IELTS Discussion Essay: How to Handle Both Views
Master the IELTS discussion essay by learning exactly how to structure both views, avoid common traps, and write with the precision examiners reward.
The discussion essay — recognisable by the instruction 'Discuss both views and give your own opinion' — is one of the most frequently mishandled Task 2 question types. Candidates either ignore one side entirely, bury their own opinion at the end with a single vague sentence, or write four paragraphs of equal length that leave the examiner with no sense of direction. This post gives you a precise, repeatable structure and the language tools to handle both views cleanly while still earning credit for a coherent, well-supported personal stance.
Recognising the Discussion Essay Question
Not every essay that mentions 'two sides' is a discussion essay. The trigger phrase is almost always 'Discuss both views and give your own opinion' or a close variant like 'Discuss both these views'. If the question says 'To what extent do you agree or disagree', that is an opinion essay — a different format. Misidentifying the question type costs you marks on Task Achievement before you write a single body paragraph. Read the final sentence of the prompt twice before planning.
Tip
Circle the instruction verb in the question — 'Discuss', 'Evaluate', 'Consider' — and underline 'both views'. This two-second habit stops you defaulting to the wrong essay type under exam pressure.
The Four-Paragraph Structure That Works
A clean discussion essay has four paragraphs: introduction, body paragraph one (View A), body paragraph two (View B), and a conclusion that contains your stated opinion. Some high-scoring candidates place their opinion in the introduction as well — this is fine and can actually strengthen coherence. What examiners penalise is an opinion that appears nowhere, or one that contradicts what the body paragraphs argue.
- 1Introduction: paraphrase the topic, acknowledge that two perspectives exist, and optionally signal your own view in one sentence.
- 2Body Paragraph 1: present View A with a clear topic sentence, one developed reason, and a concrete example or piece of evidence.
- 3Body Paragraph 2: present View B with the same internal structure — topic sentence, reason, example.
- 4Conclusion: restate both views briefly, then state your own opinion clearly and explain which view you find more persuasive and why.
Watch out
Do not write a fifth paragraph or split your opinion into its own body paragraph. This inflates word count without adding ideas and disrupts the logical flow the examiner is tracking.
Writing Each Body Paragraph: What 'Developed' Actually Means
Band 6 responses typically state a reason and stop. Band 7 responses extend that reason with a logical consequence or specific example, then link back to the central argument. Each body paragraph should contain roughly 90–120 words and move through three clear stages: the claim, the explanation, and the illustration.
✗ Band 5
Some people think university education should be free. This is because it helps students. Many people cannot afford to pay fees, so free education is a good idea.
✓ Band 7+
Proponents of free university education argue that tuition fees create a socioeconomic barrier that prevents talented students from low-income households from accessing higher education. When individuals are excluded on financial grounds rather than academic merit, societies lose a significant portion of their skilled workforce — a cost that ultimately outweighs the savings made by charging fees. Countries such as Germany and Norway demonstrate that state-funded tertiary education is fiscally viable and correlates with higher graduate employment rates.
Notice that the Band 7+ example names specific countries, states a consequence ('societies lose a significant portion of their skilled workforce'), and ties the paragraph back to a larger economic argument. You do not need obscure facts — plausible, logically grounded examples are sufficient. The examiner is assessing your ability to reason, not your general knowledge.
Language for Presenting Views Without Losing Your Own Voice
A persistent Band 6 error is writing both body paragraphs in the first person ('I think... but I also think...'), which blurs the distinction between the two sides and your personal stance. Use distancing language for the views you are reporting, and reserve direct first-person language for your conclusion.
| Function | Useful Phrases |
|---|---|
| Introducing View A | Those who support... argue that / Proponents of this view contend that / It is often claimed that |
| Introducing View B | On the other hand, critics of this position maintain that / Opponents argue that / An alternative perspective holds that |
| Conceding a point | While it is true that... / Although this argument has merit... / Granted, ... however |
| Stating your opinion (conclusion) | On balance, I am persuaded that... / Having considered both perspectives, I believe... / Ultimately, the evidence suggests that |
Tip
Use 'those who' and 'proponents of' rather than 'some people think' throughout your body paragraphs. These phrases signal academic register and score higher on Lexical Resource without requiring unusual vocabulary.
The Conclusion: Where Most Candidates Drop Marks
The conclusion is not a summary — or rather, it should not only be a summary. The IELTS band descriptors for Task Achievement require you to present 'a clear position throughout'. In a discussion essay, that position lives in the conclusion. You need one sentence acknowledging the validity of both views, followed by one or two sentences explaining which side you favour and why. Avoid phrases like 'both sides have good points' as a conclusion to your opinion — this reads as evasive and does not satisfy the 'give your own opinion' instruction.
✗ Band 5
In conclusion, there are advantages and disadvantages to both sides. People have different opinions. Both views are important to consider.
✓ Band 7+
On balance, while the economic arguments for charging tuition fees are not without merit, I am more persuaded by the view that free university education produces long-term societal benefits that outweigh the short-term cost to government budgets. Access to education based on ability rather than wealth is, in my view, a more equitable foundation for national development.
Watch out
Never introduce a new argument in the conclusion. If a point is strong enough to include, it belongs in a body paragraph. Examiners are trained to spot last-minute ideas inserted here, and it signals poor planning.
The discussion essay rewards candidates who can hold two ideas in tension without abandoning analytical rigour. If you plan your paragraphs before you write — spending three minutes assigning one distinct reason and one concrete example to each view — the actual writing becomes a matter of execution rather than invention. Practise producing this structure under timed conditions, read your conclusion aloud to check that your opinion is unambiguous, and you will find the discussion essay becomes one of the more predictable formats in Task 2.
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