Most students I meet can recite an introduction before they have read the question. "In this day and age, the issue of … has become a controversial topic." It feels productive. It is not.
Why templates cap your score
Task Response asks one thing above all: does the writer answer this question, with a clear position, developed throughout? A template answers every question, which means it answers none of them in particular.
A memorised sentence is not wrong. It is simply not evidence that you can write.
Examiners are trained to discount language that looks rehearsed. So the 20 words you spent on a template are words that earn nothing.
Practise the position, not the paragraph
Try this with any Task 2 prompt:
- Read the question and underline the exact task (discuss both views, to what extent, advantages outweigh).
- Write your answer in one plain sentence. No fancy words.
- Write two reasons, each in one sentence.
- Only now turn that into an introduction.
Example
Question: Some people think university education should be free. To what extent do you agree?
| Step | What you write |
|---|---|
| Position | I mostly agree, but only for subjects the country needs. |
| Reason 1 | Free study in medicine or teaching repays society. |
| Reason 2 | Fully free degrees for everyone cost too much. |
That position is specific, arguable and yours. Everything in the essay now has a job.
A quick self-check
- Could your introduction be pasted into a different essay? If yes, rewrite it.
- Does your conclusion say the same thing as your introduction? It should.
- Does each body paragraph clearly support the position? If one doesn't, cut it.
Build this habit for two weeks and templates will start to feel slow.