best way to summarise both sides. In the same way, it can be great to use a cleft sentence when you are writing topic sentences for an IELTS To What Extent Essay, or to use a “while” sentence in the introduction of a Discuss Both Sides essay. Using these “chunks” will help you to write more quickly and be sure that the structure of your essay is correct.

However, whenever you learn a “chunk” of language, you have to be careful to use it in the correct way. What works in a problem / solution essay might not be good in a positive / negative development essay. The key is not just knowing what to write, but WHY you are writing it.

One area where I see many students have a problem is in the introductions to IELTS To What Extent essays. So, in today’s blog, I want to show you the TWO DIFFERENT TYPES of To What Extent questions (yes, that’s a surprise!) and how you can customise your introduction so that it 100% targets the question.

The Problem with IELTS Agree/Disagree Introductions

Let’s start by showing you the problem. I want you to read the following question and the student’s introduction and see if you can identify what they have done wrong (the question is from my 100 IELTS Essay Questions blog ).

International sporting events promote peace between countries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?   There are many sporting events each year in which teams from different countries participate. However, while some people think that these events harm the relationship between countries, I agree that they help to promote peace for two reasons.

Can you spot the problem here?

Has the student introduced the general topic of the essay in the first sentence? Yes – they have done a good job here. Have they given an opinion? Yes – they have said that they agree with the statement for two reasons. Again, this is good. So, what is the problem? Well, let’s look at this part of the final sentence:

However, while some people think that these events harm the relationship between countries , I agree that they help to promote peace for two reasons.

First of all, look at the question again – where does it mention “some people”? IT DOES NOT! We have NOT been given an OPINION to agree or disagree with, we have been given a STATEMENT. What does this mean?

Well, firstly, you must not add “some people” into an introduction if they do not exist in the task (clearly this student is trying to recycle their introduction to a Discuss Both Sides essay but it does not work here).

Secondly, look at what the student has said –   “some people think that these events can harm the relationship between countries “.  Really? Can international sports events really “harm” international relationships? Of course they can’t!!! You can argue that they do not promote peace, but you can’t say that they “harm” it – that’s ludicrous. I see this problem all the time. A student is so desperate to use a “while” sentence that they invent an “opposite side” that makes no sense.

The lesson? If you are not given any “people” in an IELTS To What Extent Essay question, do not add them to your introduction (and definitely don’t invent an opposite position for them that makes no sense!)

How to write good  IELTS Agree/Disagree Introductions

So, how should we write good introductions for this type of essay? Well, it will depend on the question. Let’s start by looking at questions like the one above i.e. that give us a STATEMENT to agree or disagree with.

Questions where we are given a STATEMENT / FACT  

50% of IELTS To What Extent questions just give you a sentence or a statement to agree or disagree with. Don’t worry too much about what “statement” means, all you need to know is that these questions do not include the words “some believe”.  Take this question for example:

Employers should give longer holidays to employees to help them do their job more efficiently . To what extent do you agree or disagree? =   STATEMENT 

The underlined part does not start with “Some believe” so we should not invent people who have the opposite view. All we have to do is tell the examiner what WE believe. If you have a question like this in your exam, I recommend you use one of these introductions, depending on your opinion:

Agree: Most people take some time off work each year to travel abroad or spend time with their friends and family.   In fact, I agree  that staff should be given longer holidays as it will motivate them and help them to improve their performance at work.

We cannot use a “while” sentence here as there is no contrast. Instead, we simply say “I agree” and paraphrase the statement . Note that I used “In fact” to join the sentences. I think that these are the only words that you need to transition in this sentence. Here, I have given the two specific reasons why I agree, but you don’t have to do this. If you want to keep things super simple, you can just say:

Most people take some time off work each year to travel abroad or spend time with their friends and family. In fact, I agree  that  giving  staff longer holidays makes them more efficient in the workplace   for two reasons.

OK, so that’s what you should write if you agree, but what happened if you disagree? Well, we simply switch “in fact” for “however”, and “agree” for “disagree” – simple!

Disagree: Most people take some time off work each year to travel abroad or spend time with their friends and family. However, I disagree  that staff should be given longer holidays as it will cost businesses too much money and could actually demotivate the employees.

Again, if you want to, you can save the specific arguments for the body of the essay and just replace it with “for two reasons”. Please NEVER use “due to two reasons” or “because of two reasons” as “due to” and “because of” have the same meaning as “reason”. It sounds strange having both in one sentence!

OK, so now we know how to write introductions for questions that give a statement (and I am assuming that you are going to strongly agree or disagree for reasons that I outline in  this blog post ), but what do we do when there ARE “some people” in a question?

Question where we are given an OPINION to agree or disagree with

I have to admit that this is a relatively new type of question (well, for somebody who has been teaching IELTS for almost 20 years, it feels new!). In the past, nearly all IELTS To What Extent questions gave just a statement, but more and more now give an OPINION. It’s easy to recognise when we are being given an opinion because the task will include the words “Some people believe” or “Some people think”:

Some people think that children should be taught how to manage money at school.  To what extent do you agree or disagree?  = OPINION

Again, we now have two options – to agree or to disagree. Last time, the choice didn’t make a great deal of difference to the language in our introduction, but here it does. Let’s imagine that you agree:

Agree: Being able to handle money effectively is an important life skill.   In fact, I agree with those who believe that financial literacy should be taught in school for two reasons.

Can you see what I did here? I didn’t just say “I agree”, or use the silly phrase “Some people think that financial literacy should be taught in schools and I agree ” (adding “and I agree” to the end of a sentence is the weakest way to present an opinion) ! No, I used the phrase “I agree with those”. If you choose to disagree here, well, you can FINALLY use your friend the “while” sentence as you DO disagree with “some people”!

Disagree: Being able to handle money effectively is an important life skill.   However,  while  some  believe that  financial literacy should be taught in school, I feel that it is better  learned when people are older and already in the workplace.

This is the ONLY variant of the four introductions where we can use ‘while’ as it is the only time that we disagree with a group of people!

IELTS To What Extent Essay Introductions Summary

Ok, there is a lot of information here, but if you think about it carefully, the logic is simple, so let’s re-cap.

• If you are given a statement,  never say “some people” but simply state if you agree or disagree (NO “while” sentences!).
• If you are given an opinion , use the phrase “I agree with those who feel” if you agree, or a “while” sentence if you disagree.

Trust me – if you can remember these simple rules, you are going to make a GREAT first impression. Using the right introduction shows the examiner that you are a student who can use language flexibly (and not one who uses the same introduction for EVERY essay!).

If you found this lesson useful, you are going to LOVE my video writing lessons , which contain clear and simple instructions like this for EVERY aspect of IELTS writing. So don’t delay, come and join us in My IELTS Classroom today and start getting the help you need to achieve IELTS success.

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• Focus and Precision: How to Write Essays that Answer the Question

About the Author Stephanie Allen read Classics and English at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and is currently researching a PhD in Early Modern Academic Drama at the University of Fribourg.

We’ve all been there. You’ve handed in an essay and you think it’s pretty great: it shows off all your best ideas, and contains points you’re sure no one else will have thought of.

You’re not totally convinced that what you’ve written is relevant to the title you were given – but it’s inventive, original and good. In fact, it might be better than anything that would have responded to the question. But your essay isn’t met with the lavish praise you expected. When it’s tossed back onto your desk, there are huge chunks scored through with red pen, crawling with annotations like little red fire ants: ‘IRRELEVANT’; ‘A bit of a tangent!’; ‘???’; and, right next to your best, most impressive killer point: ‘Right… so?’. The grade your teacher has scrawled at the end is nowhere near what your essay deserves. In fact, it’s pretty average. And the comment at the bottom reads something like, ‘Some good ideas, but you didn’t answer the question!’.

If this has ever happened to you (and it has happened to me, a lot), you’ll know how deeply frustrating it is – and how unfair it can seem. This might just be me, but the exhausting process of researching, having ideas, planning, writing and re-reading makes me steadily more attached to the ideas I have, and the things I’ve managed to put on the page. Each time I scroll back through what I’ve written, or planned, so far, I become steadily more convinced of its brilliance. What started off as a scribbled note in the margin, something extra to think about or to pop in if it could be made to fit the argument, sometimes comes to be backbone of a whole essay – so, when a tutor tells me my inspired paragraph about Ted Hughes’s interpretation of mythology isn’t relevant to my essay on Keats, I fail to see why. Or even if I can see why, the thought of taking it out is wrenching. Who cares if it’s a bit off-topic? It should make my essay stand out, if anything! And an examiner would probably be happy not to read yet another answer that makes exactly the same points. If you recognise yourself in the above, there are two crucial things to realise. The first is that something has to change: because doing well in high school exam or coursework essays is almost totally dependent on being able to pin down and organise lots of ideas so that an examiner can see that they convincingly answer a question. And it’s a real shame to work hard on something, have good ideas, and not get the marks you deserve. Writing a top essay is a very particular and actually quite simple challenge. It’s not actually that important how original you are, how compelling your writing is, how many ideas you get down, or how beautifully you can express yourself (though of course, all these things do have their rightful place). What you’re doing, essentially, is using a limited amount of time and knowledge to really answer a question. It sounds obvious, but a good essay should have the title or question as its focus the whole way through . It should answer it ten times over – in every single paragraph, with every fact or figure. Treat your reader (whether it’s your class teacher or an external examiner) like a child who can’t do any interpretive work of their own; imagine yourself leading them through your essay by the hand, pointing out that you’ve answered the question here , and here , and here. Now, this is all very well, I imagine you objecting, and much easier said than done. But never fear! Structuring an essay that knocks a question on the head is something you can learn to do in a couple of easy steps. In the next few hundred words, I’m going to share with you what I’ve learned through endless, mindless crossings-out, rewordings, rewritings and rethinkings.

Top tips and golden rules

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been told to ‘write the question at the top of every new page’- but for some reason, that trick simply doesn’t work for me. If it doesn’t work for you either, use this three-part process to allow the question to structure your essay:

1)     Work out exactly what you’re being asked

It sounds really obvious, but lots of students have trouble answering questions because they don’t take time to figure out exactly what they’re expected to do – instead, they skim-read and then write the essay they want to write. Sussing out a question is a two-part process, and the first part is easy. It means looking at the directions the question provides as to what sort of essay you’re going to write. I call these ‘command phrases’ and will go into more detail about what they mean below. The second part involves identifying key words and phrases.

2)     Be as explicit as possible

Use forceful, persuasive language to show how the points you’ve made do answer the question. My main focus so far has been on tangential or irrelevant material – but many students lose marks even though they make great points, because they don’t quite impress how relevant those points are. Again, I’ll talk about how you can do this below.

3)     Be brutally honest with yourself about whether a point is relevant before you write it.

It doesn’t matter how impressive, original or interesting it is. It doesn’t matter if you’re panicking, and you can’t think of any points that do answer the question. If a point isn’t relevant, don’t bother with it. It’s a waste of time, and might actually work against you- if you put tangential material in an essay, your reader will struggle to follow the thread of your argument, and lose focus on your really good points.

Put it into action: Step One

Let’s imagine you’re writing an English essay about the role and importance of the three witches in Macbeth . You’re thinking about the different ways in which Shakespeare imagines and presents the witches, how they influence the action of the tragedy, and perhaps the extent to which we’re supposed to believe in them (stay with me – you don’t have to know a single thing about Shakespeare or Macbeth to understand this bit!). Now, you’ll probably have a few good ideas on this topic – and whatever essay you write, you’ll most likely use much of the same material. However, the detail of the phrasing of the question will significantly affect the way you write your essay. You would draw on similar material to address the following questions: Discuss Shakespeare’s representation of the three witches in Macbeth . How does Shakespeare figure the supernatural in Macbeth ?   To what extent are the three witches responsible for Macbeth’s tragic downfall? Evaluate the importance of the three witches in bringing about Macbeth’s ruin. Are we supposed to believe in the three witches in Macbeth ? “Within Macbeth ’s representation of the witches, there is profound ambiguity about the actual significance and power of their malevolent intervention” (Stephen Greenblatt). Discuss.   I’ve organised the examples into three groups, exemplifying the different types of questions you might have to answer in an exam. The first group are pretty open-ended: ‘discuss’- and ‘how’-questions leave you room to set the scope of the essay. You can decide what the focus should be. Beware, though – this doesn’t mean you don’t need a sturdy structure, or a clear argument, both of which should always be present in an essay. The second group are asking you to evaluate, constructing an argument that decides whether, and how far something is true. Good examples of hypotheses (which your essay would set out to prove) for these questions are:

• The witches are the most important cause of tragic action in Macbeth.
• The witches are partially, but not entirely responsible for Macbeth’s downfall, alongside Macbeth’s unbridled ambition, and that of his wife.
• We are not supposed to believe the witches: they are a product of Macbeth’s psyche, and his downfall is his own doing.
• The witches’ role in Macbeth’s downfall is deliberately unclear. Their claim to reality is shaky – finally, their ambiguity is part of an uncertain tragic universe and the great illusion of the theatre. (N.B. It’s fine to conclude that a question can’t be answered in black and white, certain terms – as long as you have a firm structure, and keep referring back to it throughout the essay).

The final question asks you to respond to a quotation. Students tend to find these sorts of questions the most difficult to answer, but once you’ve got the hang of them I think the title does most of the work for you – often implicitly providing you with a structure for your essay. The first step is breaking down the quotation into its constituent parts- the different things it says. I use brackets: ( Within Macbeth ’s representation of the witches, ) ( there is profound ambiguity ) about the ( actual significance ) ( and power ) of ( their malevolent intervention ) Examiners have a nasty habit of picking the most bewildering and terrifying-sounding quotations: but once you break them down, they’re often asking for something very simple. This quotation, for example, is asking exactly the same thing as the other questions. The trick here is making sure you respond to all the different parts. You want to make sure you discuss the following:

• Do you agree that the status of the witches’ ‘malevolent intervention’ is ambiguous?
• What is its significance?
• How powerful is it?

Step Two: Plan

Having worked out exactly what the question is asking, write out a plan (which should be very detailed in a coursework essay, but doesn’t have to be more than a few lines long in an exam context) of the material you’ll use in each paragraph. Make sure your plan contains a sentence at the end of each point about how that point will answer the question. A point from my plan for one of the topics above might look something like this:

To what extent are we supposed to believe in the three witches in Macbeth ?  Hypothesis: The witches’ role in Macbeth’s downfall is deliberately unclear. Their claim to reality is uncertain – finally, they’re part of an uncertain tragic universe and the great illusion of the theatre. Para.1: Context At the time Shakespeare wrote Macbeth , there were many examples of people being burned or drowned as witches There were also people who claimed to be able to exorcise evil demons from people who were ‘possessed’. Catholic Christianity leaves much room for the supernatural to exist This suggests that Shakespeare’s contemporary audience might, more readily than a modern one, have believed that witches were a real phenomenon and did exist.

My final sentence (highlighted in red) shows how the material discussed in the paragraph answers the question. Writing this out at the planning stage, in addition to clarifying your ideas, is a great test of whether a point is relevant: if you struggle to write the sentence, and make the connection to the question and larger argument, you might have gone off-topic.

Step Three: Paragraph beginnings and endings

The final step to making sure you pick up all the possible marks for ‘answering the question’ in an essay is ensuring that you make it explicit how your material does so. This bit relies upon getting the beginnings and endings of paragraphs just right. To reiterate what I said above, treat your reader like a child: tell them what you’re going to say; tell them how it answers the question; say it, and then tell them how you’ve answered the question. This need not feel clumsy, awkward or repetitive. The first sentence of each new paragraph or point should, without giving too much of your conclusion away, establish what you’re going to discuss, and how it answers the question. The opening sentence from the paragraph I planned above might go something like this:

Early modern political and religious contexts suggest that Shakespeare’s contemporary audience might more readily have believed in witches than his modern readers.

The sentence establishes that I’m going to discuss Jacobean religion and witch-burnings, and also what I’m going to use those contexts to show. I’d then slot in all my facts and examples in the middle of the paragraph. The final sentence (or few sentences) should be strong and decisive, making a clear connection to the question you’ve been asked:

  Contemporary suspicion that witches did exist, testified to by witch-hunts and exorcisms, is crucial to our understanding of the witches in Macbeth.  To the early modern consciousness, witches were a distinctly real and dangerous possibility – and the witches in the play would have seemed all-the-more potent and terrifying as a result.

Step Four: Practice makes perfect

The best way to get really good at making sure you always ‘answer the question’ is to write essay plans rather than whole pieces. Set aside a few hours, choose a couple of essay questions from past papers, and for each:

• Write a hypothesis
• Write a rough plan of what each paragraph will contain
• Write out the first and last sentence of each paragraph

You can get your teacher, or a friend, to look through your plans and give you feedback. If you follow this advice, fingers crossed, next time you hand in an essay, it’ll be free from red-inked comments about irrelevance, and instead showered with praise for the precision with which you handled the topic, and how intently you focused on answering the question. It can seem depressing when your perfect question is just a minor tangent from the question you were actually asked, but trust me – high praise and good marks are all found in answering the question in front of you, not the one you would have liked to see. Teachers do choose the questions they set you with some care, after all; chances are the question you were set is the more illuminating and rewarding one as well.

Image credits: banner ; Keats ; Macbeth ; James I ; witches .

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How to Answer “To What Extent Essay” Question

Sep 3, 2024

Sep 3, 2024 | Blog

Essay-based examinations are one of the most devastating exams students have to face.

These exams are devastating and intimidating because you have to understand all the facts and information about an essay.

Want to read a First-class “to what extent essay…” paper? Here at EssayFreelanceWriters.Com, our specialty is writing exceptional essays to use as inspiration and learning for your own argumentative essay writing and coursework writing.

Unsure where to start with how to answer to what extent essay? Please send us your essay title , and let our academics guide you to success.

The most common extent questions that we will tackle include;

• “To what extent..”
• “How does the writer….”
• “Compare and contrast….”
• “For and against….”
• Close reference

Read Also: How to Write a “To What Extent” Essay

Table of Contents

How to answer “To what extent Essay” Question

Popular question types that appear on exams is one that starts with the phrase, “To what extent/degree.” Although it appears frequently and especially in exam papers, some teachers or students may not know how to write a sophisticated response.

Thankfully these common questions are simple as long as you know specifically what they’re asking for.

Being asked to write an essay response for a “To what extent’ question” can be daunting, but don’t worry! I’m here to help.

This blog post will explain how you should answer this inquiry type and provide tips on writing your assessment pieces to be concise and confident.

Understanding the “To What Extent Questions”

To start, it is important to understand the meaning of ‘degrees’ or ‘extent’ in this type of question.

Regardless if one word is used over another, they both mean the same thing: they ask you to assign a degree on how influential or important a particular factor is regarding that topic at hand.

There are many ways to measure the importance of something, but a simple scale can be helpful.

The most important question you will be asked in the essay test is to what degree/extent. It would help if you argued which of two things was more important and why it should win over its competitor.

So, you will argue that one of the two factors was “to a greater degree” important while the other is “to a lesser extent.”

Many factors can come into play when it comes to who or what is the most important.

There may be a time when only one factor was necessary for someone’s success, but this would not often happen as there are always other contributing elements at hand.

In a nutshell, an essay question that asks, “to what extent…” is generally prompting you to explain how much you agree with the idea being posed.

It is not – as is sometimes thought by students – asking whether you outright agree or disagree with the idea.

With these types of questions, if you choose not to agree with the idea being posed, you might end up with a very short essay, or worse, with a failing grade.

So, if the answer to a “to what extent…” essay question is nearly always “yes, I agree,” you might wonder what the point of the essay is. The key here is in understanding the essay questions.

To What Extent Essay Writing

This is one of the most asked essay questions when it comes to exams.

You will see these questions appearing in different papers many times because the examiner wants them to exhibit their diverse skills in the subject.

The examiner wants to see how well you understand the subject that is being talked about.

How well you can explain your knowledge concerning the subject is also examined in the question.

This kind of question will also help students display their judgments concerning specific information they have captured from the subject matter.

There are many difficulties when it comes to write-ups that ask ‘Agree or Disagree.’ The IELTS writing popularizes this type of writing–the most famous test people take to prove their English language expertise.

With this article, we will guide you on which structure might work best for your essay writing and how you can generate ideas and support them with evidence within a sentence.

Before all that, though, check out some questions one could expect during an International Language Testing System (IELTS).

‘To What Extent Questions Examples

IELTS exams are challenging and can feel impossible. There’s a lot of waiting around, but don’t worry! The writing will help you get through the test with ease. They’ll give you an idea of what to expect in your exam as well so that it won’t be completely foreign when taking them out into real-life situations such as job interviews or meetings at work–or even just regular conversations with friends about current events.

• Young people make the best leaders of today’s tech-driven organizations. How much do you concur or disapprove?
• Public libraries have been a waste of resources since computer technology evolved. Discuss.
• Age group is a key determinant of purchasing decisions. Do you concede or dissent? To what degree?

What to include in your Custom “To What Great Extent ” or “To Very small Extent” Essay.

When it comes to answering the to what extent question, there are two things that you need to include.

1) You need to ensure that you have detailed source evidence and extra material to support your argument.

When you have evidence concerning what you are talking about, you will earn marks because you know what you are talking about concerning the subject.

Having the evidence will also help you to support your argument and judgments.

2) You should be able to link to wider issues, topics, or arguments that support your point of view.

Your ability to produce other factors that affect your point of view will widen the importance of your argument.

These two elements are very important when answering “to what extent questions” in an essay.

It is important to remember that in answering this type of essay question, ensure you stick to the general structure and change only those places that require changes.

Being able to analyze your evidence is also very important.

When it comes to analyzing your evidence, get some questions that can help you out.

For example, get to answer the potential weaknesses that the evidence has.

How to structure your custom to what extent essay

When you consider essay writers, we will help you develop a series of custom essay formats.

The importance of these custom essay formats is to help you to answer essay-based questions correctly briefly. When you consider us, you will excel in your examinations because we offer a step-to-step solution to the questions. You will learn and get more information concerning

When it comes to answering to what extent kind of question, a custom essay should look as follows.

Introduction

It is important to ensure that your introduction is brief and as clear as possible, and you understand the requirements of the question.

Here you are expected to give a brief answer to the question given.

To what extent question, you need to ensure you agree with the statement of the example essay question to a certain extent.

Consider taking into account other aspects that influence the essay topic .

Body Paragraph 1 and 2

To prove the assumption stated is true in a question, you are expected to provide detailed evidence.

This is what paragraphs one and two are all about.

You are also supposed to explain why the question is true based on the evidence that you have.

You are also expected to answer the question as a whole.

Incorporating detailed evidence will always demonstrate how much you know of the subject matter and will help to support the angle and strength of your argument.

Linking sentence

The linking sentence part is where you run through the main points you explained in paragraphs 1 and 2.

It is also important to know that this kind of question cannot completely be true because you will explain other aspects that play a part in the subject.

Paragraphs 3 and 4

This part of the essay will explain the extent to which the question is not true.

You can do this in two ways.

• You can do this by showing the weaknesses in the question.
• You can also do this by giving alternatives.

To answer to what degree questions essay, you must end your essay through a concluding summary.

Any ‘To what extent’ custom essay must end with a conclusion that answers the question. Recap the points that suggest it was true and the points against, and then conclude whether you agree the statement is true ‘To a certain extent, ‘To a great extent, or ‘To a very small extent.

The concluding summary will answer the overall question. You can do the concluding summary in the following way. Highlight points that claim the question to be true. Highlight the points that claim the question to be untrue.

After you have done this, do a conclusion based on your judgment on whether you agree with the statement to be true and to which extent.

You can either agree with the statement to a great extent, a small extent, or to a certain extent.

It is also important to ensure you conclude with a summary of both sides’ arguments and explain why you choose one side over the other.

Once you are done doing this, it is important to consider going through the formatting guidelines to ensure your work is clean and required.

It is essential to proofread your work so that it can be free from errors and omissions.

Get help with your To what Extent Essay Questions

You can consider getting a proofreader who can help you out because you may miss out on some errors and omissions when you proofread your work.

When you have written your essay correctly, you will be assured of getting the best grades.

With a passion for helping students navigate their educational journey, I strive to create informative and relatable blog content. Whether it’s tackling exam stress, offering career guidance, or sharing effective study techniques

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