Why fence-sitting kills your band
The IELTS scoring rubric for Writing Task 2 lists "presents a clear position throughout the response" as the Band 7 floor for Task Response. Speaking Part 3 has the same logic under Fluency and Coherence — examiners look for a stance, then development, then an example. None of that is possible if you don't land on a side.
The 15-second decision rule
Don't ask yourself "what do I genuinely think?" — that's a philosophy question and it's not what the test is grading. Instead ask: 1. Which side has the easier examples to come up with? If you can name two specific examples for one side in 15 seconds, that's your side. 2. Which side has the stronger reasons in your head right now? Pick the one with two reasons, not one. 3. Commit. Don't revisit. Once you pick, every sentence supports that side. The opposite view gets exactly one concession sentence, no more.
Pick the strongest opening
The prompt is "Some people argue that university education should be free for everyone. To what extent do you agree?" Which opening sentence sets up the strongest essay?
Pick one. You'll see why straight away.
The four frames that always work
When you have nothing else, drop into one of these four frames. They work for any opinion question, in any IELTS section, in any topic area. Memorise the shape — the content fills itself in once the shape is locked.
1. Concession-led: "Yes, primarily because… though I acknowledge X"
Strongest default. Take a clear side, lead with your strongest reason, concede ONE point to the opposing view at the very end. The concession makes you sound considered without sacrificing your position.
Fence-sitter
There are good arguments on both sides. On one hand, X is true. On the other hand, Y is also true. So it really depends.
Concession-led
I broadly agree, primarily because X — for instance, [concrete example]. Critics point to Y, which is partly fair, but the X effect outweighs it for most people.
2. Conditional: "It depends on Y, but in most cases…"
Use sparingly. Sounds nuanced if you actually land on a side after the condition. Sounds like fence-sitting if you don't. The trick is to commit in the second clause.
3. Personal stance: "Personally I think X, but I can see why some Y"
Best in Speaking Part 3. Examiners want to hear your view in conversation; the "personal" framing makes a strong stance feel natural. The "I can see why some" softener gives space for a quick concession that doesn't undermine you.
4. Reframe: "While X is partly true, the bigger issue is Y"
Use when neither side of the question feels right. Reframe to something you DO have a view on. Risky — the examiner might judge you didn't address the prompt — but powerful when executed well. Best for prompts that present a false dichotomy.
Outright bans rarely succeed in liberal societies, and total laissez-faire ignores the public-health cost. The bigger issue is the half-measure approach most governments take. Below are two examples of policies that actually work…
Reframe move on a smoking-ban prompt. Refuses the binary, commits to a defended third position ("half-measures don't work"), promises concrete examples. Sounds considered, never fence-sits.
The three traps
Trap 1: List-mode prose
Listing pros, then cons, then saying "both have merit" is the most common Band 6 essay shape. You're not narrating a Wikipedia page — you're arguing. Every paragraph should build the case for your side, not catalogue all available views.
Listing (Band 6)
On the one hand, technology helps students learn faster. On the other hand, it can be distracting. Both points have merit and it really depends on how it's used.
Arguing (Band 7+)
Technology accelerates learning when adopted with discipline — research from Stanford shows interactive tools cut comprehension time by 30%. The distraction risk is real, but it's a curriculum-design problem, not a technology problem.
Trap 2: Memorised "balanced" templates
Examiners are trained to flag essays that feel formulaic. Phrases like "this is a controversial issue that has been debated for many years" or "in conclusion, it can be seen that both sides have valid arguments" trigger that flag instantly. They also commit you to fence-sitting from the first sentence.
Trap 3: Over-hedging
Every "might", "could possibly", "in some cases", "perhaps" weakens your position. One or two across an essay is fine — that's careful writing. Five or more and you've hedged yourself out of a band.
Spot the band-killer
Examiner: "Do you think social media has had a positive impact on society?" Which response would lose marks fastest?
Pick one. You'll see why straight away.
"I genuinely have no view" — the escape hatch
Sometimes you'll get a prompt where you genuinely don't have an opinion — typically a Speaking Part 3 question on a niche topic ("do you think traditional sports are losing popularity?"). The move is the same as Strategy 4 above: reframe to a specific subset where you DO have a view.
- I haven't thought about [topic] in general, but in [specific subset]…
- Lets you commit to a defended position without claiming expertise on the broad question. Examiners hear this as appropriate hedging, not fence-sitting.
- I'm not sure about [whole population], but among [people I know]…
- Personalises the question to your direct experience. Lower stakes, easier to defend with concrete examples.
- It's hard to generalise, but the trend I notice is [X]…
- Acknowledges the question's complexity then takes a position anyway. Sounds humble; lands a stance.
Speaking Part 3 in particular
Part 3 is where most students fence-sit because the questions are abstract and there's no time to prepare. Use this 4-sentence shape:
Honestly, I think most people should retire earlier, not later — life expectancy isn't growing as fast as governments assume, and forcing 70-year-olds to keep working is brutal. My grandfather had to work until 68 and his health really suffered. That said, I get the funding pressure on pension systems, so I understand why the policy is going the other way.
Examiner asked "should people retire later?". This is the 4-sentence shape in action: position → reason → personal example → acknowledge alternative. Stops cleanly. Band 7+.
Pattern recognition
- 1
You're answering "Should governments ban junk food advertising?" and you genuinely don't have a strong view. Which frame fits best?
Pick one. You'll see why straight away.
- 2
In a 4-paragraph Task 2 essay, where should the concession to the opposing view appear?
Pick one. You'll see why straight away.
Two worked examples, end-to-end
Example A — Writing Task 2
Prompt: "Some people believe that working from home is better than working in an office. Others think the opposite. Discuss both views and give your opinion."