Written task 2 requires essay-writing skills, such as the ability to write coherently and accurately. Many of these essay-writing skills are also covered in the Paper 2 skills section of this Subject Site. The written task 2, also known as 'the critical response', asks you to write an 800-1,000-word response to a prescribed question and a text studied in class. What does it mean to respond critically to a text? How does one effectively answer a prescribed question? These are the kinds of questions covered in this section on the written task 2 skills, which, like any skill, can be developed with practice.