Task 2 templates must be tied to question type and position.

What to confirm before writing

Identify question type first, then write thesis, two topic sentences, and final judgement.

What to revise after checking

Write one thesis for the same topic under four question types to train structure switching.

• Whether question type matches
• Whether position is clear
• Whether body paragraphs have roles

What templates actually do to the four criteria

A template only helps Coherence and Cohesion: a fixed paragraph frame keeps the structure complete. It cannot help Task Response — position and development must come from this specific prompt. In Lexical Resource, examiners recognise memorised language instantly; boilerplate passages do not count toward your vocabulary range and dilute the sentences that could show real ability. Many Band 6 essays fail not from lacking a template but because the template eats the word count that should answer the question.

• CC: paragraph frames help; stacked linkers hurt
• TR: no template can supply position or argument
• LR: memorised language does not count as your range

Compare: a template opening vs a scoring opening

Template opening: "With the development of society, the issue of X has aroused wide public concern." It fits any prompt, so its contribution to Task Response is zero. A scoring opening paraphrases the prompt and states a position: "Whether governments should fund space exploration while poverty persists divides opinion; I believe basic welfare must come first, though a small research budget is defensible." Similar length, but the second sentence already delivers position, scope, and a signalled concession. Test your own opening: would it still work pasted under a different prompt? If yes, it is not answering this one.

When to use a template — and when to drop it

Below Band 6.0: frame templates (four-paragraph shape, concession placement) genuinely stabilise structure. Aiming 6.5+: Band 7 LR descriptors ask for flexibility and less common items, and GRA asks for natural variety — both conflict with memorised full sentences. Keep only decision templates: position first, one idea per paragraph, no new ideas in the conclusion.

• Keep: paragraph roles, concession placement
• Drop: universal openers, closers, linker lists
• Check: can the sentence move to another prompt unchanged? Then cut it

Diagnostic signs of template dependence

Two signs are most reliable: the first 60 words never mention the key concepts of the prompt (only abstract fillers), or the openings of your last three essays overlap by more than half when placed side by side. If either appears, the next practice should not be a new prompt — rewrite the opening and first body paragraph of the same prompt until no sentence could move to a different question.