discussion essay examples

• A Beginner’s Guide to IELTS
• Common Grammar Mistakes [for IELTS Writing Candidates]

Writing Correction Service

• Free IELTS Resources
• Practice Speaking Test

Select Page

IELTS Discussion Essays [Discuss Both Views/Sides]

Posted by David S. Wills | Jun 14, 2021 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 3

In this lesson, I’m going to explain what an IELTS discussion essay is and how you can write a good one. I will talk about structure and content, as well as looking briefly at discussion essay thesis statements, which many people find tricky. I’ve also written a sample essay, which you can find at the bottom of this page.

What is a Discussion Essay?

As the name suggests, a discussion essay is an essay that discusses things! More specifically, it is a type of IELTS writing task 2 essay that requires you to look at two different points of view . You can easily recognise these essays by the following phrase:

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Sometimes it is phrased a little differently. It might say:

Discuss both sides and give your opinion

Discuss both points view and give your opinion

The important thing is that these all mean the same. When you see any of these, you know that you need to write a discussion essay. Importantly, this instruction tells you that you need to do two things:

• Discuss both views (there will have been 2 views mentioned in the previous sentence(s))
• Give your opinion (i.e. state which view you agree with)

If you failed to do either of these things, you would not have satisfied the basic criteria for Task Achievement .

Example Discussion Essay Questions

Here is a list of 5 discussion essay questions either from the IELTS exam, reportedly from the IELTS exam, or from reputable publications that have copied the IELTS question style. (Not that you absolutely should avoid fake IELTS questions when practising.)

Some people say that parents should encourage their children to take part in organised group activities in their free time. Others say that is important for children to learn how to occupy themselves on their own. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think that change is always a good thing. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Some people feel that manufacturers and supermarkets have the responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging of goods. Others argue that customers should avoid buying goods with a lot of packaging. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Some people believe that higher education should be funded by the government. Others, however, argue that it is the responsibility of individuals to fund their higher education. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Some people believe that it is important for children to attend extra classes outside school, while others believe that they should be allowed to play after school. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

You can see in these questions that there is a similar pattern. In each case, the question phrase (“Discuss both views and give your own opinion”) is the same and in the previous sentence or sentences, there are two opposing views. This, then, makes “discuss both views” questions a sort of opinion essay .

How to Answer IELTS Discussion Questions

First of all, it is important when answering any IELTS task 2 question that you read the question carefully so that you understand it, then provide an answer that directly responds to the question, following its instructions carefully.

As discussed above, you are required to do two things: 1) Discuss both views, and 2) Give your own opinion. You absolutely must do both of those. It doesn’t really matter what your opinion is or whether you give equal weighting to both sides of the argument. Instead, you must cover both sides and also give some sort of opinion. (It is important, though, according to the marking rubric , that you are consistent in your opinion.)

Your answer of course should be structured carefully so as to present your ideas in a thoroughly logical way that is easy for your reader to interpret. I almost always use a four-paragraph structure in my essays, but some people prefer to use five paragraphs in this sort of essay. The difference would look like this:

You might be wondering why I have given my opinion in the body of the five-paragraph essay but not in the four-paragraph essay. Well, actually I would give my opinion in the body of both. However, my opinion would be more subtly woven into the text of the four-paragraph essay. I personally find this to be a better method, but it is equally possible that you could write an amazing five-paragraph essay. That issue is discussed further in this video:

Discussion Essay Thesis Statement

In academic writing, a thesis statement (sometimes called an essay outline ) is the part of the essay where you insert your opinion. It typically comes at the end of the introduction and guides the reader by explaining your opinion on the issues that have been introduced.

But do you really need to provide one in such a short essay? Well, a 2018 study into successful IELTS essays concluded that thesis statements were “obligatory” – i.e. you absolutely do need one. In fact, that study found that thesis statements appeared in 100% of successful IELTS discussion essays! Therefore, we can conclude they are very important.

Because a discussion essay will tell you to “Discuss both views and give your opinion,” you must introduce the two views and then give your opinion in the introduction. Here is an example:

Introductory paragraph:

In some parts of the world, children are forced to go to cram schools and other facilities of extracurricular learning, but many people believe that this is unfair and that they should be allowed to enjoy their free time instead. This essay will look at both perspectives and then conclude that it is indeed unfair.

My first sentence clearly introduces two different ideas:

• Children should do extra classes
• Children should not do extra classes

Note how I have successfully used synonyms to avoid repeating anything from the question. I have also framed the issue in a new way so that I am not just paraphrasing. (You can learn why paraphrasing is not always helpful here .)

My second sentence is the thesis statement. In this sentence, I outline what the essay will do (“look at both perspectives”) and then give my opinion (“it is unfair”). This is a simple but effective thesis statement.

Thesis Statement Advice

Your IELTS discussion essay thesis statement should do two things:

• Tell the reader what the essay will do
• Present your opinion

Because this is a formal essay, it is best not to be too personal. Instead of saying “I will…” or “I think…” it is better to say “This essay will…” Here are some simple templates that you can follow most of the time:

• This essay will look at both sides and then argue that…
• This essay will discuss both views but ultimately side with…

Just make sure to avoid being overly vague. You are required to give your opinion consistently throughout the essay, so don’t say “This essay will look at both sides and then give my opinion .” It is not really the best approach because the examiner wants to see that you can be consistent in presenting an opinion. That is clearly stated in the marking rubric. For band 7, it says:

• presents a clear position throughout the response

It could be concluded, then, that your opinion is not clear from the start and so you have not done enough to warrant a band 7 for Task Achievement.

Body Paragraphs

As I mentioned above, there are really two main approaches you could take to the body paragraphs:

• Discuss one view per paragraph and incorporate your opinion into each.
• Discuss one view per paragraph and then have another for your opinion.

I suppose there is also a third option:

• Compare and contrast the two viewpoints in each paragraph.

This last one may be a little harder to do successfully without jeopardising your score for Task Achievement or Coherence and Cohesion , but advanced candidates may find it useful.

Remember that there is no single perfect formula for an IELTS essay. That’s not how languages work and that’s not how IELTS works. Different people could come up with different ways to present a successful essay. The most common essay structures are mere guidelines for particularly useful methods of approaching an essay.

Does a Discussion Essay Have to be Balanced?

Because the question says “Discuss both views,” it is quite logical to think that you must provide some degree of balance, but you certainly don’t need to give equal weighting to both sides. Remember that you are also going to give your opinion, so if you come down strongly on one side of the issue, it might be odd to give equal attention to both.

If you do feel very strongly about one side, you might want to present your discussion of the other side as quite negative. However, IELTS is a thinking exam as well as an English exam and an intelligent person can always look at both sides of an issue and explain – at the very least – why someone might believe a thing that is different to his own view. This seems quite important, but there is nothing explicitly mentioned in the marking rubric.

I would suggest that if you think a two-sided issue is basically one-sided (i.e. you strongly disagree with the other view), you should still write one or two sentences about why people believe that and then devote the rest of your essay to disputing their view.

Another approach is to write BP1 as a very short paragraph that explains why people might think one thing, but then have BP2 as a very long paragraph that debunks the opposing view and then explains why the other is correct.

(You can read more about IELTS essays and balance here .)

Sample Answer

Here is my full sample answer to the above question about whether or not children should be made to do extracurricular activities:

In some parts of the world, children are forced to go to cram schools and other facilities of extracurricular learning, but many people believe that this is unfair and that they should be allowed to enjoy their free time instead. This essay will look at both perspectives and then conclude that it is indeed unfair. In countries like South Korea, most children are made to go to an array of cram schools outside of regular school hours. Their parents do this in order to give their child a better future because it helps the child to learn more and thus gives them the academic advantages needed to apply to the best universities or jobs in future. These schools often provide children with an advantage over their peers because they improve their foreign language or math skills more quickly, and thus the children who do not attend these schools might have comparatively poor grades. However, whilst this attitude may result in better academic performance, it is certainly not good for the mental health of these children. It is no coincidence that places like South Korea have the highest rates of suicide among their young populations. The fact is that children are not equipped to spend fourteen or sixteen hours per day in classrooms, memorising facts and figures. In a sense, it is a form of child abuse. Children should be allowed to go home and spend time with friends and family to build social skills. They should be allowed to occupy themselves in order to become more creative and learn how to understand their own mind instead of being trained to repeat what they are told. In conclusion, it is understandable that some parents want their children to go to extra classes, but this is damaging to children and they should be given the freedom to play and socialise outside of regular school hours.

In BP1, I have looked at the topic of cram schools (ie the side of the argument in favour of extra lessons). I explored why parents might want their kids to do this and show the supposed benefits. Note that I never embraced any of these benefits. I was careful to use language that distanced these ideas from my own opinion, which was the opposite, so I said “Their parents do this in order to…”

In BP2, I looked at the opposite side. I was careful to make sure that my first sentence linked to the previous paragraph, highlighting that the benefits are quite minor compared to the drawbacks. All of my sentences here justify my position, which is that it is cruel to force these extra lessons on children.

My conclusion ties all of this together. The first clause references BP1 and the second summarises the main argument in BP2.

You can find two more sample essays here:

• A discussion essay about sports facilities
• A discussion essay about sports abilities

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

Related Posts

Anger [IELTS Speaking Topics]

February 1, 2021

IELTS Christmas Vocabulary

December 21, 2020

What to do when you don’t understand a question

November 8, 2018

IELTS 2022 – A Plan for Success

December 30, 2021

It is sometimes debatable whether asking children to get extra education after school or letting them play that is actually beneficial for them. Even though both viewpoints have benefits and drawbacks but I believe ,in the childhood age, children have to take rough and discipline education after school to be succeed in the future.

To begin with, many educational experts believe that playing is one of the essential aspects that have to be gotten by children to grow and happy. By using the playing approach, children can have a good mental and psychic health. Besides, letting children play after school can also support them to increase their emotional stimuli and get a positive social interaction. With this way, experts believe children can grow as a better adult in the future and have a freedom to get a better life in the upcoming times.

However, I completely contra with the first idea because I believe childhood is a better time to train children about academic or other skills that benefits them in the future. Based on scientific journal that I read, the ability of children in learning new things are more spectacular compared to adults. A lot of artists, scientist, and even football player who currently becoming a superstar in this era is a string of process that is began since their in the childhood. For instance, nowadays, I am working in the field of election supervision, it because since in my childhood my father love to force me learning about social and political issues by getting additional class. Thus, making children to get extra class after school is an appropriate preference if parents desire to see their son getting a good future.

To conclude, based on experts children have to get a freedom to play after schools but in my viewpoint it will be more advantages if they utilize the playing time with joining additional class after school.

VERY GOOD MR DIRWAN But actually you mixed both of the ideas , you need to take one side for this sort of essay writting, as it is mentioned in the above instruction. By the way WELL DONE . love from Pakistan to my sweet brother.

I have not checked in here for some time because I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are really great quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend. ??

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Download my IELTS Books

Recent Posts

• Commas and Time Phrases
• Ambition and Success: Sample IELTS Essay
• Do the Advantages Outweigh the Disadvantages? – Advice About This Question Type
• Exams vs Continual Assessement [Model Essay]
• British vs American Spelling

Recent Comments

• David S. Wills on Writing Correction Service
• raquel on Writing Correction Service
• Lesson Plans
• Model Essays
• TED Video Lessons
• Weekly Roundup

• I nfographics
• Show AWL words
• Subscribe to newsletter
• What is academic writing?
• Academic Style
• What is the writing process?
• Understanding the title
• Brainstorming
• Researching
• First draft
• Proofreading
• Report writing
• Compare & contrast
• Cause & effect
• Problem-solution
• Classification
• Essay structure
• Introduction
• Literature review
• Book review
• Research proposal
• Thesis/dissertation
• What is cohesion?
• Cohesion vs coherence
• Transition signals
• What are references?
• In-text citations
• Reference sections
• Reporting verbs
• Band descriptors

Show AWL words on this page.

Levels 1-5:     grey  Levels 6-10:   orange 

Show sorted lists of these words.

Any words you don't know? Look them up in the website's built-in dictionary .

Choose a dictionary .  Wordnet  OPTED  both

Discussion essays Considering both sides of the argument

Discussion essays are a common form of academic writing. This page gives information on what a discussion essay is and how to structure this type of essay. Some vocabulary for discussion essays is also given, and there is an example discussion essay on the topic of studying overseas.

What are discussion essays?

Many essay titles require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour. These are known as discussion or for and against essays. In this sense, the academic meaning of the word discuss is similar to its everyday meaning, of two people talking about a topic from different sides. For a discussion essay, a balanced view is normally essential. This makes discussion essays distinct from persuasion essays , for which only one side of the argument is given. When writing a discussion essay, it is important to ensure that facts and opinions are clearly separated. Often you will examine what other people have already said on the same subject and include this information using paraphrasing and summarising skills, as well as correct citations .

The following are examples of discussion essay topics.

• Examine the arguments for and against capital punishment.
• Schools should teach children not only academic subjects but also important life skills. Discuss.
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of technology in the classroom?

Although the structure of a discussion essay may vary according to length and subject, there are several components which most discussion essays have in common. In addition to general statements and thesis statement which all good essay introductions contain, the position of the writer will often be stated, along with relevant definitions . The main body will examine arguments for (in one or more paragraphs) and arguments against (also in one or more paragraphs). The conclusion will contain a summary of the main points, and will often conclude with recommendations , based on what you think are the most important ideas in the essay. The conclusion may also contain your opinion on the topic, also based on the preceding evidence.

An overview of this structure is given in the diagram below.

Discussion vocabulary

When summarising the stages in a discussion or in presenting your arguments, it can be useful to mark the order of the items or degrees of importance. The following words and phrases can be used.

• First..., First of all..., The most important...
• Second..., In the second place...
• Finally..., Lastly...

The following can be used when introducing your opinion.

• There is no doubt that...
• I believe that...
• One of the main arguments in favour of/against X is that...

It is important in English writing, including academic writing, to use synonyms rather than repeating the same word. The following are useful synonyms for 'advantage' and 'disadvantage'.

• advantage: benefit, a positive aspect/feature, pro (informal)
• disadvantage: drawback, a negative aspect/feature, con (informal)

Example essay

Below is an example discussion essay. Click on the different areas (in the shaded boxes to the right) to highlight the different structural aspects in this essay.

Title: An increasing number of students are going overseas for tertiary education. To what extent does this overseas study benefit the students?

Most people spend around fifteen years of their life in education, from primary school to university study. In the past, students only had the opportunity to study in their own country. Nowadays, however, it is increasingly easy to study overseas, especially at tertiary level. Tertiary education, also called post-secondary education, is the period of study spent at university. As the final aspect of schooling before a person begins their working life, it is arguably the most important stage of their education. While there are some undoubted benefits of this trend, such as the language environment and improved employment prospects , there is also a significant disadvantage, namely the high cost . The first and most important advantage of overseas study is the language learning environment. Students studying overseas will not only have to cope with the local language for their study, but will also have to use it outside the classroom for their everyday life. These factors should make it relatively easy for such students to advance their language abilities. Another important benefit is employability. Increasing globalisation means that there are more multinational companies setting up offices in all major countries. These companies will need employees who have a variety of skills, including the fluency in more than one language. Students who have studied abroad should find it much easier to obtain a job in this kind of company. There are, however, some disadvantages to overseas study which must be considered, the most notable of which is the expense. In addition to the cost of travel, which in itself is not inconsiderable, overseas students are required to pay tuition fees which are usually much higher than those of local students. Added to this is the cost of living, which is often much higher than in the students' own country. Although scholarships may be available for overseas students, there are usually very few of these, most of which will only cover a fraction of the cost. Overseas study therefore constitutes a considerable expense. In summary, studying abroad has some clear advantages, including the language environment and increased chances of employment , in addition to the main drawback, the heavy financial burden . I believe that this experience is worthwhile for those students whose families can readily afford the expense. Students without such strong financial support should consider carefully whether the high cost outweighs the benefits to be gained.

GET FREE EBOOK

Like the website? Try the books. Enter your email to receive a free sample from Academic Writing Genres .

Below is a checklist for discussion essays. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another student) to help you.

Bailey, S. (2000). Academic Writing. Abingdon: RoutledgeFalmer

Cox, K. and D. Hill (2004). EAP now! Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia

Jordan, R.R. (1999). Academic Writing Course. Cambridge: CUP

Roberts R., J. Gokanda, & A. Preshous (2004). IELTS Foundation. Oxford: Macmillian

Next section

Find out how to write persuasion essays in the next section.

Previous section

Go back to the previous section about different essay types .

Author: Sheldon Smith    ‖    Last modified: 16 January 2022.

Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .

Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.

Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).

Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.

Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

How to write a discussion essay

• September 21, 2023

A discussion essay, also called a controversial essay, is where you express your opinion about a topic. When writing one, 

• Cover both sides of the topic , present the key points that back your viewpoint and the opposing one.
• Ensure a multi-faceted understanding of the issues before presenting your own personal views and conclusions.

So let’s deeply explore the structure and components of a successful discussion paper.

Quick summary

• Carefully read and comprehend the essay prompt.
• Select a topic that leads to multiple viewpoints and debates.
• Begin with a clear introduction that includes a strong thesis statement.
• Discuss different viewpoints or/and arguments in separate body paragraphs.
• Maintain a balanced approach by presenting viewpoints fairly.
• Summarize the main ideas and restate your thesis statement , then end your essay.

Choose a controversial topic

Choosing a topic is the first step when starting your essay. When choosing a topic , make sure it is something that you are personally interested in as it will be easier for you to write.

Now let’s have a look at discussion essay topic examples. 

• Should Capital Punishment be Abolished?
• Is Genetic Engineering Ethical for Humans?
• Should Schools Implement Mandatory Vaccination Policies?
• Is Nuclear Energy a Viable Solution to the Energy Crisis?

After choosing the essay topic, you should create your outline to finish planning your essay.

Create an outline

The outline allows you to understand how to combine all the information and thesis statement to support claims of your essay.

Create a basic outline for your discussion essay. Start with a preliminary version of your thesis statement, main argument, opposing argument, and other main points.

Here is an outline example for a discussion essay.

Discussion essay outline example

Title: The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

• Start with a strong and engaging opening.
• Introduce the topic and its relevance.
• Present the thesis statement that highlights the ethical considerations in AI integration in healthcare.
• Begin with a clear topic sentence about AI's role in diagnosis.
• Explain AI's superiority in analyzing medical data and images.
• Provide an example of AI detecting diseases early.
• Discuss concerns about the potential effects on human expertise.
• Introduce the focus on personalized treatment.
• Explain how AI can customize therapies based on individual data.
• Give an example of optimizing medical outcomes.
• Raise ethical issues about privacy, consent, and data security.
• Start with a topic sentence about accountability.
• Discuss the challenge of assigning blame in AI-related errors.
• Address the importance of unbiased AI algorithms.
• Mention the need for regulation and oversight.
• Restate the significance of the ethical landscape of AI in healthcare.
• Summarize the core points discussed in the body paragraphs.
• Reiterate the importance of balancing AI advancements with ethical considerations.
• End with a call to uphold ethical principles in the integration of AI in healthcare.

So now that you’ve seen an outline example, l et’s start writing your essay with an introduction.

Write your introduction

• Start with an attention-grabbing opening ( hook sentence ) that piques the reader's curiosity and encourages them to continue reading.
• Provide a brief background or context for the topic you'll be discussing.
• Seamlessly transition from the general to the specific focus of your essay. Guide the reader to understand what to expect from the essay.
• End your introduction with a strong and clear thesis statement.

Discussion essay introduction example

Introduction

Now that we have written our introduction, we can move on to the discussion parts.

Compose the body of your essay

Write down the main points of the body paragraphs of your discussion paper. A well-written body paragraph illustrates, justifies, and/or supports your thesis statement. When writing body paragraphs:

• Typically, present each issue separately and discuss both sides of the argument in an unbiased manner.
• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that transitions from the previous one to introduce the next topic.
• Start with your least convincing argument and work your way up to your strongest argument. This structure helps readers follow your logic consistently.
• Make sure your citation usage is consistent for each argument. If you cite three quotes that support your main argument, aim to use three quotes for the opposing view as well.

Discussion essay body paragraphs

Body Paragraph 1: Enhancing Diagnostics and Accuracy

Body Paragraph 2: Personalized Treatment and Privacy

Body Paragraph 3: Ethical Responsibility and Accountability

Now, let’s look at how to end your work.

Conclude your discussion essay

Writing a strong conclusion for a discussion essay is essential to leave a lasting impression on your readers and summarize the main points of your argument effectively. Here are the steps on how to write a good conclusion for your discussion paper:

• Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis statement in a slightly different way. This helps remind the reader of the main argument you've presented throughout the essay.
• Provide a brief summary of the key points you discussed in your essay.
• Emphasize the importance of the topic and the implications of your argument.

Things to avoid in conclusion

Let’s have a look at a conclusion example for a discussion essay..

Discussion essay conclusion example

Remember that a conclusion is your final opportunity to leave a strong impression, so make it memorable and impactful.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a discussion essay different from other types of essays.

Unlike other common essays that might focus on presenting a single argument, a discussion essay presents multiple perspectives on a topic. It strives to remain neutral and balanced while analyzing different viewpoints.

Can I express my personal opinion in a discussion essay?

Yes, you can include your personal opinion, but it should be presented alongside other viewpoints. Your opinion should be supported by evidence and analysis, and you should strive for a balanced presentation.

Do I need to include counterarguments?

Yes, including counterarguments is essential in a discussion essay. Addressing opposing viewpoints demonstrates your understanding of the topic and strengthens your analysis.

How do I ensure a balanced presentation of viewpoints?

Present each viewpoint objectively and support it with evidence. Give equal attention to different perspectives and avoid using biased language.

How can I transition between different viewpoints in my essay?

Use transitional words and phrases like “however,” “on the other hand,” and “in contrast” to smoothly guide readers between paragraphs and viewpoints.

Recently on Tamara Blog

How to write a discussion essay (with steps & examples), writing a great poetry essay (steps & examples), how to write a process essay (steps & examples), writing a common app essay (steps & examples), how to write a synthesis essay (steps & examples), how to write a horror story.

• Ebooks & Courses
• Practice Tests

How To Plan & Write IELTS Discussion Essays

Students can find it difficult to identify IELTS discussion essays and often confuse them with either opinion essays or advantage and disadvantage essays.

This is one of the issues I’ll be covering in this lesson. I’m also going to show you how to plan and write discussion essays step-by-step.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

• Identifying IELTS discussion essays 
• 3 Common mistakes
• Essay structure
• How to plan
• How to write an introduction
• How to write main body paragraphs
• How to write a conclusion

Want to watch and listen to this lesson?

Click on this video.

Click the links to see lessons on each of these Task 2 essay writing topics. 

Once you understand the process, practice on past questions. Take your time at first and gradually speed up until you can plan and write an essay of at least 250 words in the 40 minutes allowed in the exam.

The Question

The first part of the question for an IELTS discussion essay will be a statement containing two opposing views.

You will then be asked to discuss both sides of the argument and give your own opinion. Here is some typical wording that might be used:

• Discuss both views and give your opinion. 
• Discuss both these views and then give your own opinion. 
• Discuss both sides of this argument and give your own opinion.

Here's a question from a past test paper.

Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

I’ll be using this question to guide you through the process of planning and writing an IELTS discussion essay.

The key to identifying this type of question is the fact that you are required to discuss BOTH views. This is different to opinion questions where you must decide between two opposing views and make an argument to support your own opinion.

Opinion essays , also known as ‘agree or disagree’ essays, a generally worded in one of these ways:

What is your opinion? / Do you agree or disagree? / To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The other essay type that students mistake for discussion essays is advantages and disadvantages essays . With these, the statement will contain just one view and the question will typically be written as shown in this sample question.

School children are using computers in school more than ever.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this and give your own opinion.

The consequence of incorrectly identifying the question type is that you will use the wrong structure for your essay. This is a major reason why people make the mistakes we’ll now look at.

3 Common Mistakes

These three errors are common in IELTS discussion essays.

• Not stating your opinion.
• Not giving arguments for both views.
• Not developing both sides of the argument equally.

The most common mistake that students make is not giving their opinion. The question will clearly state that you must choose one side of the argument to agree with. If you fail to do this, you will get a low score for task achievement.

It doesn’t matter which side of the argument you take or even, that you actually agree with it.

However, you must give equal attention to both sides. A common error is to provide a stronger argument for the view you favour. This leads to an unbalanced essay and a low score for task achievement. 

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write IELTS discussion essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

1)  Introduction

• Paraphrase the question
• State two supporting reasons
• Give your opinion

  2)  Main body paragraph 1

• Topic sentence – outline the view you don’t agree with
• Explanation – explain why this view is held by some people
• Example – give an example

 3 )  Main body paragraph 2

• Topic sentence – outline the view you do agree with

  4)  Conclusion

• Summarise the key points and state your opinion

This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

We now need some ideas to add into the structure and we’ll have everything we need for our essay.

How To Plan IELTS Discussion Essays

# 1  analyse the question.

This is an essential step in the planning process and will ensure that you answer the question fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:

1. Topic words

2.  Other keywords

3.  Instruction words

We’ve already considered the instruction words (the actual question) so we’ll focus on the first two.

Topics words are the ones that identify the general subject of the question.

Some people think that zoos  are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that  zoos  can be useful in protecting wild animals.

So, this question is about ‘ zoos ’.

Many people do this first step of the process and then write about the topic in general. This is a serious mistake and leads to low marks for task achievement.

What we need to do now that we know the general topic, is to understand exactly what aspect of zoos we're being asked to write about.

The other keywords in the question tell you the specific topic you must write about. They define the opinions stated in the statement.

Some people think tha t zoos are cruel and should be closed down . Others, however, believe that zoos c an be useful in protecting wild animals .

By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the opposing views that zoos are cruel and should be closed down and that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals. Your essay must only include ideas relevant to these ideas.

# 2  Decide on your opinion

As already mentioned, it doesn’t matter if you genuinely agree with the view you take in your essay or not. IELTS discussion essays are about your ability to write a well-structured essay in the English language and you will not be assessed on any opinion you might hold.

So, choose one view and make sure that your opinion is clear throughout the essay.

For this model essay, I’m going to agree with the statement that zoos are cruel and should be closed down.

# 3  Generate ideas

The next task is to generate some ideas to write about.

There are several different ways to think up ideas. I cover them fully on the  IELTS Essay Planning  page.

We’re going to use the ‘friends technique’. This is my preferred method as it allows you to take a step back from the stress of the exam situation and think more calmly.

Here’s how it works. Imagine you are chatting with a friend and they ask you the question in a casual conversation. What answers would you give them off the top of your head? Plan your essay around these ideas.

Doing this will help you to come up with simple answers in everyday language rather than straining your brain to think of amazing ideas using high level-language, which isn’t necessary.

You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.

Here are my ideas:

Cruel  – closed down:

• Cramped cages – animals distressed
• Unnatural environments
• Most animals not endangered
• Animals become a public spectacle for entertainment

Useful – protect wild animals:

• Research work to learn more about wild animals
• Breeding programmes for endangered species
• Some species saved from extinction
• Seeing wild animals close up inspires people to want to help protect them

I’ve got more ideas here than I need so I’m going to pick two to develop in the essay – one for each of the main body paragraphs.

Idea 1  –  Cramped cages & unnatural environments, animals distressed.

Idea 2  –  Breeding programmes for endangered species, some species saved from extinction.

We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS discussion essay but first, we have one other small task to do.

# 4  Vocabulary

In an IELTS essay, it’s important to be able to say the same things in different ways, either by paraphrasing and/or using synonyms. During the planning stage, quickly jot down a few synonyms of key words you could use to save you having to stop and think of the right language while you’re writing.

For example:

zoos  – animals in captivity, collections of wild animals, menagerie, wildlife park

cruel  – to cause suffering, inhumane

protect  – safeguard, preserve

animals  – creatures, species

With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

Good introductions to IELTS discussion essays have a simple 3 part structure:

1)  Paraphrase the question

2)  State two supporting reasons (outline statement)

3)  Give your opinion (thesis statement)

• Have 2-3 sentences
• Be 40-60 words long
• Take 5 minutes to write

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

Question:   Some people think that zoos are cruel and should be closed down. Others, however, believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals.

There are various phrases you can use to do this. Here are three examples. They all say the same thing using different language.

• Some people argue that… while others say that…
• It is considered by some…. while there are others who think….
• It is often argued that... whilst others disagree and think...

Choose one and add the details in the question statement in a paraphrased form. I recommend putting the view you don’t agree with first.

Paraphrased question:  

Some people argue that zoos help to preserve wild creatures, while others say that they are inhumane and should be abolished.

Note my use of synonyms. You don’t have to replace every key word but do so where possible whilst ensuring that your language sounds natural. There aren’t any suitable synonyms of ‘zoo’ that I can think of, so I've repeated this word from the statement.

2)  Thesis and outline statements

Now we need to add an  outline statement  where you outline the two main points that you’ll cover in the rest of the essay (ideas 1 and 2 above) and a  thesis statement  where you state your opinion.

Outline & thesis statements:

While the development of breeding programmes contributes to the preservation of endangered species, I believe that the poor conditions that many animals held in captivity are kept in make the existence of zoos unacceptable. 

So, let’s bring the three elements of our introduction together.

     Introduction

This introduction achieves three important functions:

• It shows the examiner that you understand the question.
• It acts as a guide to the examiner as to what your essay is about.
• It also helps to keep you focused and on track as you write.

The two ideas in your introduction will become your two main body paragraphs.

Main body paragraph 1  – Breeding programmes for endangered species, some species saved from extinction.

Main body paragraph 2  – Cramped cages & unnatural environments, animals distressed.

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main body paragraphs in IELTS discussion essays should contain 3 things:

It is easier to begin by discussing the opinion you don’t agree with and then present the reasons for the opposing view that you support. So, we’ll start with idea 1.

Main Body Paragraph 1

The  topic sentence  summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

It plays an important role in ensuring that your ideas flow logically from one to another. It does this by acting as a signpost for what is to come next, that is, what the paragraph will be about.

If you maintain a clear development of ideas throughout your essay, you will get high marks for task achievement and cohesion and coherence.

We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.

Topic sentence:  

On the one hand, there are many projects in existence in zoological parks around the world where species facing extinction have been successfully bred in captivity and their numbers increased substantially.

Next, we must write an  explanation sentence that expands on the idea. This explains to the examiner what we mean or why this is the case.

Explanation sentence: 

This is important for ensuring the survival of animals under threat from poaching and the destruction of their natural environments.

Finally, we add an  example  to support our main point. If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts.

Example sentence:

A good example of this is the golden lion tamarin from Brazil which nearly died out because of logging and mining activities which are destroying its habitat. Today, a third of wild golden lion tamarins were raised in captivity.

That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

We now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea 2  – Cramped cages & unnatural environments, animals distressed.

First, we write the  topic sentence  to summarise the main idea. I started main body paragraph 1 with the phrase ‘On the one hand...’, so main body paragraph 2 will naturally begin, ‘On the other hand... .

These are great cohesive devices to use when making a direct contrast between two opposing views and they link the ideas together well. They can be used in most IELTS discussion essays and will help to earn you a good score for cohesion and coherence.

Topic sentence:

On the other hand, a significant percentage of zoos house their animals in cramped cages with very little space to move around or behave naturally.

Now for the  explanation sentence  where we expand on this idea.

Explanation sentence:

This can lead to them becoming distressed and depressed as well as suffering physically through lack of exercise.

Finally, an  example  to support this point.

A friend of mine recently visited a wildlife park while on holiday abroad and was very upset to see the lions pacing up and down in a narrow, bare pen and eagles in enclosures so small that they were unable to fly.

That’s the 3 parts of our second main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

Now we need a conclusion and our IELTS discussion essay is done.

How To Write a Conclusion

Conclusions to IELTS discussion essays should do two things:

• Summarise the main points
• State your opinion

This can generally be done in a single sentence.

If you're below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add a prediction or recommendation statement.

Our essay currently has 231 words so we’re on target and don’t need this extra sentence but you can learn more about how to write a prediction or recommendation statement for IELTS discussion essays on the Task 2 Conclusions page.

The conclusion is the easiest sentence in the essay to write but one of the most important.

A good conclusion will:

• Neatly end the essay
• Link all your ideas together
• Sum up your argument or opinion
• Answer the question

If you achieve this, you’ll improve your score for both task achievement and cohesion and coherence which together make up 50% of the overall marks. Without a conclusion, you’ll score below band 6 for task achievement.

You can start almost any final paragraph of an IELTS discussion essay with the words:

• In conclusion

        or

• To conclude

Now all you need to do is briefly summarise the main ideas into one sentence.

Here’s a top tip . Go back and read the introduction to the essay because this is also a summary of the essay. It outlines what you are going to write about.

To create a great conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. Let’s give it a go.

Introduction:

Here is the same information formed into a conclusion:

That’s it. We’ve completed our essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.

Finished IELTS discussion essay.

Go through this lesson as many times as you need to in order to fully understand it and put in lots of practice writing IELTS discussion essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

• Click on the HTML link code below.
• Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Like this page?

More help with ielts discussion essays & other task 2 essays.

IELTS Writing Task 2  – T he format, the 5 question types, the 5 step essay writing strategy & sample questions. All the key information you need to know.

The 5 Types of Task 2 Essay   – How to recognise the 5 different types of Task 2 essays. 15 sample questions to study and a simple planning structure for each essay type.

Understanding Task 2 Questions  – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 2 Essay  – Discover why essay planning is essential & learn a simple 4 step strategy, the 4 part essay structure & 4 methods of generating ideas.

How To Write a Task 2 Introduction  – Find out why a good introduction is essential. Learn how to write one using a simple 3 part strategy & discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Main Body Paragraphs  – Learn the simple 3 part structure for writing great main body paragraphs and also, 3 common mistakes to avoid. 

How To Write Task 2 Conclusions  – Learn the easy way to write the perfect conclusion for a Task 2 essay. Also discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

Task 2 Marking Criteria  – Find out how to meet the marking criteria in Task 2. See examples of good and poor answers & learn some common mistakes to avoid.

The 5 Task 2 Essay Types:

Step-by-step instructions on how to plan & write high-level essays. Model answers & common mistakes to avoid.

   Opinion Essays

   Discussion Essays

  Problem Solution Essays

  Advantages & Disadvantages Essays

  Double Question Essays

Other Related Pages

IELTS Writing Test  – Understand the format & marking criteria, know what skills are assessed & learn the difference between the Academic & General writing tests.

• IELTS Writing
• Discussion Essays
• Back To Top

 * New * Grammar For IELTS Ebooks

$9.99 each       Full Set   Just   $ 23.97

Find Out More >>

IELTS Courses

Full details...

IELTS Writing Ebook

Discount Offer

$7 each       Full Set Just   $ 21

Find out more >>

Testimonials

“I am very excited to have found such fabulous and detailed content. I commend your good work.”  Jose M.

“Thanks for the amazing videos. These are ‘to the point’, short videos, beautifully explained with practical examples."  Adari J.

"Hi Jacky, I bought a listening book from you this morning. You know what? I’m 100% satisfied. It’s super helpful. If I’d had the chance to read this book 7 years ago, my job would be very different now."  Loi H.

"Hi Jacky, I recently got my IELTS results and I was pleased to discover that I got an 8.5 score. I'm firmly convinced your website and your videos played a strategic role in my preparation. I was able to improve my writing skills thanks to the effective method you provide. I also only relied on your tips regarding the reading section and I was able to get a 9! Thank you very much." Giano

“After listening to your videos, I knew I had to ditch every other IELTS tutor I'd been listening to. Your explanations are clear and easy to understand. Anyways, I took the test a few weeks ago and my result came back: Speaking 7, listening 9, Reading 8.5 and Writing 7 with an average band score of 8. Thanks, IELTS Jacky." Laide Z.

      Contact

      About Me

      Site Map

      Privacy Policy

      Disclaimer

IELTS changes lives.

Let's work together so it changes yours too.

Copyright  © 2024     IELT Jacky     

All Right Reserved

IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.

IELTS discussion essay: model answer and analysis

Updated : February 2024

Below is an IELTS question for writing task 2 and my model answer. It is on the topic of Education. After analysing the question, I can see that it’s about whether homework is a good idea or not in helping kids in their educational development . It asks me to discuss both views and also asks for my opinion .

In this case, you must state your opinion in the introduction, the body and conclusion.

In this essay I will need to do 3 things:

• Write about why some people think school children should not be given homework by their teachers.
• Write about why other people think homework plays an important role in the education of children.
• Give my opinion on the issue and explain.

Task Question

Some people believe that school children should not be given homework by their teachers, whereas others argue that homework plays an important role in the education of children. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Model Answer

Some people think it is not a good idea for teachers to assign home study tasks to school children, while others say it is an essential part of learning. I believe pupils need homework to achieve better exam results as it gives them a chance of entering higher education.

On the one hand, some believe that homework is of no benefit and becomes a burden to school children. This is because pupils spend their whole day studying, taking part in after school clubs and feel exhausted after returning home. For instance, in Japan, the majority of minors are under pressure to complete vast amounts of homework along with extracurricular activities. If they fail to finish their assignments they may not do well in exams, meaning they would be unable to get into a good high school. I think home assignments are beneficial but children should not be put under this kind of pressure.

On the other hand, it is widely believed that homework plays a vital role in the development of knowledge for students and I agree with this. In other words, home study tasks help pupils understand school subjects better which allows them to attain higher grades. For example, according to extensive research, children aged between 10 and 16 who are given a large amount of mathematics homework do far better in tests than those who are not given any home assignments. I believe that home study tasks improve a child’s chances of entering tertiary education which leads to a rewarding career.

To conclude, although views differ concerning children being assigned homework, I would argue that home assignments are necessary to help pupils get high grades, enabling them to secure a place at university and improve their career chances.

Click this blue button to see an analysis of the model answer.

Word count is 290 words. I advise keeping it under 300 words as you may not have the time to write a long essay in the exam and it is not necessary to write a very long essay.

The structure is:

• Introduction: Paraphrased task question with a thesis statement (opinion)
• Main body 1:  Discussed first view, explained and gave an example with my opinion.
• Main body 2:  Discussed second view, agreed,  explained and gave an example.
• Conclusion:  Referred to the differing views, opinion rephrased

Make sure to check the task question again before writing your essay. you could lose a band score if it goes off-topic.

Planning time is crucial here, allow 10 minutes to plan an essay and make sure you have some good supporting points to back up your topic sentences.

With a discussion essay, you have to state others views and give supporting sentences with detail and specific examples. Discussion essays often ask your opinion. Click here to see this lesson  about stating an opinion.

When we state others views, especially in IELTS Discussion essays, there is specific language that should be used. For more detail on this, click here to see this lesson.

There is a lot of confusion about whether to use personal pronouns in IELTS essays (I, me, my, our, etc..) but if the question asks to ‘what extent do you agree?’  or ‘give your own opinion’ then you need to write personal pronouns… click here to see a lesson on this .

Note on paraphrasing: I have paraphrased the word ‘ homework’ in this essay with the phrases ‘ home study tasks ‘ and ‘ home assignments’ . Sometimes there is no way to avoid repetition but if you have a good understanding of synonyms and referencing you can avoid too much repetition. There are often words that are hard to paraphrase such as ‘people’ or ‘children’.

Not every word from the task question needs paraphrasing and you can repeat words as long as you can demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary. Be very careful not to over paraphrase.

Any Comments? leave them below

4 thoughts on “IELTS discussion essay: model answer and analysis”

Thanks a lot

Thanks to analysing for this essay,as it helps me very well as I want

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

IELTS Preparation with Liz: Free IELTS Tips and Lessons, 2024

• Test Information FAQ
• Band Scores
• IELTS Candidate Success Tips
• Computer IELTS: Pros & Cons
• How to Prepare
• Useful Links & Resources
• Recommended Books
• Speaking Part 1 Topics
• Speaking Part 2 Topics
• Speaking Part 3 Topics
• 100 Essay Questions
• On The Day Tips
• Top Results
• 50% DISCOUNT

IELTS Discussion Essay Sample Questions

Below is a list of IELTS discussion essay sample questions for IELTS writing task 2. These are also known as two sided essays.

Discussion Essay Tips

• identify both sides
• find supporting points for both side
• only give your opinion if the task asks for it
• use discussion essay language
• follow a safe discussion essay model

Discussion Essay Questions

Some people think that environmental problems should be solved on a global scale while others believe it is better to deal with them nationally. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

All parents want the best opportunities for their children. There are some people who think that schools should teach children skills but others think having a range of subjects is better for a children’s future. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

There seems to be an increasing number of serious crimes committed each year. While some think the best way is to use the death penalty as a deterrent, many people believe that other measures will be needed. Discuss both sides.

Completing university education is thought by some to be the best way to get a good job. On the other hand, other people think that getting experience and developing soft skills is more important. Discuss both sides and give your opinion. CLICK HERE: MODEL ESSAY ANSWER

Some people think that exercise is the key to health, while others feel that having a balanced diet is more important. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

It is thought by some that its is better to live in a city, while others  believe that life is better in the countryside. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Some people think that the internet has brought people closer together, while others think that people and communities are become more isolated. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

• Discussion Essay Model Answer
• Essay Structure & Paragraphs
• ALL MODEL ESSAYS AND TIPS FOR WRITING TASK 2

FREE SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to get new lessons & tips by email. Email Address Subscribe

ADVANCED IELTS: Big Discounts Now

Recent New Lessons

50% discount: advanced ielts lessons & e-books, ideas in ielts essays & in ielts speaking, test yourself with linking words, ielts speaking part 2 cue card topics – 2024, new reading exercise for you (july 2024).

Click Below to Learn:

• IELTS Test Information
• Writing Task 1
• Writing Task 2

Copyright Notice

Copyright © Elizabeth Ferguson, 2014 – 2024

All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy & Disclaimer

• Click here:  Privacy Policy 
• Click here: Disclaimer

Return to top of page

Copyright © 2024 · Prose on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Download Your Free Book (pdf)

How to Write an IELTS Discussion Essay: Your Comprehensive Guide

Are you preparing for the IELTS and wondering how to score high in the Writing section? Do you find the "Discuss Both Views and Give Your Opinion" essay a bit daunting? You've landed in the right place. Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to write an IELTS Discussion Essay!

As the name suggests, the IELTS Discussion Essay requires you to discuss different perspectives on a topic and then provide your viewpoint. Sounds challenging? Don't worry! In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know to craft an impressive IELTS Discussion Essay. From understanding the basics, brainstorming ideas, planning your response, writing an engaging essay, and avoiding common pitfalls – this guide is packed with practical tips and strategies.

Pro Tip: Unlock a higher IELTS Writing score with our downloadable   in-depth eBooks and tailored Essay Feedback directly from an exp erienced IELTS examiner.

Whether you're an IELTS beginner or a seasoned test taker looking to boost your band score, this in-depth guide will help you n avigate the complexities of the IELTS Discussion Essay. As we journey together through this guide, you’ll gain the knowledge and confidence needed to master this crucial component of the IELTS Writing section.

Let's start your journey towards IELTS success. Keep reading, and by the end of this guide, you'll be well-equipped to tackle any IELTS Discussion Essay that comes your way! Let's dive in and unravel the secrets of a top-scoring IELTS Discussion Essay.

Knowing the Basics of an IELTS Discussion Essay

What is an ielts discussion essay.

An IELTS discussion essay, also known as "Discuss Both Views and Give Your Opinion" essay, is a common task in the IELTS Writing Test. This type of essay tests your ability to present a well-rounded discussion on a given topic, your capability to generate ideas and your proficiency in English language usage.

An IELTS discussion essay primarily involves exploring various perspectives on a given issue and subsequently presenting your personal stance on the matter. It's not just about stating your opinion; it's about having the skills to analyse different viewpoints and justify your position with sound reasoning and concrete examples.

Mastering how to write an IELTS discussion essay can significantly boost your IELTS Writing band score. With this guide and consistent practice, you can confidently demonstrate your proficiency in handling a balanced and coherent discussion in your essay.

How to Identify an IELTS Discussion Essay Question

Recognising an IELTS discussion essay prompt is essential in answering the task accurately. Not every IELTS Writing Task 2 is a discussion essay. It's important to distinguish between different essay types, like opinion essays , advantages and disadvantages essays , or problem solution essays .

An IELTS discussion essay question will usually include the instruction "Discuss both views and give your opinion" or "Discuss both sides of this argument and then give your own opinion." It is crucial to understand that you need to provide a balanced discussion of both viewpoints before presenting your opinion.

Some questions might phrase the task differently but still require a balanced discussion. For instance,

"Some people believe A, while others believe B. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion."

By understanding the nuances of these instructions, you can accurately identify the IELTS discussion essay task and tackle it with a well-prepared strategy.

Stay tuned to learn how to effectively brainstorm ideas, plan your essay, write persuasively, and revise your work to create a high-scoring IELTS discussion essay.

Preparing to Write Your IELTS Discussion Essay

Understanding the Essay Topics

IELTS discussion essay topics are as varied as they are intriguing. They often explore global issues and public interest topics like advancements in technology, environmental sustainability, modern education models, and societal norms.

To effectively tackle these topics, immerse yourself in "hot topics" and current affairs. Familiarize yourself with both sides of common debates. Reading widely can also help. Check out reliable news outlets, opinion pieces, and other resources related to common IELTS discussion essay topics.

Remember, understanding IELTS discussion essay topics isn't about becoming an expert in every field. Rather, it's about building a broad base of knowledge that can help you think critically, generate relevant ideas, and articulate your thoughts coherently.

Brainstorming Ideas for Your IELTS Essay

Brainstorming is a powerful tool for generating ideas for your IELTS discussion essay. It allows you to tap into your creativity and critically consider different viewpoints.

Start by carefully reading the essay prompt. Understand what it's asking you to discuss. From there, jot down all your initial thoughts, ideas, and arguments related to both sides of the topic.

Consider potential reasons, examples, and points that support each viewpoint. This comprehensive brainstorming process not only helps you gather rich content for your essay but also paves the way for a balanced and well-rounded discussion.

Planning the Discussion Essay

Essay planning is an essential step in the IELTS writing process. A well-structured essay plan helps you organize your ideas, makes sure you address all parts of the prompt, and guides your writing process.

A typical IELTS discussion essay includes an introduction, two body paragraphs (each discussing a different viewpoint), and a conclusion.

Introduction: State the topic and your intention to discuss both views. Use clear, concise language.

Body Paragraph 1: Discuss the first viewpoint. Use a topic sentence to introduce the viewpoint, and then present supporting ideas and examples.

Body Paragraph 2: Discuss the second viewpoint. Use a similar structure as the first body paragraph but ensure your points are distinct.

Conclusion: Summarize your discussion, state your personal viewpoint, and give a closing thought or implication.

Use this structure as a blueprint when planning your IELTS discussion essay. It will help ensure your essay is coherent, logical, and ready to impress the examiners.

Writing the IELTS Discussion Essay

Crafting an engaging introduction.

Paraphrase the essay question to clarify the issue under discussion.

To begin the introduction, rephrase the given essay question. This demonstrates your understanding of the topic and avoids mere repetition. Paraphrasing can also make the topic clearer and more understandable for the reader.

Next, give a thesis statement that answers the question in brief.

The thesis statement is crucial. It briefly summarizes your main argument or stance on the topic. It acts as a roadmap, telling the reader what to expect from the essay and how the discussion will unfold.

Remember, the introduction does not have to be lengthy; a few well-crafted sentences can set a strong foundation for your essay.

This is a piece of advice that emphasizes brevity and quality. You don't need an extended introduction; rather, it should be concise and effective in introducing the topic and setting the stage for the discussion.

Discussing Both Views in Detail

The body of your IELTS discussion essay is where you delve into the crux of your argument. This should be split into two paragraphs, each discussing a different view.

For each viewpoint, start with a clear topic sentence that outlines the main idea. This will guide the reader through your argument. Following the topic sentence, provide supporting details, examples, or reasons that back up the viewpoint. Make sure your ideas are logically ordered and each paragraph is cohesive and focused.

Sharing Your Own Viewpoint

In the IELTS discussion essay, after discussing both views, it's crucial to share your personal viewpoint. This is where you can make a compelling argument supporting your position. Your viewpoint can agree with either of the discussed perspectives, both of them, or be entirely different.

Justify your opinion with strong reasoning and relevant examples. Make sure to connect your viewpoint with the points you've discussed previously. Use cohesive devices to ensure your argument flows smoothly from the discussion of the two viewpoints to your personal stance.

Wrapping up with a Strong Conclusion

The conclusion is your final chance to impress the reader. It's where you summarize your discussion and restate your viewpoint.

Start your conclusion by paraphrasing the main discussion points. Next, restate your personal viewpoint, ensuring it aligns with what you've discussed in the body of your essay. Try to end your essay on a strong note, possibly by summarizing the implications of the discussion or giving a final thought related to the topic.

Remember, a strong conclusion doesn't introduce any new information but effectively wraps up your essay, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

By following these steps, you can create a compelling, coherent, and high-scoring IELTS discussion essay. Stay tuned to further explore editing techniques and common mistakes to avoid for your IELTS writing tasks.

Polishing Your Discussion Essay

Reviewing and editing your ielts discussion essay.

The importance of reviewing and editing your IELTS discussion essay cannot be overstated. This step ensures that your essay is clear, coherent, and free from mistakes.

Start by reading your essay aloud to check for flow and coherence. Look out for any awkward phrasing or unclear ideas. Consider whether your arguments make sense and whether you've supported your points with strong evidence.

Pay close attention to your language use. Look for any grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors. Also, check if your vocabulary is varied and appropriate. Ensure your sentences are not too long or complex as this could lead to more errors.

Editing isn't just about correcting mistakes. It's also about refining your arguments, ensuring your points are clear, and your ideas are logically connected.

Tips for Avoiding Common Mistakes

Avoiding common mistakes can significantly enhance your IELTS discussion essay quality. Here are a few key pitfalls to steer clear of:

Going off-topic: Ensure your discussion remains focused on the topic throughout. Every paragraph should contribute to your overall argument.

Writing too much: Stay within the recommended word count. Writing too much can lead to unnecessary errors and wasted time.

Unequal discussion of views: Remember to discuss both views equally. Your essay should not heavily lean towards one view unless it's your personal viewpoint.

Inadequate planning: Failing to plan your essay can lead to a disorganized argument. Spend adequate time understanding the prompt, brainstorming ideas, and planning your essay.

Conclusion Writing

By following these steps, you can create a compelling, coherent, and high-scoring IELTS discussion essay.

IELTS Discussion Essay: A Band 9 Sample

Here is an example of an IELTS Discussion Essay, adhering to the guidelines provided in our comprehensive guide.

Essay Question:

Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programs (for example, working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood, or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree?

"Many advocate for mandatory community service in high schools, emphasizing its role in fostering personal growth and benefiting local communities. While the inclusion of community service undoubtedly offers numerous developmental benefits, the debate centres on whether it should be an enforced obligation or a choice made out of genuine interest. This essay will discuss both perspectives on this issue before concluding with my own viewpoint.

On one hand, integrating unpaid community service into high school programs can offer multiple benefits. It provides students with the opportunity to develop essential life skills such as responsibility, teamwork, and empathy. For example, volunteering at a local charity could improve their understanding of societal issues and instill a sense of social responsibility. Furthermore, teaching sports to younger children could enhance leadership skills, fostering a sense of accomplishment and confidence among high school students.

On the other hand, critics argue that community service should not be mandatory. They assert that it may impose additional pressure on students, who are already burdened with academic responsibilities. Also, forced volunteering may not yield genuine compassion or social awareness, as the service is carried out from obligation, not personal interest or motivation. Instead, they suggest that schools should encourage, not enforce, participation in community service, allowing students to engage in activities that truly resonate with them.

In conclusion, while mandatory community service could nurture important skills and values among high school students, it is equally important to consider the potential stress and insincerity it might cultivate. In my opinion, community service should be encouraged, but not compulsory, in high schools, allowing students to discover their passions and contribute meaningfully to society."

As you can see, this essay adheres to the structure of an IELTS discussion essay. It has an introduction that outlines the topic and intention to discuss both views, two body paragraphs discussing each view, and a conclusion that summarizes the discussion and provides the writer's personal viewpoint.

You can boost your IELTS Writing score with our comprehensive eBooks and personalised Essay Feedback by an experienced IELTS examiner.

IELTS Writing Task 2: Discussion Sample Essay

Today we’re going to look at a discussion essay IELTS sample that’s considered Band 9. This Band 9 scored essay matched the pattern for the “discussion” type of Writing Task 2 question. Discussion essays are sometimes also called “discuss both sides” essays. In this kind of essay, you will be presented with two statements of opinion that oppose each other. You will then be asked to “discuss both sides” of the debate, and to give your own opinion. For more information on this and other question types, including tips, tricks, and general advice for the discussion essay question type, see Magoosh’s full guide to IELTS Writing Task 2 question types .

Discussion Essay IELTS Sample: Band 9

The essay below is a band 9 model IELTS essay, patterned after Magoosh’s IELTS Writing Task 2 Template .

IELTS Writing Discussion Essay Practice Question

Some people seek a lot of advice from family and friends when choosing their career. Others feel it is better to choose a career more independently. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Discussion Essay IELTS Sample Band 9 Response

Choosing a career can be a challenging process. It can be difficult to say whether this decision should be made alone, or made with input from loved ones. In my opinion, it is best to find one’s career independently, with no more than a small amount of advice from family or friends. Below, I will explain why I feel that we must ultimately face career decisions on our own.

Getting career guidance input from loved ones can be confusing rather than useful. Family and friends likely have different careers, and thus give different, conflicting advice. Suppose, for instance, that your father is a teacher, your mother is an accountant, and your best friend is a nurse. They have all made very different career decisions, and only have knowledge on their respective careers. Different people will likely only steer you to their careers, without giving good advice on your own best path.

In contrast, focusing on one’s own preferences and skills provides a clearer path to the right career. After all, individuals have the best knowledge of their own abilities and interests. As an example, if someone has gone to university to study biology, they will know more about biology careers than a family member or friend who does not have that same kind of training. Ultimately, your career must be built on your own training and experience, not the training and experience of others.

For the reasons I’ve outlined above, I really do believe that career decisions are a matter of personal knowledge. Other people, even trusted family and friends, simply cannot understand your career the way you can. To select your field of work wisely, you must face this important decision alone.

Scorer Commentary (Discussion IELTS Essay Sample, Band 9)

The score report below is based on the official IELTS Writing Task 2 rubric . This report also looks very similar to the Magoosh IELTS essay scoring service .

Overall Band Score: 9

What was done well in the essay:

• At 283 words, this essay exceeded the 250 word minimum. (This is very important for getting full points!)
• Each part of the task was fully addressed. Both sides of the issue were discussed in the first and second body paragraphs. Moreover, reasons and relevant examples were included.
• Each paragraph had its own clear topic sentence and supporting details, with explanations of the details, and summarization of the most important ideas.
• Transitional language was used to clearly tie in all paragraphs to clear main ideas from the introduction and conclusion.
• Vocabulary and grammar were used clearly and fluently. There were no serious errors in grammar or word use; word choice and sentence structure varied and avoided significant repetition.

More Model Essays for IELTS Writing Task 2

Would you like the see model essays for the other common IELTS Writing Task 2 question types as well? Magoosh has you covered! Just click the links below.

• Advantage/Disadvantage Essay
• Two-Part Question Essay
• Causes/Solutions Essay
• Agree/Disagree Essay

David is a Test Prep Expert for Magoosh TOEFL and IELTS. Additionally, he’s helped students with TOEIC, PET, FCE, BULATS, Eiken, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. David has a BS from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and an MA from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His work at Magoosh has been cited in many scholarly articles , his Master’s Thesis is featured on the Reading with Pictures website, and he’s presented at the WITESOL (link to PDF) and NAFSA conferences. David has taught K-12 ESL in South Korea as well as undergraduate English and MBA-level business English at American universities. He has also trained English teachers in America, Italy, and Peru. Come join David and the Magoosh team on Youtube , Facebook , and Instagram , or connect with him via LinkedIn !

View all posts

More from Magoosh

5 responses to “IELTS Writing Task 2: Discussion Sample Essay”

Contractions must be avoided because they are a sign of informal writing style. Whereas essay’s should be written in formal way.

You are correct that contractions shouldn’t be used in the formal Task 2 essay. However, note that they can be used at times, such as in IELTS Speaking or in Task 1 if you are asked to write an informal letter.

Happy studying!

Greetings, and thank you for this model essay. I wanted to ask a question relating to the discussion essay’s addressing of the task. Since the two views are 1) Some people think it is beneficial to ask for advice from friends/loved ones, and 2) others think that it is better to do so alone, why isn’t the 2nd paragraph addressing the benefits but instead talks about how it can be confusing? Isn’t a discussion essay’s structure supposed to be something like this:

2nd paragraph: Reasons people believe asking for help to decide for a career is good 3rd paragraph: Reasons people believe doing it on your own is good Conclusion: Giving your own opinion

Thank you for your time!

Good question! The short answer is that both approaches work! The directions are simply to “discuss both views,” but you don’t have to provide support for both sides. You can also discuss the problems or issues with one side, as this essay has done. Does that make sense? I’d suggest reviewing more sample essays to get a better sense of this.

Hope this helps, and best of luck to you!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

IELTS Discuss Both Views Essay Structure + Sample Answers

The next big thing after learning about IELTS discuss both views essays is –  How do you structure them?

Please be aware though, the perfect structure alone will not make you a band 7+ achiever. Your vocabulary and English proficiency still plays a key role in IELTS writing task – 2.

But the good news is… Here we’ve outlined an easily comprehensible  step-by-step format  to logically present a discussion essay and give your opinion effectively.

This post will clear your doubts over:

• Essay Structure
• Sample Question(s)
• Task Explanation

Sample Answer

Discuss both views – essay structure.

There are hundreds of ways to structure a Discuss both views essay in the writing part . However, we’ll use this 4-paragraph foolproof band 7+ structure:

INTRODUCTION

• Paraphrase the question statement or use a general statement relevant to the topic.
• State both viewpoints
• Write your opinion statement (only if specified in the statement).
• Write an outline sentence

BODY PARAGRAPH 1

• State first viewpoint
• Explain the viewpoint
• Provide a logical example

BODY PARAGRAPH 2

• State second viewpoint
• Write concluding remarks and your opinion
• State which viewpoint is more significant

RELATED: IELTS Writing Task-1 Formal Letters With Sample Answers

Sample Questions

Now that you’ve understood the discussion essay structure, let’s look at some recently asked topics to give you an idea of how the ‘discuss both views and give your opinion’ essay looks like.

Some people believe that children should spend all of their leisure time with their families. Others believe that this is not required and a negative development. Discuss both viewpoints and give your opinion. Support your answer with the help of relevant examples.

Explanation of the Task

This is Opinion>Discussion type essay. Hence, You should introduce the topic, provide relevant ideas explaining arguments on both sides of the discussion, and then write your opinion in the conclusion. Always remember that these Opinion>Discussion tasks might be expressed differently; look for keyword ‘discuss’ and its synonyms like ‘debate’, ‘consider’ and ‘review’.

Topic Vocabulary

• foster parents – people who officially take a child into their family for a period of time, without becoming the child’s legal parents. The child is referred to as their foster child.
• guardians – people who are legally appointed to protect child’s interests in the absence of parents.
• role models – people that children look up to as examples
• ground rules – basic rules governing the peoples’ behaviour
• conventions – traditions or social norms that most people follow
• codes of conduct – voluntary rules acceptable to people
• bullying – when children attack and intimidate other children
• truancy – when a pupil leaves school without permission
• delinquency – minor crime
• dual-income – a situation when both mother and father working
• child-minding – informal care for children (outside of schools)
• peers – people in the same age group or level
• behavioural patterns – ways of acting and doing things
• well brought-up – to grow, educate and behave in a socially acceptable manner.

We hope that understanding this ‘Discuss both views essay structure’ will help you organize your writing task – 2 better and ultimately fetch you a high band score. And, don’t forget to download the IDP IELTS Writing answer sheets !

2 thoughts on “IELTS Discuss Both Views Essay Structure + Sample Answers”

Very good guidance. Could include one more sample answer.

Thanks! Yeah…sure. More stuff lined up 🙂

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

IELTS TEST TYPES

✓  IELTS Academic

✓  IELTS General Training

USEFUL LINKS

✓  IELTS Full Form

✓  IELTS Band Score

✓  IELTS Vocabulary

✓  IELTS Grammar

CONNECT WITH US

Pinterest ↗

IELTS® is a registered trademark of The British Council, IDP- IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL). This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, IELTS Progress Check, and IDP Education Australia. "IELTS Progress Check" is the name of the official IELTS online practice test and is in no way affiliated with this website. To find out more about the official IELTS online practice test please visit https://www.ieltsprogresscheck.com/.

ABOUT US | PRIVACY POLICY | DISCLAIMER | TERMS | CONTACT US

© 2023 IELTSPROGRESS.COM | All Rights Reserved

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• Happiness Hub
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• College University and Postgraduate
• Academic Writing

How to Write a Discussion Essay

Last Updated: June 27, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 446,179 times.

Discussion Essay Outline and Example

Planning Your Essay

• For instance, maybe the question is, "Immigration has been a heated topic on the national level for many years. With issues like the DREAM Act and President Trump's stances on policy, it's likely to remain a central issue. Using authoritative resources to back up your argument, take a stance on immigration policy, establishing whether you think it should be more or less strict and why."
• You can establish that the main topic is immigration policy from the sentence, "Take a stance on immigration policy."
• If you're having trouble understanding the question, don't be afraid to talk to the professor. They can help you better understand what they're asking for.

• If your essay will be based off a discussion had in class, ask your instructor if you can use class notes as a primary source.
• Look for respected news sources, as well as websites with ".edu" and ".gov" extensions.
• You may need to look up information on the DREAM Act or President Trump's policies to help you understand the question, for example. For this part, you don't need to take extensive notes, as you're just trying to get a feel for the subject.

• If you were given a text to base your essay on, make sure that text has enough evidence to support your chosen position.

• Use Roman numerals on your page to mark your main ideas. Write a main point by each Roman numeral. You should only cover 3 to 4 main points in a relatively short essay, such as one that's 3 to 5 pages.

• Your main sources should be books or ebooks, journal articles from academic journals, and credible websites. You can also use high quality news articles if they're applicable to your topic.

• For a book, you should include the author's name, the editor's name (if applicable), the title of the book, the publication year, the publication city, the edition, and the title of the book chapter in an anthology by multiple authors.
• For a journal, include the author's name, the journal title, the article title, the digital object identifier (DOI), the ISSN, the publication date, the volume (if applicable), the issue (if applicable), and the page numbers for the journal article.
• If you're searching in a database, you can often ask the database to save this information for you, but you should include identifiers on your notes.

• For example, if one of your main points is "Immigration increases diversity," some of your points underneath might be "Brings in new cuisines," and "Brings in new art."
• Find examples from your research, and add notes to each point to fill them in.

Writing the Introduction

• For an example or anecdote, start by telling a short story about something relevant to your topic. For instance, you might write the following for an essay on immigration, "When I was 4-years-old, my parents told me we were going on a long trip. After a bus ride, we spent nights walking, my dad carrying me most of the way. One day, we crossed a river. That day marked our first day in our new country."

• For example, you might write, "Immigration is a highly-debated issue. It is controversial because some people fear how it affects the resources of the country the people are immigrating to, while others believe the improved quality of life for immigrants is what’s most important."

• For instance, your thesis statement might be, "Immigration is good for the country because it increases diversity, infuses the country with new talent, and broadens the population's perspective, and it should be encouraged with a few basic safeguards in place."

Composing the Body of Your Essay

• For instance, if you're writing a short research paper, one paragraph might be your main point "Immigration increases diversity," where you cover all your bullet points in that paragraph.
• If you're digging deeper, you might create a section about diversity, and then use a paragraph to cover "brings in new cuisines," another to cover "brings in new art," and so on.

• Try not to set up a "straw man" argument, where you don't give the other side a fair chance. You should be able to support your position without purposefully creating a weak position on the other side.

• For instance, maybe you want to transition between a section about increasing diversity to one about bringing in new talent. You might write a sentence like, "Increasing diversity in our country doesn't just bring in new cuisines and art, it also brings in hard workers that have fresh perspectives on old problems in the workforce."

• You can paraphrase other ideas or use direct quotes, but only use a direct quote if the author said something in a unique way. Otherwise, put it in your own words.
• You may want to begin body paragraphs with a quote from a relevant source. Then, explain or provide commentary on the quote and show how it supports your position.
• You can also use statistics to back up your research. For instance, if one of your arguments is that immigration doesn't increase crime, use statistics to back that up.

Concluding Your Essay

• For instance, you might write, "A truly great country is one that celebrates differences and welcomes new ideas and perspectives. While immigration has some negative effects on a country, overall, allowing people from other countries to come in helps to spark new ideas and make the country a better and more interesting place to live. Rather than being a drain on society, immigrants are motivated to work hard and our citizens can only benefit from listening to their perspectives."

• Once you have the flow down, read it again to check for grammatical mistakes and typos. It can help to read it aloud, as it slows you down and forces you to read every word.

Expert Q&A

• Remember you can't research forever. Often, the research stage absorbs a student so fully that the upcoming submission date seems unimportant. Make sure to leave yourself at least a few days to write your essay. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://student.unsw.edu.au/answering-assignment-questions
• ↑ https://student.unsw.edu.au/essay-and-assignment-planning
• ↑ https://opentextbc.ca/writingforsuccess/chapter/chapter-11-developing-a-convincing-argument/
• ↑ https://student.unsw.edu.au/organising-your-ideas
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/introductions/
• ↑ https://www.umgc.edu/current-students/learning-resources/writing-center/writing-resources/parts-of-an-essay/essay-introductions
• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/how-to-write-a-thesis-statement.html
• ↑ https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/writing-your-essay
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/organizing_your_argument.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/research_and_evidence.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/conclusion
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

To write a discussion essay, start by taking a side on the issue you're writing about, like "Immigration is good for the country." Then, outline the main points that made you decide to take that position and do research to find evidence that backs them up. Look for credible sources that can help you make your argument, and don't forget to cite them. Then, when you're writing your essay, devote 1 paragraph to each main point and include your evidence. For help writing the introduction and conclusion to your essay, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Ellie Foster

Sep 28, 2021

Did this article help you?

Apr 27, 2016

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Don’t miss out! Sign up for

wikiHow’s newsletter

How To Write A Discussion Essay

One of the first things you should do is read the marking criteria  to see what the examiners expect. This is really important, as you need to know what they are looking for in the band 7+ boxes. 

If you would like to purchase a 34  page PDF download that is easy to read and print out please take a look at the bookshop >

WRITING TASK 2 Discuss Both Views and Give Your Opinion Essay STRUCTURE

TIP >>  It is very important that spend a full 40 minutes on this task as the score you get for writing task 2 is two-thirds of your total writing score. You also need to write a minimum of 250 words and use your own ideas. 

IT IS A 5-PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE >>

This is the introduction to the essay and where you should start off by paraphrasing the question. 

This means that you rewrite the question in your own words using synonyms. You can’t just copy the question again or use the same words in the question. Paraphrase and show off your vocabulary knowledge by using synonyms. When practising your essay writing, use an online thesaurus  to help you. This is a great tool and can help you to learn many new words.

The last sentence in the introduction should outline for the examiner exactly what you will discuss in the main body paragraphs. For example, ‘ this essay will discuss both views and state my own position’.

There are three sentences you need in the introduction >>

The example you give could be something from your own experience or made up – it is ok to make up something as the examiners will not fact check your information. They want to see your ability to use English at a certain level. You could make up an example from a report, journal, newspaper or University study to support your view. 

EXPRESSING YOUR OPINION >>

Sequencing ideas >>, sample discuss both points of view and give your own opinion essay >>.

Thirdly, in my opinion, I believe that the internet can bring people closer together, as it can make both socialising and work much easier for those who travel. Communities can speak freely at any time, in groups, asking for help or advice, though it is up to the individuals to acknowledge how much time they are spending online and whether this is a cause for concern. Isolation cannot be blamed on the internet, as it is just a tool to use, the individual must be in charge of their own time. For example, a person who works from home online for many hours in the day should make sure they have adequate breaks and make time for socialising, as to not feel isolated or removed from their own community.   

WRITING TASK 2 BAND SCORE 9 CRITERIA >>

Related posts, society: ielts discussion essay model answer., ielts discussion essay sample 2 – economics, leave a comment cancel reply.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

IELTS Advantage

IELTS Preparation Courses

Writing Task 2 Discuss Both Views Lesson

How to write a Task 2 discussion essay: 

• Introduction: paraphrase the question, state both points of view, make a thesis statement and outline your sentence. 
• Main body paragraph 1: state the first viewpoint, discuss it, state whether you agree or disagree and give an example to support your view.
• Main body paragraph 2: state the second viewpoint, discuss it, state whether you agree or disagree and give an example to support your view.
• Conclusion: summarise and state which viewpoint is better or more important.
• Remember that each Task 2 essay requires a different structure. It is important to learn each structure and practise your writing at home.

Introduction

This lesson will help you answer IELTS Writing Task 2 discussion (or discuss both views and give your opinion) questions.

These particular questions require a different approach to opinion essays because you have to discuss both sides rather than argue in favour of one side.

This post will look at:

• Identifying the question

Example Questions

• Sample Answer

Task Achievement

Coherence and Cohesion

Lexical Resource

Many students fail to do well in these questions because they do not do what the question asks them to do and do not use an appropriate structure . This post will help you overcome these problems and give you a sample answer.

We will also look at ‘lexical resource’ and ‘coherence and cohesion’; two of the IELTS examiners’ marking criteria when marking your essays. Understanding the marking scheme will help you get inside an IELTS examiner’s head and give them exactly what they want.

Identifying the Question

Look at the three questions below and choose the one you think is a discussion question.

• Computers are being used more and more in education and so there will soon be no role for the teacher in education.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

• Computers are being used more and more in education.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion.

• Computers are being used more and more in education. Some people say that this is a positive trend, while others argue that it is leading to negative consequences.

Discuss both sides of this argument and then give your own opinion.

The first question is an opinion question, and we can tell this from the instructions ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree?’.

The second question is obviously an advantages and disadvantages question.

The third question is the discussion question. We can tell this from the typical instructions in the question, ‘Discuss both sides of the argument and then give your opinion’.

You may also be asked to ‘Discuss both views and give your opinion’ or ‘Discuss both sides of the argument and give your opinion’.

Each of these questions is asking us to do different things, and we, therefore, need a different structure for each question .

Here are a few other typical discussion questions:

• A growing number of people feel that animals should not be exploited by people and that they should have the same rights as humans, while others argue that humans must employ animals to satisfy their various needs, including uses for food and research.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

• Bloodsports have become a hot topic for debate in recent years. As society develops it is increasingly seen as an uncivilized activity and cruel to the helpless animals that are killed. All blood sports should be banned.

Discuss the main arguments for this statement and give your own opinion.

• Some people think that the best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison sentences. Others, however, believe there are better alternative ways of reducing crime.

As you can see, they typically state two opinions and then ask you to discuss both and give your opinion. Make sure you do these things in the essay. If you only discuss both views and fail to give your opinion you will lose marks.

For discussion questions, I suggest you use the following four-paragraph structure.

Introduction 

1- Paraphrase Question

2- State Both Points of View

2- Thesis Statement

3- Outline Sentence

Main Body Paragraph 1

1- State first viewpoint

2- Discuss first viewpoint

3- Reason why you agree or disagree with viewpoint

4- Example to support your view

Main Body Paragraph 2

1- State second viewpoint

2- Discuss second viewpoint

Conclusion  

Sentence 1- Summary

Sentence 2- State which one is better or more important

Practice  

Here is a sample answer, but I have mixed up the sentences. Can you match the sentences below to the structure above?

This exercise will help you understand the structure.

• In conclusion, while the benefits of technology, particularly the internet, allow students to tap into limitless sources of information, some still feel that people should be wary of this new phenomenon and not allow it to curb face-to-face interaction.
• There is an ever-increasing use of technology, such as tablets and laptops, in the classroom.
• The internet has provided students with access to more information than ever before.
• Moreover, learners can research and learn about any subject at the touch of a button. It is therefore agreed that technology is a very worthwhile tool for education.
• However, many disagree and feel that technology deprives people of real human interaction.
• Human interaction teaches people valuable skills such as discourse, debate and empathy.
• Despite this, human interaction is still possible through the internet, and this essay disagrees that technology should be dismissed for this reason.
• This essay agrees that an increase in technology is beneficial to students and teachers. This essay will discuss both points of view.
• For instance, Skype and Facebook allow people to interact in ways that were never before possible.
• Wikipedia is a prime example, where students can type in any keyword and gain access to in-depth knowledge quickly and easily.
• However, as long as we carefully consider the importance of human interaction in education, the educational benefits are clearly positive.
• It is often argued that this is a positive development, whilst others disagree and think it will lead to adverse ramifications.

Example Answer

Computers are being used more and more in education. Some people say this is a positive trend, while others argue that it leads to negative consequences.

There is an ever-increasing use of technology, such as tablets and laptops, in the classroom. It is often argued that this is a positive development, whilst others disagree and think it will lead to adverse ramifications. This essay agrees that an increase in technology is beneficial to students and teachers.

The internet has provided students with access to more information than ever before. Moreover, learners can research and learn about any subject at the touch of a button. It is therefore agreed that technology is a very worthwhile tool for education. Wikipedia is a prime example, where students can type in any keyword and gain access to in-depth knowledge quickly and easily.

However, many disagree and feel that technology deprives people of real human interaction. Human interaction teaches people valuable skills such as discourse, debate and empathy. Despite this, human interaction is still possible through the internet, and this essay disagrees that technology should be dismissed for this reason. For instance, Skype and Facebook allow people to interact in ways that were never before possible.

In conclusion, while the benefits of technology, particularly the internet, allow students to tap into limitless sources of information, some still feel that people should be wary of this new phenomenon and not allow it to curb face-to-face interaction. However, as long as we carefully consider the importance of human interaction in education, the educational benefits are clearly positive.

This is one of the four areas you will be assessed on in the IELTS writing test.

Task achievement refers to your ability to address all parts of the question and present a fully developed answer. By following the structure above, we have fully discussed both sides of the argument and given our opinion. This is exactly what the question asked us to do, no more, no less.

Discourse markers (words like ‘however’, ‘despite this’ and ‘In conclusion’) are also referred to as ‘linking words’ and ‘linking phrases’, or ‘sentence connectors’. They are quite formal and are used more in academic writing than informal speech.

You gain marks for using these under the ‘coherence and cohesion’ section of the marking scheme. These words ‘stick’ the other words together and lend continuity to sentences and paragraphs.

If you do not include discourse markers in your IELTS writing, your answer will appear illogical and more difficult to understand.

However, this does not mean that you should try to insert as many of these words into your writing as possible. This is a common mistake in IELTS writing.  Using too many of them, or using them inappropriately, can make your writing sound too heavy and unnatural. They are important but must only be used at the appropriate time.

Try to identify any discourse markers in the essay above . Don’t look at the essay below yet. How many can you find?

Student Sample Answer with Discourse Markers

Here is the sample answer again with the discourse markers in bold .

There is an ever-increasing use of technology, such as tablets and laptops, in the classroom. It is often argued that this is a positive development, whilst others disagree and think it will lead to adverse ramifications. This essay agrees that an increase in technology is beneficial to students and teachers.

The internet has provided students with access to more information than ever before. Moreover , learners can research and learn about any subject at the touch of a button. It is therefore agreed that technology is a very worthwhile tool for education. Wikipedia is a prime example , where students can type in any keyword and gain access to in-depth knowledge quickly and easily.

However , many disagree and feel that technology deprives people of real human interaction. Human interaction teaches people valuable skills such as discourse, debate and empathy.  Despite this , human interaction is still possible through the internet, and this essay disagrees that technology should be dismissed for this reason. For instance , Skype and Facebook allow people to interact in ways that were never before possible.

In conclusion , while the benefits of technology, particularly the internet, allow students to tap into limitless sources of information, some still feel that people should be wary of this new phenomenon and not allow it to curb face-to-face interaction. However , as long as we carefully consider the importance of human interaction in education, the educational benefits are clearly positive.

This is also one of the four criteria you will be marked on, and it refers to your ability to use a wide range of accurate vocabulary.

A common mistake is to repeat the same words over and over again. You will lose marks if you do this. A solution to this problem is to use synonyms. You can either think of synonyms as you are writing or leave time, in the end, to add them in.

Can you identify any synonyms in the essay above?

Here are some examples:

Computers- technology

Computers- the internet

Education- in the classroom

Education- students and teachers

Positive trend- positive development

Negative Consequences- adverse ramifications

By varying your vocabulary this way, you are demonstrating that you have a wide vocabulary, which will boost your band score. However, like discourse markers, be careful not to use inappropriate/inaccurate words. Only use words you are confident about. Mistakes will lead to fewer marks.

Do you need me to correct your essays and give you feedback on them? Check out our essay correction service .

I hope this post helps you with discussion questions, and if you have any questions, please comment below.

About Christopher Pell

My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.

I started IELTS Advantage as a simple blog to help 16 students in my class. Several years later, I am very humbled that my VIP Course has been able to help thousands of people around the world to score a Band 7+ in their IELTS tests.

If you need my help with your IELTS preparation, you can send me an email using the contact us page.

IELTS Discussion Writing Samples Band 9

Research indicates that the characteristics we are born with have much more influence on our personality and development than any experiences we may have in our life. which do you consider to be the major influence give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience., some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. other people prefer to prepare and eat food at home. which do you prefer use specific reasons and examples to support your answer., write about the following topic: research indicates that the characteristics we are born with have much more influence on our personality and development than any experiences we may have in our life. which do you consider to be the major influence give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. write at least 250 words., in some countries, more people are becoming interested in finding out about the history of the house or building they live in. what are the reasons for this how can people research this question, money is important in most people’s lives. although some people think it is more important than others. what do you feel are the right uses of money what other factors are important for a good life give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your experience., compare the advantages and disadvantages of three of the following as media for communicating and information. state which you consider to be the most effective - comics - books - radio - television - film - theatre give reason for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experiance., some people prefer to get up early in the morning and start the day’s work. others prefer to get up later in the day and work until late at night. which do you prefer use specific reasons and examples to support your choice., modern technology, such as personal computers and the internet, have made it possible for many people to do their work from home at least part of the time instead f going to an office every day. what are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this situation give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience., labour-saving devices such as dishwashers and communication tools such as computers are supposed to make our lives easier. however, some people argue that these devices only make them more difficult. does modern technology reduce or increase stress give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience, in some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this. give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. you should write at least 250 words., nowadays, celebrities earn more money than the politicians do. what are the reasons for this is it a negative or a positive development, nowadays, more and more people decide to have children later in their life. what are the the reasons do advantages of this outweigh disadvantages, "these days people succeed in their chosen profession because they are good communicators and not just experts in a particular field". discuss the reasons and why is the case. give reasons to your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience., you should spend about 40 minutes on this task. write about the following topic. with the improvements in today’s health care, society has to care for more and more elderly people. do you feel that society will be able to cope with the increase in numbers of elderly people today and how can it be managed give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. you should write at least 250 words., some people feel that it is always wrong to keep animals in captivity, for instance in zoos. other people say that there are benefits for the animals and for humans. discuss both sides of this debate, and give your personal view, you should spend about 40 minutes on this task. write about the following topic. pollution of rivers, lakes and seas is a major concern for people who seek to protect the environment. what are the possible causes of water pollution, and what effects does this have on animal life and human society give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. you should write at least 254 words., some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. others argue that it is better to try and improve such situation. discuss both these views and give your own., immigration has a major impact on the society. what are the main reasons of immigration. to what consequences can it lead., to what extent has the internet made life more convenient give reasons for your answer and give any relavent examples from your own knowledge or experienc..

• Unlimited Task 1 checks Get all the feedback you need to keep improving your charts and letters.
• Unlimited Task 2 checks Practice and perfect your skills with essays.
• Personalized suggestions Know how to boost your score.
• Detailed mistakes analysis Get instant feedback. Spot every mistake.
• Topic ideas generator Get topic-specific ideas to enhance your writing.
• Vocabulary helper Get the right words for any topic.
• Progress tracking Track your writing improvements.

• TOEFL Writing Correction Topics
• OET Mock Tests
• Writing Correction
• Speaking Mock Test
• Reading Course
• Listening Practice Tests
• FREE Practice Tests
• IELTS Writing Correction
• IELTS Speaking Practice
• OET Writing Correction
• OET Reading Course
• OET Speaking Mock Test
• TOEFL Writing Correction
• PTE Writing Correction
• OET Listening Practice Tests
• OET (Occupational English Test)
• PTE (Pearson Test of English)
• Essay Task 2

IELTS Writing Task 2: Discussion Essays- Benchmark IELTS

• Essay Types
• Double Question
• Advantage Disadvantage
• Problem Solution
• Essay Length

Discussion essays are a common type of IELTS writing task 2 essay question where you are given two sides of an argument to discuss and give your opinion. This guide is full of writing tips, useful language and a sample essay to help you produce a high-level IELTS writing task 2 discussion essay. Read on to learn more!

Table of Contents

1.1 understanding the question, 1.2 example discussion essay questions, 2.1 essay structure 1.

• 2.2 Essay structure 2
• 3.1 Identify key words and phrases

3.2 Organise your ideas

3.3 identify vocabulary, 4.1 introduction, 4.2 main body paragraphs, 4.3 conclusion.

• 5.1 Complete the sample Discussion essay

5.2 Discussion Sample Essay

1. discussion essay overview.

As with all IELTS writing task 2 essay  questions, you will have  40 minutes to produce a formal essay ( at least 250 words in length).

With a discussion essay, you will be presented with two sides of an argument and then asked to give your opinion .

Remember, there are five main types of writing task 2 questions:

• Advantage/disadvantage
• Double question
• Problem/solution

A discussion question should be easy to identify: You will first be given an IELTS statement and then a question that will usually be worded something like:

• Discuss both sides and give your opinion
• Discuss both sides

With this type of essay question, you can choose to either take a thesis-led approach where you give your opinion in the i ntroduction and conclusion , or an evidence-led approach where you give your opinion in the conclusion .

We will show you both structures later in this guide and a sample essay that takes an evidence-led approach.

Here are some example discussion essay questions. Pay attention to the question words so you quickly identify a discussion essay question:

Some people say that governments are responsible for dealing with environmental issues. Other people believe that it is the individual’s responsibility to take action to protect the environment.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Some people think that environmental problems should be solved on a global scale while others believe it is better to deal with them nationally.

There seems to be an increasing number of serious crimes committed each year. While some think the best way is to use the death penalty as a deterrent, many people believe that other measures will be needed.

Discuss both sides.

Some people feel that it is better to live in a city while others believe that life is better in the countryside.

Also, read the following IELTS Essay Writing Guides

• Double Question IELTS Essay Topics
• Opinion-based Task 2 IELTS Guide
• IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Type
• Problem Solution IELTS Writing Task Statement

Many people think governments should fund art, while others believe that artists should be responsible for funding their work.

Discuss both views.

IELTS Writing

Ielts writing correction & grading.

Improve Your IELTS Score

• 24-Hour Turnaround
• Open 365 Days
• 1 Year Validity
• Handwritten Essays Accepted

2. Essay Structure for Opinion Essays

2.1 Essay structure 2

Evidence-led

Note that we have suggested giving two topic sentences per body paragraph . However, it is perfectly fine to spend more time writing one topic sentence and developing that idea fully .

The best way to see what structure works best is to complete an essay under timed conditions.

IELTS Speaking

Ielts speaking practice.

• One-on-one Zoom Session
• Instant Feedback & Band Score
• Includes Part 1, Cue-card, Part 3
• Exam-based Speaking Topics

3. Planning your Discussion Essay

Planning your essay should only take 5 minutes but could make a real difference to your overall score.

We’ve put together some useful tips to plan a discussion essay.

3.1 Identify keywords and phrases

You should always make sure you understand exactly what topic you have been asked to write about by locating the topic words in the IELTS statement.

Take a look at the statement for our model answer. We’ve underlined the topic words for you:

Some people think that environmental problems should be solved on a global scale while others believe it is better to deal with them nationally .

The topic of this essay is environmental problems . We have also put some other keywords in bold that give more information about the topic, in this case, the question is not just about environmental problems but about dealing with these problems on a global scale or nationally .

If you want to score well in Coherence and Cohesion, then you need to create a logical and well organised essay. You could organise your ideas using notes, bullet points, columns, or whatever method you like. For a discussion essay, you could consider arranging your ideas by argument and supporting examples:

Argument 1:

• Environmental issues should be addressed at global level/ richer nations = financial ability
• International cooperation is necessary worldwide
• World leaders can make laws to promote the use of renewable energy and reduce the use of finite resources
• Resources to develop and invest in green technology / drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Different nations need to reduce carbon emissions

Argument 2:

• National laws that impose rules
• Regional and community action is more effective than global efforts
• Recycling quotas and waste reduction
• Communities can coordinate direct action
• Litter picking campaigns

Although it is not essential, it is a great idea to note down any unusual or useful vocabulary during the planning process to increase your score in Lexical resource .

Here are some ideas we came up with for our sample essay linked to the topic of environmental problems :

• Finite resources
• Greenhouse emissions
• Enact meaningful change
• Recycling quotas
• Green technology

4. Writing your Discussion Essay

The first thing you need to do is rewrite the given IELTS statement in your own words. This is called paraphrasing and it is a key skill needed for the writing section of the IELTS exam.

Look at the example of our paraphrase statement, can you see what’s changed?

Notice that we have taken an evidence-led approach where we do not give our opinion in the introduction and instead put this in the conclusion.

We suggest also adding an outline sentence to briefly explain what our easy will do:

This essay will examine both points of view .

For both of your main body paragraphs, you will need language to introduce the two discussion points given in the statement.

Each body paragraph should focus on one side of the argument .

Here’s a reminder of our recommended essay structure for the body paragraphs (remember, you do not have to write about two points in each paragraph, you can stick to one ):

Impersonal Passive: The impersonal passive is useful for this type of essay when introducing ideas. Here are some example sentence starters:

• People often say that…
• A common argument is that…
• People often claim that…
• Some people say that…
• People generally think that…
• People often put forward the argument that…

Here is another example taken from our sample essay:

It is often argued that these environmental issues should be tackled globally.

Relative clauses: Relative clauses are an efficient way of providing more information about the main idea of your sentence as well as a way of increasing your Grammatical range and accuracy .

Here is a reminder of the relative pronouns needed to form a relative clause:

And here are some example relative clauses linked to the topic of our sample essay:

• On the other hand, there are many people who believe that environmental change is only possible at a more local level and that only individual nations can make the biggest difference.
• It is believed that there should be national laws that impose rules such as recycling quotas and waste reduction.

Your conclusion is an essential part of your writing tasks 2 essay and you will find it difficult to score over a band score 6.0 in Task achievement if you do not include one .

There are two main things you need to do for a successful conclusion:

• Restate both sides of the argument (using different words than you did in your introduction)
• Give your opinion/ restate your opinion on which side of the argument you think is the most important (this will depend on whether you have taken a thesis-led or evidence-led approach)

Take a look at our conclusion for the sample answer and identify the opinion:

In conclusion, although it is clear that environmental issues need to be addressed at a global level, it is my view that national efforts can make the biggest difference.  Communities can work together to implement policies quickly and effectively and enact meaningful environmental change.

5. Example Discussion Essay and Exercise

Here is the discussion essay that we have been using in this guide.

We have removed some keywords so you can test your knowledge on discussion essays by selecting the correct missing word.

5.1 Complete the Sample Discussion Essay

There is no doubt that the modern world is facing many serious environmental problems, such as climate change, an increase in natural disasters and air pollution. It is often argued that these environmental issues should be tackled globally. However, there are also those that argue that these problems can only be dealt with at a regional level. This essay will examine both points of view.

One reason that people believe environmental issues should be addressed at a global level is that richer, more developed nations have the financial ability and power to do so. World leaders can make laws to promote the use of renewable energy and reduce the use of finite resources. Furthermore, they also have the resources to develop and invest in green technology that could drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Another argument that can be put forward is that, to make major environmental changes, international cooperation is necessary worldwide. For instance, different nations need to work in unison to agree on their reduction in carbon emissions.

On the other hand, there are many people who believe that environmental change is only possible at a more local level and that only individual nations can make the biggest difference. It is believed that there should be national laws that impose rules such as recycling quotas and waste reduction. Additionally, it is argued that regional and community action is more effective than global efforts. For example, communities can coordinate direct action such as litter picking campaigns.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• ielts writing
• ielts listening
• ielts speaking
• ielts reading
• IELTS Sample Reports
• IELTS Sample Essays
• IELTS Vocabulary
• IELTS Grammar

Exam Updates & Tips!

Signup for preparation and special offers!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Discussion Essay (Discuss both Sides/Views)

by Dave | Understanding Task 2 Writing | 0 Comment

Here I have collected actual IELTS discussion essays (discuss both sides/views) from the last several years – enjoy learning about this common task type!

Enjoy and consider signing up for my Patreon Ebooks here .

IELTS Task 2 Question Types: Discussion Essay (Discuss both Sides)

Some people believe that young people should choose the jobs that they want, but other people think they should be more realistic and think more about their future.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Read my essay here.

Some feel that individuals today spend too much time following political news while others feel politics deserves greater attention.

Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Get access to the full EBook (and more!) on Patreon.

Some people think technology development decreases crime, while others believe it actually encourages crime.

Some people think that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing. Others believe that we should try to cooperate more, rather than competing against each other.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Reported on IELTS Cambridge 19

Innovation is often driven by the pursuit of profit and economic growth. However, some argue that it should prioritize addressing social and environmental issues.

Read my essay here on Patreon.

Some people believe that in a city, the best way to travel is by car, while other people argue that bicycles are a better way of travelling in a city.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Read my sample here.

Some people think the manufacturers and shopping malls should sell fewer packaged products while others argue that people have the responsibility to buy products with less packaging.

Some people believe that professional athletes serve as positive role models for young people, while others argue that their behavior both on and off the field can have a negative influence.

Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Some people believe that reading is always a good habit. Others feel it depends on which books a person is reading.

Get the full EBook here on Patreon.

The increasing availability of low-cost airlines now lets people travel around the world. Some feel this is a positive development while others think it is negative overall.

In some countries, companies allow people to work from home. In others, people are still expected to work in an office.

Read my EBook on Patreon.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of oil drilling operations in remote locations around the world. This has brought economic benefits to some countries, though it has also raised concerns about the environmental impact of these operations.

Many university students want to learn about different subjects in addition to their main subjects. Others feel it is more important to give all their time and attention to studying for their qualification.

Many think that religion should be taught in schools while others think it should be avoided.

My full EBook is available on Patreon.

Some believe that students should begin learning a language very early in school while others think these subjects should be taught later.

Some feel that individuals should have the right to strike in all jobs while others feel there are exceptions.

Get the full EBook on Patreon.com/howtodoielts

Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think that change is always a good thing.

Many believe that the goal of one’s career should be to pursue a passion while others feel it is merely a way to earn a livelihood.

Read my EBook here on Patreon.

Some people feel that cities should allow for spaces for graffiti while others feel it should be banned.

Some think newspapers are the best method for reading the news while others think other media is better .

Discuss both sides and give your own opinion .

As the number of cars increases, more money has to be spent on road systems. Some people think the government should pay for this. Others, however, think that drivers should cover the costs.

Some people believe that children of all ages should have extra responsibilities (for example, helping at home or at work). Others believe that, outside of school, children should be free to enjoy their lives. 

Some people believe more actions can be taken to prevent crime, while others think that little can be done.

Some argue that patriotism is the primary cause of wars globally. Others feel that it serves to prevent less ethical politicians from running a country and starting wars.

Some feel that punishment should focus more on rehabilitation instead of long prison terms. Others feel prison terms are important for social stability.

Read my essay on Patreon.

Some feel that individuals should try to assimilate completely to the country where they live while others feel it is more important to preserve their native culture.

Read my essay on Patreon as an EBook.

Some believe that traffic problems in cities can best be resolved by investing in urban infrastructure while others feel there are superior solutions.

Some people believe that car-free days are effective ways to reduce air pollution. However, others argue that there are other ways that are more effective.

Many governments think that economic progress is their most important goal. Some people, however, think that other types of progress are equally important for a country.

Some people believe that increasing tax on various industries will reduce pollution whereas others believe that there are better alternative ways.

Discuss both the view and give your opinion.

Some believe that money for education should mainly be spent on better computers while others believe it would be better spent on teachers.

In an era of globalization, some people think that studying abroad is the best way to attain a well-paid job while others believe other options are better.

Some people believe that professionals, such as doctors and engineers, should be required to work in the country where they did their training. Others believe they should be free to work in another country if they wish.

Discuss views and give your own opinion.

Some people feel that equality between the genders has already been achieved while others feel there is considerable progress to be made.

Some people believe that the experiences children have before they go to school will have the greatest effect on their future life. Others argue that experiences gained when they are teenagers have a bigger influence.

Discuss both views and give your own opinions.

Some feel that cities shold be designed to be beautiful while others feel their functionality is more important.

Read my essay here as an Ebook on Patreon.

In some places, old age is valued, while in other cultures youth is considered more important.

Some people think that the government should strictly control the supply of fresh water, as it is a limited resource, while others it should not be regulated.

Read my essay.

Some people think it is better to have many short holidays during the year. Others believe it would be beneficial to have fewer, longer vacations.

Get my Ebook on Patreon here.

In some countries, there has been an increase in the number of advertisements which try to persuade children to buy snacks, toys, and other goods. Parents often claim that these ads are unfair.

Some people say that individuals should change jobs during their working life often while others believe that doing the same job has advantages to individuals, companies, and society.

Some think that politicians should always be honest while others feel that there are times when they must lie. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Many people argue that in order to improve educational quality, high school students should encouraged to question and offer criticisms on their teachers. Others think this will lead to a loss of respect and discipline in the classroom.

Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think that change is always good .

Computers are becoming increasingly pervasive in modern life. Some view this is as a positive while others feel it is negative overall.

Read my sample answer here.

Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a very early age. Others think they should begin after 7 years of age.

Some people are happy to stay in the same area for their whole life, while others prefer living in many different places.

Many believe that it is important to protect all wild animals, while others think that it is important to protect some, not all of them.

Some people think that schools should not test and grade students. Others think that grades are important.

Some people think that newspapers are the best way to learn about current events. However, others believe that they can learn news better through other media.

Some people think that governments should give financial support to creative artists such as painters and musicians. Others believe that artists should be funded by alternative sources.

There is little difference in the shops now operating in various nations. Some people think this is positive development,while other believe it is negative.

Some people focus on news in their own country, while others think it is more important to be aware of international news.

Some say that children should be taught at school to recycling and avoid waste. Others say they should learn this at home.

Discuss both views and give your opinion .

Some people say that individuals who make a lot of money are the most successful. Others think that those who contribute to society like scientists and teachers are more successful.

Employers sometimes ask people applying for jobs for personal information, such as their hobbies and interests, and whether they are married or single. Some people say that this information may be relevant and useful. Others disagree.

Movies and computer games containing violence are popular. Some people say they have a negative effect on society and should be censored. Others say they are just harmless relaxation.

Some people think personal happiness is directly related to economic success, while others believe this depends on other factors.

Many people believe that it is easier to have a healthy lifestyle in the countryside. Other believe that there are health benefits to living in cities.

Some people think that students in high or secondary school can choose courses freely, others think that courses such as mathematics must be compulsory.

Some people think children should have the freedom to make mistakes, while other people believe that adults should prevent children from making mistakes.

Some people believe that children should do sports so that they will grow up as healthy adults, but others feel sports are just about enjoying yourself.

Discuss these both views and give your own opinion.

Some people think that individuals today are more dependent on each other. Others believe people have become more independent.

Some people think that children can learn about history by visiting museums, while others feel that there are better ways to learn about history.

Some feel that schools should be mixed with both girls and boys attending while others feel the genders ought to be separated.

Some believe that people should make efforts to fight climate change while others think it is better to learn to live with it.

In many countries, crimes rates amongst younger people has been rising.

Discuss the causes and solutions for this problem.

Some people think that sports play an important role in society. Others think they are nothing more than a leisure activity.

Read my answer here.

Some people think the newly built houses should be the same as the old housing styles in local areas. Others argue that local authorities should allow people to build houses in their own style.

Some feel governments should invest in preserving minority languages, while others feel this is not a good use of resources.

Museums and art galleries should show local history and culture instead of work from different countries.

Discuss both views and give opinion.

Some people think young people should follow the traditions of their society. Others think that they should be free to behave as individuals.

Some people think that famous people can help international aid organizations to draw attention to important problems. Others believe that the celebrities can make the problems seem less important.

Some believe that the Olympic games help bring people from different nations together, while others claim that holding the Olympics wastes money which could be used for important issues.

Some people believe the purpose of education should be helping the individual to become useful for society, while others believe it should help individuals to achieve their ambitions.

Some people think students should study the science of food and how to prepare it. Others think students should spend time on important subjects.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion .

Some people think parents are responsible for transporting their children to school. Others think it is the government’s responsibility.

Some feel that the effects of advertising are positive for individuals and businesses, while others think they are negative.

Some think that climate change reforms will negatively affect business. Others feel they are an opportunity for businesses.

Some people say young people should be completely free to choose their future job but others think young people must be more realistic in their choice.

Some people say that the bicycles are a good, modern means of transportation. Other say riding a bicycle has clear disadvantages.

Discuss both view points and give your own opinion.

Some think scientists should be allowed to send messages into space to communicate with other life forms while others believe this is too dangerous.

Some feel executives in large companies should receive high salaries while others think they are paid too much compared to ordinary workers.

Some believe that advances in technology are increasing the gap between rich and poor while others think the opposite is hapenning.

Some people think that cities are the best places to live. Others prefer to live in rural areas.

Some people say that supermarkets and manufacturers have a responsibility to reduce the amount of packaging on products they sell. Others believe that it is the consumer’s responsibility to avoid buying products which have a lot of packaging.

Discuss both views and give your opinions.

Many companies sponsor sports as a way of advertising themselves. Some people think this is good for the world of sport, while others think it is a negative.

Some people believe that there should be a fixed punishment for each type of crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion. 

Some people believe that children that commit crimes should be punished. Others think the parents should be punished instead.

Some believe that it is beneficial to show foreign films while others feel this can have a negative impact on local culture.

Some scientists believe that in the future computers will be more intelligent than human beings. While some see this as a positive development others worry about the negative consequences.

Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things. Other people think that advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it.

Some people think that resources should be spent on protecting wild animals, while others think those would be better used for the human population.

Giving children and adolescents pocket money is common throughout the world.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this practice and give your own opinion.

Some think schools should rewards students who have the best academic results, while others think it’s more important to reward students who achieve other types of success (such as sports, music, and good behaviour).

Some educational systems make students study specialised subjects from the age of fifteen while others require students to study a wide range.

Some people argue children should stay in school until the age of 18 while others think that 14 years is long enough.

Many people think that zoos are cruel. Others think they are helpful in protecting rare animals.

Some people like to spend their leisure time after work with co-workers while others prefer to keep their private life separate from their work life.

Some people believe that one-on-one lessons are better for learning while others think that group lessons are superior.

Some think that quality art can be made by anyone while others think that it requires special talent and ability.

In many countries, teenagers are encouraged to find part-time jobs. Some think this is a good development while others disagree.

Some believe that history has little to teach us about today while others think that the study of the past helps us to understand the present.

Many people believe that music is just a form of entertainment, whilst others believe that music has a much larger impact on society today.

Some believe that the best way to stay fit is to join a gym or health club while others think doing everyday activities such as walking and climbing stairs is enough.

Some people argue that job satisfaction is more important than job security, while others believe that they cannot always expect job satisfaction and a permanent job is more important.

Some think that governments should support retired people financially while others believe they should take care of themselves.

Some believe that people are naturally born as leaders while others feel that leadership skills can develop.

Many people feel that students should learn from online materials while others feel that it is better to use printed materials.

Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a very early age. Some think they should begin at least 7 years old.

Discuss both views give opinions.

Many think that in today’s world it is very difficult for people to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Others, however, feel that it is easy for people to be healthy and fit if they want to be.

Some people think that paying taxes is their only responsibility towards society while others feel that everyone should do more.

Most agree that we should be training children to recycle waste to preserve the Earth’s natural resources. However, some believe that it is parents who should teach their children to recycle waste while others feels schools are more responsible.

Some people believe that education is the key to tackling hunger worldwide while others feel that the answer is in food aid.

Some people say that it is acceptable to test medicine intended for people on animals. Others, however, believe that it is not right to use animals in this research.

Many feel that going to the gym is the best way to stay fit. Others think there are more effective methods.

Some people believe that allowing children to make their own choices on everyday matters (such as food, clothes and entertainment) is likely to result in a society of individuals who only think about their own wishes. Other people believe that it is important for children to make decisions about matters that affect them.

Many parents encourage young people to leave home when they become older, while others think they should stay at home with the family.

Many people believe that every individual is responsible for his/her own healthy lifestyle. Others believe that governments should take care of it.

In a number of countries, some people think it is necessary to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities. Others believe the money should be spent on improving existing public transport.

Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems.

Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations., some people believe that it is good to share as much information as possible in scientific research, business, and the academic world. others believe that some information is too important or too valuable to be shared freely..

Some people think that governments should invest mainly in making public transportation faster while other think there are more important priorities (cost, the environment).

Some people think that newspapers are the best way to learn news. However, others believe that they can learn news better through other media.

Some people say history is one the most important school subjects. Other people think that, in today’s world, subjects like science and technology are more important than history.

Some people think that it is a waste of money for countries to host big sporting events like the world cup, and that the money would be better spent on other things. However, others think that hosting large sporting events has a clear, positive impact on a country.

Discuss both these views and give your opinion., some are of the opinion that people are naturally born as good leaders while others feel that leadership skills can be learned., recommended for you.

Latest IELTS Writing Task 1 2024 (Graphs, Charts, Maps, Processes)

by Dave | Sample Answers | 147 Comments

These are the most recent/latest IELTS Writing Task 1 Task topics and questions starting in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and continuing into 2024. ...

Recent IELTS Writing Topics and Questions 2024

by Dave | Sample Answers | 342 Comments

Read here all the newest IELTS questions and topics from 2024 and previous years with sample answers/essays. Be sure to check out my ...

Find my Newest IELTS Post Here – Updated Daily!

by Dave | IELTS FAQ | 18 Comments

IELTS Essay: Social Networking Sites

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 5 Comments

This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of social networking sites from the real IELTS exam. Be ...

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Housing Shortages (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 9 Comments

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of housing shortages from the real exam. It's kind of ...

IELTS Writing Task 1: Map of a City Hospital (IELTS Cambridge 13)

by Dave | Sample Answers | 6 Comments

This is an IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample Answer from IELTS Cambridge 13 about the map of a city hospital. This map presents some challenges because ...

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Exclusive Ebooks, PDFs and more from me!

Sign up for patreon.

Don't miss out!

"The highest quality materials anywhere on the internet! Dave improved my writing and vocabulary so much. Really affordable options you don't want to miss out on!"

Minh, Vietnam

Hi, I’m Dave! Welcome to my IELTS exclusive resources! Before you commit I want to explain very clearly why there’s no one better to help you learn about IELTS and improve your English at the same time... Read more

Patreon Exclusive Ebooks Available Now!

How to Write an IELTS Discussion Essay?

Updated On Aug 02, 2024

Share on Whatsapp

Share on Email

Share on Linkedin

The article guides on writing a Band 8+ IELTS Discussion Essay, emphasizing clear structure, balanced arguments, and evidence support. It outlines planning, writing, common mistakes, and provides sample questions with answers.

Table of Contents

How to plan an ielts discussion essay, structure of an ielts writing task 2 discuss both views and give your opinion essay, 3 common mistakes in ielts discuss both views and give your opinion essays, tips to write an ielts discussion essay, ielts discussion essay sample questions with sample answers, excel at ielts writing with ieltsmaterial.com, also check:.

Limited-Time Offer : Access a FREE 10-Day IELTS Study Plan!

Just as the names suggest, discuss both views or discussion essays in IELTS Writing Task 2 expects you to discuss both sides of an argument, and then to give your own opinion on the matter.

You get 40 minutes to complete this discussion essay IELTS Writing task and you have to write at least 250 words on the topic given. So gear up, let us learn how to write a perfect band 8+ task 2, discuss both views and essays in no time in this blog!

There are a few key things to keep in mind when writing a discussion essay:

• Identify the two opposing views.

First, read the statement carefully and find the two opposing views. Then, think about how to support each one.

• Gather evidence to support both sides.

Once you know what the two opposing views are, you need to gather evidence to support each one.

This evidence can come from your own knowledge, experience, or research.

• Write a clear and organized essay.

Your essay should have a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

• Start with an Introduction

Begin your essay with a clear introduction that tells the reader what the topic is and what your main points will be. Keep it simple and to the point. You might find some tips to write an effective introduction for IELTS Writing Task 2 below.

• Use Paragraphs

Break your essay into two paragraphs, with each one focusing on a different point. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that tells the reader what the paragraph is about.

• Give Examples

Use examples to support your points. This could be something you’ve read about, something you’ve seen, or something from your own experience.

Get your hands on 2024’s latest IELTS Writing Task 2 test papers!

Let us look at the three errors that are usually common in IELTS discussion essays.

• Imbalanced Discussion

Focusing too much on one viewpoint and neglecting the other, or failing to discuss both views equally.

• Weak Supporting Evidence

Using irrelevant examples, statistics, or facts to support your points in the body paragraphs.

• Overgeneralization

Making broad statements without providing specific examples or evidence to back them up.

Never repeat these errors in your next IELTS discussion essay!

Sign up for a FREE demo now!

Since we’ve had a look at the three most common errors that might occur while you write an IELTS discussion essay, now let’s learn a few expert tips you can use to practice while writing them!

• Use neutral language

When discussing two opposing views, use neutral language that expresses your opinion presenting both sides of the argument fairly and without bias.

• Plan your essay properly

Take a few minutes to think about what points you want to make and how you’ll organize them. Try to jot down some notes before you start writing.

• Use connectors and transition words

Transition words and phrases can help to make your essay flow smoothly and signal to the reader when you are moving from one point to another.

We’ve collected a list of connectors/linking words for writing to present in your IELTS discussion essays. Have a look at them in the following table:

• Use evidence to support your claims

When writing supporting points in your body paragraphs, be sure to provide evidence as an example to support it. This can come from your knowledge, experience, or research.

• Proofread your essay carefully

Before you finish, take a few minutes to read over your essay and make sure there are no mistakes in spelling, grammar, or punctuation.

Here are a few sample questions and their ans wers for IELTS Writing Task 2 di scussion essays with a proper breakdown of them that will help you get an idea of how to achieve your desired IELTS band score .

IELTS Discussion Essay Model Answer 1

Some people believe that it is essential to learn a foreign language in school, while others believe that it is not necessary. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for the essay by presenting the topic and highlighting the opposing viewpoints.

Body Paragraph 1: This paragraph discusses the advantages of learning a foreign language, including cognitive, cultural, and practical benefits.

Body Paragraph 2: The second paragraph presents the counterargument that learning a foreign language is unnecessary due to technology and the prominence of English.

Conclusion: The conclusion provides a clear personal opinion that acknowledges the counterarguments but asserts that the benefits of foreign language learning are more significant.

Final Compilation

Learning a foreign language has been a topic of debate in educational circles, with proponents arguing its importance and opponents asserting its insignificance. Those who advocate for learning a foreign language in school argue that it has numerous cognitive, cultural, and practical benefits. Firstly, mastering another language enhances cognitive abilities, as it requires learners to think critically and adapt to different linguistic structures. Moreover, it promotes cultural understanding by allowing individuals to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds, fostering tolerance and open-mindedness. From a practical standpoint, in today’s globalized world, proficiency in a foreign language can boost job prospects and facilitate international interactions.

On the other hand, there are those who contend that learning a foreign language is unnecessary in the modern age due to the prevalence of translation tools and the predominance of English as a global lingua franca. They argue that the time spent on language acquisition could be better utilized for other subjects that are more directly applicable to students’ future careers. Additionally, some assert that the difficulty of becoming truly proficient in a foreign language often discourages students and leads to frustration.

To conclude, while the concerns raised against learning a foreign language hold some validity, the advantages far outweigh the drawbacks. The cognitive and cultural benefits of language learning are substantial and contribute not only to personal growth but also to building a more interconnected and harmonious society. Moreover, even though technology can aid in translation, it cannot replace the nuanced understanding and genuine human connections that result from speaking someone’s native language. Therefore, incorporating foreign language learning into the curriculum remains a valuable investment in students’ holistic development.

IELTS Discussion Essay Model Answer 2

Some people believe that it is better to live in a city, while others believe that it is better to live in the countryside. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Introduction: Introduces the topic and mentions the opposing views regarding city and countryside living.

Body Paragraph 1: Discusses the advantages of living in a city, including access to amenities, job opportunities, and cultural activities.

Body Paragraph 2: Presents the benefits of living in the countryside, such as tranquillity, connection to nature, and strong communities.

Conclusion: Offers a personal perspective that acknowledges the strengths of both options and suggests that the choice should be based on individual preferences.

Living preferences between urban and rural areas have long been a subject of debate. Supporters of city living argue that it offers greater access to amenities, career opportunities, and cultural activities. Cities are often hubs of economic activity, providing a wide range of job options and higher earning potential. Additionally, urban dwellers can enjoy a plethora of entertainment choices, from theatres and museums to restaurants and shopping centres.

On the other hand, proponents of rural living emphasize the tranquillity and connection to nature that the countryside provides. They contend that life in the countryside is less stressful, offering cleaner air, less noise pollution, and a slower pace of life. Moreover, the close-knit communities in rural areas foster a sense of belonging and interpersonal relationships that can be harder to find in bustling cities.

To conclude, in my opinion, both living environments have their merits, and the choice depends on individual preferences and priorities. While cities offer convenience and a vibrant social scene, they can also be overwhelming and stressful. On the contrary, the countryside provides a peaceful and close-to-nature existence, but it might lack the opportunities and amenities that cities offer. Therefore, the ideal choice should be based on a person’s lifestyle, values, and career aspirations.

IELTS Discussion Essay Model Answer 3

Some people believe that social media has a negative impact on society, while others believe that it has a positive effect. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Introduction: Introduces the topic and states that social media’s impact on society is debated.

Body Paragraph 1: Discusses the negative effects of social media, including impacts on mental health, privacy, and interpersonal relationships.

Body Paragraph 2: Presents the positive aspects of social media, focusing on connectivity, activism, information sharing, and education.

Conclusion: Offers a personal perspective that acknowledges both sides of the argument but emphasizes the potential positive impact of responsible social media use.

The influence of social media on society is a topic of ongoing debate. Detractors argue that social media has detrimental effects on mental health, privacy, and interpersonal relationships. They claim that the constant comparison to curated online personas can lead to feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. Furthermore, the erosion of privacy due to the widespread sharing of personal information and the rise of cyberbullying are serious concerns. Critics also point out that excessive screen time detracts from face-to-face interactions, potentially weakening real-life connections.

On the other hand, proponents of social media contend that it fosters global connectivity, information sharing, and activism. Platforms like Twitter and Instagram enable individuals to voice their opinions, raise awareness about important issues, and create positive change. Social media has played a pivotal role in various social movements and humanitarian efforts, mobilizing people on a scale previously unattainable. Additionally, it allows easy access to a wide range of educational content and facilitates networking opportunities.

In conclusion, while social media has its drawbacks, its potential positive impact is significant. The power of social media to amplify voices, disseminate information, and drive social change cannot be overlooked. However, its usage should be balanced and responsible, with individuals and society collectively addressing its negative aspects, such as online toxicity and privacy concerns.

Have an essay on the given IELTS discussion essay topics? Great! Send them in.

FREE Evaluation

Here are the 10 examples for the IELTS Discussion Essay:

Take your time to understand this lesson well and keep practising IELTS discussion essays using past and latest exam questions as much as you need. Constant practice is the best way to get better at it. Way to go!

If you are preparing for the IELTS Writing exam, we would recommend you practice tasks like the above-given questions regularly. The more you practice, the better you will become at cracking the writing tasks for IELTS within the dedicated timeframe.

You can also enroll in our IELTS preparation online classes to get your hands on the latest IELTS writing questions or participate in our FREE online webinars to learn how to write them directly from our band 9 IELTS experts!

• IELTS Sample essays
• IELTS Writing task 2 Tips
• Tips to Improve IELTS Writing Skills
• IELTS Writing recent actual test
• IELTS Writing Answer sheet
• IELTS 2024 Study Plan for 1 month (30 Days) / 15 Days / 7 Days

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I give my opinion in an IELTS discussion essay?

Are Opinion essays and Discussion essays the same?

How do you discuss both views and give your opinion?

What are the major mistakes test takers do in the IELTS Discussion essays?

How to write the IELTS Discussion Essay?

Practice IELTS Writing Task 2 based on Essay types

Start Preparing for IELTS: Get Your 10-Day Study Plan Today!

Nehasri Ravishenbagam

Nehasri Ravishenbagam, a Senior Content Marketing Specialist and a Certified IELTS Trainer of 3 years, crafts her writings in an engaging way with proper SEO practices. She specializes in creating a variety of content for IELTS, CELPIP, TOEFL, and certain immigration-related topics. As a student of literature, she enjoys freelancing for websites and magazines to balance her profession in marketing and her passion for creativity!

Explore other Discussion Essays

Janice Thompson

Post your Comments

Recent articles.

Raajdeep Saha

Kasturika Samanta

Akanksha Tripathi

IELTSMaterial Master Program

1:1 Live Training with Band 9 Teachers

4.9 ( 3452 Reviews )

Our Offices

Gurgaon city scape, gurgaon bptp.

Step 1 of 3

Great going .

Get a free session from trainer

Have you taken test before?

Please select any option

Email test -->

Please enter Email ID

Mobile Band 9 trainer -->

Please enter phone number

Application

Please select any one

Already Registered?

Select a date

Please select a date

Select a time (IST Time Zone)

Please select a time

Mark Your Calendar: Free Session with Expert on

Which exam are you preparing?

Great Going!

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Research paper
• How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples

How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples

Published on August 21, 2022 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 18, 2023.

The discussion section is where you delve into the meaning, importance, and relevance of your results .

It should focus on explaining and evaluating what you found, showing how it relates to your literature review and paper or dissertation topic , and making an argument in support of your overall conclusion. It should not be a second results section.

There are different ways to write this section, but you can focus your writing around these key elements:

• Summary : A brief recap of your key results
• Interpretations: What do your results mean?
• Implications: Why do your results matter?
• Limitations: What can’t your results tell us?
• Recommendations: Avenues for further studies or analyses

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

What not to include in your discussion section, step 1: summarize your key findings, step 2: give your interpretations, step 3: discuss the implications, step 4: acknowledge the limitations, step 5: share your recommendations, discussion section example, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about discussion sections.

There are a few common mistakes to avoid when writing the discussion section of your paper.

• Don’t introduce new results: You should only discuss the data that you have already reported in your results section .
• Don’t make inflated claims: Avoid overinterpretation and speculation that isn’t directly supported by your data.
• Don’t undermine your research: The discussion of limitations should aim to strengthen your credibility, not emphasize weaknesses or failures.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

Start this section by reiterating your research problem and concisely summarizing your major findings. To speed up the process you can use a summarizer to quickly get an overview of all important findings. Don’t just repeat all the data you have already reported—aim for a clear statement of the overall result that directly answers your main research question . This should be no more than one paragraph.

Many students struggle with the differences between a discussion section and a results section . The crux of the matter is that your results sections should present your results, and your discussion section should subjectively evaluate them. Try not to blend elements of these two sections, in order to keep your paper sharp.

• The results indicate that…
• The study demonstrates a correlation between…
• This analysis supports the theory that…
• The data suggest that…

The meaning of your results may seem obvious to you, but it’s important to spell out their significance for your reader, showing exactly how they answer your research question.

The form of your interpretations will depend on the type of research, but some typical approaches to interpreting the data include:

• Identifying correlations , patterns, and relationships among the data
• Discussing whether the results met your expectations or supported your hypotheses
• Contextualizing your findings within previous research and theory
• Explaining unexpected results and evaluating their significance
• Considering possible alternative explanations and making an argument for your position

You can organize your discussion around key themes, hypotheses, or research questions, following the same structure as your results section. Alternatively, you can also begin by highlighting the most significant or unexpected results.

• In line with the hypothesis…
• Contrary to the hypothesized association…
• The results contradict the claims of Smith (2022) that…
• The results might suggest that x . However, based on the findings of similar studies, a more plausible explanation is y .

As well as giving your own interpretations, make sure to relate your results back to the scholarly work that you surveyed in the literature review . The discussion should show how your findings fit with existing knowledge, what new insights they contribute, and what consequences they have for theory or practice.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do your results support or challenge existing theories? If they support existing theories, what new information do they contribute? If they challenge existing theories, why do you think that is?
• Are there any practical implications?

Your overall aim is to show the reader exactly what your research has contributed, and why they should care.

• These results build on existing evidence of…
• The results do not fit with the theory that…
• The experiment provides a new insight into the relationship between…
• These results should be taken into account when considering how to…
• The data contribute a clearer understanding of…
• While previous research has focused on  x , these results demonstrate that y .

Don't submit your assignments before you do this

The academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students. Free citation check included.

Try for free

Even the best research has its limitations. Acknowledging these is important to demonstrate your credibility. Limitations aren’t about listing your errors, but about providing an accurate picture of what can and cannot be concluded from your study.

Limitations might be due to your overall research design, specific methodological choices , or unanticipated obstacles that emerged during your research process.

Here are a few common possibilities:

• If your sample size was small or limited to a specific group of people, explain how generalizability is limited.
• If you encountered problems when gathering or analyzing data, explain how these influenced the results.
• If there are potential confounding variables that you were unable to control, acknowledge the effect these may have had.

After noting the limitations, you can reiterate why the results are nonetheless valid for the purpose of answering your research question.

• The generalizability of the results is limited by…
• The reliability of these data is impacted by…
• Due to the lack of data on x , the results cannot confirm…
• The methodological choices were constrained by…
• It is beyond the scope of this study to…

Based on the discussion of your results, you can make recommendations for practical implementation or further research. Sometimes, the recommendations are saved for the conclusion .

Suggestions for further research can lead directly from the limitations. Don’t just state that more studies should be done—give concrete ideas for how future work can build on areas that your own research was unable to address.

• Further research is needed to establish…
• Future studies should take into account…
• Avenues for future research include…

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Research bias

• Anchoring bias
• Halo effect
• The Baader–Meinhof phenomenon
• The placebo effect
• Nonresponse bias
• Deep learning
• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

In the discussion , you explore the meaning and relevance of your research results , explaining how they fit with existing research and theory. Discuss:

• Your  interpretations : what do the results tell us?
• The  implications : why do the results matter?
• The  limitation s : what can’t the results tell us?

The results chapter or section simply and objectively reports what you found, without speculating on why you found these results. The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter.

In qualitative research , results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research , it’s considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.

In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.

The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 18). How to Write a Discussion Section | Tips & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 6, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/discussion/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a literature review | guide, examples, & templates, what is a research methodology | steps & tips, how to write a results section | tips & examples, what is your plagiarism score.

Discussion Essay Questions in IELTS Writing Task 2

Learn how to answer Discussion essay questions in IELTS writing Task 2 with an overview, recommended approach and practice question. by Tim Martyn

Example question

Assessment criteria, recommended approach, practice question.

Discussion essay questions are a common question type in IELTS writing Task 2. You’ll be presented with two opposing views on a topic and be asked to discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Here are some key points about Discussion essay questions:

• You should spend no more than 40 minutes on the task.
• You should write at least 250 words – you’ll be penalised if your answer is too short.
• Task 2 is worth two thirds of your total writing mark; Task 1 is worth one third.
• You must write in full sentences, not bullet points or note form.

Here are the assessment criteria used for Task 2.

You can find out more about the assessment criteria here .

Here’s an example Discussion essay question.

Write about the following topic: Some people believe that mobile phones are distracting and should be banned in school classrooms. Others, however, think that they are valuable learning tools that should be allowed. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Here’s my recommended approach for answering Discussion essay questions. We’ll use the example question to go through the steps you need to take.

IMPORTANT: The overall approach is the same for all  Task 2  question types (i.e. discussion, opinion, advantages–disadvantages and two-part essay questions). This is important because, on test day, you could get a question that doesn’t fall neatly into any of these categories. However, if you learn and practise applying the overall approach, you should be able to respond flexibly to any question you’re presented with. Also, while I generally recommend writing 4-paragraph essays, there are other structures you can use to write an effective essay.

Step 1  >  Analyse the question

The first step is to analyse the question. This is crucial – if you don’t take the time to analyse the question properly, you may misunderstand what it’s asking you or fail to respond to key parts of the question. Here’s our question prompt again.

You can see that we’ve been given two opposing views:

• mobile phones are distracting and should be banned in school classrooms;
• they are valuable learning tools that should be allowed.

Notice that each view is quite specific. The first view isn’t simply that mobile phones are bad and should be banned – it’s saying that they’re distracting and should be banned. Likewise, the second view isn’t simply that mobile phones are good and should be allowed in classrooms – it’s that they’re valuable learning tools and should be allowed. You need to make sure you pay attention to these details in the question. Otherwise, it’s likely that you won’t fully answer the question. The second part of the question prompt tells us exactly what we have to do. Here, it’s asking us to:

• discuss both views;
• give our own opinion.

If you don’t cover all of these elements – e.g. you forget to give your own opinion, or you only discuss one side of the issue – you’ll have failed to fully respond to the question and you won’t be able to score higher than Band 5 for Task Response.

Step 2  >  Think of ideas

Once you fully understand the question and what you’re required to do, the next step is to spend a few minutes thinking of ideas for your essay. Don’t try to brainstorm as many ideas as you can – all you need is a few good ideas. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, try asking yourself these questions:

• What are the most obvious ideas?
• If you asked 100 people for their ideas, what do you think most of them would say?

For Discussion essay questions, you’re given two opposing views in the question, so all you really need to think of is some reasons why people may hold those views and decide which view you agree with.

Step 3  >  Make a plan

Once you’ve thought of some ideas, it’s time to make a plan. I’d recommend that you spend about 5 minutes on your plan. It doesn’t need to be very detailed, but it’s important to think about what examples you’ll use and how you’ll explain your points. If you think of these things in advance, you’ll be able to connect your ideas more effectively when you’re writing your essay. Don’t try to write in full sentences – you can use symbols and abbreviations. The important thing is just to get your ideas down on paper. The plan for this essay might look something like this.

Step 4  >  Write the introduction

Now that you’ve thought of ideas for your essay and made a plan, it’s time to write the introduction. IELTS doesn’t specify what you need to include in your introduction, but for Discussion essay questions, I recommend that you include:

• a broad statement about the topic;
• a paraphrase of the opposing views presented in the question that includes your own opinion.

Let’s look at each of these parts one by one.

1. A broad statement about the topic

An easy and effective way to start your introduction is to write a broad statement about the topic. What’s the topic? In our example, the topic is mobile phones in schools and the idea that their use is contentious, but not that they’re distracting or valuable learning tools – we’ll introduce that idea in the second part of the introduction. For Discussion essay questions, the easiest way to write a broad statement is to introduce the idea that there’s debate / a difference of opinion. In our example, we could write something like this: There are differing opinions as to whether schools should allow mobile phones to be used in class.

2. A paraphrase of the opposing views presented in the question that includes your own opinion

In the second part of the introduction, you should paraphrase the two views expressed in the question and make sure your own opinion is clear. Keep in mind that you mustn’t copy the exact wording used in the question. Instead, you need to use synonyms and other forms of paraphrasing. You won’t be able find synonyms for everything. In fact, some words shouldn’t be replaced because doing so would change the meaning.

Here are the key words from the question prompt with some possible synonyms.

Notice that I haven’t attempted to find a synonym for mobile phones . You might be tempted to use the US term (i.e. cell phone s), but that’s not necessary. You’ll also notice that, instead of trying to find synonyms for distracting and learning tools , I’ve made other changes to show the examiner that I can express the opposing views in my own words. The easiest way to include your own opinion is to use a phrase such as I tend to agree with those who . This makes your position clear to the reader. Our paraphrase could be something like this: While some argue that mobile phones should be prohibited because they are a distraction, I tend to agree with those who see them as useful learning tools that should be embraced.

If we put the two parts of the introduction together, this is what we have.

There are differing opinions as to whether schools should allow mobile phones to be used in class. While some argue that mobile phones should be prohibited because they are a distraction, I tend to agree with those who see them as useful learning tools that should be embraced.

Step 5  >  Write the body paragraphs

The next step is to write the body paragraphs. Your first body paragraph should be about the view you don’t agree with. To make it clear that it’s the view of others, you can use phrases such as Some people , They say that and According to those who . Your second paragraph should be about the view you do agree with. A word such as While or However can help you introduce the contrasting view. Make sure it’s clear that you share this view. Don’t be afraid to use phrases such as I believe that and I am of the view that . Here are some possible body paragraphs for our example.

Some people hold the view that mobile phones have no place in school classrooms because they distract students from the lesson. They point to the many apps available on students’ phones, including games and social media apps. They argue that the temptation to use such apps during class time is difficult for the majority of students to resist. For example, if students are working on a group project, the less engaged members of the group may take out their phones to quickly check social media, watch a video on YouTube or do something else on their phones that is not related to what they are supposed to be doing. According to those who are opposed to the use of mobile phones in class, such distraction has a negative impact on learning outcomes. While I accept that there is a risk of distraction, like others, I believe that mobile phones should be permitted in class because of the many educational benefits they offer. Firstly, there is a wide variety of apps that teachers can use to make their lessons more engaging. One example of such an app is Kahoot, which allows teachers to create highly engaging, interactive quizzes that students can complete in teams. Such apps are beneficial because learning is more effective when students are engaged. Secondly, access to mobile phones in class can encourage students to become independent learners. Without their phones, students have to rely on information provided by the teacher, but if they are given access to their phones, they can do their own research and find answers for themselves.

Step 6  >  Write the conclusion

The next step is to write the conclusion. All you need to do here is summarise the two opposing views and, again, make it clear what your own opinion is. Don’t just copy the words you used in other parts of the essay – use synonyms and paraphrasing as much as you can. Start your conclusion with In conclusion or To conclude . Here’s a possible conclusion for our example.

In conclusion, while students do need guidelines on how to use their mobile phones responsibly in class, I am of the view that they should be permitted because of the positive impact they can have on students’ learning.

Step 7  >  Check your work

The final step is to check your work. At this stage, you won’t have time to make any major changes, but it’s still an important step. Things to check for:

• whether you’ve used an adequate range of grammar and vocabulary;
• your word count.

Now it’s your turn to practise. Try the Discussion essay question below using the approach outlined above.

Write about the following topic: Some people believe that homework is an important part of children’s education. Others say that children should not be given homework. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

↕  scrollable window

Click below for a sample answer.

Despite homework being a common component of children’s education, not everyone agrees on its value. While some people believe that children should not be required to do homework, I generally side with those who see it as a crucial aspect of learning.

Some people argue that homework is unnecessary and should not be given to children. Children already spend a significant portion of their day in school, they say, and adding more academic work after school hours can prevent them from engaging in extracurricular activities, pursuing hobbies and enjoying essential downtime. They also argue that the effectiveness of many common homework tasks is questionable as they can often involve rote memorisation and completion for the sake of completion. Finally, a common argument against homework is the fact that it can put an unnecessary burden on parents because they have to ensure that their children are actually completing it.

However, I agree with those who see homework as an important part of children’s education. First of all, homework plays a vital role in reinforcing classroom learning. It provides students with an opportunity to practise and apply what they have learnt in the classroom, solidifying their understanding of concepts. For example, if students have learnt about a scientific concept in class, their homework could be to conduct a simple scientific experiment based on that concept at home. Homework also allows parents to be more engaged in their child’s education as they can review assignments and support their child’s learning journey. Finally, homework teaches children discipline, which can prepare them for the demands of higher education and the workforce.

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Disclaimers

• How to Cite
• Language & Lit
• Rhyme & Rhythm
• The Rewrite
• Search Glass

1. Choose Your Topic

2. outline your essay, outline your points, 3. draft your introduction, 4. good discussion in the body of your essay, 5. conclude your essay, how to write a discussion essay.

A discussion essay presents and discusses issues surrounding a particular topic--usually one that is debatable and open to argument. A good argumentative essay must include a thorough discussion of both sides of the issue, including main points to support your argument and its counterargument. It should also provide a well-rounded understanding of the issues before the writer presents their personal own opinions and conclusions.

What is an IELTS Discussion Essay?

The International English Language Testing System is an international standardized test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers.

Example of an IELTS Discussion essay

Some believe language provides cohesion to a country, while others believe diverse languages bring diversity and vibrancy. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

As with most persuasive essay formats, the essay's quality relies primarily on the writer's ability to provide solid research and evidence to present different views of the topic.

Practicing your writing skills as you write a discussion essay is a great way to grow as a writer. Let’s dive into the essay structure and components of a successful discussion essay.

Choose your discussion essay topic. When choosing this topic, make sure it is one that you're interested in personally since this will be easier for you to write. You'll need to discuss both sides of the argument surrounding the discussion essay topic, so ensure that you have access to good research that provides pertinent information. Writing only one side of the argument will result in an undeveloped discussion essay, which probably won’t receive a good score.

Outline your discussion essay. This outline should include a rough draft of your thesis statement, main argument, opposing argument, other main points and a rough draft of your conclusion. Your goal at this point is to get your thoughts on the discussion essay topic organized and in writing.

You can write a detailed outline for your discussion essay, using traditional outline format--letters and numbers to separate key points--or you can simply jot down a list of the main discussion points you plan to cover in order to answer the essay question or address the essay topic.

Next, write your introduction. According to the Open University, your goal in the introduction of your discussion essay is to introduce the issues relating to the topic and to provide your reader with important background information. Your introduction is essentially setting the scene for your reader so they are prepared to digest the argument you’ll be presenting. Providing your reader with a simple overview of how your discussion essay is organized will ensure that she understands your flow of thought throughout the body of the essay.

Most importantly, at the end of your introductory paragraph you must include a well developed thesis statement. One of the most common mistakes made when writing introduction paragraphs is leaving out the thesis statement, which is one sentence that firmly asserts what side of the argument you will be arguing throughout the work. Be specific in your points and make sure it is a strong closing to this first paragraph, as it will set the tone for the rest of your essay.

Write the body paragraphs of your discussion essay using any research sources that you have collected. Typically, you should present each issue individually and impartially, discussing first one side of the argument and then the other side of each argument that relates to your topic. Ensuring that each paragraph is roughly the same size as the other will make the presentation of facts seem balanced to the reader as well. Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that smoothly transitions from the previous paragraph while simultaneously introducing the new topic covered in the upcoming one.

Progress through your body arguments in order, starting with your weakest argument or issue and progressing to the strongest. This structure allows your reader to follow your flow of thought easily without getting distracted. When deciding how to use sources, try to use the same number of quotes and sources for each argument. If you use three quotes to support your main argument, strive to use three quotes to present the opposing view as well.

Write your discussion essay conclusion. Your goal with your conclusion is to summarize the overall information from the body of the discussion essay, leading the reader to mentally review the pros and cons of the topic argument. Although you don't technically have to be in favor of one side of the discussion yourself, if you are, be sure to present your own conclusions in this paragraph rather than earlier in the essay.

Once you have finished your conclusion, part of wrapping up your essay is going back through it and checking for grammatical errors. Check to make sure you have not copied any quotes directly from other sources, as this would result in a plagiarism charge, especially if your professor screens your essay through a writing service that checks for plagiarized work. Always write using your own words. Using your own words not only saves you from plagiarism issues, but also helps with essay coherence since the rest of the work has been written in your tone of voice.

On the final page of your discussion essay you will also include all of the citations for sources you quoted or summarized information from. Whether citing in MLA or APA format, double check the style and order of your citations for accuracy before turning it in.

Regan Hennessy has been writing professionally for 11 years. A copywriter and certified teacher, Hennessy specializes in the areas of parenting, health, education, agriculture and personal finance. She has produced content for various websites and graduated from Lycoming College with a Bachelor of Arts in English.

IELTS Discussion Essay: Overview, structure and tips

In this article, the brief introduction, structure and strategy to successfully write an IELTS Discussion Essay will be mentioned in order for you to have in-depth knowledge of this type of essay.

1. IELTS Discussion Essay Overview

The format of the question for an IELTS discussion essay will be normally 2 parts: 

• 1st part: a statement of two opposing perspectives
• 2nd part: requirement to discuss the statement

Depending on different questions, the requirement varies in the way of wording:

• Discuss both views and give your opinion.
• Discuss both these views and then give your own opinion. 
• Discuss both sides of this argument and give your own opinion.

IELTS discussion questions seem to be similar to IELTS opinion questions in the first place, but there is a key difference between the two types. While IELTS discussion essay (Discuss both views and give your opinion) asks candidates to discuss both views given and/or give your point of view, IELTS opinion essay (Do you agree or disagree?) requires you to choose between two contrasting views and support your choice with arguments.

In terms of IELTS advantages and disadvantages essay, the first part of the question will be a one-view statement only, compared to the two-opposing-view statement in the IELTS discussion essay. 

2. IELTS Discussion Essay Structure

It is suggestable to write the IELTS Discussion Essay with three parts in four or five separate paragraphs:

2.1. Introduction

– Paraphrase the statement / State both views 

(e.g. It is often held that teachers, peers and the media have a significant influence on the life of children. While some people argue that these factors are predominant in shaping a child’s future, others believe that parents impact their offspring in more critical ways. )

– Thesis statement with your opinion

(e.g. This essay will discuss both these points of view and argue in favour of the latter.)

– Body paragraph 1:

• Topic sentence: state the first view (e.g. On the one hand, the books children read and the music they listen to form their belief system.)
• Explain the topic sentence: elaborate the first view (e.g. In other words, children tend to copy the behaviour of their favourite personality or fictional character. Moreover, when little ones work and play in groups, they are influenced by their peers. Finally, other factors, like the media, prompt children to want things regarded as fashionable.)
• Example: support the first view with an example (optional) (e.g. For instance, children demand toys that they see on television.)
• Brief summary of the first view (optional)

– Body paragraph 2:

• Topic sentence: state the second view (e.g. On the other hand, a child’s personality is malleable at a very young age, and parents are always present in their life at this stage.)
• Explain the topic sentence: elaborate the second view (e.g. On the other hand, a child’s personality is malleable at a very young age, and parents are always present in their life at this stage. Also, very young children love to imitate. An emotionally secure environment at home is critical for the child’s confidence. Moreover, parents also teach children about setting boundaries.)
• Example: support the second view with an example (optional) (e.g. For example, children who come from a dysfunctional family often exhibit behavioural problems at school.)
• Brief summary of the second view (optional)

– Body paragraph 3:

• Topic sentence: state your opinion (e.g. In my opinion, children’s choice of friends, books or music depends on the values instilled in them by their parents.)
• Explain the topic sentence: elaborate your opinion (e.g. Therefore, parents hold more substantial sway over their offspring than media, pop culture and friends circle.)
• Example: support your opinion with an example (optional)
• Brief summary of your opinion (optional)

>>> Practice now: IELTS Writing Practice Test

2.3. Conclusion

– Summarize the main points

(e.g. In conclusion, the outside world influences the intellectual and social development of children.)

– State your point of view

(e.g. However, I believe that it is parents who set the stage for these developments by laying a strong foundation from a very young age.)

3. IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion Essay Strategy

3.1. analyse the ielts discussion questions.

This step should be prioritized since it decides your understanding of the question. You should analyse the IELTS Discussion question quickly by following these two points:

(e.g. It is commonly believed that nowadays main factors that affect a child’s development are media, pop culture and friends. A different point of view is that family plays the most significant role.)

• Instructions

(e.g. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write at least 250 words.)

3.2. Make an outline

The first thing you should take action on is to decide which view you incline to. Then, you should note down what are the main points for your essay by outlining in the form of bullet points, a table, or a mindmap. 

3.3. Write a complete IELTS discussion essay

You should strictly follow the three-part structure and base on the outline prepared to write a complete IELTS discussion essay.

3.4. Check your IELTS discussion essay

Your IELTS discussion essay should be not only cohesive and coherent, but also correct with regards to grammar and spelling, so it is important to check your essay before handing in.

4. IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion Essay Tips

• The time limit and word count should be taken into consideration while writing your IELTS Discussion essay. You had better complete the task with the word range from 250 to 290 words in around 40 minutes.
• You should point out clearly what your opinion is between the two opposing views instead of being in favor of both perspectives. 
• Give detailed explanation or example to elaborate each view in the Body part. 
• Do not just list all the reasons without any explanation or example in the body paragraphs.
• Make use of linking words to clarify the cohesion of your IELTS discussion essay.

In short, IELTS discussion essay will be not much of a difficulty if you gain a well-rounded knowledge and practice regularly. Install our mobile app or visit IELTS Online Test website now to practice with diverse tests.

• Essay Editor

Discussion Posts: Definition, Overview, Writing Tips

Discussions are an important part of academic studies. They foster collaboration, raise student engagement, and help to better process new information. A common way to involve students in critical debate is through discussion posts. In this article, you will learn what a discussion post is and how to write it.

Discussion post and open forum definition

A discussion post is a written reply typically used in online forums – websites that encourage users to engage in a debate over various subject matters.

In education, professors provide specific topics or questions meant to inspire conversation between students via web posts. By participating in these discussions, students can explore different points of view as well as develop their ability to communicate ideas clearly and effectively in an academic setting.

Why do we need discussion posts?

• Engagement with course material. Discussion posts require students to collaborate directly with the studied material. By responding to specific questions or prompts, students must think critically about the content, which reinforces their understanding and inspires a deeper dive into the subject matter.
• Development of critical thinking. Crafting a discussion post often entails analyzing information, constructing arguments, as well as taking multiple perspectives into account. This process enhances critical thinking skills, students need to grasp the material and articulate their reasoning in a clear and logical way.
• Community learning. Discussion posts create opportunities for school and college students to interact with their peers by sharing their perspectives and engaging with one another’s viewpoints. This interaction cultivates a sense of belonging within a community and allows students to benefit from diverse perspectives, potentially resulting in a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the topic.
• Academic writing practice. Communicating via discussion posts allows students to practice their academic writing skills in a less formal setting compared to traditional essays or research papers. This practice helps improve clarity, structure, and argumentation, as students learn to present their ideas concisely while supporting them with relevant evidence.

So, while it might seem like discussion posts have little importance, it is actually a great method to learn in a less formal environment. Never skip this opportunity to enhance your grasp of the class material and earn an extra credit.

How to write a discussion post: Best tips

When you have to publish your first response, it might be hard to understand how to start a discussion post or how to respond to a discussion post. Let’s break down the main steps required for crafting a perfect post for academic debate.

How to prepare to write my discussion post

• Familiarize yourself with the prompt carefully. Make sure you understand the question or topic before starting. Understanding the prompt is essential for crafting a thorough response.
• Study the prompt. Collect the necessary information, reflect on your personal experiences, and consider various perspectives to form a well-rounded opinion.
• Identify key arguments. Focus your ideas on a few main insights that directly address the prompt while keeping your response clear and concise.

Once you feel prepared for the debate, you can finally begin working on your post.

How to structure a discussion post

Like any academic texts, a discussion post must comply with a specific structure. Though it is not as strict, you should still follow this outline to deliver a more well-rounded response.

• I ntroduction discussion post . Start your post with a captivating statement, question, or quote that has relevance to the topic. Clearly articulate your main argument or viewpoint.
• Body of the post . Elaborate on each point with detailed explanations, supporting them with evidence, examples, or personal experiences to back it up. Briefly address potential opposing views and explain why your perspective remains valid.
• Conclusion . Reiterate the main arguments and restate your opinion considering the discussion.

If you stick to this outline, your discussion post will be well-organized, relevant, and carefully constructed, making it easier for others to understand your points and participate in meaningful conversation.

Generate a discussion post with Aithor!

With AI generator Aithor, you don’t have to spend hours on making a single post. Created specifically to provide aid with academic writing, Aithor can work with dozens of different genres, including discussion posts. You can easily customize the tone, style, and content to suit your needs, helping you create high-quality posts that stand out and earn top marks.

Related articles

Top proven tips on how to make homework fun.

Everyone agrees that school would be much cooler if there were no homework. Alas, this is an impossible wish. Luckily, no one stops us from making it fun! In this article, you will find some awesome tips on how to make homework fun. 1. Create a comfortable study space Having a separate place where you can study is very important. Sure, you might think sitting on a couch with a laptop in your lap is as fun as it can get, but in reality, it may hinder your progress. Your brain knows that the co ...

Best Places to Do Homework That Will Create a Perfect Study Heaven for You

Are you wondering, ‘Where can I go to do homework?’ Finding the ideal spot for studying can significantly affect your productivity and overall study experience. Whether you're a student seeking solace or someone looking for a change of scenery, selecting the right environment is key to maximizing your efficiency and focus. In this guide, we’ll discover various places to do homework that can transform your study routine into a more engaging and effective experience. The Importance of Having a C ...

How to Write a History Essay: A Guideline for Non-Historians

History is a difficult discipline, no one can argue with that. It is especially challenging to write a history essay when you have zero historian bone in your body. That’s why today our goal is to teach you how to write a history essay. What is history essay? A historical paper is a classic instance of a scholarly work that seeks to examine and give answers to questions about long-gone factual incidents and their consequences. Unlike a simple narrative or description, a history paper demands ...

How to Focus on Homework: Good Ways to Beat Procrastination

Dealing with homework doesn't have to be an uphill battle. The tips in this article will help you avoid distractions and stop procrastinating, making your study time more useful. You'll be better able to finish homework and do better in school, no matter if you're working on homework for math, science, or any other class. Tips to Focus on Homework and Stop Procrastinating Doing homework can be tough when there are a million things that can distract us. But learning to focus and not procrastin ...

How to Write a Table of Contents for Research Paper: A Complete Guide

After hundreds of hours of non-stop working, the research essay is finished! Unfortunately, it is not the time to celebrate. That’s when you must get down to one of the least pleasant things in professional college or high school writing – a table of contents. The following article will define table of contents, discuss its purpose, and provide guidance on how to make a table of contents for a research paper. What is a research paper table of contents? Academic essays can be from 2–3 to hundr ...

Why Homework Is Good for Students: 20 No-Nonsense Reasons

Is homework beneficial in education? It has long been a cornerstone, often sparking debates about its value. Some argue it creates unnecessary stress, while others assert it’s essential for reinforcing in-class learning. Why is homework important? The reality is, that homework is vital for students' personal and academic growth. It not only improves their grasp of the material but also develops crucial skills that extend well beyond the classroom. This review explores 20 reasons why homework is ...

Top 5 Creative Book Report Ideas That Guarantee Success in Class

Assigned reading helps students develop their critical analysis skill, and book reports test their progress. But it is not enough to simply analyze a literary work — you also need to express your creativity while presenting book report ideas. In this article, you will learn the definition of a literary report, its purpose, and five alternative book report ideas to show off your creativity in class. What is a book (literary) report? A book report is an overall summary and personal assessment o ...

Top 10 Excuses for Not Doing Homework: How to Trick Your Teacher in 2024

Whether it’s because you’re buried in other commitments or just had a seriously off day, finding credible excuses for not doing homework can save your day. Here's a brief look at the top 10 homework excuses, with tips on making them sound as true as possible. Just remember, use these wisely and try to stay on top of your assignments! 1. “My computer crashed right before I finished” In today’s digital world, technology problems are a plausible justification. Claiming that your laptop glitched ...

Community Essay Examples

When crafting your college applications, writing strong essays is essential. Through your essays, you demonstrate who you are–from your values and passions to your lived experiences. Indeed the personal statement is the most common college essay. However, you will also likely have to write some supplemental essays as part of your college application requirements. One of the most common supplemental essay types is the community essay. This essay type is also known as a describe the community you live in essay, cultural diversity essay, or community service essay.

In this article, we will introduce several community essay examples. Most importantly, we’ll describe why they are considered college essays that worked. Specifically, we will share community essay examples from the two schools:

• Princeton University
• Columbia University

By studying these admissions essay samples, you can see what makes these college community essay examples strong and apply those same principles to your writing.

Reviewing Types of College Essays

Each school has different supplemental essay prompts for their college application requirements. However, there are a few types of essays that are most common. By becoming familiar with these essay types, you can begin to brainstorm and strategize what you will write about early on. You might start as early as sophomore or junior year in high school. 

Now, let’s take a look at the most common supplementary essay questions.

Common Supplementary Essay Questions

1. why school.

A Why School essay is, as it sounds, about why you wish to attend a specific institution. The key to answering this prompt well is to be specific. You should identify examples of what you like about a school. Avoid general comments such as “it is a top school” or “it is diverse.” Share specific programs, professors, teaching approaches, cultural elements, or unique opportunities such as research or study abroad.

2. Why Major

The Why Major essay asks you to share specific reasons behind your choice of major and how it relates to your future goals. A strong response to a Why Major essay will highlight your specific motivations. But it will also connect those motivations to a school’s unique opportunities. For example, perhaps you wish to be a pre-law history major, and the school you are applying to offers law-related internships. By highlighting these specific connections, you draw a compelling connection between yourself and the school.

3. Extracurricular Activity

Many schools ask you to describe an extracurricular activity that is particularly meaningful for you. When responding to this question, do not feel limited to only talk about the most popular extracurricular activities for college applications, like clubs or sports. Consider all of the activities you do outside of school. Then choose the one that is most meaningful to you. Also, give specific examples of how you grew or made an impact within your extracurricular activities for college.

4. Community Essay

The Community Essay can have slightly different angles to it. But, the uniting factor is that the school wants to know how you engage with others around you. Some types of community essays are a describe the community you live in essay or a cultural diversity essay. In recent years, the cultural diversity essay has been a more common college application requirement.

Coming up, we will share a bit more about how to break down community essay prompts. We’ll also take a look at college essays that worked. By reading these examples, you’ll know how to approach these common prompts.

How to identify a community essay?

While community essays can have slightly different focuses, they all share the goal of learning about where you come from. A supplemental essay prompt might ask you to share more about your background via a group you are part of. This is likely a community essay. Indeed, a community essay can also be called a describe the community you live in essay, or a cultural diversity essay. Other college community essay examples focus on how you will contribute to a college campus. Finally, in a describe a community you belong to essay example, you will see that students highlight any community that is meaningful to them.

You may be wondering why so many colleges have community essays as a college application requirement. For one, many colleges use a holistic admissions process. This means they care about all aspects of who you are, not simply your grades and test scores. How you engage with your communities shows them your character and values. For example, a describe the community you live in essay example about visiting church every Sunday demonstrates your commitment to religion. Similarly, a cultural diversity essay helps colleges learn more about your cultural background. 

Additionally, colleges want to learn more about how you will engage with their on-campus community. You’ll notice this important factor in the college community essay examples we will share. To some degree, how you have engaged with previous communities can be an indicator of how you will show up on their campus.

How is a community essay different?

As we mentioned, community essays can have slightly different focuses. Some prompts ask you to write a describe the community you live in essay. These types of community essays are more like cultural diversity essays. 

Keep in mind that the word “community” can have many different meanings. A community can be your school, church, or neighborhood. It could also stem from your interests. For example, your dance or robotics team can form your community.

Some community essay prompts want to know specifically how you help strengthen your communities. These types of essays are considered a community service essay. Another term for community service is “civic engagement.” An example of civic engagement might be getting people in your cultural community to sign up to vote. Or, another could be helping with church fundraisers to ensure that your local community has the resources it needs to thrive. 

In sum, the keywords you might see in a community essay prompt are “civic engagement,” “community service,” “serve your community,” “contribute to your community,” or “diversity.” No matter how it’s phrased, your essay should demonstrate the impact you’ve had on your community–whichever one you choose to highlight. 

What are some examples of community essays?

In this article, we will share several community essay examples. Specifically, we will highlight Princeton essay examples and Columbia essays examples. Let’s look at these two colleges’ essay prompts. 

The first Princeton supplemental essay prompt is a part of our college community essay examples and our cultural diversity essay examples. Here is the prompt:

Princeton Community Essay Prompt #1: Cultural Diversity Essay and College Community Essay Examples

Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. as a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. what lessons have you learned in life thus far what will your classmates learn from you in short, how has your lived experience shaped you  (please respond in 500 words or fewer.).

In this cultural diversity essay prompt, Princeton wants to know about your lived experiences. By this, they refer to any experiences that have shaped you profoundly. A lived experience can be a specific event, such as experiencing a car crash or winning an award. Or, it could be a set of experiences that resulted from life circumstances, such as being a first-generation college student or having taken a gap year .

This essay prompt will also lead to college community essay examples. Indeed Princeton wants to read about your lived experiences and how they impacted you. But, they also want to know how you will bring those lessons to the Princeton community, should you enroll . Also, note that this prompt mentions challenging ideas and beliefs via conversation. As you respond, look for ways to highlight how you have engaged in fruitful dialogue and how you would do so at Princeton.

To answer this prompt effectively, share specific examples. Additionally, be sure to answer all parts of the prompt. 

Princeton has a second supplemental essay prompt that focuses on how you engage with your community outside of the classroom. The prompt is as follows: 

Princeton Community Essay Prompt #2: Civic Engagement

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (250 words or fewer) .

To answer this prompt well, you must highlight specific examples of how you have positively impacted your community. As a starting point, consider which of your communities you have most engaged with. How have you done so and what results did you have?

The Columbia Community Essay Prompt is another of our college community essay examples. It is a cultural diversity essay, as well. Here is the prompt: 

Columbia Community Essay Prompt: A Cultural Diversity Essay

A hallmark of the columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to columbia’s diverse and collaborative community. (150 words or fewer).

While this prompt is similar to Princeton’s, it also references perspectives and viewpoints. In doing so, the prompt opens you up to share opinions or values that are important to you. You might consider highlighting values in your family or community that you either hold close or disagree with. 

Note that Columbia also highlights the word “collaborative” in this prompt. This indicates that your cultural diversity essay should also show how you collaborate with others.

Which schools require a community essay?

In addition to Princeton and Columbia, many other schools have community essays as part of their college application requirements. Here are some other examples of community essay prompts:

In this UNC-Chapel Hill prompt , you must describe a specific example of how you made an impact on a community. The prompt reads:

The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill: A Community Service Essay Prompt

Discuss one of your personal qualities and share a story, anecdote, or memory of how it helped you make a positive impact on a community. this could be your current community or another community you have engaged. (250-word limit).

In responding, be sure to highlight what community you are referencing, the specific impact you made, and what personal quality helped you do so.

This prompt from UMichigan is a describe a community you belong to essay example, as well as a cultural diversity essay:

The University of Michigan: Describe a Community You Belong to Essay Example

Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (required for all applicants. 1,500 character limit.).

In addition to describing the community, make sure to share how you engage with it and what it has taught you. Remember that community is a broad term. So, for this prompt you can respond with any type of community in mind, whether physical or cultural. In contrast to the describe the community you live in essay, you do not have to be geographically close to the community you describe here.

Duke University: Cultural Diversity Essay Prompts

Duke offers students five supplemental prompts to choose from, of which they can reply to two. Of these supplemental prompts, four are examples of cultural diversity essays:

1. We believe a wide range of viewpoints, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to maintaining Duke as a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community.

2. we believe there is benefit in sharing or questioning our beliefs or values; who do you agree with on the big important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with what are you agreeing or disagreeing about, 3. duke’s commitment to inclusion and belonging includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. feel free to share with us more about how your identity in this context has meaning for you as an individual or as a member of a community., 4. we recognize that not fully “fitting in” a community or place can sometimes be difficult. duke values the effort, resilience, and independence that may require. feel free to share with us circumstances where something about you is different and how that’s influenced your experiences or identity..

Each of these prompts is a slightly different type of cultural diversity essay, from sharing a range of opinions to not fitting in within a community. Choose the essay prompts that most resonate with you. And share specific examples that bring your cultural diversity essay to life.

In this Yale University supplemental prompt , you must choose a community that you feel connected to and describe why it is meaningful. Here’s the prompt:

Yale University: Describe a Community You Belong to Essay Example

Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. why is this community meaningful to you you may define community however you like. (400-word limit).

When responding, be sure to highlight what you have learned or how you have grown from this community. In contrast to a describe the community you live in essay, this essay can be about any community, near or far, that resonates with you. Indeed, the prompt gives you plenty of leeway in what you consider community. 

When responding to the UC system prompts , you must choose four of the eight available personal insight questions. One of the PIQs is a community service essay prompt:

The University of California Personal Insight Question: A Community Service Prompt

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place, things to consider: think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. you can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community, why were you inspired to act what did you learn from your effort how did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community.

Similar to many of the other prompts, when answering this question, be sure to identify the specific impact you made on your community.

Now that we have looked at various examples of community essay prompts, we can explore community essay examples. Reading essay examples is a great way to get inspired to write your own college essays. 

In each of the highlighted college essays that worked, note what the author did expertly. Rather than trying to copy their responses, topics, or ideas, consider how you can apply those same skills to your writing. 

Princeton Community Essay Examples

In this section, we will highlight Princeton essay examples that respond to their two community essay prompts: a cultural diversity essay and a community service essay. 

The first of our Princeton essay examples responds to the following Princeton prompt: 

Princeton Essay Examples #1: Cultural Diversity Essay

Now, let’s take a look at a student’s response to this prompt focusing on lived experiences. 

Princeton Essay Examples #1 Student Response

I have spent most of my life living in a 41% minority town of 1.8 square miles called Highland Park, NJ. This typically overlooked town has introduced me to a diverse array of people, and it has been the main influence on my life experiences and core values.

In the face of distinct cultures and customs, we forge a single identity as Highland Parkers and come together to organize large community events. The most prevalent example is our highly touted annual Memorial Day parade, where we join together with neighboring New Brunswick to invite military service members, family members of our fallen war heroes, our legislative and congressional representatives, and our townspeople. Moreover, as our high school band’s vice president, I help organize and lead our ensemble into these performances with a positive and uplifting spirit. We communicate with the town government and arrange the performances every year to perform at the parade. The parade is an example of many of our large community events that serve as a unifying force for our diverse community, reminding us that we are fundamentally connected as one cohesive group, despite our differences. 

As someone deeply interested in historical and political matters, I am well aware of the consequences that arise from dictatorial protocols that limit the freedom of speech and diversity of voices. From my experiences debating in Model UN conferences, I have grown accustomed to being able to present viewpoints from both sides of the argument, and I have learned to incorporate and respect the viewpoints of all sides of an issue before making up my own mind. For example, in a Model Congress debate, I found myself advocating for the interests of a state heavily reliant on traditional fossil fuels. While researching and articulating that perspective, I gained insights into the economic challenges faced by the states that are reliant on these resources. This experience not only broadened my understanding of the complexities surrounding environmental policies but also highlighted the necessity of considering diverse viewpoints for comprehensive decision-making. 

My background and experiences have fostered in me a profound appreciation for the value of diversity, inclusivity, and the pursuit of knowledge. At Princeton University, I will seek to contribute as an active participant in the community, actively provide unique perspectives and insights, and respect and learn from others’ perspectives even if there are disagreements. I wish to partake in student government, which has like-minded peers who want to make a substantive impact, and also participate in service programs like the Civic Leadership Council. Also, I hope to increase my impact from the leadership positions I currently hold on the Red Cross club and teen mayoral advisory council using the platforms in Princeton. I look forward to making a positive impact on both the campus and the broader community. 

Why This Cultural Diversity Essay Worked

In the first of our Princeton essay examples, the student successfully responds to all parts of the Princeton prompt. They begin by describing their community and sharing some details about its makeup. Indeed, the first sentence hooks the reader–it is unique and compelling. 

Then, the student illustrates how they specifically contribute to their community each year by leading the high school band in the Memorial Day parade. They also highlight how their experience in Model UN shaped their appreciation for diverse perspectives. In sharing these two examples, the student demonstrates their leadership and open-minded thinking. Finally, the student ends by highlighting how they would use these values to contribute to Princeton’s community– by partaking in student government and Civic Leadership Council, among other activities.

In the second of our Princeton essay examples, the student responds to the second Princeton prompt which is: 

Princeton Essay Examples #2: A Community Service Essay

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (250 words or fewer).

And, here is a student’s response:

Princeton Essay Examples #2 Student Response

My first experience with the Red Cross was when my older sister was desperately trying to recruit people to join the club during the harsh COVID year. Things were so bad for the club that I, as a freshman, ran for the position of treasurer unopposed. My first blood drive experience was marked by masks, social distancing, and low turnout among blood donors. Even many donors who showed up ended up being turned away due to health-related issues. Needless to say, it was not the greatest first high school service experience, and I admittedly started to doubt if the time I spent on this front was worth it. 

However, as we returned in person, things quickly turned around. As the vice president of the club, I helped recruit more than twice the club membership compared to the previous year, and our blood drives started to regain momentum; our blood targets have been exceeded every time since. Organizing and participating in blood drives has become a passion. It’s fulfilling, especially when I personally donate, to know that I’m actively serving the community and saving lives. I have realized that, despite my relatively young age, I am capable of making an impact through public service. I plan to continue my commitment to the Red Cross’s adult program and participate in service programs like Community Action at Princeton to serve the Princeton community and abroad.

Why This Essay Worked

In this admissions essay sample, we learn about a student’s volunteerism with the Red Cross as an example of civic engagement. This essay works for several reasons. First, it provides a specific example of the student’s civic engagement and demonstrates their impact by becoming vice president and increasing membership. Secondly, the essay provides an honest take on the struggles of this service experience, which lends credibility and authenticity to the story. 

The student also demonstrates an important lesson learned. This aligns with Princeton’s values– that students can have a positive impact on society. 

Columbia University Essay Examples

In this section, we will highlight Columbia essays examples that landed students admission to the prestigious Ivy League university. The first of our Columbia essays examples is written by the same student who responded to the first Princeton prompt above. Here’s a reminder of the Columbia prompt: 

As you read the example below, notice how the student edited their Princeton cultural diversity essay to meet the prompt and lower word count for Columbia:

I have spent most of my life living in a 41% minority town called Highland Park, NJ. This typically overlooked town has introduced me to a diverse array of people, and it has been the main influence on my life experiences and core values. 

HP has convinced me that we can build institutions that are strong and united while embracing a wide variety of voices and perspectives. It has shaped my core values of diversity and inclusion. An English teacher used to encourage me to talk in front of the class by saying even if I believed my thoughts were “dumb,” I could only enrich the conversation.

At Columbia University, I will seek to continue my contributions as an active participant in the community and look to actively provide unique perspectives and insights. Actively engaging in student groups such as ColumbiaVotes will be a big part of my experience. 

The Columbia essay prompt only allows for a 150-word response. This could pose a challenge for many students. What makes this essay among the Columbia essays examples that worked is how succinctly it completely answers the prompt. 

The response begins by hooking the reader with a relevant detail of the student’s community. Then, the student shares how this community shaped them by influencing their values of diversity and inclusion. Finally, the student shares how they would engage with a Columbia organization that also supports diverse viewpoints. Though short and sweet, this response clearly answers all parts of the Columbia prompt. 

More Community Essay Examples

The final of our community essay examples is a community service essay. Let’s look at how student framed their service experience:

“I don’t believe that’s the best way to do this.” 

The moment I thought this the first time I volunteered at my local soup kitchen was one that resulted in a drastic change. When I was informed of the way the food was being served to the public, the initial excitement that I had felt diminished. We were told that the plates would be served before anyone arrived and would remain in an area where people could pick it up and seat themselves. I felt that this method was impersonal and inconsiderate, and disappointment washed over me. 

I turned to the people that were around me and discovered that they shared the same disapproval I felt. When we agreed that a change must be made, we exchanged ideas on how to present this to the woman in charge of the program. I suggested that we should serve each person one-by-one, and only give them the food if they wanted to/could eat it. They suggested multiple ideas, including that we should offer to seat them, hold their plates for them, continue to check in on them, and dispose of their plates once they finish their meal. We believed that this way would genuinely make them feel better and would allow us to get to know some of them personally. A simple smile and conversation could be enough to improve their day. 

From this day on, the way in which the local soup kitchen serves our community has changed dramatically. This experience taught me the importance of speaking up for what you believe in. In a group setting, it is likely that there will be others who share the same end goal and are willing to contribute different ideas to achieve the goal. These different perspectives can allow you to see situations in ways that you previously hadn’t, and can result in better outcomes. It also showed me the importance of leadership.

If I had never spoken up about the way the food was being served, a change might have never happened. When you work in the group, the end goal may not be for the benefit of anyone in the group, but for others who are in need. This experience also showed me the beauty in doing good for others and making others happy, even through small things such as serving them food to their liking.

In this community service essay, the student shares their experience volunteering at a soup kitchen. Volunteering at a soup kitchen is not necessarily unique in the list of extracurricular activities for college applications. However, the student highlights several aspects of the experience that make it meaningful to them. 

To start, the student shares their experience challenging the way that food was served. The student suggested that food be served directly to attendees in order to better connect with community members. Through this experience, the student learns about leadership and working with others to achieve a common goal. This specific example demonstrates the student’s collaborative values and compassionate way of thinking, both of which are great attributes to highlight in college applications.

How To Write A Community Essay

As we saw in the community essay examples, there are several hallmarks of college essays that worked. To write a good community essay, whether it be a community service essay, a cultural diversity essay, or a describe the community you live in essay, you must start by understanding the prompt. Once you have carefully read through the prompt, brainstorm examples from your own life that relate to it. Sharing specific details and examples will make your response stronger and more unique. 

Additionally, showcase how you grew throughout your response. In each of the community essay examples we shared, the student discussed a skill or perspective they developed through their experiences. Finally, connect your response to the school you are applying to. If you are writing a cultural diversity essay, for example, demonstrate how you would contribute to the cultural diversity at that school, both inside the classroom and in your extracurricular activities for college.  

Topics To Avoid In Your Community Essay

When writing community essays, there is technically no topic that you cannot discuss. However, how you discuss certain topics is important. 

For example, in a community service essay, it is important to not come off as a savior of a community with less privilege than yourself. Similarly, if you are writing a describe the community you live in essay or a cultural diversity essay, you will want to avoid stereotyping any community. Speaking from your own personal experience as a member of a community is fine. However, generalizing your experience to the community at large can come across as insensitive to that community’s diversity. To avoid these pitfalls, have a variety of people read your community essay examples and look for these dynamics.

Additional Tips for Community Essays

We’ve highlighted the strengths in the community essay examples above. Now we will now share some more tips for making your community essays a strong part of your college applications:

Tips for Writing Community Essays

1. research the college.

When reviewing our college community essay examples, you will notice that students highlight specific clubs, programs, or groups on campus to which they will contribute. If you are specific, you demonstrate real interest in the school which adds strength to your college applications.

2. Tell a story

In each of the college essays that worked, students gave details that told a full story . This story incorporated where they come from and what they learned through their experiences. Rather than telling us who they were, the students used this particular story to show us.

As the college admissions landscape gets ever more competitive, students are sometimes tempted to read other students’ essays and copy ideas. Or, more recently, they may even want to use artificial intelligence to write their essays. However, AI and other students’ experiences won’t show admissions who you really are. Don’t worry about whether you have the best extracurricular activities for college or the most unique cultural diversity essay. Instead, talk about the experiences that truly matter to you. By being honest, you are more likely to come across as convincing and interesting. In each of our college community essay examples, students presented a true and well-thought-out response to the prompts.

Other CollegeAdvisor Essay Resources to Explore 

As you work on your college applications, you might be in search of additional resources. CollegeAdvisor has a wealth of webinars and articles that can help you navigate writing your essays. Here are a few:

More CollegeAdvisor Resources for Essays

1. short essay examples.

Some of the cultural diversity essays you may write will be short, meaning that they are 150 words or less. This article with short essay examples can help you understand how to write short and sweet cultural diversity essays.

2. Cultural Diversity Essay Examples

In this article , you will find additional examples of cultural diversity essays. Many community essays are also cultural diversity essays. As such, becoming familiar with how students write about their cultures is useful.

3. The Ultimate Guide to Supplemental Essays

In this webinar , CollegeAdvisor experts provide a rundown of how to write strong supplemental essays for your college applications. In particular, this webinar will help you decode essay prompts and make sure you answer each prompt fully.

4. Editing Your Supplemental Essays

Once you have read up on college community essay examples and written your cultural diversity essays, you might need help editing them. This webinar will provide tips for how to edit your supplemental essays effectively.

Community Essay Examples – Final Thoughts

Completing your college applications can be a daunting task, especially when you must write multiple essays. For some students, writing cultural diversity essays is challenging. These prompts ask you to dig deep and reflect upon your life influences.

In this guide to community essays, we provided an overview of what a community essay is and how to respond to the different types of community essay prompts. We shared cultural diversity essay examples and describe the community you live in essay examples. We also described what makes these essays strong and how they meet college application requirements. 

In short, the key to writing stand-out essays is to be authentic and thorough in your responses. If you need additional help writing your cultural diversity essay, seek out the support of a trusted resource like CollegeAdvisor. We are here to help you craft the best college applications that could gain you admissions to the school of your dreams!

This article was written by Courtney Ng. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

Personalized and effective college advising for high school students.

• Advisor Application
• Popular Colleges
• Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice
• Student Login
• California Privacy Notice
• Terms and Conditions
• Your Privacy Choices

By using the College Advisor site and/or working with College Advisor, you agree to our updated Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , including an arbitration clause that covers any disputes relating to our policies and your use of our products and services.

Home > Blog > Thesis Statement Essays Examples

Thesis Statement Essays Examples

• Smodin Editorial Team
• Updated: August 30, 2024
• General Guide About Content and Writing
• Step-by-Step Instructions for Writing

Writing an essay can seem challenging, but a solid thesis statement can make it easier. A thesis statement is a crucial part of any essay. It gives your reader a clear understanding of your main idea. The goal should be to deliver a strong, concise, yet compelling statement that immerses the reader in your writing. A strong thesis statement means a strong start to your essay !

We’ve developed this comprehensive guide to explore what makes a good thesis statement. We’ll discuss different thesis statement essay examples and show you steps on how to write a strong statement. Whether you’re writing a research paper, argumentative essay, or policy proposal, a solid thesis statement is key.

What Is a Thesis Statement?

To put it simply, a thesis statement summarizes your entire paper. It usually appears at the end of the first paragraph, known as the essay introduction. Your thesis should be specific, concise, and clear.

It should express one main idea and guide your writing. For example, if your paper explains climate change, your thesis might assert that “Climate change poses a significant threat to global ecosystems.”

How To Write a Thesis Statement: Example and What To Include

In this section, we include how to write a thesis statement with an example to help you out in the process. Below, we have listed some of the steps involved, while compiling a thesis statement.

Start With a Question

Every good thesis statement starts with a question. Think about what you want to explore or decide about your topic. For example, “Has the internet had a positive or negative impact on education?”

Write Your Initial Answer

After some research, write a simple, tentative answer to your question. This will guide your research and writing process. For example, “The internet has had a positive impact on education.”

Refine Your Thesis Statement

Your final thesis should ultimately tell the reader why you hold this position. You can elaborate and explain what they’ll learn from your essay and the key points of your argument.

For example, “The internet’s positive impact on education outweighs its negatives by providing easier access to information. Exposure to different perspectives and a flexible learning environment for students and teachers contributes to this”.

A Good Thesis Statement Example

A good thesis statement is concise, coherent, and contentious. It should clearly state your main idea and be backed up by specific evidence. Take a look at the following good thesis statement example:

“While many people believe climate change is a natural phenomenon, evidence shows that human activities significantly contribute to its acceleration.”

This statement is clear, concise, and debatable. It presents a strong position that can be supported with evidence.

Types of Thesis Statements

Your thesis should match the type of essay you’re writing. Here are some examples of different types of thesis statements.

Argumentative Thesis Statement

In an argumentative essay , your thesis should take a strong position.

For example:

“The government should implement stricter regulations on carbon emissions to combat climate change.”

An argumentative paper makes a clear, debatable claim that requires evidence and reasoning. This thesis presents a clear argument that will be supported with evidence throughout the essay.

Expository Thesis Statement

In an expository essay , your thesis should explain the facts of a topic or process.

“The invention of braille improved the lives of blind people by allowing them to read and write independently.”

This statement explains the impact of braille without taking a position.

Thesis Statement Essay Examples for Different Types of Papers

Let’s look at some thesis statement essay examples to understand how to craft one effectively.

Example 1: Argumentative Paper

Topic: The impact of surveillance on society

Thesis statement: “Although surveillance is often viewed negatively, its positive effects on public safety outweigh its downsides.”

This thesis presents a clear argument that will be supported with evidence throughout the essay.

Example 2: Expository Paper

Topic: The history of the internet

Thesis statement: “The internet revolutionized communication by allowing instant access to information and connecting people globally.”

This statement explains how the internet has changed communication without presenting an argument.

In both examples, the thesis statements are clear and concise, and provide a roadmap for the essay.

Example 3: Analytical Paper

Topic: The impact of social media on mental health

Thesis statement: “Social media influences mental health by increasing anxiety, promoting unrealistic body images, and enhancing social connections.”

An analytical thesis statement breaks down an idea into parts to examine and interpret. This example shows the impact of social media into specific components for detailed analysis. An analytical paper breaks complex subjects into components for detailed examination and analysis.

Characteristics of a Good Thesis Statement

An effective thesis statement is the backbone of a well-structured essay. Thesis statement examples help illustrate the differences between strong and weak thesis statements. Here are the essential characteristics of a good thesis statement.

Concise Summary

The best thesis statements should be brief and to the point. Avoid unnecessary words. For instance, instead of saying, “In this essay, I will discuss the reasons why climate change is a critical issue that needs urgent attention,” you can say, “Climate change demands urgent attention due to its severe impact on global ecosystems.” This keeps your thesis clear and focused.

The aim is to bring the statement to the concluding point as effectively as possible.

Specific Evidence

In academic writing, your thesis statement should be backed up by specific evidence. It should not just make a claim but also provide a hint of the evidence that supports it. For example, “Human activities, such as deforestation and fossil fuel consumption, significantly contribute to climate change,” indicates that the essay will discuss these specific activities.

A strong thesis statement clearly states your main idea. It should convey the central point of your essay in a way that is easy to understand. For example, “Renewable energy sources are essential for reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change,” clearly states the essay’s main idea.

3 Common Mistakes to Avoid

According to the Guardian , teachers are observing that students are continuously having issues with writing essays. This may be due to various reasons like a lack of foundational skills in writing or the likelihood of them making specific mistakes when compiling their essays and thesis statements.

Below we have listed some of the common errors students can make when writing a thesis statement for their paper.

1. Being Too Broad

A thesis statement that is too broad lacks focus and fails to provide a clear argument. For example: “Climate change is bad,” is too broad. Instead, narrow your focus to something more specific, like, “Climate change significantly impacts coastal cities by increasing the frequency of flooding.”

2. Not Getting Into Specifics

A vague thesis statement doesn’t give specific details, making it difficult for the reader to understand your argument. For example, “Climate change affects the environment,” is too vague. A more precise thesis would be, “Climate change accelerates the melting of polar ice caps, leading to rising sea levels.”

3. Just Stating a Fact

In a great research paper, a thesis statement that states a fact rather than an argument is not debatable. For example, “Climate change exists,” is a statement of fact and not arguable. A more debatable thesis would be, “Immediate action is required to mitigate climate change impacts on future generations.”

How To Strengthen a Weak Thesis Statement

If your thesis statement is weak, here is how you can strengthen it:

• Contextualize your topic: Understand the broader context of your topic. This helps in narrowing down the focus and making it more specific.
• Make it arguable: Ensure your thesis is something that can be debated. A strong thesis often takes a clear stance on an issue.
• Support with evidence: Be prepared to back up your thesis with specific evidence. This adds credibility and strength to your statement.

Example of a Weak Thesis

A weak thesis statement, such as “The internet is useful,” is too general and lacks specificity. It doesn’t provide any direction for the essay, leaving readers unclear about what the essay will address. A weak thesis statement:

• Lacks focus: The statement “The internet is useful” doesn’t specify how or why the internet is useful. This lack of focus can confuse readers and make it challenging to develop supporting arguments.
• Is not honing in on a specific topic: This thesis is overly broad, covering too many potential topics without honing in on a specific aspect.
• Doesn’t leave room for a debate: It doesn’t present a debatable claim. A strong thesis should make a claim that others might dispute, providing a basis for argumentation and discussion.

For instance, an essay based on the weak thesis “The internet is useful” could meander through various topics like online shopping, social media, and research, without a clear structure or argument. This makes it difficult for readers to grasp the main point or purpose of the essay.

Example of a Strong Thesis

A strong thesis statement, like “The internet is useful for education because it provides access to a wealth of information and resources,” is specific and provides a clear argument supported by evidence. It also indicates what the essay will discuss, which helps guide the reader.

Therefore, a strong thesis statement should:

• Have a clear focus: This thesis specifies that the essay will focus on the educational benefits of the internet. This clarity helps readers understand the essay’s purpose from the beginning.
• Be to the point: The thesis mentions “access to a wealth of information and resources.” So, it provides a specific angle on how the internet is useful, which helps to narrow the scope of the essay.
• Include a debatable claim: The statement makes a claim that could be argued. It posits that the internet is beneficial for education. But, it also implies that there are specific ways in which this is true. Thus, the statement opens the door for discussion and analysis.
• Guide the essay: This strong thesis provides a roadmap for the essay. It suggests that the following paragraphs will explore how the internet facilitates education through information access and resource availability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in a thesis statement.

A thesis statement is a sentence that summarizes the main point of your essay. It usually appears at the end of the first paragraph.

Can a thesis statement be more than one sentence?

Ideally, a thesis statement should be one or two sentences long.

Where should I place my thesis statement?

Your thesis statement should be at the end of the first paragraph, known as the essay introduction.

Improve Your Thesis Statements With Smodin.io

A good thesis statement is the backbone of your essay. It guides your writing and tells your reader what to expect. By following the steps we’ve outlined in these examples, you can write a strong thesis statement.

Ready to improve your writing skills and create compelling essays? Enhance your writing with Smodin’s AI writing tool. Whether you’re writing a research paper or an argumentative essay, Smodin can help you craft a strong thesis statement. Join us now at Smodin.io and take your writing to the next level.

Trump and Allies Forge Plans to Increase Presidential Power in 2025

The former president and his backers aim to strengthen the power of the White House and limit the independence of federal agencies.

Donald J. Trump intends to bring independent regulatory agencies under direct presidential control. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times

Supported by

• Share full article

By Jonathan Swan Charlie Savage and Maggie Haberman

• Published July 17, 2023 Updated July 18, 2023

Donald J. Trump and his allies are planning a sweeping expansion of presidential power over the machinery of government if voters return him to the White House in 2025, reshaping the structure of the executive branch to concentrate far greater authority directly in his hands.

Their plans to centralize more power in the Oval Office stretch far beyond the former president’s recent remarks that he would order a criminal investigation into his political rival, President Biden, signaling his intent to end the post-Watergate norm of Justice Department independence from White House political control.

Mr. Trump and his associates have a broader goal: to alter the balance of power by increasing the president’s authority over every part of the federal government that now operates, by either law or tradition, with any measure of independence from political interference by the White House, according to a review of his campaign policy proposals and interviews with people close to him.

Mr. Trump intends to bring independent agencies — like the Federal Communications Commission, which makes and enforces rules for television and internet companies, and the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces various antitrust and other consumer protection rules against businesses — under direct presidential control.

He wants to revive the practice of “impounding” funds, refusing to spend money Congress has appropriated for programs a president doesn’t like — a tactic that lawmakers banned under President Richard Nixon.

He intends to strip employment protections from tens of thousands of career civil servants, making it easier to replace them if they are deemed obstacles to his agenda. And he plans to scour the intelligence agencies, the State Department and the defense bureaucracies to remove officials he has vilified as “the sick political class that hates our country.”

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Advertisement