How should I approach an essay which asks me 'How far' or 'To what extent' a statement is true?

Although questions like this may look difficult at first, writing a small list of the arguments which support the statement in the question, and writing a list of the arguments which oppose it, will make answering questions like this seem much easier. Once you have written these two lists, decide which side you agree with more. If you agree with the statement in the question, then your opening sentence should be that you agree with it to a great extent. If you disagree with the statement, then your opening sentence should be that you agree with it to a limited extent only.Once you have chosen which side you agree with more, use the first half of the essay to set out the arguments against your position. Then, use the second half of the essay to set out the arguments which support your position, as well as the arguments which show why the points made in the first half of the essay are flawed. Finally, your conclusion should acknowledge that although the arguments which oppose your position make some sense, the arguments which you have supported in the second half of your essay show that they have their limits. Let's use the question "The 1919 Treaty of Versailles was fair. How far do you agree?" as an example:Overall: The Treaty of Versailles was fair to a limited extent only. Some of the ways in which the Treaty was fair are that:1. Germany destroyed an area the size of Wales in France, so it was right that Germany paid reparations.2. The treaty supported the idea of national self-determination by creating new countries in Eastern Europe such as Poland and Czechoslovakia.However, to a greater extent the Treaty was unfair because:1. The reparations imposed on Germany were too high, and caused unfair suffering for the German people.2. National self-determination was not respected for the German people, as shown by the fact that Austria and Germany were forbidden from unifying under the Treaty.Conclusion: The Treaty was, on balance, unfair. Although Germany was responsible for significant damage and the Treaty supported the rights of nationalities, these arguments are limited by the fact that Germany's punishment was too harsh and that the German people did not enjoy these rights too.