How to write an IELTS introduction that gets Band 7
An IELTS Task 2 introduction does three things, in exactly two sentences. That's it. Master this template and you will never write a weak introduction again.
The template
Sentence 1: Paraphrase the prompt.
Restate the topic in your own words. Don't copy the question. Don't agree or disagree yet. Just acknowledge what the essay is about.
Sentence 2: State your position + signpost your structure.
Say what you think and tell the examiner what you're about to argue. One sentence.
That's it. Two sentences. No more. The students who write four- sentence introductions are eating into body-paragraph time and adding nothing to TR.
Three worked examples
Example 1
Prompt: Some people think governments should ban dangerous sports to protect citizens. Others believe people should be free to make their own choices. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Introduction (two sentences):
Whether the state should outlaw activities such as base-jumping or motor racing remains a topic of public debate, with strong arguments on both sides. While the case for personal freedom is compelling, this essay argues that the financial and emotional cost of avoidable injuries justifies some level of regulation.
Sentence 1 paraphrases (and adds a concrete example — "base-jumping or motor racing" — without quoting the prompt). Sentence 2 takes a position ("some level of regulation") and signposts what's coming ("financial and emotional cost").
Example 2
Prompt: More and more people are working from home. Does this benefit individuals or society as a whole?
Introduction:
The shift toward remote work has transformed how millions of employees structure their days, with consequences that extend well beyond individual offices. Although the most visible benefits accrue to workers themselves, the gains for the wider community — particularly reduced commuting and revitalised local economies — are arguably the more important.
Note the arguably the more important construction. It positions one benefit over another, which is what the question asks. Without that, the introduction would describe but not argue.
Example 3
Prompt: Some argue that the best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison sentences. To what extent do you agree?
Introduction:
Calls to harshen criminal sentences as a deterrent recur whenever crime rates rise, but the empirical evidence on their effectiveness is mixed. This essay argues that while prison can incapacitate dangerous offenders, longer sentences alone do little to address the social drivers of most crime.
The position here is partial agreement — sometimes the most defensible stance. The phrase while … alone do little signals exactly how much the writer agrees.
What not to do
Don't start with a question ("Have you ever wondered why …?"). It adds nothing and feels like a school essay.
Don't open with a statistic you can't source ("80% of people believe …"). Examiners discount unsourced numbers.
Don't use phrases like "Nowadays" or "In modern society". They're empty filler that signals "non-native essay opener" to anyone who's graded hundreds of essays.
Don't restate your thesis three times. Once is enough. The sentence that says it should be the only sentence that says it.
What this earns you
A consistently strong introduction gives you a half-band of TR buffer. It also sets the examiner's expectation that the rest of the essay will be controlled. That expectation matters: a strong opening is graded slightly more leniently than a weak one with the same content downstream.
Two sentences. One paraphrase. One position with signposting. Practice the template until it's mechanical, then put your energy into the body paragraphs — where the band score actually lives.