Short answer: use a template for structure, never for sentences. A flexible 4-paragraph frame — intro, two bodies, conclusion — helps you plan fast and organise clearly. But memorised template phrases ("In this modern era, it is a hotly debated topic…") are spotted instantly and lower your score.
✍️ Open Typehush and practise the template on real questions →There's a crucial distinction. A structural template — the shape of the essay and the job of each paragraph — is genuinely helpful: it lets you plan in seconds and guarantees clear organisation. A sentence template — fixed phrases you drop in regardless of the question — is a trap. Examiners are trained to recognise memorised language, and pre-learned sentences that don't precisely fit the prompt reduce your Task Response and Lexical Resource scores. Learn the frame; write the words fresh each time.
| Paragraph | Its job (adapt the words to the question) |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Paraphrase the question · state your position |
| Body 1 | Topic sentence · explain · example · link |
| Body 2 | Topic sentence · explain · example · link |
| Conclusion | Restate your position · final thought |
That's the whole template. It reaches Band 9, fits inside 40 minutes, and — crucially — leaves every actual sentence for you to write to the specific question.
The same four-paragraph template handles all Task 2 types; only the job of the two body paragraphs changes. Opinion: both bodies support your view. Discussion: one per view, plus your opinion. Problem-solution: one for problems, one for solutions. Advantages-disadvantages: one each. Two-part question: one per question. The introduction and conclusion always do the same job. Learn this one adaptable frame and you never face a Task 2 question without knowing its shape — which removes a huge amount of exam stress.
This is exactly why a structural template is worth having while a sentence template is not. The structure is what stays constant across every question, so learning it once pays off on every prompt; the sentences must change with each question, so learning them in advance is wasted effort at best and a penalty at worst. Put your preparation into owning the frame and generating ideas quickly, and leave the wording to be produced fresh in the room — that split is what separates candidates who use templates well from those a template drags down.
Candidates cling to memorised openers and linking phrases hoping to save time, but they cost marks three ways. They rarely fit the exact question, so they read as bolted-on. They're instantly recognisable to examiners, who see the same phrases thousands of times. And they don't demonstrate your own language, which is exactly what Lexical Resource measures. A fresh, plain sentence that answers the question beats a fancy memorised one that doesn't. The template gives you the structure so you have the time and headspace to write those fresh sentences.
You don't memorise this template — you practise it until it's automatic. Write enough essays following the frame and the four moves become instinct: you read a question, instantly see its four-paragraph shape, and start writing. The way to get there fast is to read and type high-band model essays, feeling how each one fills the same structure with question-specific content, then reproduce the shape on fresh prompts. On the computer test, an automatic structure also frees your attention for typing accurately and finishing in time.
A template alone is inert — it becomes powerful when combined with real practice. Typehush's library lets you type Band 6, 7 and 8 model essays that all use this four-paragraph frame, so you see it adapt across question types and bands while building your typing speed for the computer test. Then you write your own timed answers on the same real questions. The template gives you the shape; typing real model essays gives you the language and speed to fill it well — together, that's what turns a structure into a score.
Type all 156 Cambridge Band 6–8 model essays with live word count →Use a template for structure — the four-paragraph shape and each paragraph's job — but not for sentences. Memorised phrases that do not fit the question lower your Task Response and Lexical Resource scores.
Yes. The four-paragraph frame fits every type; only the job of the two body paragraphs changes. The introduction and conclusion always do the same thing.
They rarely fit the exact question, examiners recognise them instantly, and they do not show your own language — which is exactly what Lexical Resource measures.
Practise it until the four moves are instinct. Reading and typing high-band model essays that use the same frame, then writing your own timed answers, is the fastest way.
Typehush — practise typing high-band IELTS model essays for the computer-based Writing test. Start practising · Model-essay library · Task 2 structure · Band 9 samples